Hormisdas to Epiphanius, Bishop of Constantinople,

It would have been proper for your fraternity, in consideration of divine judgment and our charity, to admit our brothers and fellow bishops Elias, Thomas, and Nicostratus, without delay, to the divine mysteries after we have received them into communion with us, and to restore them to their churches, from which they were excluded by the error of discord, in order to fully achieve our peace. Thus, the unity that God has restored to His churches throughout the world, after so many years, should not be harmed by any divergence of our wills.

But since this matter, so pleasing and consistent with the venerable statutes of the Fathers, has until now been delayed by certain hindrances—which we remember having written to the predecessor of your fraternity—we urge you that the joy we derive from the condemnation of the error of past dissension should not again be saddened by any cause of disagreement among minds. Indeed, it seems to no one that you are in full communion with us in spirit if you separate from your fellowship those who are in communion with us. Surely, those who delay fulfilling the commands of peace seem to receive peace in vain. For whatever delay you cause in receiving them into communion, you somewhat diminish our reconciliation.

And you should take care, dearest brother, lest, if the concord granted to our churches from above should take its beginning from these examples, the venerable rule of religion and the authority of the Apostolic See may seem (God forbid) to be diminished and spread throughout the East rather than restored.