Letter 72: Part of the papal correspondence surrounding the Acacian Schism (484-519), the major breach between Rome and...

COPY OF THE LETTER OF JUSTINIAN, THROUGH THE BROTHER OF PROEMPTORIS. Whatever is more prudent, whatever is more firm, so that it may be carried out on behalf of the holy faith and the concord of the sacred churches, this we desire. Hence both our most glorious brother Vitalian has written back to Your Beatitude through Paulinus, most distinguished man, defender of your church, and we ourselves through the same man have taken care to signify that Your Beatitude ought to bring to completion those things which may grant peace and concord to the holy churches. Nevertheless, immediately afterward we have dispatched, together with letters of our most pious emperor, one who may bring back a more certain reply to Your Holiness; for how great a question has arisen in our regions, the aforesaid religious man, the defender, is also able to instruct Your Holiness. Hence we ask that, if it is possible, with a reply given most swiftly and the religious monks John and Leontius satisfied, you send them back to us. For unless by your prayers and diligence this question is resolved, we fear that the peace of the holy churches cannot come about. Therefore, knowing that both the reward and the peril of this matter are reserved for you, treat it diligently, and send back to us through the aforesaid religious monks, if it is possible, a most firm reply, before our envoy arrives at Your Beatitude; for upon this alone hangs our whole purpose.

EXEMPLUM EPISTOLAE lUSTINIANI. PER FRATREM PR0EMPT0RI8. Quicquid est cautius, quicquid firmius, ut pro sancta fide et concordia sacrarum ecclesiarum geratur, optamus. unde ad beatitudinem uestram et frater noster gloriosissimus Uitalianus per Paulinum u. s. defensorem uestrae ecclesiae rescripsit et nos per eundem significare curauimus illa debere beatitudinem uestram perficere, quae pacem et concordiam sanctis concedant 2 ecclesiis. subinde tamen, qui certius responsum ad sancti- tatem uesti-am referat, cum litteris piissimi nostri imperatoris destinauimus ; nam quanta quaestio in partibus nostris orta est, potest etiam antefatus uir religiosus defensor sanctitatem 3 uestram instruere. unde petimus ut, si est possibile, celerrimo dato responso et satisfactis religiosis monachis lohannem et Leontium ad nos remittatis. nisi enim precibus et diligentia uestra ista quaestio soluta fuerit, ueremur, ne non possit pax 4 sanctarum ecclesiarum prouenire. ergo cognoscentes, quia et 6 <ut> mentis uestrae Bar., <et/ meritis uestra 9 sollicitudinis F, corr. Bar. 10 euticharico F. corr. Bar. 191. Bat. a. 519 mense lulio ineunte, per fratrem Proemptoris. Edd. Car. P 525; Collect. Concil; Thiel 885. 12 per fratrem Pro- emptoris V man. 1 in marg. 14 sanctarura Thiel 18 concedat corr. edit. reg. 21 horta V 22 antelatus F, corr. Thiel 28 in- strueret F, corr, o 24 lohanni et Leontio F, corr. p 27 cogno- scente F, corr. o Epist. CLXXXX 4 — CLXXXXII 3. 649 merces et periculum istius rei uobis seruatur, diligenter tractate et firmissimuin responsum per antefatos religiosos monachos, si est possibile, antequam legatus noster ad beati- tudinem uestram perueniat, nobis remittite; in hoc enim solo b omnis pendet intentio.