What intentions we had with the bishop of Thessalonica, and what things were said or even settled, you will learn from the living account of the bearer of these letters; yet what ought not to be passed over in silence, I do not delay to make known. After many contests, the aforesaid bishop, convinced by reason, was willing to subscribe the libellus; but because the bishops who are established under his ordination were not all present, for the present this was agreed, this was promised: that after the holy days, one of us being sent from the See of the city of Constantinople and the bishops constituted in his diocese being assembled, they should subscribe the libellus. Which we believe, with God's help, is to be fulfilled. These are the things settled at Thessalonica.
Commended by your prayers, we arrived at the city of Constantinople on the second day of the authentic (Holy) week. At the tenth milestone from the aforesaid city, exalted and magnificent men came to meet us, among whom are the Master of the Soldiers Vitalian, Pompeius, and Justinian; and there followed also other senators and many men, who burned with the ardour and desire of the catholic faith for the restoration of peace. What need of more? With the greatest joys of almost all, we enter the city. On another day, which is the third day (Tuesday), we are presented to the gaze of the most pious prince. The whole senate was there present, and in that assembly there were also four bishops, whom the bishop of Constantinople had sent to represent his own person.
We presented the letters of your beatitude, which the most merciful prince received with great reverence. Those things were said which it was fitting to make known before the examination of the cause; then the cause was begun. The most merciful emperor exhorted us, saying this: 'See the bishop of this city, and mutually render an account to one another in a peaceful manner.' We, on the contrary, replied: 'Why do we go to the bishop to make contests? Our lord the most blessed Pope Hormisdas, who sent us, did not enjoin us to contend. But we have at hand the libellus which all the bishops, wishing to be reconciled to the apostolic See, have made:
if your piety commands, let it be read, and if there is in it anything that is not understood or is not believed to be true, let them say so, and then we will show that nothing has been written in that libellus beyond ecclesiastical judgment; or if they can prove that it does not accord with the catholic religion, then it falls upon us to prove otherwise.' The libellus was read aloud in the sight of the prince and the senate. We at once added: 'Let the four bishops here present, who are present on behalf of the person of the bishop of Constantinople, say whether these things which are read in the libellus are by no means contained in the ecclesiastical records!' They answered that all things were true. After which we added:
'Lord emperor, both the bishops have taken from us a great labour and have done a thing befitting themselves in telling the truth.' Presently the most merciful emperor said to the bishops who were present: 'And if they are true, why do you not do it?' Likewise several of the senatorial order also said: 'We are laymen; you say these things are true: do it, and we follow.' On the intervening fourth day (Wednesday) the bishop of Constantinople received the libellus from us in the palace, and at first he attempted, as it were, to make rather a letter than a libellus. But after not many contests this was agreed: to make a short preamble and then to subjoin the libellus, just as your beatitude dictated.
A subscription befitting the libellus was made by him, and likewise a dating; copies of which, both in Greek and in Latin, we have sent to your apostleship. After the libellus was made, the name of Acacius was deleted from the diptychs, and likewise those of Flavitas, Euphemius, Macedonius, and Timothy—and not only this in that church alone in which the bishop resides, but we report that it was done, God helping, with great diligence throughout all the churches. Likewise the names of Zeno and Anastasius were deleted from the diptychs. The bishops of the various cities, as many as were found, likewise offered the libellus, and we report that with great caution it was safeguarded that no bishop should communicate with us who had not first given the libellus.
In like manner all the archimandrites did the same. And with these archimandrites too we report that we had contests, they saying: 'It is enough that our archbishop has done it; we follow his deed.' What more? After many contests they too, convinced by reason, offered their libelli in every way. After all these things, with God's help, we processed in the church; but what joys of unity were made, how God was blessed, what praises too were rendered to the blessed Apostle Peter and to you, you perceive by the consideration of the action itself—which my tongue is not able to unfold.
Nothing followed according to the notions of the enemies—no sedition, no shedding of blood, no tumult—which the enemies, as though terrifying, had beforehand proclaimed. The ecclesiastics of Constantinople themselves, marvelling and giving thanks to God, say that they never remember at any time so great a multitude of people to have communicated. When these things were fulfilled, the most merciful emperor also subjoined his own writings to your beatitude, signifying the order of the matter transacted; and likewise the most reverend man John, prelate of the city of Constantinople. You will know also that sacred general edicts have been issued, and we believe that, God being propitious and by your holy prayers, they are being dispatched throughout all the provinces as speedily as possible.
These things were done at Constantinople. There is now a discussion concerning the Church of Antioch, and therefore work is still being done, because a suitable person has not yet been elected. Let your beatitude therefore pray more intently, that God, who, entreated by your prayers, restored the Church of Constantinople to the apostolic See, may himself both grant a worthy person to be ordained in Antioch and join the churches together in constant unity. If it seems good to your beatitude to write back to the bishop of Constantinople, make mention of the condemnations of Severus and of those whom you named in that letter which you wrote to the second Syria through the monks John and Sergius. If you do this same thing in writing back to the emperor as well, it seems to me to be necessary.
(168.) HORMISDAS TO JUSTIN AUGUSTUS. Having read the pages of your clemency, which announced the restored concord of the faith, the joyful mind of the whole Church burst forth into a canticle of divine praise, in which is sung: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will!' With the confidence of this hymn, therefore, take to yourselves a glory and felicity worthy of faithful merits. For not by human consent alone did it exalt you—a prince so pleasing to God—to the summit of empire: the divine favour had formed you beforehand for itself and delivered to you the empire of the East, that you might become the instrument of its works; and therefore, that this prophetic saying may rightly apply to you, you accomplish it: 'Thou shalt establish them as princes over all the earth;'
'they shall be mindful of thy name in every generation and generation.' For since it is your purpose to preserve the Christian peace, who would doubt that you have been chosen by Christ? These are the first foundations of your principate: to have placated God by justice and to have won for yourselves the aids of his most excellent majesty, while you crush his adversaries as if they were your own enemies. These indeed are the greatest foundations of the commonwealth, this the solid and unconquered strength. For that cannot be penetrable to human blows which is walled about by the firmness of divine grace. Of this the prophetic Scripture is a witness, for it says: 'I have chosen David my servant, and with holy oil have I anointed him; for my hand shall help him, and my arm shall strengthen him.'
But on the contrary, in vain does he seek arms, in vain does he seek forces for himself, whom the grace from above forsakes; for it is truly written: 'Unless the Lord guard the city, in vain do they watch who guard it.' You indeed will wage war, safe by divine aid, most excellent prince, and you will bend beneath the yoke of your commonwealth the necks of the fiercest nations; but no victory can be more excellent than that you overthrow the enemy of the human race after so long a time of seeking its supports. For indeed the nature of other battles is distinct in kind, bounded by regions, defiled with gore:
this palm embraces the whole human race; this triumph you will reckon to all regions; and—what is nearest to divine pity—those who a little before raged under the leadership of the devil are now, without the shedding of blood, conquered unto the effecting of their own salvation. This triumph of the Christian victory, therefore, will endure through the age; for the things which are founded upon the stability of an everlasting faith cannot be abolished by the decay of time; the fame of your deeds will remain far and wide, and, as is designated by the divine oracles, 'their sound has gone out into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.'
And in other wars you indeed defend fields, cities, towns, or—what is the last thing—the liberty of your subjects, which, procured for the uses of mortals, are one day to be dissolved by a like mortality: in this contest life itself is defended, and in a certain manner one fights from the citadel of everlasting beatitude. Wherefore the enterprise of so great a work requires the continual attention of your clemency. Bring it about that the most savage enemy find no refuge whatever from which he may emerge again; strip him of all garrisons, and if anywhere any remnant of his traces is left, purge it all away with a merciful remedy.
Let every seed of wickedness be uprooted from its foundations, let the stock hostile to God be cut back to the quick, lest the venomous root of iniquity, being less repressed—which God forbid—again spread its shoots more widely. To what end this? Because there still remains to you the by-no-means-to-be-neglected correction of the Alexandrian and Antiochene and of the other churches; upon which, if the care of your clemency shall lower itself, there is hope that, by the same author by whom we believe all good things are begun, they may swiftly, by the same helper, be completed. We commend, moreover, the legates directed from the apostolic See, and we deposit them with your faith and religion.
Let your piety so dismiss them, all things being accomplished, that by your divine benefits they may bring back to the apostolic See full joy over the peace of all the churches. Which writings we have transmitted to be delivered through Paulinus, defender of the Roman Church, the servant of your piety. Given on the 7th day before the Ides of July, in the consulship of Eutharicus. (169.) HORMISDAS TO JOHN, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE. As I consider the writings of your charity, in which you have professed that you have one faith with the See of the blessed Apostle Peter, it is my pleasure to cry out with prophetic license: 'Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!' For it matters not by how great intervals of place we are divided, since now, God being the author, we are joined by one cohabitation of the faith.
For now, by the procuring of divine mercy, the members of Christ, once scattered, come together into the countenance of one body, and the inheritance of our Lord, snatched away by most wicked robbers and foretold by prophetic voices, is restored; and truly upon the faith of this rock—that is, upon the firmness of the prince of the apostles—the foundations of the Eastern Church are made solid. And since these deeds are indicated by your letters, it must be said with timely exultation: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who evangelize peace, of those who evangelize good things!' Thanks therefore to the most excellent Trinity, which has granted that those who agree in Christ be the rulers of the Church and of the commonwealth!
For indeed it is a great safety of affairs, whenever one mind knits together priests and princes in the truth of the catholic faith. This is the firm bond of peace, this the fellowship sent down from heaven; for it is not right that subjects should feel otherwise in that in which they see their prelates to be in concord. Or is it doubtful that Providence has disposed all these as one: first, that he should be chosen as prince who, when he saw that he had taken up the empire of men, was not forgetful that he was subject to God; then, that it gave such a one as your fraternity to be the prelate of his Church, of whom it could not be doubted that he would enter into a sure and abiding concord of faith with our See, that is, the apostolic?
For indeed, the libellus of the faith having been gladly received by us, since you were eager for the reintegration in Christ, you are known by us never to have been alien from us in the divine predestination. Therefore, most beloved brother, press on to the benefits of our God as they run of their own accord; more fully gather the members of the once-scattered flock, and guard those gathered. Remember now that you are mercifully the steersman of the ship assigned to you by Christ; take thought that the spirits of diabolical stubbornness disturb the secure things of a quiet voyage, and let not the waves of the uncertain tempest lie hidden from you, which you should foresee with a watchful mind and restrain by reason lifted up to God. Let no negligence of the business committed to you wrest the tiller of the Lord's vessel from you;
gaze always with fixed eyes upon that one sign of the right course, whereby you may more surely both despise the disturbances of the devil blowing against you and reach in tranquillity the promised harbour. For this is the wrestling-ground of the Christian contest: to such a warfare of Christ is proposed the palm of everlasting life. To you, considering these things most rightly, the protection of the Leader will not fail his soldier; and the more the snares of the enemies are multiplied, so much the more does the grace of the Supreme Ruler make the poisons of the adversary to be the material of his own mercy, just as the discourse of apostolic truth has asserted, saying: 'Where iniquity abounded, grace did much more abound;'
do you only cling to the divine and most right institutions by fostering ecclesiastical concord, that, marked as it were by a certain token of a peace-loving will, you may be approved to be the disciple of him who says: 'My peace I give unto you, my peace I leave unto you.'
Exhort also our most merciful son, the prince Justin—though of his own accord he tends towards the right, divinely provided to the Christian age—to accomplish those things which he has deigned to promise by his royal letters: that, edicts being sent to those whom devious error even now leads away from the breasts of the mother Church, he may repress the diabolical fraud both by the authority of religion and by the moderate power of empire, and may reckon it to be his greatest victory against the common enemy of all humanity, if by the aid of the divine power from above he shall have crushed the poisons of the old serpent.
Concerning the state of the Antiochene and Alexandrian churches also, do not cease to be solicitous, and forthwith supplicate the most merciful prince that in these too he restore peace by a religious ordering, so that to good beginnings he may add the crowning of full perfection. For in vain is a good work begun, if perfection does not follow it to the full. We commend, moreover, the legates sent from the apostolic See, whom let your affection cause so to return to us that they may be able to bring back to us full joy over the peace restored to all the churches. Given on the 7th day before the Ides of July, in the consulship above written. (170.) HORMISDAS TO THE BISHOPS GERMANUS AND JOHN, TO THE DEACONS FELIX AND DIOSCORUS, AND TO THE PRESBYTER BLANDUS.
Concerning those things which the report of your charity has comprised, we give thanks to our God, who has deigned to aid your labour; and we exhort that you ought to attend upon the most merciful prince and his most pious consort the Augusta with fitting services, and to act, our Christ helping, that—all things being disposed under ecclesiastical observance—all the churches which are situated in any part of the world may be recalled to the communion of the apostolic See. But concerning the Alexandrian and Antiochene churches, labour that they may be knit to our faith under a reasonable observance, because the perfection of so great a matter acquires the grace of divine propitiation both for the most merciful prince and for you. Given on the day above written, in the consulship above written.
(171.) HORMISDAS TO JOHN, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE, AND TO DIOSCORUS THE DEACON. We have found that Thomas and Nicostratus, our brothers and fellow-bishops, were not so received at Constantinople as our desires were and as they themselves always wished; for not only are the places due to them said to have been taken away, but we have learned that they were also suspended from communion.
How bitterly our mind bears this, we believe that your fraternity (charity) too can estimate; and therefore, as great a diligence as you see the magnitude of the cause to require, so great an efficacy ought you to furnish without delay, and to act, lest we should seem to be the more despised in the eyes of those with whom they were, when upon them, contrary to what the common desire held, the molestation of trouble was unseemly cast to such a degree, that neither is anything said to have been ordered by our brother and fellow-bishop John concerning their properties, which are said to have been seized from them, nor are our letters, which we sent through them, said to have been received.
Concerning all which we desire you so urgently to act, that your charity may be able speedily to write back to us concerning the outcome of this cause. Given on the day above written, in the consulship above written. (172.) HORMISDAS TO THE BISHOPS THOMAS AND NICOSTRATUS. Do not think our mind idle or slothful concerning your business, for we think of your weariness no otherwise than of our own.
For, as Mena, the notary of our church, has informed us, we have learned that your Charity still endures the vexations of these observances; and therefore, so that Almighty God may deign to grant a remedy for these adversities, we have both sent letters to John, our brother and fellow-bishop, and have enjoined upon our son Dioscorus the deacon, by our letter, that he should make known to our lord and son the emperor Justin the need and the case of your Love, and press it urgently, so that our Lord may deign to grant a fitting outcome to your desires.
With this Dioscorus the deacon your Fraternity ought to confer, for it is necessary that he strive for your purpose, whether out of regard for catholic communion or in consideration of our exhortation. Given on the day as above, in the aforesaid consulship. (173.) HORMISDAS TO DIOSCORUS THE DEACON.
Concerning your labour, which you have undertaken with the help of Almighty God, we rejoice at its effect for the part that has been accomplished, and we indicate that you ought to consider how those are to be recalled who by a written document condemned the decrees of the Council of Chalcedon, lest perchance such men should seem to be not schismatics but rather heretics; or whether indeed the case of those who are shown to have condemned by words is one and the same as of those who are convicted of having condemned by writing—for over this distinction our son, the illustrious and religious man Albinus, seems to raise a question. And consider whether those also who wrote against the Council of Chalcedon ought to be received merely through that general document, or whether indeed something further should be added.
Concerning the churches of Alexandria and Antioch, aided by the comfort of our God, exert yourself so that, all things being rightly ordered, they may be joined to catholic communion. The affliction of our brothers and fellow-bishops Thomas and Nicostratus also saddens us by its long continuance, and we marvel why bishops of the right faith should seem to be in distress under a catholic emperor. Your Charity will have to relieve their desires by acting, so that the sorrow of those who obtain their wishes may be turned into joy. John, bishop of Nicopolis, has written to us through Ammonius the deacon that certain malevolent persons are striving to fabricate a calumny against him before the emperor; him we commend to your Love, exhorting you to labour lest the treachery of his enemies be able to harm his peace.
This Ammonius the deacon, when he came to us, we were unwilling to receive into the communion of the Apostolic See until, after holding a discussion with Sergius the deacon, we should inquire what ought to be ordained; and our deliberation found this course, approved by the aforesaid deacon, that he should be joined to catholic communion through the testimony of a written libellus; and we signify that this libellus, solemnly presented and offering him to our communion, is enclosed. Given. (174.) HORMISDAS TO POMPEIUS. So filled with the joy of concord do we confess the mind of our devotion to be, that we believe no words suffice by which we might fully set forth the purity of your faith.
With great remembrance of felicity indeed will you pass to posterity, because it is certain that in making peace you were bound by anxious care. You have merit before the Deity, to whose religion you render your affection. You have indeed accomplished the desires of the whole community, but your own vows too are alike fulfilled; and since you have prepared a reward for your souls, the whole world rejoices in the benefit bestowed upon it. Wherefore, saluting you with due honour, we exhort and beg that, with the same vigour with which you began the beginning of ecclesiastical peace, you may procure its accomplishment, and that wherever you see any traces of some contention to have remained, you may take care by every means to pursue them.
Be present to the fullest tranquillity of the churches of God; press on with the labour which by the gift of your faith you have taken care to offer to the Lord. For you bring it about that we demand fullness from you with greater confidence, you whom we congratulate on having laid the votive beginnings of a union so long desired. Given on the day as above, in the aforesaid consulship. (175.) HORMISDAS TO DIOSCORUS THE DEACON. Concerning your labour indeed, which you have undertaken with the help of Almighty God, we rejoice at its effect for the part that has been accomplished, indicating to all the peoples of Italy that what has been done through you, God being its author, has pleased us; and we render thanks to our God without ceasing, who made you to recognize that you were sent not out of hatred but rather for the greatness of the cause.
Wherefore, since the mercy of the divine propitiation has, through you, aided our suppliant and pure purpose, it is necessary that we take thought for the reward and recompense of your diligence and toil. For at a subsequent time we intend to write to our lord and son the emperor, that he ought to ordain you bishop of Alexandria. For it is just that that church be corrected by your teaching and moderation, in which above all you have soldiered from these beginnings of your youth. For it displeased us that the most clement emperor was striving to set your Charity over the church of Antioch;
for it is better that on the very soil of your homeland you receive the dignity of so great a priesthood, so as to teach the Egyptian peoples, than that, born in another part of the world, you should seem to go astray among Syrians who are new and unknown men. The affliction of our brothers and fellow-bishops Thomas and Nicostratus also saddens us by its long continuance, and we marvel why bishops of the right faith should seem to be in distress under a catholic emperor. Your Charity will have to relieve their desires by acting, so that the sorrow of those who obtain their wishes may be turned into joy. John, bishop of Nicopolis, has written to us through Ammonius the deacon that certain malevolent persons are striving to fabricate a calumny against him before the emperor;
him we commend to your Love, exhorting you to labour lest the treachery of his enemies be able to harm his peace. This Ammonius the deacon, when he came to us, we were unwilling to receive into the communion of the Apostolic See until, after holding a discussion with Sergius the deacon, we should inquire what ought to be ordained; and our deliberation found this course, approved by the aforesaid deacon, that he should be joined to catholic communion through the testimony of a written libellus; and we signify that, this libellus having been solemnly presented, he who offers himself to our communion is enclosed.
Paulinus, defender of the Roman church, we commend, and we exhort that you leave nothing unsettled through haste in your return, because all things are better arranged with more length of time, with the help of our God; and it is more pleasing that, with some delay, the state of all the churches be set in order, than that through haste something should remain unfinished, whence again labour may be generated for us and difficulty brought upon our ordinations. Given on the day as above, in the aforesaid consulship. (176.) HORMISDAS TO JUSTINIAN THE ILLUSTRIOUS. We bless the ineffable aid of the Deity, because we have recognized that the desire of the whole world concerning the peace of the churches has been fulfilled in tranquillity.
This indeed came to pass not beyond our expectation, because, from the character of the most religious Augustus that had been foreseen, we always cherished hope of quiet, and believed that under a Christian emperor there would be done what was in our vow concerning unity. Wherefore the glorious emperor will have from this cause titles of triumphs—not such as the oblivion of mortality inserts itself among, but such as the grace of the Deity confirms in perpetuity; and for you too there will not be lacking the reward of heavenly recompense, you who have aided the good emperor's design, and by fitting compliance have caused the horror of separation to be excluded from the desired end. Blessed be the Lord our God, who hath visited and made redemption of his people!
It now remains that, since it is certain that such an office has been enjoined upon you by the providence of the Deity, you gird up, as it says, your loins, and by the strength of peaceable exhortation pursue those by whom you do not see peace to be acknowledged—especially because it detracts from your glory if anything in this cause be left less than fulfilled. Look round upon all things with the faith by which you live, and with the diligence by which you flourish meet all the assaults by which you see the reverence of the Christian religion to be harassed, so that of your persistence we may be able to say with exultation: All the ends of the earth shall remember and be turned to the Lord. Since these things are so, it befits you who have made the beginning of the tranquillity of the catholic church, to procure its accomplishment:
the favour of our Saviour will not be lacking in the completion, who inspired you to begin this work. Given on the day as above, in the aforesaid consulship. (177.) HORMISDAS TO * * *. Since it has been necessary that writings be dispatched to our lord and son the most clement emperor, we could not pass over your Excellency in silence; and therefore, prefacing the honour of a salutation, we commend those who have been sent on the business, requesting that, our Lord being the author, under your arrangement they may come quickly to their destination, so that the most sacred and most religious emperor may be able without delay to know the glory of his merits. (178.) HORMISDAS TO GRATUS, THE MOST NOBLE MAN.