Letter 236: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

To my lord beloved in all things, the most holy bishop and fellow-minister Hormisdas, Epiphanius the bishop, greeting in the Lord. What great eagerness, and what manner of desire, the most pious and most Christian emperor has for the perfect union of all the churches, he has shown not by his will alone but by the works themselves, to those dwelling in this royal city, even before he came to the kingship given to him by God. And to your Holiness he has made it most manifest by the labors undertaken for setting things right from the beginning of his reign even until now, through which he strives with a ready spirit to join all the members of the catholic Church into the one body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. And what need is there to use lengthy words, when by the deeds themselves we are able to stand forth as true witnesses, though we are? Yet your Holiness also has the proof of this, which it has come to know even of itself: indeed what is now added confirms these things. For certain men, who are under his most powerful hand, the most religious priests from the regions of the Eastern parts, have presented petitions, setting forth concerning those things which they wished. And, not wishing this to be hidden from your Holiness, he has well determined to announce at present to your Holiness what has already been done, and to indicate to you a little later concerning these matters more clearly: so that by common counsel, with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ going before all, those things which befit the common benefit and are in every way irreproachable may shine forth by the corrections of the catholic faith. Therefore, deeming it timely to address your Holiness with brotherly and most dear letters, we ask that you would deign to pray more greatly and more urgently to the Lord God of all on behalf of our most pious prince. I too, and very many of mine, salute all the brotherhood in Christ which is with your Holiness. And in another hand: Safe and sound in the Lord, pray for us, beloved of God and most holy brother!

(a. 520 £piphanii Coiistantinopolitam ad Hormisdam papam. post 9 oept.) De precibus OrientaUumy quas imperator sihi oblaia* ad eum mttii, ne differei p.l aperire quid seniiai, modesie monei. Domino meo per omnia amabili Deo sanctissimo- que fratri et comministratori Hormisdae Epi- phanius episcopus in Domino salutem. Quantam alacritatem aut quale desiderium piissimus et Christia- nissimus imperator circa^) perfectam unitionem uniyersarum ecde- siarum habeat; non voluntate tantum sed operibus ipsis, habitan- tibus in hac regia urbe^ et antequam ad regnum a Deo sibi datam perveniret, ostendit^). Sanctitati autem vestrae ex correctis^ ab initio regni ejus et usque nimc laboribus maxime manifestavit, per quos omiia catholicae Ecclesiae membra in imum Domini et Salva- toris no tri Jesu Christi corpus cum prompto nititur animo conjim- gere; e: quid opus est verbis uti prolixis, qui rebus ipsis, quam- quam^) nos veri testes, exsistere valeamus? Habet tamen etvestra sanctitas experimentum; quod et per se ipsa cognovit: confirmat quidem haec quod et nunc additur. Nam quidam, qui sub poten- tissima ejus manu sunt, religiosissimorum sacerdotum ex OrientaUun partium regionibus preces porrexerunt, docentes de his quae volue- runt. Nec hoc latere vestram volens sanctitatem^ bene deliberavit, ep.i29. ut quod jam factum est, in praesenti denuntiaret vestrae sanctitati; paulo post de ea his manifestius significare^): ut communi consilio, praecedente omnium Domino et Salvatore nostro Jesu Christo, ea, quae ad utilitatem communem conveniunt et undique sunt irrepre- 136 ^) Ita indubie secundum similitudinem ep. 130 n. 1 correxima8*quod G' can, ed. caram. ') Eam ob causam sibi tunc Anastasii Augusti odium'concitavit, adeo at ejus jussu comprehcnsuB, etiam novae alici^jus machinationis obtentu Zonan et Cedreno testibus interficiendus esset, nisi imperatorem ipsum Deos per ao- mnum a tanto flagitio dcterruissct. Clarius legeretur; quuvi rerum ipsarum nos veri testcs etc. — Mox b cc perscripta cognovit. EPISTOLAE 136. 137. 959 hensibilia, catholicae fidei correctionibus ®) clarescant. Opportune') (a. 520.) igitur existimantes fratemis litteris vestram sanctitatem et carissi- mis alloqui; rogamuS; ut majus et instantius pro piissimo principe nostro onmium Dominum Deimi orare dignemini. Onmem in Christo fratemitatem ; quae cum vestra est sanctitate^ ego quoque et mei plurimum salutamus. Et alia manu; Incolumis in Domino ora pro uobis, amabilis Deo et sanctissime frater^)!