To the holy, blessed, praiseworthy, and venerable apostolic father, Pope Hormisdas of the city of Rome, from your humble servant, Theodoret.

It is certainly not within my smallness to presume so greatly or to address such a small letter to your pious and holy apostolate. But because, with the kindness that is inherent to you, you are accustomed to protect all things with a propitious spirit of mercy, you have restored a bright day, filled with all festivity, to the whole world and have called back the former state of truth (unity) by your commendable prayers. You have also graciously consented to bring together in unity or subject to your praiseworthy and venerable merits.

Therefore, although overwhelmed by my sins and oppressed by them on all sides, I am revived from those very depths by the return of my servant, your religious man, Pulio (Pollio), to your holy steps. I have ventured, both through him and with these small and insignificant pages, to present myself to your commendable and venerable feet, urging divine favor with all my strength, and singing aloud with everyone: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 1), who, in his incomprehensible mercy, has illuminated and freed all things by your marvelous works. He has granted a bright day filled with all festivity throughout the whole world by your prayers worthy of God, delivered us from all iniquity, loosened every binding knot, and opened every path.

Therefore, offering this filled with joy to your pious apostolate, I beseech you to kindly remember me in your holy prayers, O holy, blessed, and apostolic father. Received on the 13th of the calends of July, under the consulship of the most illustrious lord Eutharicus (in the year of our Lord 519).