Letter 208: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Hormisdas to the deacon Dioscorus. 1. We rejoice at the result of your labor, which you undertook with the help of God almighty, for that part of it which has been accomplished; and we point out that, just as those are to be recalled who in writing condemned the decrees established by the Council of Chalcedon, you ought to consider whether perhaps such men may seem to be not schismatics but rather heretics. Or is the case truly one and the same, both of those who [condemned] in their discourses and of those who are convicted of having condemned in writing, since on account of this distinction our son, the illustrious and devout Albinus, seems to be raising a question? And consider whether even those writing against the Council of Chalcedon ought to be received merely through that general document, or whether something more should certainly be added. 2. Concerning the churches of Alexandria and Antioch, strive, aided by the consolation of our God, so that, all things being rightly disposed, they may be joined to catholic communion. The detention [enforced isolation] of Thomas and Nicostratus, our brothers and fellow bishops, also grieves us by its long duration; and we wonder why, under a catholic prince, bishops of the right faith should appear to suffer hardship, whose desires your charity ought to relieve by acting, so that the sorrow of those who follow may be turned into the joy they long for. 3. John, bishop of Nicopolis, has written to us through the deacon Ammonius that certain ill-disposed men are endeavoring to bring up a false accusation against him before the prince; we commend him to your affection, urging that you make every effort so that the underhanded scheming of his enemies cannot harm his peace. As for that deacon Ammonius, when he came to us, we were unwilling to receive him into the communion of the apostolic see for so long as we might, after holding a discussion with the deacon Sergius, inquire what ought to be ordained; and this our deliberation found acceptable with respect to the aforesaid deacon, namely, that through the testimony of a document he should be joined to catholic communion: which document, solemnly presented and offered to our communion, we indicate is enclosed. Given [Dated].

(a. 519 d. Hormisdae papae ad Dioscorum diaconum. 3Dec.) Ut cogitet, quomodo ii, qui Calckedonense concilium scripio damnaoerantt re- p. 11; cipiendi sint. Ecdesias Alexandrinam et Antiochenam^ nec non Tkomam^ Xico- stratum ei Johannem Nicopolitanum ei commendat, Hormisda Dioscoro diacono^). 1. De laboris tui, quem cum Dei omnipot^ntis juvamine susce- pisti, pro ea parte, quae acta est, gratulamur efiectu; et indicamus, ut quemadmodum revocandi sunt hi, qui ex scripto Calchedoneusis concilii constituta damnaverunt, debeas cogitare, ne^) forsitan tales non schismatici sed magis haeretici videantur. An certe , una sit causa tam eorum, qui sermonibus, quam eonim, qui convincuntur •') Tres de iis exstant Justiniani epistolae, scil. 78, 89 et 99. Ex iis antem vel 89 vel 99 videtur memorari. — Mox ed. faciemus. Scytliis errorem liic Hormisda attribuit. Certum enim est, eum de illoniin causa niliil hactenus judicare voluisse , sed ejus cognitionem ad legatoram reA- tum distulisse. 104 ^) Inscriptio nulla exstat in G'. EPISTOLAE 103 — 105. 905 scripto damuasse^), quia per hanc distantiam filius noster vir illu- (a. 519.) stris Albinus religiosus videtur facere quaestionem? Et cogita, utrum et scribentes contra Calchedonense concilium per illura generaleni libellum tantum suscipi debeant, an certe aliquid amplius adjicere^). 2. De Alexandrina et Antiocheua ecclesiis^) solatio Dei nostri adjutus enitere, ut omnibus recte dispositis communioni catholicae socientur. Thomae quoque et Nicostrati fratrum et coepiscoporum nostrorum observatio*') nos longa contristat; et miramur, cur apud catholicum principem rectae fidei laborare videantur episcopi, quo- rum desideria tua debebit caritas sublevare agendo, quatenus optata consequentium') moeror converti possit in gaudium. 3. Johannes Nicopolitanus episcopus per Ammonium diaconum nobis scripsit, quod ei aliqui malevoli apud principem nituntur ge- nerare calumniam : quem dilectioni tuae commendamus hortantes, ut elabores, ne ejus quieti inimicorum possit nocere subreptio. Quem Ammonium diaconum ad nos venientem in sedis apostolicae nolui- mus communione suscipere tamdiu, donec habito cum Sergio diacono tractatu, quid ordinari debuerit, quaereremus; et hoc deliberatio nostra supradicto^) diacono probabilis invenit, ut per testiraonium libelli communioni catholicae jungeretur: quem libellum sollemniter oblatum, et nostrae ofierentem communioni significamus adjunctum. Data.