Letter 57: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

Hormisdas to Dioscorus the deacon. Concerning the result of your labor, which you undertook with the help of almighty God, we offer our congratulations for that part which has been accomplished, and we make known that, just as those are to be recalled who by a written document condemned the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon, so you ought to consider whether perhaps such men may seem to be not schismatics but rather heretics, or whether the case is indeed one and the same both for those who are convicted of having condemned by their discourses and for those who are convicted of having condemned in writing, because by this distinction our son the most illustrious man Albinus, a religious man, seems to be raising a question. And consider whether those also who write against the Council of Chalcedon ought to be received only through that general document, or whether indeed something further is to be added. Concerning the churches of Alexandria and Antioch, supported by the consolation of our God, strive earnestly that, when all things have been rightly ordered, they may be joined to the Catholic communion. The detention of Thomas and Nicostratus also, our brothers and fellow bishops, grieves us by its length, and we marvel why under a Catholic prince bishops seem to suffer hardship for the right faith. Your charity will have to relieve their longings by acting, so that the sorrow of those hoping may be turned into joy. John, bishop of Nicopolis, has written to us through the deacon Ammonius, that certain malevolent men are striving to stir up a false accusation against him before the prince: him we commend to your affection, exhorting you to labor that the underhanded scheming of his enemies may not be able to harm his peace. This deacon Ammonius, coming to us, we were unwilling to receive into the communion of the Apostolic See for so long, until, having held discussion with the deacon Sergius, we might inquire what ought to be ordained; and our deliberation found this fitting concerning the aforesaid deacon, namely that through the testimony of a written document he should be joined to the Catholic communion: which document, solemnly presented and offering him to our communion, we signify is enclosed. Given.

<H0RMiSDA nioscoRO DiACONo. > De laboris tui, quem cum dei omnipotentis iuuamine suscepisti, pro ea parte, quae acta est, gratulamur effectu et indicamus ut, quemadmodum reuo- candi sint hi, qui exscripto constituta Chalcedonensis concilii damnauerunt, debeas cogitare, ne forsitan tales non scismatici sed magis haeretici uideantur an certe una sit causa tam eorum qui sennonibus, quam eorum qui conuincuntur scripto damnasse, quia per hanc distantiam filius noster uir illustris Albinus religiosus uidetur facere quaestionem. et cogita, utrum et scribentes contra Chalcedonense concilium per illum generalem libellum tantum suscipi debeant an certe aliquid aniplius adicere. de Aleiandrina et Antiochena ecclesiis 2 solatio dei nostri adiutus enitere, ut omnibus recte dispositis communioni catholicae socientur. Thomae quoque et Nico- 3 strati fratrum et coepiscoporum nostrorum obseniatio nos longa contristat et miramur, cur apud catholicum principem corr. p 7 Cdie>quo Bupra scripsi: (^f V 178. Haec episiula mtssa non uidetur, immo ni fallor nihil est nisi vetustior quaedam forma epietulae 175. Edd, Car. P 508; Collect. Concil; BTA I 429; Thiel 904; commemorat Bar. ad a. 519, 134. 10 Hormisda Dioscoro diacono praefimt Car. (cf. indicem generalem editum in Prolegom. cap. I): om. V 11 deo F, corr. o 13 sunt Car. ei scripto F, correxi 14 cogitari F, corr. scismaticis^F, corr. a 15 uidentur F, corr. o 17 per F: propter Couat. 22 nostrij nri a: nn ut uidetur V enitire F, corr. o 630 Hormisda Pompeio; Honnisda DioBcoro rectae fidei laborare uidentur episcopi. quorum desideria tua debebit caritas subleuare ageudo, quatenus optata consequen- 4 tium maeror conuerti possit in gaudium. loliannes Nicopoli- tanus episcopus per Ammonium diaconum nobis scripsit, quod ei aliqui maliuoli apud principem nitantur generare calumniam: quem dilectioni tuae commendamus hortantes, ut elabores, ne eius quieti inimicorum possit nocere subreptio. 5 quem Ammonium diaconum ad nos uenientem in sedis apo- stolicae noluimus communione suscipere tamdiu, donec habito cum Sergio diacono tractatu quid ordinari debuerit quaereremus, et hoc deliberatio nostra supra dicto diacono probabilis inuenit, ut per testimonium libelli communioni catholicae iungeretur: quem libellum soUemniter oblatum et nostrae offerentem communioni significamus adiunctum. Data.