Letter 48

From: Emperor Justin I Augustus, Constantinople To: Hormisdas, Pope of Rome Date: 519 AD (April 22, sent; received June 19) Context: Emperor Justin I's triumphant letter announcing the successful reunion of the churches — written in the full imperial style with all titles. This letter was sent together with the Patriarch's libellus and marks the formal end of the Acacian Schism. The Emperor Justin Augustus to Hormisdas. Victor, Justin, Pious, Fortunate, Renowned, Triumphant, Ever Augustus — to Hormisdas, the most holy and most blessed Archbishop and Patriarch. Know, most religious Father, that the goal has been achieved. What Your Holiness desired, what we ourselves worked toward with every effort, what all the faithful prayed for — the peace of the holy churches has been restored. The most blessed John, bishop of this royal city, has embraced communion with the apostolic see and has signed the profession of faith in the form you prescribed. The names of those whom Rome condemned have been removed from the sacred diptychs. The Church is one again. We ask you, Holy Father, to receive this news with the joy it deserves and to send your blessing upon the work that God has accomplished through our joint efforts. Pray for us and for the state that divine providence has entrusted to our care. The foundations of our reign rest upon the unity of the faith, and that unity is now secured.

irSTTNUS AUGUSTUS HORMISDAE. UICTOR lUSTINUS PIUS FELIX INCLITUS TRIUMPHATOR BEMPER 15 AUGUSTUS HORMISDAE SANCTISSIMO AC BEATISSIMO ARCHIEPISCOPO ET PATRiARCHAE. Scias effectum nobis, pater religiosissime, 4 supradictos Hisp. 9 ora . . frater om. V 10 uicesimo et octauo Htap, (cf, Beitrdge p. 22)-. xivii V 11 ind Vi, indictionis Gom. Constantinopoli domno lustino perpetuo Augusto et Eutharico u. c. conss. scripsi: consenau domni lustini ]>i). aug. et Eutharici ug cons V, con- sulibus domino lustino principe (imperatore i) augusto et Heraclio uiris clarissimis era dlvii Hisp. 160, Bat. (simul cum epp. lGl—165, 107, 223) a. 519 die 22 Apr. per Pullionem: accept. die 19 lunii. Haec quoque epistula praeter Auellanam extat in colleciione Hispana (ed. Gomalee II n. 87 p. 143), unde satis interpolata transiit in Pseudoisidorianam {p. 687 ed. Hin- schius; cum tcxtu Pseudoisidori consentit fere is, quem praebet Gregorius in Polycarpi c. 19 lib. VII tit. 5, cf. Huffer, Beitr. z. Gescf^. der Quellen des Kirchenrechts p. 108): Hisp. = consensxis editionis Gon- zalezii (= Gonz.) et codicum i (i^ = Uaiic. 1341, = Uatic, 630, i^ = Uatic. 3791). Ex Auellana episiulam edidit Car. I^ 495, quem secuti sunt Bar. ad a. 519, 58; CoUect. Condl.; Thiel 861. 14 Auellanae titulo omisso Epistola (sacra t) lustini imperatoris ad Hormisdam papam. Sanctissimo (sacratissimo i) ac beatissimo archi- episcopo almae urbis Romae et patriarchae Hormisdae lustinus imperator praefigit Hisp. 16 ac o: hac V 17 reliosissime V Epist. CLIX 7 — CLX 5. 611 quod diu summis studiis quaerebatur; noueris patefactum et antequam aduenerint, qui a uobis destinati sunt, quod lohannes uir beatissimus antistes nouae Romae nostrae una cum clero eius uobiscum sentiunt nuUis uariantes ambigui- 5 tatibus, nuUis diuisi discordiis ; scias libellum ab eo subscriptum, quem offerendum iudicaueras sanctissimorum patrum concilio congruentem. omnes concurrunt alacri opere ad suscipienda 2 uota tam uestrae quam Constantinopolitanae sedis, quos ueritatis coruscus fulgor illuminat; omnes accelerant libentis- 10 sime, quos oblectat uia dilucida, sequuntur scita patrum sanctissima, leges probatissimas, et consiliis quorundam firmatis, qui rectum tenebant tramitem, aliorum correctis, qui Tiagabantur incerti, in eo res colligitur, ut unitatem indiuiduae trinitatis ipsi quoque unitate colant mentium. 15 negatum est inter diuina mysteria memoriam in posterum 3 fieri pro tenore libelli, quem diximus, Acacii praeuaricatoris quondam regiae huius urbis episcopi nec non et aliorum sacerdotum, qui uel primi contra constituta uenerunt aposto- lica uel successores en*oris facti sunt nuUa usque ad ultimum «0 diem suum paenitentia correcti. et quoniam omnes nostrae 4 regiones admonendae sunt, ut exemplum imitentur ciuitatis regiae, destinanda ubique principalia praecepta duximus: tanto flagramus religionis officio, tanto affectamus studio pacem catholicae fidei pro remuneranda caelitus pace nostrae rei 25 publicae, pro conciliando subiectis meis superno praesidio. quid enim gratius reperiri potest, quid iustius, quid illustrius, quam quos idem regnum continet eiusdemque fidei cultus irradiat, eos non diuersa contendere sed collectis in eodem sensibus instituta uenerari non humana mente lata sed diuini aoprudentia spiritus? oret igitur uestrae religionis sanctitas, ut 5 612 lohannes Constantinopolitanus Horroisdae quod peruigili studio pro concordia ecclesiarum catholicae fidei procuratur, diuini muneris opitulatio iugi perpetuitate seruari annuat. Dat. X. Eal. Maias Constantinopoli.