Letter 67: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

REPORT OF GERMANUS THE BISHOP, OF FELIX AND DIOSCORUS THE DEACONS, AND OF BLANDUS THE PRESBYTER. We received the venerable addresses of your apostolate, conveyed through your sons Leo and Eulogius, with the joy we had longed for. The earlier of these found fault with us, asking why we had not reported the things that had happened at Thessalonica. But long before his arrival, having found the opportunity, we took care to make known whatever we had learned, whether from the report of those coming, or from the writings of those who had endured these things (copies of which we have appended below), or from the account of the most pious prince [emperor]. A promise of punishment followed, to such a degree that Dorotheus, bishop of Thessalonica, was conducted to the city of Heraclia, until the case should find its conclusion. Meanwhile, in accordance with what you had instructed, we took care to convey the authority of your apostolate to the prince, so that, in order to receive the teaching of catholic purity, the aforesaid Dorotheus, together with Aristides, might be sent to Rome. He replied that there was no cause for which they should be sent to Rome to be heard, since without any dispute on the part of accusers they were able to excuse themselves more freely. But suddenly, while these things were being carried on, he was dismissed from the city by the man of Heraclia, in whose custody (so far as we have learned) he was held; for what cause, or by what reasoning or arrangement, or by whose agency, we do not know. Concerning the paschal day, let your beatitude know that the opinion of the Easterners is in agreement with the apostolic see, so that the festival is to be hoped to be celebrated on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of May [April 19], as will also be made clear by the report of John, bishop of Constantinople. It remains that, by the support of your beatitude's prayer, we may swiftly, as we desire, be found worthy to be presented at your footsteps.

SUGGESTIO GERJrANI EPISCOPI FELICIS ET DIOSCORI DIACONORUM ET BLANDI PRESBYTERI. 10 Reuerenda uestri apostolatus alloquia per filios uestros Leonem atque Eulogium desiderabili hilaritate suscepimus. quorum prius praeceptum, cur quae Thessalonicae contigerunt non insinuauimus, arguebat. sed longe ante eius aduentum occasione comparata curauimus significare, quaecumque uel 15 rumore uenientium uel eorum, qui pertuierunt, scriptis (quorum exemplaria subter adiunximus) uel piissimi principis narratione comperimus. secuta est uindictae promissio, adeo 2 ut Dorotheus Thessalonicensis episcopus ad Heracliam deduce- retur ciuitatem, donec causa terminum reperiret. inter haec 3 w secundum ea, quae praecepistis, auctoritatem apostolatus uestri principi insinuare curauimus, ut ad percipiendam doctrinam catholicae puritatis Bomam praefatus Dorotheus una cum Aristide mitteretur. qui respondit causam non esse, pro qua Komam dirigerentur audiendi, ubi sine accusatorum 25 controuersia sese possent liberius excusare. sed repente, dum haec geruntur, ab Heracliensi, quantum agnouimus, in qua 1 Rom. 8, 28 1 diligetib; a 4 nititimur a, corr. o 185* Dat. fU ep. 161; respondet episiulae deperditae datae ab Hor- misda sub finem a. 519. Edd. Car. P 530; Bar. ad a. 519, 141; Collect. Concil.; Thiel 910. 8 SuggestioJ incipit rursus uetus scriptura codicis V DiAC V 11 hylaritate V 12 tliesalonice V 18 thesa- lonicensis V 19 repperiret V 22 romanam l\ corr. 23 aristi- dimitteretur F, corr. o 24 diligerentur V, corr, p^; delegarentur 41* 642 Indiculus directas a lofaanne uel Epiphanio tenebatur, dimissus est ciuitate: quam ob causam uel qua 4 ratione aut conditione uel quibus agentibus, ignoramus. de paschali die uestra beatitudo cognoscat concordare Orientalium cum apostolica sede sententiam, ut XIII. Kal. Maiarum die festiuitas celebranda speretur, sicut lohannis quoque Constan- 5 tinopolitani antistitis relatione clarebit. superest, ut orationis beatitudinis uestrae adminiculo celeriter, sicut cupimus, uestris mereamur praesentari uestigiis.