To the Most Holy Brother and Fellow Minister Hormisdas, Beloved of God in All Things,

John, in the Lord, sends greetings.

I greet your holiness, dearest brother in Christ, and with this greeting, I declare that the true faith is preserved and the bond of brotherhood is strengthened. God alone, through the diligence of the Christian and most pious emperors, has made this possible. Therefore, I humbly ask, in the love of God, that you write to me apostolically and receive this letter of fraternal affection.

For I, holding to the doctrine of the most holy apostles according to the tradition of the holy Fathers, similarly offer honor to the consubstantial and all-holy Trinity, as was declared by the council of 318 at Nicaea, confirmed by the assembly of 150 at Constantinople, and reaffirmed by the councils of 200 at Ephesus and 630 at Chalcedon. Thus, by the grace of God, I guard this faith until my last breath, embracing your holiness and all orthodox churches with spiritual affection, sharing with you a common truth and hoping, through this faith, to be saved on that day by the good will of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. To the consubstantial Trinity belongs all glory now and forever.

I, and all who are with me, extend our warmest greetings in the Lord to all in Christ who are in fellowship with your holiness. We write these things to fulfill what is needed, that the venerable name of the blessed memory of Leo, the former archbishop of the city of Rome, be inscribed in the sacred diptychs at the time of consecration for the sake of concord, and that your blessed name be similarly proclaimed in the diptychs.

To fully satisfy your holiness (since we embrace your peace and care for the unity of God’s holy churches), we request that you send men of peace, worthy of your apostolic see, who will affirm this reconciliation and receive our commitment so that Christ, our God, who has preserved this peace for the world through you, may be glorified in this matter as well.

Received on the 13th day before the Calends of January (December 20), in the year of our Lord 518, after the consulship of Agapitus.