Letter 51
Hormisdas→Hormisdas, Rome|hormisdas
From: Anastasia [a prominent noblewoman in Constantinople, possibly the emperor's niece or a member of the imperial household]
To: Hormisdas, Pope of Rome
Date: ~519 AD
Context: A letter from the noblewoman Anastasia celebrating the reunion and praising both Hormisdas and Emperor Justin — another voice in the chorus of Constantinople's elite acknowledging papal authority.
To the bishop of the universal Church — from Anastasia.
We rightly declare that the grace of a divine gift has dawned upon us, knowing from the evidence of your letter that Your Apostolate holds our memory in your holy heart. For we trust with genuine hope that the propitiation of heavenly mercy comes through the intercession of the pope.
The tireless vigils of your prayers and the wondrous faith of our most victorious Emperor — always shining with catholic splendor — have restored to the most holy churches the long-desired concord of peace. Our invincible ruler rightly exults in having set this above all his triumphs, and we with him.
Most blessed Lord and Father worthy of apostolic honor: we give thanks to God and to you. Continue your prayers for us, for the Emperor, and for the peace that has been so dearly won.
EPiscoPO UNiuERSALi ECCLE8IAE ANASTASiA. Diuini muneris illuxisse nobis gratiam merito profitemur, apostolatus uestri reuerentiam in sancto corde nostri tenere memoriam paginali adsertione noscentes; ueraci namque spe confiditur supernae misericordiae propitiationem de pontificali intercessione sub- sistere, doraine beatissime et apostolico honore suscipiende
2 pater. peruigiles uestrarum orationum excubiae et miranda uictoriosissimi principis fides splendore catholico semper irradians diu expetitam sacrosanctis ecclesiis concordiam pacis restituit, quam omnibus triumphis suis solidissime finnatis inuictum iure exultat praetulisse uexillum, ideoque illibata uestrae paternitatis sanctimonia pro incolomitate atque pro- speritate praedicti domni nostri Augusti uota precesque omnipotenti deo offerre indesinenti continuatione persistat, ut ineffabilem tantorum bonorum gratiam, quam ipse piis eius sensibus inspirauit, ad futurae quoque beatitudinis profectum
3 conseruare dignetur. domno etiam iugali filio uestro et mihi peculiari cultrici uestrae cum subole, quam nobis dominus donare dignatus est, a uestro pontificatu oratio benigniter impendatur, cuius suffrag<at>ione diuini fauoris protectio nobis clementer adspiret.
165. Dat ut ep. 160. Edd. Car. P 498; Bar. ad a. 519, 69; ColUct. Concil; Thiel 865. 4 uniuersalis o, sed cf. ad p. 614, 19 6 reuerencia F, corr. 7 confidimus Bar. 11 splenderae
corr. 13 solidissimf V 14 praetulisse scripsi: praecolisse F,
praecoluisse (7ar., quo recepto inuicto . . ueiillo Thiel 18 tatorum F» corr. a - 23 suflfragatione scripsi: sufragione F, suffragio p fa- boris V
EpiBt. CLXV 1 — CLXVI 3. 617 (166.)
EXEMPLUM <EPISTOLAE> THEODORITI EPI3C0PI LIGNIDEX8I8. DOIINO SANCTO BEATO PRAEDICABILI ET ADORANDO APOSTOLICO PATRI H0RMI8DAE PAPAE URBIS ROMAE HUMILIS FAMULUS TUUS
5 TflEODORiTus. Meao quidem exiguitatis non esset tam magna praesumere et ad uestrnm pium et sanctum apostolatum pusiUi sermone praesentes paruulas destinare paginas. sed quia pro insita uobis humanitate, pio propitiationis animo omnia nutu diuinitatis protegere constituti, lucidum diem et
10 totius festiuitatis repletum omni reddidistis mundo et omnia uestris praedicandis precibus ad pristinum unitatis reuocastis statum et in unum concordare uel subiugare uestris praedica- bilibus et adorandis meritis annuistis: ideoque, etsi meis 2 obrutus iniquitatibus et ab eis undique oppressus, ex ipsis
15 recreatus infernis recurrente ad gloriosa uestigia uestra confamulo meo uiro religioso PuUione usurpaui me tam per eum quam etiam his paruulis et exiguis uestris praedicandis et adorandis repraesentare uestigiis, diuinum omnibus uiribus exorans fauorem et clara uoce cum omnibus omnino cantans:
jogloriaineicelsisdeoetinterrapaxet in hominibus bonae uoluntatis, qui pro sua incomprehensibili pietate 3 uestris mirificis precibus omnia illuminauit et liberauit et lucidum et totius festiuitatis repletum diem in toto orbe uestris deo dignis precibus praestitit et ab omni iniquitate exiguit et
25 omnem nodum coUigationis absoluit et omnem semitam aperuit.
20 Luc. 2, 14
canans F, corr. man. rec. a: canens o 21 incomprehensibile F 22 libatt a: libtl F 24 eiiguit F: eripuit 25 collegacionis F
618
Suggestio Dioscori ad Hormisdam
4 hanc itaque gratulationis repletam pio uestro precem offerens apostolatui deprecor, uti pro meae flebilitatis exiguitate uestris piis precibus memores esse dignemini, domini sancti beati apostolici patres. Accepta Xlll. Kal. lul. per <Pullionem> Eutliarico cons.
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From: Anastasia [a prominent noblewoman in Constantinople, possibly the emperor's niece or a member of the imperial household]
To: Hormisdas, Pope of Rome
Date: ~519 AD
Context: A letter from the noblewoman Anastasia celebrating the reunion and praising both Hormisdas and Emperor Justin — another voice in the chorus of Constantinople's elite acknowledging papal authority.
To the bishop of the universal Church — from Anastasia.
We rightly declare that the grace of a divine gift has dawned upon us, knowing from the evidence of your letter that Your Apostolate holds our memory in your holy heart. For we trust with genuine hope that the propitiation of heavenly mercy comes through the intercession of the pope.
The tireless vigils of your prayers and the wondrous faith of our most victorious Emperor — always shining with catholic splendor — have restored to the most holy churches the long-desired concord of peace. Our invincible ruler rightly exults in having set this above all his triumphs, and we with him.
Most blessed Lord and Father worthy of apostolic honor: we give thanks to God and to you. Continue your prayers for us, for the Emperor, and for the peace that has been so dearly won.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.