Letter 175: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Imperial rescript [sacra] of Justin to Pope Hormisdas. [Dated] 22 April. [Editorial summary: He announces that everything at Constantinople has been arranged according to Hormisdas's wish, and that he has issued general decrees to be dispatched to the other regions for the same purpose.] Victor Justinus, pious, fortunate, renowned, triumphant, ever Augustus, to Hormisdas, most holy and most blessed archbishop and patriarch. Know that there has been brought about for us, most religious father, that which was long sought after with the utmost zeal; you shall learn that it was made manifest before those arrived who were dispatched by you: namely, that John, the most blessed man, the bishop of our New Rome, together with his clergy, are of one mind with you, varying in no ambiguities, divided by no discords; know that a document [libellum] was subscribed by him, which you had judged ought to be offered, in conformity with the council of the most holy fathers. [Apparatus: Polyc(arpus reads) "studiis paiet" (?), "sirictum"; Ans(elm) XII, 31 reads "affectu ... studiis occultabatur patefactum et antequam ... a nobis ... clero vobis consentiunt ... Judicaveras. Negatum est ab eis memoriam" etc. — Note: Q*, J, i*, a* read "noster" (our); other editions read "vestrae" (your).] [Year] 519. All hasten together in eager effort to take up the vows both of your see and of that of Constantinople, those whom the flashing radiance of truth illuminates; all hasten most willingly, those whom the clear path delights; they follow the most holy decrees of the fathers, the most approved laws: and, the counsels of certain men having been confirmed who held the straight course, and those of others having been corrected who were wandering uncertain, the matter is brought to this point, that they too may worship the unity of the undivided Trinity with a unity of minds. It has been refused that, amid the divine mysteries, commemoration should henceforth be made -- according to the tenor of the document [libellus] which we have mentioned -- of Acacius, the prevaricator, once bishop of this royal city, and also of the other priests who either were the first to come against the apostolic ordinances, or were made successors of the error, and were corrected by no repentance of their own right up to their last day. And since all our regions are to be admonished to imitate the example of the royal city, we have issued that the principal decrees be dispatched everywhere; with so great a duty of religion do we burn, with so great a zeal do we strive after the peace of the catholic faith -- in exchange for the peace bestowed from heaven upon our commonwealth, for the procuring of a supernal protection for my subjects. For what can be found more pleasing, what more just, what more illustrious, than that those whom the same realm contains and the worship of the same faith irradiates should not strive after different things, but, their thoughts gathered into one and the same purpose, should venerate the institutions -- borne not by a human mind, but by the prudence of the divine Spirit? May the holiness of your religion therefore pray that what is procured by ever-vigilant zeal for the concord of the churches of the catholic faith, the aid of the divine gift may grant to be preserved in unbroken perpetuity. Given on the tenth day before the Kalends of May [22 April], at Constantinople.

seu Sacra Justini ad Homxisdam papam. ?■• ^^^^ ^- 22April. 2. Omnia Constaniinopoli secundum Hormisdae votum ordinata, ac generalia praecepta in ceteras regiones eadem de causa deslinanda a se edicta esse, nuntiat. Victor Justinus, pius, felix, inclitus, triumphator semper Augustus, Hormisdae sanctissimo ac beatissimo archiepiscopo et patriarchae. Scias effectum^) nobis, pater religiosissime, quod diu summis studiis quaerebatur; noyeris patefactum, antequam advenerint qui a vobis destinati sunt: quod Johannes vir l^eatissimus aiitistes novae Romae nostrae-) una cum clero ejus vobiscum sentiunt, nullis varian- tes ambiguitatibus, nuUis divisi dicordiis; scias libellum ab eo sub- Polyc. studiis paiet siriciumy Ans. XII, 31 a/fectu ... sludiis occultabaiur paiefacium et antequam .., a nobis . . . clero vobis consentiunt . . , Judicaveras. Negatum est ab eis memoriam etc. ') Ita Q* J i* a^. c* c' noster, al. ed. vestrne. \ a. 519. scriptum^), quem offerendum iudicaveras, sanctissimorum patrum concilio*) congruentem. Omnes concurrunt alacri opere ad snsci- pienda vota tam vestrae^) quam Constantinopolitanae sedis, quos veritatis coruscus fulgor illuminat; omnes accelerant libentissime, quos oblectat via dilucida ; sequuntur scita patrum sanctissima, leges probatissimas : et consiliis quorumdam firmatis, qui rectum tenebant tramitem, aliorum correctis, qui vagabantur incerti, in eo res col- ligitur, ut unitatem individuae Trinitatis ipsi quoque unitate*) colant mentium. Negatum est inter divina mysteria memoriam in poete- rum fieri pro tenore libelli, . quem diximus, Acacii praevaricatoris quondam regiae urbis hujus episcopi, nec non et aliorum sacerdo- tum, qui vel primi contra constituta venerunt apostolica vdsucces- sores erroris facti sunt et nuUa usque ad ultimum diem sumn poeni- tentia correcti. Et quoniam omnes nostrae") regiones admonendae sunt, ut exemplum imitentur civitatis regiae, destinanda ubique principalia praecepta ediximus^)-, tanto flagramus religionis officio, tanto affectamus studio pacem catliolicae fidei pro remuneranda coelitus pace nostrae reipublicae, pro conciliando subjectis meis supemo praesidio. Quid enim gratius reperiri potest, quid justias, quid illustrius, quam quos idem regnum continet ejusdemque fidei cultus irradiat, eos non diversa contendere, sed collectis in eodem sensibus iustituta venerari non huraana mente lata^) sed divini pru- dentia Spiritus? Oret igitur vestrae religionis sanctitas, ut quod pervigili studio pro concordia ecclesiarum catholicae fidei procuratur, divini muneris opitulatio jugi perpetuitate servari annuat. Data^*) X Calendas Maji Constantinopoli.