Hormisdas to John, Bishop of Constantinople.

Your love, expressed in the spiritual joy of your letters, has informed us that, by God’s help, the pastors of your church have restored the discipline of the Catholic faith in its rightful order. Who can doubt that these are the blessings of divine mercy? Who can doubt that these are added to the triumphs of our venerable prince? Who would hesitate to affirm that this peace brings a greater victory to him than any battle? The glory of this effort knows no end, for where God is rightly worshiped, the wickedness of adversaries can never flourish.

We have gratefully received your confession, in which you uphold the holy councils, including the Council of Chalcedon, as the establishment of all the decrees, and declare the name of Saint Leo the Pope inscribed in the diptychs, wishing to be joined to the number of the Catholics. These actions are praiseworthy if followed by the fruit of perfection: accepting the Council of Chalcedon, following the letters of Saint Leo, yet still defending the name of Acacius, is to maintain contradictory positions. Who can condemn Dioscorus and Eutyches, yet show Acacius to be innocent? Who, avoiding Timothy and Peter of Alexandria, and the other Peter of Antioch, along with their followers, as we have said, would not abhor Acacius, who followed their communion?

We indeed hope for better things from your love through the help of Almighty God, having the hope of a good promise, as your writings have shown us, aligning yourself with the truth and defending it, hoping that through this, you might be saved in the final judgment. What remains, then, except that you follow the judgments of the Apostolic See, whose faith you claim to embrace, without hesitation?

Therefore, let the Eastern regions see through your example what they should follow, so that the praise of all those who have been corrected may be attributed to your efforts. Since you proclaim such great things and signify that you embrace the faith of the blessed Apostle Peter, believing rightly that our salvation can only rest in it, send us a signed copy of the statement, which is attached below, so that we may, without fear of conscience, have a unified communion, as we pray.

We also offer our unceasing thanks to God on behalf of our son, the illustrious Gratus, whose faith and sound belief have awakened our affection toward him. Truly, he is worthy of undertaking the care of such a great matter and of carrying the commands of the great prince to us.