Letter 193: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Hormisda to John, bishop of Illici [Illicitana, in Hispania]. We do not wish our prayers to be hidden from your charity, lest one who shared in the anxiety should be made an exile from the fruit of the rejoicing. And therefore we make known to you, by the words we send, that the church of Constantinople has returned to our communion, the Lord being favorable to those who delivered it up, and that the substance of the instructions which we gave to our legates has been fulfilled in all things. And in this matter, so that a more fully accomplished joy might reach your affection, we have thought it right that copies of the documents [libelli] of John, our brother and fellow-priest, bishop of Constantinople, and of the sacred letters of Justin, the most clement prince of the East, should likewise be sent to you; indicating nonetheless that very many bishops throughout the regions of the East have done the same. It remains that the Divinity, entreated by us with fitting prayers, may grant that we may also give thanks for the restoration of the other churches as well. But those things which we have taken care to make known you will see to conveying to the notice of those priests who are near to your brotherhood, so that they too may not cease to render thanks together with us for the benefits of the heavenly mercy on account of the effect of so great a matter. May God keep you safe, dearest brother!

Hormisdae papae ad Johannem Illicitanae ecelesiae episcopiim. ^*j^'\"* 1 3. Ecclesiam ConslanlinopoUtanam ad sedis apostolicae communionem rediisse nuntiat, et libellum a Johanne ejus antistite conscriptum cum sacra Justini transmittit. Hormisda Johanni episcopo^) Illicitano. Vota nostra caritatem tuam latere nolumus, ne qui particeps fuit sollicitudinis , gaudiorum fructu redderetur extorris. Et ideo Constantinopolitanam ecclesiam ad communionem nostram rediisse, Domino propitiante tradentihus significamus alloquiis, et mandato- rum, quae legatis nostris dedimus, in omnibus seriem fuisse comple- tam. De qua parte, ut ad dilectionem tuam plenius perfectum'^) gau- dium penreniret, libelli Johannis fratris et consacerdotis nostri Constan- ei). Gi. tinopolitani episcopi, et Justini clementissimi principis Orientis sacrarum btterarum exemplaria^) pariter credimus destinanda; indi-ep. G6. cantes nihilominus, per Orientis partes plurimos episcopos sic fecisse. Superest, ut a nobis competentibus precibus Divinitas exorata con- cedat, quatenus de aliarum quoque ecclesianmi redintegratione gra- tulemur. Ea vero, quae significare curavimus, iii eorum sacerdotum, qui fratemitati tuae vicini sunt, curabis perferre notitiam, ut et ipsi de effectu tantae rei gratias nobiscum coelestis misericordiae beneficiis referre non cessent.- Deus te incolumem custodiat, frater carissime !