Letter 29: After Your Charity's departure, the deacon from Nicopolis — the one who met you on the road — arrived in Rome.

Hormisdas to the bishops Ennodius and Peregrinus. After your Charity [the bishops being addressed] had set out, Nicopolitanus the deacon, who in fact also met you on the way, came to Rome. We saw him without delay, considering whether perhaps there might be something that we ought to add to the instructions of the legation entrusted to you. And that this was done with good reason the matter itself plainly shows. For he presented to us a letter of his bishop John, and another from the synod of the subordinate church of Nicopolis, in which they complain that both imperial and judicial authorities have been stirred up against them by the bishop of Thessalonica, and that they are being grievously afflicted with extortions and losses because of this: that, concerning his ordination, he did not send a report to the bishop [of Thessalonica] according to the ancient precedents. On account of this cause they hoped that we ought to take thought for a remedy, also consulting us as to whether we would grant them permission to send a report to the designated bishop according to custom. Whereupon we deliberated, and admonished the bishop of Nicopolis indeed not to attempt to dare any such thing, if he wishes to remain with us in communion, lest through him - if he had sought confirmation from one who is estranged from our communion - our communion too should incur the contagion. These things we have set forth to you, so that you might know everything. But what, by the favor of God, ought to be done by you concerning this cause, the appended matters declare. Given on the day before the Ides of April, in the consulship of Agapitus.

HORMISDA ENNODIO ET PEKEGRINO EPISC0PI8. Posteaquam profecta est caritas uestra, Nicopolitauus diaconus, qui uobis etiam occurrit in itinere, Romam uenit. quem praeter moram uidimus cogitantes, ne forte esset, quod ad instructionem mandatae uobis legationis adicere deberemus. quod et rationa- 2 biliter factum ipsa res euidenter ostendit. optulit enim nobis epistolam lohannis episcopi sui et aliam synodi subiacentis ecclesiae Nicopolitanae, qua queruntur ab episcopo Thessalo- nicensi excitatas aduersum se tam principales quam iudiciarias potestates, concussionibus et dispendiis se uehementer affligi propter hoc, quia de ordinatione sua ad episcopum relationem secundum prisca exempla non miserit. pro qua causa spera- uerunt, ut de remedio cogitare deberemus, consulentes etiam nos, utrum daremus eis licentiam relationem ad designatum 3 episcopum secundum consuetudinem destinandi. unde tracta- uimus et episcopum quidem Nicopolitanum admonuimus, ne tale aliquid audere temptaret, si nobiscum uelit in com- munione persistere, ne per illum, si ab eo, qui a communione nostra alienus est, confirmationem petisset, nostra quoque 4 communio contagium sustineret. haec uos, ut omnia sciretis, instruximus. quid autem propitio deo uobis de hac causa agendum sit, subiecta declarant. Data pridie Id. April. Agapito cons. 1 membra V 3 ap^ F 184. Dat (simul cum epp. 127, 133, 135) a. 517 die 12 Apr. Edd. Car. P 467; Bar. ad a. 517, 34; Collect. Concil; BTA I 403; Thiel 807. 13 iudiciaria F, corr. 25 quid p: qui V deus F, corr. p hac ex hec corr. V 26 apl:i V Epiat. CXXXin 7 — CXXXV 6. 557