To the sacred, most blessed, and fellow minister, Pope Hormisdas, Dorotheus, Bishop of Thessalonica, sends greetings in the Lord.

Solomon, the most blessed proclaimer of divine precepts, says somewhere: “As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country” (Proverbs 25). And the holy David, playing his spiritual lyre, sings: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace” (Romans 10), thus teaching us all. For what is as sweet to the soul of man, or fattens the bones, as the beautiful news of a true peace-bringer; and of the right, never erring defenders of faith taking over the governance of the holy Churches; and as if from some citadel, gathering the scattered under God’s consent, and indeed hastening continuously to the principality of your seat, yielding to the supplications of our venerable brother, and bringing the members of the Church, which Christ and our God has entrusted to you, previously contemptuous of concord, to unity; and the preceding division and envy being annihilated by the mere act of your ordination, and now flowing into concord and fellowship, encompassing every boundary of that holy Church?

We have learned this, not long ago: however, knowing the ancient custom of the Church, and hearing of your sociable and irreproachable manner, we hoped to learn firmer and more evident things from your letters. But because the time of winter is considered unfit for these things to be fulfilled, it was fitting and proper to cross even the rough (scrupulous) terrain with full and God-loving care: and I address the blessed head of your holiness, indicating that we rejoice with the blessed seat of the most sacred apostle Peter, that it is governed by such a hand which has taken up not to seize honor, but to be seized by it, and (as the manifold word hands down, and we believe it to be so) a nurturer of peace, a contender for right faith, crowned with the humility (humanity) of mind and love towards all as with precious stones.

Indeed, I want you, venerable father, to recognize everything, that taking up from the ancient holy and venerable Fathers the affection of that blessed seat: (alternatively, add) and guarding this as a paternal inheritance, I wish and hasten to add this: that there may come an end to this effort in the humanity of our Lord and God Jesus Christ, and through the intercessions in all things of the most blessed apostle Peter, and in all things of the wisest Paul; so that to their venerable seat and to your beatitude just honor due may be preserved and rendered (added), so that in our times, as if according to the principality of the apostolic seat, fitting honor may be received, all discord may recede, and the Churches of all by your catholic will, even of our Lord and God Jesus Christ, and the impious Nestorius and Eutyches, and those keeping their dogmas, and those who were or are their followers, and every heresy may they always anathematize, and hold the right and untainted faith unshaken, like a sure and firm anchor, and now may they maintain peace, with no (God forbid) impediment; especially with your venerable head (as we have learned) detesting contentious men, whose life and food is the separation of God’s priests quarreling among themselves: who not quickly recognized by all, as wolves in sheep’s clothing, may easily be repelled by the apostolic Church.

I have now written this to your blessed head through Patricius, a man of distinction, our common son, and surpassing reason with the affection of custom, and bound by love around that blessed seat, and desiring every day to see fitting and due veneration maintained for it. Therefore, write in all things, blessed one, as with a unanimous and desiring soul also offering to profess for the orthodox faith and the peace of the holy Churches, and so that fitting honor to the venerable seat in all things of the blessed Peter may be preserved: which will easily be done, with the ordained unity of all, and all hastening to you as to a firm port. For they are accustomed to despise divisions and do not maintain proper order. I, and those who are with me, send much greetings in the Lord to all the brotherhood joined to your holiness. And on the other hand: Pray for me to be saved in the Lord, most holy and blessed Fathers. The letter of Dorotheus, bishop of the Church of Thessalonica, sent through Patricius V. C., under the date (day) the fifth before the calends of April (in the year of the Lord 515), with Florentius, a man of highest distinction, as consul.