Letter 214: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

A report of the deacon Dioscorus to Pope Hormisdas. [Year] 520. [29 February: that John, prelate of Constantinople, has departed from this life, and that Epiphanius has been elected in his place. 7 April.] It was desirable, and in keeping with our wish, [that we might report] a harmony with things past [...] to announce; namely, that the pontiff of the church of Constantinople, John, is still living, and that his confession has been issued in a written statement, whose merits there is no doubt are pleasing to God, who deserved to depart from this life to another among the Catholics and those in communion with the Apostolic See. In his place a certain Epiphanius, a presbyter formerly his syncellus [household ecclesiastic], has succeeded, whose beginnings seem good; for he speaks reasonable things, and promises that he will keep the rules of the Fathers, and that he will not dissipate the peace and unity that has been established, but rather increase it. These are the things he promises; yet what he may be able to accomplish in deed, we do not yet know. These letters, indeed, we have sent on the fourth day after his ordination, an opportunity having been found; we have not yet entered into communion with him, not as though resisting, but because we have not yet been invited by him. It remains that the prayer of your beatitude press on, so that, with the help of divine grace, such a man may emerge through whom we may be able to rejoice in perfect unity. Received on the seventh day before the Ides of April [7 April], in the consulship of Rusticus, a most distinguished man.

seu Suggestio^) Dioscori diaconi ad Hormisdam papam. a. 520d. 29 Febr. Johannem Constantinopolitanum antistitem ex hac vita discessisse ejusque loco acc. d. electum esse Epiphanium. 7 April. Erat optabile et voto nostro conveniens, consonantia praeteritis perior 97, altera per Eulogium, quae adhuc latet, transmissa. De hac postrema loqui yidetur Johamies in proxima epistola 109 n. 2, ubi Dominicae passionis diem, qui in ipsius Hormisdae litteris contiuetur, recte adscribi respondet. Conf. not. epist. Horm. non exstant. n. XXVII. ') Ita G'. Ed. exempla. Ex his unum ad nos pervenit, scil. epistola 102 seu indiculus a Johanne episcopo et Epiphanio presbytero directus, qui re ipsa in Vaticano exemplari epistolae huic subncctitur. a. 520. nuntiare; scilicet pontificem Constantinopolitanae ecclesiae Jolianneiii esse superstitem^ et confessionem libello editam; cujus merita non est dubium Deo placere^ qui inter catholicos et communicatores sedis apostolicae meruit ad aliam ex hac vita discedere. In cujus locum Epiphanius^) quidam presbyter quondam sjncellus ejus successit, cujus initia bona videntur; nam rationabilia loquitur, et promittit patrum se regulas servaturum; pacem unitatemque ordinatam non dissipare sed magis augere. Ista sunt quae promittit; quid tamen opere possit implere, adhuc ignoramus. Has siquidem litteras quarta post ordinationem ejusdem die reperta occasione transmisimus; nec- dum cum eo communicavimuS; non quasi resistentes, sed quia adhuc ab eo non sumus invitati. Superest, ut beatitudinis vestrae insistat oratio, quatenus divinae gratiae adjutorio talis erumpat^ per quem de perfecta possimus unitate gaudere. Accepta VII Idus Aprilis, Rustico viro clarissimo consule.