Letter 1: John, bishop of Rome, to the most pious and glorious Emperor Justinian.

To the most glorious and most merciful son Justinian Augustus, Bishop John. Among the brilliant praises of your gentleness, most Christian of princes, there shines with a purer light, like some star, the fact that out of love for the faith, out of zeal for charity, and instructed in the disciplines of the Church, you preserve reverence for the Roman See, subject all things to it, and bring all things to its unity. It is clear, therefore, most glorious emperor, as the course of the readings and the report of your envoys has made plain, that you devote yourself to the apostolic teachings, since concerning the faith of the catholic religion you think those things, you write those things, you have published to the faithful peoples those things which, as we have said, both the Apostolic See teaches and the venerable authority of the Fathers has decreed, and which we have confirmed in all respects. It is fitting therefore to cry out with the prophetic voice: let the heaven rejoice from above, let the mountains pour forth gladness, and the hills shall be glad with joy [cf. Isaiah 45:8; 44:23; 55:12; Psalm 95:11; 97:8]. These things, then, it is fitting that the faithful write upon the tablets of the heart; these things it is fitting to guard as the pupils of the eyes. For there is no one in whom the love of Christ is fervent who would stand as an opponent to so right, so true a confession of your faith, since, evidently condemning the impiety of Nestorius and Eutyches and of all heretics, you preserve, with a mind devoted to God and pious, unshaken and inviolate, the one true catholic faith established by the teaching of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, spread everywhere by the prophetic and apostolic preachings, strengthened by the confessions of the saints throughout the whole world, united by the opinions of the Fathers and Doctors, and in agreement with our doctrine. For only those are opposed to your professions of whom the divine Scripture speaks, saying: they have placed a lie as their hope, and they have hoped to be covered by a lie [Isaiah 28:15]; and again, those who according to the prophet say to the Lord: depart from us, we do not wish to know your ways [cf. Job 21:14]; on account of which Solomon says: they have strayed from the paths of their own cultivation, and they gather with their hands what is unfruitful. This, then, is your true faith, this the sure religion; this is what, as we have said, all the Fathers of blessed memory and the bishops of the Roman Church, whom we follow in all things, this is what the Apostolic See has preached up to now and has guarded unshaken: whoever shall have arisen as a contradictor to this confession, to this faith, has judged himself a stranger to holy communion, a stranger to the catholic Church. For we have found in the city of Rome Cyrus with his followers, who was from the Acoemete monastery; by apostolic persuasions we strove to recall them to the right faith, and, like sheep that had perished wandering, back to the Lord's sheepfold, so that, according to the prophet, the stammering tongues might learn to speak the things that are for peace [cf. Isaiah 32:4]. But to those not believing through us the first of the apostles speaks the words of the prophet Isaiah: walk in the light of your fire and of the flame which you have kindled [Isaiah 50:11]; but their heart was hardened, as it is written, so that they did not understand [cf. Mark 4:12], and the sheep that were not mine were utterly unwilling to hear the voice of the shepherd [cf. John 10:26]. Keeping with regard to them those things which have been established by their own pontiff, we have by no means received them into our communion, and we have ordered them to be strangers to the whole catholic Church, unless, the error being condemned, they shall as soon as possible follow our doctrine and have signed it with the customary profession made. For it is just that those who lend by no means obedience to our statutes should be held banished from the churches. But, since the Church never closes her bosom to those returning, I beseech your clemency that, if, their own error laid aside and the perverse instruction driven off, they should be willing to return to the unity of the Church, you would, when they have been received into our communion, remove the stings of your indignation, and, with us interceding, grant them the favor of a kindly spirit. And we entreat God and our Savior Jesus Christ that he may deign to keep you for long and peaceful times in this true religion and in the unity and veneration of the Apostolic See, whose primacy you, as most Christian and pious, preserve in all things. Moreover, most serene of princes, we praise the persons of your envoys, Hypatius and Demetrius, our brothers and fellow-bishops, whom the very choice has shown will be pleasing to your clemency: for you could not have laid the weight of so great a cause upon any but men perfect in Christ, nor would you have deigned to dispatch addresses full of so great piety, of so great reverence, except through men of high standing. And in another hand: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the communication of the Holy Spirit be always with you, amen, most pious son. Given the eighth day before the Kalends of April [25 March].

GLORIOSISSIXO ET CLEMENTISSIXO FILIO IUSTINIANO AUGUSTO IOHANNES EPISCOPUS. [nter elaras sapientiae mansuetudinis uestrae laudes, Christianissime principum, puriore luce tamquam 4liquod sidus inradiat, quod amore fidei, quód caritatis studio, docti ecclesiasticis disciplinis, Romanae sedi reuerentiam conseruatis et ei cuncta subicitis et ad eius deducitis uni- 1 Quoduuultdeus V 9 par Βῖν (corr. a) V 10 consulib, Basilium uu V 11 Constantinopolitana ciuitate] sic V sed ana et ciuitate per com- pendia pictis | 84. — Dat. die 25 Mart. a. 534. Extat epistula etiam in. Codice Iustiniano I 1, 8, cusus lectiones adferam adpositis lstteris Cod. ( Cod ! — lectio eorum codicum quos tnprimis Kruegerus adhibwit, Cod.3: — scniptwra deteriorum, quibus usi sunt. qui ante eum Codicem ediderunt, aut omnium aut certe aliquorum. | ex Codicis Iustiniani aliquo deterioris notae codice epistulam collection$ suae inseruit. Anselmus Lucensis (1 91); contuli Αἱ — Uatic. lat. 1364 saec. XI et A* — Barber. XI 178 saec. XII ineuntis, quorum consensum neglectis fere propriis utriusque mendis significabo littera A. item haud exiguam epistulae partem n collectionem suam transsumpsit Deusdedit (plurima ex $8 1—5 — I 239, p. 167 ed. Martinucci; δδ 19—21 — I 238, ibid. p. 166) usus ut widelur Codicis Iustiniani libro aliquo notae melioris. Edd. epistulam Car. 13 574 et Collect. Concil. 18 Gloriosissimo . . filio om. Α 14 episcopus VA: episcopus urbis Romae Cod. Deusdedit — sap. ac mansuetudinis 41 Cod.? 16 sydus (synodus A!) aliquod írsp. A caritati V — 17 sedi V: sedis Cod. A Deusdedit Liquet igitur, gloriosissime imperator, ut lectionis tenor22 et legatorum uestrorum rélatio patefecit, uos apostolicis. eruditionibus studere, cum religionis catholicae fidei ea sapitis, ea seribitis, ea populis fidelibus publicastis, quae, sicut diximus, et sedes apostolica docet et patrum ueneranda decreuit auctoritas et nos confirnauimus in omnibus. opor- tunum «est» ergo uoce clamare prophetica: iucundetur caelum desuper, effundant montes iucunditatem . et colles laetitia laetabuntur. haee igitur in tabulis 23 cordis fideles scribere, haec ut pupillas oculorum conuenit obseruare. neque enim quisquam est, in quo Christi caritas feruet, qui tam rectae, tam uerae confessionis uestrae fidei 18 cf. Esai. 45, 8; 44, 23; 55, 12; Psalm. 95, 11; 97, 8 8 et VvA!Cod. Deusdedst: om. V.A? 4 est V».ACod. Deusdedit: om. V ὃ inturbatas serbabitur V qndo V 6 horum VV»: eorum ACod. 7 sciatis V — uran V 8 prouidentia V 9 et alia manu V: exemplar subscriptionis V*, et subscriptio 4 JDeusdedit, et (uel item οὗ wel et haec) subscriptio Cod serbet V . 10 Dat... consule om. 4 Deusdedit ^ coxsraNTINo V (om. domino) 11 πὶ V,Cod.: iX V 18 et ACod.: ut V patefacit A 14 religionis. . fidei V: religionibus . . fidei 42, de religionibus . . fidei 41, de religionis . . fidei Cod.?, de reli- gionis. . fide Cod.! 15 scribitis V: scripsistis 4Cod. — populis V Cod.!: protulistis 4Cod.? 16 sedis V sedis apostolicae doctrina et ACod.? ueneranda om. A 18 est ACod.: om. V. iucundetur VCod.!: tibi abundet (habundetur 41) ACod.? 21 fidelis A et pars codd. Cod. pupilas .4!Cod.: pupilla V, pupillam 42 22 obserbare V, obseruari .A ! 326 Iohannes II. papa ad Iustinianum Aug. vefragator existat, cum impietatem euidenter Nestorii et Eutychis uel omnium haereticorum damnantes unam ueram catholicam fidem domini et dei nostri saluatoris Iesu Christi magisterio institutam et propheticis apostolicisque praedica- tionibus ubique diffusam et sanctorum per totum orbem s confessionibus roboratam patrum atque doctorum sententiis adunatam et nostrae doctrinae consentaneam inconcusse atque inuiolabiliter deuota deo et pia mente seruatis. soli etenim uestris professionibus aduersantur, de quibus diuina scriptura 94loquitur dicens: posuerunt mendacium spem suam et 1 mendacio operiri sperauerunt, et iterum, qui secun- dum ptophetam dicunt domino: recede a nobis, uias tuas Scire nolumus, proter quod Salomon dicit: semitas propriae culturae errauerunt, colligunt autem 95 manibus infruetuosa. haec (est? igitur uestra uera fides, haec certa religio, hoc beatae recordationis, ut diximus, patres omnes praesulesque "Romanae ecclesiae, quos in omnibus sequimur, hoc sedes apostolica praedicauit hactenus et incon- uulse custodiuit: huic confessioni, huic fidei quisquis contra- dictor extiterit, alienum a sancta communione, alienum se $ 96ipse ab ecclesia iudieauit esse catholica. nos enim in Romana Cyrum eum sequacibus suis inuenimus ciuitate, qui de Acoemetensi monasterio fuit: apostolicis suasion bus δὰ rectam fidem et uelut oues, quae perierant errantes, ad ouile contendimus reuocare dominicum, ut agnoscerent secundum 36 prophetam linguae balbutientes loqui, quae ad pacem sunt. "» Kad? non credentes autem per nos primus apostolorum Esaiae 27 prophetae uerba dicit: pergite in lumine ignis uestr? et flammae, quam aecendistis, sed obduratum est cor eorum, ut scriptum est, ut non intellegerent, et pastoris uocem 5 oues, quae meae non erant, audire minime uoluerunt. in quibus seruantes ea, quae ab ipsorum sunt statuta pontifice, eos minime in nostra communione recepimus et ab omni ecclesia catholica esse iussimus alienos, nisi errore damnato doctrinam mostram quantocius sequi habita regulari professione signa- 10 uerint. aequum quippe est, ut, qui nostris minime oboedien- tiam eommodant statutis, ecclesiis habeantur extorres. sed 28 quia gremium suum numquam redeuntibus claudit ecclesia, obsecro clementiam uestram, ut, si proprio errore deposito et praua institutione depulsa ad unitatem ecclesiae reuerti uoluerint, 15 jn nostra communione receptis indignationis uestrae remoue- atis aculeos et nobis intercedentibus benigni animi gratiam condonate. deum autem et saluatorem nostrum Iesum Christum 29 exoramus, quatenus longaeuis et pacifieis uos dignetur custo- dire temporibus in hac uera religione et unitate et ueneratione 30 apostolicae sedis, cuius principatum ut Christianissimi et pii conseruatis in omnibus. praeterea, serenissime principum, laudamus legatorum uestrorum personas, Hypatii et Demetrii fratrum et coepiscoporum nostrorum. quos clementiae uestrae gratos fore ipsa manifestauit electio: nam tantae causae 85 pondus non nisi perfectis in Christo potuissetis iniungere, 2 Esai. δῦ, 11 4 cf. Marc. 4, 12; Ioh. 10, 26 sq. 1 ad non credentes A!Cod.? (ad non om. .A?): non credentes V, non credentibus Cod.! 2 perguiie V. in lumine V Cod.?: lumine A, lumine aut lumini Cod: 8. flammae quam .ACod.: flamine quem V obdu- ratum .Cod.: obturatumn V b uoluerunt Cod.!: uoluerant V, ualu- erunt ACod.? 11 commendant A 12 n quam V 14 institntione V: intentione A4Cod. 1mitatem V. 15 receptis Cod.!: recepti VACod.? mo- ueatis V 17 condonetis Cod.? 22 ypatii V — 28 nostrorum om. A 25 potuissetis iniungere V, potuissetis iniungi Codicis cod. Casinas (unde potuisset iis iniungi Mommsen), potuisset iniungi .A et reliqui libri Cod. 328 Episcopi .Áfricani ad Iohannem II. papaimn tantae uero pietatis, tantae reuerentiae plenos affatus nisi per 9lamantes minime dignaremi destinare. ET ALIA XANU: Gratia domini nostri Iesu Christi et caritas dei patris et communi- catio spiritus sancti sit semper uobiscum, amen, piissime fili. Dat. VIII. Kal. April.