Letter 199: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

A letter of Pope Hormisdas to the Empress Euphemia. He pours out unceasing prayers to God for her and the emperor's well-being, and for every catholic person. He commends Elias, Thomas, and Nicostratus. Hormisdas to Euphemia Augusta. 1. That we pray, and discharge our vows to our God for your safety together also with the assembly of catholics, without ceasing among the bishops, it is not the zeal of your entreaty that prompts; rather, your devout purpose, set firmly upon ecclesiastical reconciliation, spurs us on. For who, once separated from the heretical conspiracy, would keep himself apart, who would invoke other foundations in his own supplication, except that for you and for your most serene husband the prince, life may be longer and the divine grace nearer to the increase of prosperity: you who consecrated the beginnings of a happy reign by condemning the execrations of error, and who by a peaceful intention drove out the discord that is dear to the devil? Wherefore it now befits you to persist in these praiseworthy undertakings and to scatter the perfect medicine throughout the whole world, since the greater number of the flock offered to Christ confidently demands a more abundant reward. Among these things, let it be your care that Satan, long since cast down, may inflict no wound; but let the unity of communion be a great support toward the obtaining of justice. 2. For we beseech you that at length, concerning our venerable brothers and fellow bishops Elias, Thomas, and Nicostratus, what the authority of the most sacred canons dictates may, by your decree, be fulfilled: lest they should seem, as though they were the authors of some evil, to have alone deserved to be struck down because they were the first to hasten to the unity of the apostolic see, amid the common joy of all, and lest in a praiseworthy deed justice should seem to have yielded, vanquished by personal hatred. Join, therefore, your prayers to ours before the most merciful Augustus, that the fruit which the rules of the fathers prescribe to be granted and preserved to them, a hostile evasion may not be able to take away. [...] we strive that all may forsake error; yet to no one ought his own honor be lost, but rather those who have labored for the faith ought to have their own right restored to them, with every privilege of theirs. With these compare the words of Hormisdas below in letter 95. Letters 93-95.

^2 S^cptt Hormisdae papae ad Enphemiam Aogustam. Perpetuas pro ejus et imperatoris salute ad Deum se 'et catholicum quemque P-^ , preces effundere. Elitan^ Thomam et Nicostratum commendat. Uormisda Euphemiae Augustae. 1. Orare nos et pro vestra ineolumitate Deo nostro vota per- solvere cum catholicorum etiam coetu sine cessatione pontificum, non vestrae studium exorationis invitat; sed devotum atque persidieiis in ecclesiastica stimulat reconciliatione propositimi. Quis enim ab haeretica segregatus conspiratione se teneat^ quis aliis in sua utator deprecatione principiis, nisi ut vobis serenissimoque principi jugali vestro et vita sit longior, et ad prosperitatis augmentum graiia di- vina proximior: qui initia felicis imperii plectendi exsecrationibos consecrastis erroris; et amicam diabolo pacifica expulistis intentione discordiam? Unde nunc decet vos laudabilibus coeptis insistere et per totum orbem perfectam spargere medicinam^ quia Christo major numerus gregis oblatus mercedem confidenter exigit largiorem. Inter quae curae vestrae sit^ ut nullum Satanas jamdudum prostratus vul- nus efficiat^); sed communionis unitas magnum sit justitiae impe- trandae sufiragium. 2. Quaesumus namque^ ut tandem de venerabilibus fratribus et coepiscopis nostris^ Elia^ Thomate atque Nicostrato^ quod sacratisai- morum caiionum dictat auctoritaS; vobis decernentibus impleatur: ne videantur ut auctores alicujus mali^ quod primi ad unitatem sedis apostolicae festinarunt, in communi omnium gaudio soli meruisse percelli, et in facto laudabili victam personali odio cessisse justitiam. Nostris ergo precibus apud clementissimum Augustum vestras ad- jungite, ut fnictum, quem illi^ patrum regulae tribui et conservari praecipiunt, inimica tergiversatio auferre non possit. atpimus, errorem omnes relinquant^ nemini quidem perrre suus honor debeat^ sedHKt, qui pro fide laboraverunt, cum omni privilegio suo oporteat Jus proprium reforaurt Cum his confer Hormisdae dicta infra epist. 95. EPISTOLAE 93 — 95/. 891