Letter 155: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Of Pope Hormisdas, to the Emperor Justin. [Summary:] He prays that what the emperor has begun on behalf of the peace of the Church may be carried through. He declares that he has set out, both in letters and in an appended document [libellus], what ought to be done by the bishops who are inclined toward unity. He confirms Justin's judgment concerning Gratus. Hormisdas to Justin Augustus. The joy that we conceived from the rise of your reign, though it was already abundant among us by reason of the merit that preceded it, you have nonetheless doubled by your address as well. Attested by a reciprocal devotion, we foresaw even then that those things would follow which now, by the inspiration of heavenly grace, you have made known concerning your affection for the unity of the Church. You have therefore, most merciful emperor, present glory from so great a beginning already, but await perpetual glory from its completion. These are the most solid foundations of your reign, which at the very outset of a nascent kingdom set before all men, by a holy arrangement, the worship of God. Hold fast therefore to this care of pious solicitude, and press on for the peace of the catholic faithful, as you have begun: for our God, who granted you this resolve, has also chosen the persons through whom He may bring it to effect. For we also gladly embrace the vows and prayers poured out to you by the bishops, who, admonished at last by consideration of their own station, now desire those things which, that they might be willing to follow them, the frequent exhortation of the apostolic see had long not been lacking. And since we have learned that your clemency desires this, and that they too request these things [which thus far an obstinate and contentious wrangling has kept the peace of the churches divided]; nor has it escaped the notice either of your piety or of theirs, as though by a hidden cause. What therefore they ought to do is contained, in due order, both in our letters and in the document [libellus] which we have directed. If, with our God and your clemency assisting, they take up and follow these things, it will be possible to arrive at that concord which we most greatly desire with ardor. Moreover our son, the sublime man [vir sublimis] Gratus, count of the sacred consistory and master of the bureau of records [magister scrinii memoriae], has shown your judgment in himself by the maturity of his pleading [allegatio]: whose [...] will be better maintained to your understanding when he reports on it.

Hormisdae papae ad Justinuni imperatorem. ^^jan)"^ Ll. Vt^ qiiae pro pace Ecdesiae imperator incepit, perfidaty precatur. Quid ah episcopis ad unitatem propensis faciendufh sit, se et litteris et adjecto libello exposuisse declarat, Justini de Grato judicium confirmat, Hormisda Justino Augusto. Sumptam de imperii vestri ortu laetitiam, quamvis apud nos pollentem merito praecedenti , quoque geminastis alloquio. Reci- ep. 42. proca devotione testati, jam tunc secutura praevidimus, quae nunc de ecclesiasticae unitatis afFectu coelestis gratiae inspiratione signi- ficastis. Habes ergo, clementissime imperator, praesentem de tali Toto jam gloriam, sed exspecta^) de perfectione perpetuam. Haec sunt validissima imperii vestri fundamenta, quae in ipso nascentis regni principio divinam universis praeferunt sancta dispositione eulturam. Tenete itaque hanc piae sollicitudinis curam, et pro ca- tholicorum pace, sicut coepistis, insistite: quia Deus noster, qui vobis hunc tribuit animum, elegit etiam, per quos praestet efiFectum. Nam et episcoporum vota precesque vobis^) efiusas gratanter ani- plectimur: qui tandem loci sui consideratione commoniti ea deside- rant, quae dudum ut sequi vellent, sedis apostolicae exhortatio cre- bra non defuit, Et quoniam clementiam vestram id cupere, illos etiam haec didicimus"^) postulare, quae res hactenus ecclesiarum ') a* dicimus, 5.3* (a. 519.) pacem sub intentiosa ^) obstinatione diviserit; nec pietatis Tesine nec illorum refugit velut latenti causa notitiam. Quid igitur faeen debeant, et litteris nostris et libelli^); quem direzimus, serie con- tinetur. Haec si^ Deo nostro et clementia vestra adjuTante^ SDSci- piunt et sequuntur, poterit ad eam, quam maximo desideranras a^ dore, perveniri concordiam. Filius praeterea noster vir*) sabliinis Gratus^ sactp consistorii comes et magister scrinii memoriae, osten- ditin se vestrum allegationis suae maturitate judicium: cujus mon sensibus vestris eo referente melius asseretur.