Letter 19: tNNOCENTIt PAr* I to ALEXANDRCM ANTI0CHENUM EPISCODIM.

Innocent, pope [bishop of Rome], to Alexander, bishop of Antioch. On Peace. [Argument:] Reviewing what has been done at Antioch for the sake of peace, and having attained the height of his wishes, he gladly grants communion and offers it to Acacius, provided that Acacius too render the same. 1. The grace of apostolic favor has shone forth all the way to us with the great joy of peace; and it has shed upon the faithful so great a gladness of light that, while we render the greatest praises to God, we confess that we owe him greater ones still. And we stand the more delighted before God because, all the aspects of your fraternity's proceedings having been examined, we have learned that the whole matter was carried out with such piety and clemency that in all things we may see the Lord's favor in your labors: for you, being with all your might a lover of peace, when you had at last found the thing you sought, and having found it, preserved it with the utmost charity, both toward all and especially toward those who were once reckoned under the name of the bishops Paulinus and Evagrius. (I hold the sum of my wishes, in that the purging of an old blemish is granted in your times and by your merits.) Of those too of the same name who in Italy received the merits of clerical office, you decided that they should rightly retain the grace of their tranquillity once received. And because our fellow-presbyter Cassian said that it would be pleasing to me if, on my advice, they should be judged to hold the clerical rank in your city, I have determined, on account of your benevolence and the promises mentioned, that they be numbered among the rest of the priests and ministers who are in the city, most beloved brother. I learned with pleasure, moreover, concerning the bishops Elpidius and Pappus, that they have recovered their churches without dispute; and, much concerned, I inquired diligently in the proceedings, as the matters subjoined attest, whether satisfaction had been made on every condition in the cause of the blessed and truly God-worthy priest John. And when the assertion of the legates was acknowledged to have been fulfilled according to my wish on each point, giving thanks to the Lord, I have so received the communion of your Church that I may carry it before me, that the apostolic see has been the first to give to the rest the way of peace to its fellow-disciples, in which, being made firm, the kindness of our Lord Christ so embraces and unites both you and us that it may be struck henceforth by no scandal, nor by the light shame of anyone's contention. 2. But as for the writings of bishop Acacius, since they were presented together with yours, we have received them, lest through injury to you that man, who was once suspended by us, should be repudiated; and yet we have established quite fully in the acts, as you will deign to read over again, what ought to be observed in his person: namely, that if through all things he should ask of your holy counsels and acts to be in communion, the grace of communion and of letters already conferred by us should be granted to him by your favor and our judgment. Twenty bishops of Italy subscribed.

tNNOCENTIt PAr* I AD ALEXANDRCM ANTI0CHENUM EPISCODIM. De Pace. Qiuv Anlhu-liia: prap*er paccin suni gesta recoleus , summa volorum potittis , communionem libenter conccdit, eamque offcrt Acacio , modo et eadein pra'stet. i. Aposiolici favoris graiia niagno pacis usque ad nos (lec.re resplenduit : taninmqne lucis gaudio- inmqiie infiilsil lideltbns, ut dieenles Deo maximas laudes, niajores nos debere fateremur. Plusqiie a D Dcojiieunilati stitnns.quoil, discussis omnibus laieri- btts aclioniim tiiM fralcrnilalis, ila lotum pielale ac ilieniia gesuini eognovimus, til in omnibiis Doini- » In mss. coll lladr. crcdentibus : cui verbo eolle- ctionis lliso. aucior adilidit st>i.*eaqne lectlo etapnd Isid. et in vulgatis deinceps obtinuit. Veram suppedi- lal sinc»r;e collectiouis Dion. exemplar. Keg, Porro inier ecelesias , in quas Innoeanlius cpisi. 15, 11. 2, lluf < vieeui suani conitnittil, eliam Creirt nxenseliir. 11 Magis plaeeret, el obscrveut. Delndt! pn> udmini- strationc, tpiotl ex priesianli c.ulice Regio rcvoe.ituus, exstat in aliis aim mitione. Mox tns. Noviom. , ne talibus sortianlur : iiiule cbnfecia esl vul»ata lectio ne lulibus socentur. Ilelinentlutn ctiin poltoribus ttiss. , ne taiia so<tiantur, hoc esi , ut scieiilej quid de B11- balio el TaurtanQ sil iinlicaiuni , civeant ne lalia aganl, inileqne in paieni poenain incurranl. Qu;e au- letn fucril illa pirna, exvcibis, qui ditjni admini- str.nione t>unt, inieHigilur : Imc qnippe pcv anlipbra- situ tlieiiiin, cuni llulialius ct Tatiriauus al) atlmini- siraiioue etcle.siarmn ruis-cnt ilejecli. Mt EPISTOC/E hiilnni luis laboribus vidcamus, quod lota virnile pacis ainator existens , cain rei|iiis lam itive- neris, 8t repert.nn Miinma chaiiiale servaveiis, cnni erga onines, iiim pr.vcipue oirta ill»s, qni quondam 1'anlini atqua Evagrii episeoporum censiti ftterant nomine. (Ilaheo summain voionini meornm, quod aiitiipti naevi puigaiio tnis trinpoiibiis tnisque ineri- tis praTOgaiiir.) Qiiorum etiam illos ejusdem noini. nis, qni in llalia merita clericatns aeceperunt, con- siii bftnn quieiis gratiain reiinere susceptam. Ei quia noster compresbyler Cassiatms graiiim " dixit in;e fore iligoatiuni , si meo consilio iu civiiaie vesira eleiicains ordineni ilncere censerentiir ;siaiui prop- ler henevoleiiiiam luain, proinissaqiie niemoraii, ut inter ceierns sacerdoles minisirosque qui in civilale suni , annnmerenlur , frater charissime. Lihenlep preterea de episeopis11 EI|iiilio atque Pappocognnvi, quoil sine qtnesiioiic suas eeelesias recuperaverint : el mulium iu gesiis, ut r sulijecia icsianiur, spllici- tus Inquisivi, utrtim oinnibus esset condilionibus sa- lisfactum in causa beati et vere Deo digni sacerdo- ET DECRETA. F.42 A tis Jnannis. Et cnm per siugula asseriio legatorum ex voto cotnpleta csse fatereitir, graiias aeens Do- miiKi, cominunionem Ecelesise vesirse ita recepi, ut prae ine feram , apostnlicui srdis cnndiscipulos pri- iiuis dedissc caieris viam pncis, in qua firmalosvns nosf|iie Dmiiiiii Chrisli ila henignilas amplrx biltir alt|tie coiniiinniel, ul iiullo ile ca.-iero d liiillamento, vel lcvi cujusquam contenlionis pudore pulsetur. 2. Sciipla aulein e Acacii episcopi, i|uoni.im cum vesiris suni porrecta , suscei imus, ne pcr vsiram injnriam ille , qui olim a nohis suspnisus fuerat, lepudiariiiir : cl lamen satis ahuiule f in aciis sta- liiinius, siculi ilignauier relcg''re procurabis, quid iu cjus persoua debeat custodiri , ut si per nmuia R usiris cmisiliis aciibHSijne lam sanctis se rogaveiit csi-e coiniiiiiiiein, pnesteltir 6 -eni favote vesirono- strpqpe jmlicio cmiiniiinionis atijiie liticrarun: a nohis gralia prscrogala. Subsciipseiuni b viginli episcopi lialiie. • Merl. Crab. ciim mss. Reg. Novioin. el uno Colb. cluxii. Is Cassianus pulatur Collaiionuin scri- pior, qui,ui Pallailins m Vita Chrysost,, pag. 27, nir- rat, aiiiiu iii i lahenle adhuc diacnnus Romam vc- nit : si'd )ioslniiiilnm prrshyierii ;.'riulu liecoralus luil. Tolus llic lociis, ulpoii- aiiimi sir.nni alTectu loiitieiiiis, nec lam qno inoilo verba ordinei , quasti i|U0 :ilT.'clnin siiiiiu expritnal, curamis, ininc.iins Imsilan nonnullis vnlebiinr. Ad inielligciiliaui ejiis ic.colenduiii est, Antmrhenain ecclestam dti s :n paries, Paulini videlicct, cui Evagrius smce-sit, et Elaviimi, in ciijus loi iini Alexaoihi' p.i-l Porphy- riuni, Evagrin |iun viin funeto, snbrogaiii- est, Imsso disscisam. Quia vero Oceidens P.uilnin ac dcintic l',vagiio favebal , jll Ilidiaili scse coniulerant non- iinlli qui illis aihlicii eranl, ihiqne merucranl cleri- catus djgniiaicm. Ecclesiastica! autem disctpUna! iuos volehal, ul si his scrvaiiila judicarctur cullaia dignitas, ejits civiiali- eenseicnliir clcrici , a rujns episcopls nrdinnll vcl promoti frieranl. Ai Innocen- Ims clericis parliinn Pnulini i ul Evagrii iu llilia or- dmaiis vel prmuoiis primo servandain eensuit elpri- catns graiiam. ac ileimle Ca-siano anclore -tituil ul iiilein ihIci" cwleros sucerdot-s miiilstrosque, qui in ci- iilnle Aiiliucbena sunt, unnumerentur. Eudem ei in- fra episl. 23 flrniauliir, ac panlo apeiinis cnunliaii- iur. ilic obiter observare est, sacerdotum ve.cabuln, prieler iisilaiuiii aiitii|iioruin morem, prfeshyteros, noii episcopns signilicari. Eodein qnoqne iniellectn bac vuce utens Hieronymits io Ezechielis capnt 48 ariogantiani argmt diacnnorum, qni ignorantes Itu- militntem ordinis sni, ultra sncerdotes, hoc est presby- teros, iiitumescunt. Ei ui cpistola ad Evangelnm : Si ex diacono ordinalur preslyier, noverit se tucris niinn- rem, sacerdotio esse maiorem. Innocenlitis epist. 25, n. ti, presbyieros tecundos sncerdotes essc scriblt. Irienniuin in domibns snis iiiclusos fuisse P.i lladius pag. I!)r. , trailu his verlns ; Elpidius magnns ilte Lumiiciiv .Si/ iii episrQ/)it5, et 1'iipinis. i>e. lotum Irien- niiun di sciiln dnmus stuc iwu dcscen leniiit, precutio- nibus i acuntes. Iiinocen ios nnn prnis pnoem flrniavil, quam Alexan- dii legaios publico in coain atidiissel, cosqtte de il- lis qtire Antiocbi:e gesta fuerant diligenier inierro- gassei. Qna de re cum gesla confici stiidnissel, ea episloke liuic subjiei curavil. Paiilo anle Anliocheni vocaiiniin/ios/o/icrt' sedis con- disciputi : quiai Aniioclieua ecdes a eodem, quo Ko- niaua, Aposlolo ilmime fumlala esl. '■ Edii. eoncil. cum uiio ms. Colb. el Noviom., Altici : Verhi liujiis loco Lah. ail niarginem adscri- psii Aoacii; qnnd verhum mss. coll. Dmri. Iladr. et C cdit. Roni. evliihenl, ae iclincmluni esse epi-tnhc 21 ei 22 piane persuadeiil. lo hac pnrro Innocenlius niill.i se ah AHico scripta accepisse le-ialur, Ipse vei", qui bic sttbslitnil A<lici nomen, crrorem sniim in fronle ei isiohe 21 . i|ii:c lisilem in mss. ad Allicum Re.nen? episcapnm inseripta legilnr, manifeste pnnlii. Nain Beneic non Alticus, sed Acftcins praeerat- Hnnc Acaciinti iolcr Joaunis CliFysoslomi hoslos :ic prse- cipims tragcfiili c adversos eumdem excilaia- acnues Palladins prtninni reconsilre solei. (.("•''m obcansani iil :ih lniiocenlio suspcndereiiir nieinerat : qitod ila inlellig' n.liuii, ul es-ei Innoceiiiii eum ipso snspcnsa ci minio , uoii iil illi oiiniere sno inleidixei it. Meol suaiii iilcni papa episi. 22 planins aperil. D niauai syiimlosiib Dannso papa inlerliii-se ainul Ba- luziuiu iiov. coll. concil. pag. 7t.5 lcgiini. l,)uod anuo 378 contigisse supr.i pag. 491, n. 3 ei i, pro- baviinits. i' li.i itiagno eoiisensii niss.. At Merlin. Sutscripse- rtuit episcopi w, Ilnliir v\tv. I.xindc Crah. rcinola noia nmuiiica \.x retinuil \ iv, eaqne leciio deiu- Ceps ol"innii. Eriitndi caosa lluxn ex inss. colle- cn nis llispiin:c, inquibuspost verba, subscnpsmmt episcopi 20 Italia'. athliinr xxiv, nno ad epscoiiorniii snhsci ilieiiiiuin iiiiiiierniii, sfid ad > r.linein, quem se- queos epi^lola imer alias ea in colleciione tenei, in- liieanduin. 513