Letter 18

From: Hormisdas, Pope of Rome To: John, bishop of Nicopolis, and the Synod of Old Epirus Date: ~517 AD Context: A pastoral letter of encouragement to the Epirote bishops who are suffering harassment for their loyalty to Rome, assuring them that their trials are temporary, invoking Peter walking on the water as a model of faith under pressure, and reporting that he has intervened on their behalf with the Emperor and the bishop of Thessalonica. Hormisdas to John, bishop of Nicopolis, and the Synod. As above. Delivered by his deacon John. We would wish, dearest brothers, that you could live your lives free from all the waves of trouble, passing your days in the security of tranquility, serving our God with your minds undisturbed by worldly storms. But what we do not wish to happen, we must grieve when it does. The world abounds in hardships, and this age in which we are pilgrims is exposed to temptation on every side. Like great cliffs battered by the storms of wind, the minds of the faithful are assailed by the devil's ambushes. As it is written: "All who wish to live piously in Christ will suffer persecution" [2 Timothy 3:12]. But the hope promised by the just rewarder consoles us, "for blessed is he who is not scandalized in the Lord" [Matthew 11:6]. Let not the soldiers of God be cast down by fragile and fleeting assaults. The one who stands at the side of the brave takes no pleasure in cowards. These passing things are easily despised if we think about what will endure. We should embrace the occasion for testing, because however heavy the burdens of toil may be, the rewards of virtue are greater still. How can one prove equal to the reward who shows himself unequal to the trial? Let us not be slow to face hard things if we wish to reach what has been promised. Who would wait for a human voice on this matter when the words of Truth ring in our ears daily: "Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of righteousness!" [Matthew 5:10]? But do not think, dearest brothers, that I am consoling you only with spiritual encouragement, though among the faithful that counts for much. I have not rested from seeking remedies for your tribulation, as far as it lay within human power. For through the envoys dispatched to the ruler of the East, I both warned the bishop of Thessalonica to cease from harassing you and sent letters requiring that a petition be made to the Emperor on your behalf.

HORMISDA lOHANNI EPISCOPO NICOPOLITAXO CUM 8YN0D0 CT supRA. PER lOHANNEM DiACONUM Eius. Optaremus, dilectissimi fratres, ab omnibus uos molestiarum fluctibus alienos uitam sub tranquillitatis securitate transigere et deo nostro remota mundanarum tempestatum mentis perturbatione « « mouerunt, 2 quia quae fieri nolumus, necesse est, ut facta doleamus. sed abundat mundus incommodis et temptationibus saeculum istud, in quo peregrinamur, expositum est passim; uelut magnae moles uentorum procellis, ita fidelium mentes diabolicis pul- santur insidiis et, sicut dictum est, qui uolunt pie uiuere 3 in Christo, persecutionem patiuntur. sed consolatur spes a iusto retributore promissa, quia beatus est, qui non fuerit scandalizatus in domino. non deiciant milites dei impetus fragiles et caduci. qui adsistit strenuiSf non delectatur ignauis. facile contemnuntur ista quae transeunt, si illa quae sunt mansura cogitentur. amplectenda est pro- bationis occasio, quia licet sint dura onera laborum, praeraia 4 tamen maiora uirtutum. quemadmodum par erit remunerationi, qui se imparem monstrat examini? non simus segnes ad fortia, si peruenire cupimus ad promissa. quis super hoc expectet 11 Timoth. II 3, 12 13 Matth. 11, 6 Epist. CXXm 1—8. 535 uocem hominis, cum cottidie Dobis insonet sententia ueritatis: beati, qui persecutioneni patiuntur propter iusti- tiam! sed ne me, fratres karissimi, licet apud iideles magna 5 git, spiritali tamen uos solum credatis confii-matione solari, 5 a prouidendis pro uestra tribulatione remediis, quantum in homine esse potuit, non quieui. nam per legatos ad Orientis principem destinatos et Thessalonicensem episcopum, ut ab insectatione uestra cessaret, admonui et prorogatis paginis, ut imperatori supplicaretur, iniunxi. haec quantum ad prae- 6 10 sentia sunt prouisa; sed illa, quae ad spem futuram pertinent, baec sunt potius mentibus intuenda. sane hoc me fateor fuisse miratum, quod inter allegationes angustiarum religiosae pru- dentiae uestrae haec potuit cura subripere, ut <a> me sub consultationis colore dirigendi ad Thessalonicenseni episcopum 15 solitas litteras licentia posceretur. egone huius rei auctor existerem, quam si inscio me cognoscerem factam esse, cul- parem? absit ista peruersitas! audite apostolicam uocem sed 7 personae meae conuenienter aptandam: si quae destruxi, haec iterum reaedifico, praeuaricatorem me con- zostituo. nolite, obsecro, ad euitata uix redire contagia nec pedes luto, quo tenebantur, auulsos patiamini male rursus immergi. sinite oblitterata esse transacta. nemo mittens manum suam in aratrum et aspiciens retro aptus est regno dei. impediuntur a processu propositi itineris, 8 25 qui reflexis oculis respiciunt, quod relinquunt. non amant ecclesiasticae disciplinae eos, in quibus remanet memoria ulla perfidiae; totos ab errantibus oportet abscidi, quia in tantum detestabiies aestimantur ad spreta redeuntes, ut beatus apo- stolus Petrus melius illis esse praedicauerit, ut non cognosce- 2 Matth. 5, 10 18 Gal. 2, 18 22 Luc. 9, 62 29 Petr. n 2, 21 4 sq. solari a Tkiel: solaria V 13 subrepere a add. 14 con- Bolacionis V, corr. Thiel 16 quam o: qua V insio F, corr. o 17 abscit V 22 immergit F, corr. o 25 relinguunt F, corr. o 26 ^c- clesia stice F {eiiam o, quod moneo contra Thielium) 28 ad o: a F 536 Hormisda lohanni Nicopolitano; Anastasius Hormisdae rent uiam iustitiae, quam cognoscentes retrorsum reflecti a tradito sibi sancto mandato. in aperto est, qua pertinacia traditae fidei debeat constantia custodiri, si tolerabilius est in errore persistere quam coinquinationibus rursus, quas quis fugerit, implicari. Data pridie Idus April. Agapito cons. s