Letter 35: The joy we felt at the beginning of your reign — already great in its own right and doubled by your gracious earlier...

HORMISDAS TO THE EMPEROR JUSTINUS. [Sent by the hand of Gratus.] The joy we took at the rise of your reign, which you doubled for us, deserving as it already is, by your earlier address as well, we attested by a reciprocal devotion; and already then we foresaw that there would follow what you have now, by the inspiration of heavenly grace, set your seal upon in your affection for ecclesiastical unity. You have therefore, most merciful emperor, present glory already from such a vow, but expect perpetual glory from its fulfillment. These are the most secure foundations of your reign, which at the very beginning of the new kingdom set forth before all men, by a holy ordinance, the worship of God. Hold fast therefore to this care of pious solicitude, and press on for the peace of the catholics, as you have begun, because our God, who has granted you this spirit, has also chosen those through whom He may bring about the effect. For we gladly embrace the votes and prayers of the bishops poured out before you, because at last, admonished by consideration of their own position, they desire those things which they would long since have wished to follow, nor was the frequent exhortation of the apostolic see lacking to them. And since we have learned that your clemency desires this, and that they too request these very things, the cause which has hitherto divided the peace of the churches under contentious obstinacy has escaped the notice neither of your piety nor of them, as though it lay hidden. What therefore they ought to do is contained both in our letters and in the sequence of the document which we have sent. If, with the help of our God and of your clemency, they take these things up and follow them, it will be possible to arrive at that concord which we desire with the greatest ardor. Moreover our son Gratus, count of the sacred consistory and master of the secretariat of records, has shown in himself your judgment by the maturity of his representation; and the reason for his delay will be better set forth to your understanding by his own report. HORMISDAS TO JOHN, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE. Your charity has signified a spiritual joy by the words you sent, declaring that the discipline of the catholic religion, with the help of our God, has resumed its proper order in your regions. Who can doubt that these are benefits of the supernal mercy? Who can question that these are to be added to the trophies of our venerable prince? For a greater triumph is gained for him from this peace than from any battles whatsoever. The glory of this labor knows no setting, because where God is rightly worshiped, the iniquity of adversaries never increases. We have gladly received the confession of your love, by which the holy synods are approved, among which, by the restoration of all that was established, you have proclaimed the Council of Chalcedon, and, desiring to be joined to the number of the catholics, you assert that the name of holy Pope Leo is written in the diptychs. These things are to be praised, if the disposition of perfection follow them; because to receive the Council of Chalcedon and to follow the letters of holy Leo, and yet still to defend the name of Acacius, this is to maintain things that are mutually contradictory. Who, condemning Dioscorus and Eutyches, could show Acacius innocent? Who, rejecting Timothy and Peter of Alexandria and the other Peter of Antioch and their followers, as we have said, would not abhor Acacius, who followed in their communion? Concerning your charity indeed we expect better things by the help of almighty God, having the hope of the best promise. As you have directed to us, you both think with yourself in the truth and defend it, hoping that in that judgment you can be saved through these very things. After this, what remains, except that you should follow even without trembling the judgments of the apostolic see, whose faith you say you embrace? Therefore show by yourself to the Eastern parts an example which they may follow, so that the praise of all who are corrected may be attributed to your labors. Therefore, since you announce great things and signify that you embrace the faith of the blessed apostle Peter, rightly believing that in it our salvation can subsist, send to us the document, whose contents are appended below, subscribed by your charity, so that we may, as we pray, have one communion without dread of conscience. For the person also of our son Gratus, mentioned above, we render thanks without ceasing to our God, whose faith and right belief has stirred up our affection toward him: a man truly worthy to undertake the care of so great a transaction and to convey to us the mandates of our most great prince.

HORMISDA lUSTINO AUGUSTO. <PER GRATUM. > Sumptam ds imperii uestri ortu laetitiam, quam sui apud nos poUentem merito praecedenti quoque geminastis alloquio, reciproca deuotione testati iam tunc secutura praeuidimus, quae nunc de ecclesiasticae unitatis aflfectu caelestis gratiae inspiratione 2 signastis. habes ergo, clementissime iraperator, praesentem de tali uoto iam gloriam, sed expecta de perfectione perpetuam. haec sunt ualidissima imperii uestri fundamenta, quae in ipso nascentis regni principio diuinam uniuersis praeferunt sancta dispositione culturam. tenete itaque hanc piae sollicitudinis curam et pro catholicorum pace, sicut coepistis, insistite, quia deus noster, qui uobis hunc tribuit animum, elegit etiam, per 3 quos praestet elFectum. nam et episcoporum uota precesque uobis elfusas gratauter amplectimur, quia tandem loci sui 144. Dat (simul cum ep. 145) a. 519 iniiio mcfisis lanuarii, per Gratum; rtspondet epistulae 143. Edd. Car. P 478; Bar. ad a. 518, 77; Collect. Concil; BTA I 410; Thiel 835. 11 hortoa V, corr. a per Gratum restitui ex collectionis indice generali {Pro- leg. c. T): om. V 12 ortu ex hortu corr. V man. post. Ifticijcia V quam sui V: quamuis 15 celesti V, corr. Bar 16 eignificastis Bar, abes V 17 perpetua V, corr. 19 nasentis V 20 pie F 21 ce- pistis V 24 nobis Bar. quia V: qui Epist. CXXXXm 3 — CXXXXV 3. 589 consideratione commoniti ea desiderant, quae dudum sequi uellent sedis apostolicae exhortatio crebra non defuit. et 4 quoniam clementiam uestram id cupere, illos etiam haec <di>dicimu&postulare, quae res hactenus ecclesiarum pacem sub intentiosa obstinatione diuiserit, nec pietatis uestrae nec illo- runi refugit uelut latenti causa notitiam. quid igitur facere 5 debeant et litteris nostris et libelli, quem direximus, serie continetur. haec si deo nostro et clementia uestra adiuuante suscipiunt et sequuntur, poterit ad eam, quam maximo desi- deramus ardore, perueniri concordiam. tilius praeterea noster 6 u. 8. Gratus sacri consistorii comes et magister scrinii me- moriae, ostendit in se uestrum allegationis suae maturitate iudicium; cuius mora sensibus uestris eo referente melius asseretur. (U6.) HOKMISDA lOHANNI EPISCOPO CONSTANTINOPOLITANO. SpiritalC gaudium directis caritas tua significauit aifatibus dicendo, ut catholicae religionis disciplina ordinem suum uestris partibus deo nostro iuuante receperit. haec esse beneficia misericordiae 2 supemae quis dubitet? haec uenerabilis principis tropheis adiungi quis ambigat? quia maior ei de hac pace quam de quibuslibet proeliis triumphus acquiritur. istius laboris gloria nescit occasum, quia ubi deus recte colitur, numquam aduer- sariorum crescit iniquitas. dilectionis tuae confessionem 3 ) gratanter accepimus, per quam sanctae synodi comprobantur, 1 dudum <ut> 0* 2 exortatio V 3 haec F; fort. hoc 4 dici- mns 7, corr, 6 refuit F, corr, uel ut F, corwvmxit cod. Angelic. cendo Bar. dissciplina V 18 partibus Coust. : pastoribus V 19 do (pro do) V reciperint F, corr. Bar. 20 quis dubitet haec bis F. dittographiam del. p 22 triarophoB hac quiritur V, corr, o 23 oc- caau V, eorr. o 24 cresit V confessione F, corr. o 25 qua F corr. 0 gynodus F, corr. p* 590 lofaannes Constantinopolitanos Hormisdae inter quas instauratione constitutorum omnium Chalcedonense concilium praedicastis, et catholicorum numero adiungi desi- derans sancti papae Leonis in diptychis nomen asseueras 4 scriptum. ista laudanda sunt. siperfectionis subsequaturaffectus, quia recipere Calcedonense concilium et sequi sancti Leonis s epistolas et adhuc nomen Acacii defendere, hoc est inter se discrepantia uindicare. quis Dioscorum et Eutychen condemnans innocentem ostendere possit Acacium? quis Timotheum et Petrum Alexandrinum et alium Petrum Antiochenum et . sequaces eorum declinans, sicut diximus, non abominetur lo 5 Acacium, qui eorum communionem secutus est? de caritate siquidem tua meliora dei omnipotentis expectamus auxilio habentes optimae promissionis spem. sicut ad nos quae direxisti tua tecum in ueritate sentiens et ipsa defendens, 6 sperans in illo iudicio per ipsa te posse saluari. post haec i5 quid restat, nisi ut sedis apostolicae, cuius fidem te dicis amplecti, sequaris etiam sine trepidatione iudicia? igitur partibus Orientalibus ostende per te, quod sequantur, exeraplum, ut omnium laus, qui coiTecti fuerint, tuis laboribus applicetur. 7 ergo cum magna denunties et fidem beati apostoli Petri te 20 amplecti significes recte credens in ea salutem nostram posse subsistere, libellum, cuius continentia subter adnexa est, a caritate tua subscriptum ad nos dirige, ut sine conscientiae formidine unam communionem, sicut oramus, habere possimus. 8 pro perso<na> quoque filii nostri Grati u. s. deo nostro gratias 25 sine cessatione persoluimus, cuius fides et recta credulitas nostnim circa se excitauit affectum: dignus re uera, qui 14 sq. cf. lohannis Cpolitani epist. 146 p. 592, 1 sq. 15 ipsam Coust. 20 ergo p*: ego V 21 recte 0: re te V salute nra F, corr. 0 22 suhstinere Coust. 25 perso F, eorr. Epist. CXXXXV 4 — CXXXXVI 3. 591 tantae curam susciperet actionis et maximi principis ad nos raandata perferret.