The Early Church and Peter's Primacy

Letter IV – To Anastasius, Emperor Augustus.

Synopsis: He commends the Emperor’s zeal: regarding the council, he promises to respond through envoys.

Hormisdas to Anastasius Augustus through Severian.

Your clemency rightly trusts, as you have designated in the glorious messages sent to me, that it is especially beneficial to your republic if the cause of the orthodox faith is prioritized in all affairs. This is indeed, venerable Emperor, a more beneficial care of the leadership you have assumed, to gain favor for oneself through good works from Him who bestows and governs the entire empire. Therefore, it is fitting for me and for our Lord Jesus Christ to implore that He who desired your piety to contemplate the concord of His Church may deign to grant this effect in this matter; so that in your times, the entire world, endowed with orthodox faith, may rejoice. Regarding those things which you have commanded for the synodal congregation, what should be done, I have entrusted to be conveyed to your glory through my brothers and fellow bishops, who will soon follow: by whose suggestion, if divine favor pursues my wishes, you will be able to more competently understand everything. Given on the 7th day before the Ides of July (in the year of the Lord 515), during the consulship of Florentius.

Source/Reference

Notes / Historical Commentary

He sent four envoys, named in the following note, not to hold a council but merely to investigate why the synod had been requested; whether he was ready to profess the Catholic faith as he had promised, to accept the letter of Saint Leo, and to be prepared to denounce heretics; so that the majesty of the apostolic see would not be mocked by him while pretending to establish the Catholic faith but actually aiming to strengthen his own realm and to turn away Vitalian by abusing papal authority. How they should conduct themselves before the emperor is detailed in the following note and advisory. SEv. Binius.

The Early Church and Peter's Primacy