Hormisdas to Epiphanius, Bishop of Constantinople,

I am filled with much joy knowing the great zeal you, and our most holy emperor, have shown for the peace of the Church, as indicated by your letters and confirmed by the assertions of my legates. These are clear signs of divine mercy when rulers unite the cause of faith with the governance of the state, and when the leaders of the Church remember their duty to fulfill their office. After the storms of discord, the Christian religion needed such prudent leaders to bring back long-lost peace and set examples for future generations, demonstrating that all good deeds done by posterity in imitation of them are undoubtedly attributed to themselves.

Let us bless God, dearest brother, that this has been granted to us in our days. With all the strength of our prayers and efforts, let us strive to complete, with God’s help, what has been so well corrected. It is to be hoped that the remaining members, still divided, will hasten to return to the body of the Church, and that the lesser parts will not differ from the greater. As you, with Christian love, urge them to this goal, they should follow what you incite them to and embrace what you persuade them to love. Sharing now in the same concern for faith, through holy patience, we also hope for the same reward for our good works. For faith does not yield to difficulties, and the ascent to the heavens is not easy.

Therefore, taking up the same diligence, we, who are united in communion and faith, rejoice together in the Lord for the reunion of the Church of Constantinople with the Apostolic See. We must now work together for the restoration of the other churches as well, as you affectionately admonish, taking care first to preserve our faith and integrity without any contamination. You know, most holy brother, what binds ecclesiastical unity, what protects us from the snares of heretics, and how the authority of the canons is safeguarded. When these things are guarded with all vigilance, those who hope for remedies will receive them.

There is also an order in ecclesiastical rules, and the very nature of justice, which ensures that reasonable and faithful remedies are not denied to those who hope for them. No one is so far removed from humanity that they are not moved from the strictness of judgment by unwary simplicity. But for this to be done wisely, without any complaint or hint of error, dearest brother, you must assume my role in this matter, knowing in these matters what must be done and what must be avoided. All things must be provided in such a way that you do not doubt that an account of this dispensation must be rendered to God.

In this regard, those who have been associated with you in communion or who wish to declare their communion with the Apostolic See should provide their letters to us through you, ensuring that the contents of the documents they submit are included. In this way, we will absolve the errors of Severus, his accomplices, and others like them, without causing harm to those who can be healed.

This is especially entrusted to you because you have already demonstrated, by resisting heretics, strong and proper actions. Take up both the remedies of mercy and the authority of justice, and soften with kindness toward those who are penitent, but exclude from consideration those who continue in the infection of heresy, or those who feign innocence and only verbally agree with us. It is not appropriate to temper ecclesiastical censure in their case. Compassionate measures, provided for the necessity of those who should be cared for, will not be good if they are indiscriminately common to both good and bad.

And since your affection also mentioned the Jerusalemites in your letter, some of whose professions have reached us, it seemed necessary to review what was written and respond appropriately. If they uphold the constitutions of the holy Fathers and revere the foundations of the faith defined by them through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they will not depart from them. Either these definitions are perfect as they are and need no addition, or they are sound and therefore should not be altered, for through them all the poisons of heresy have been suppressed.

Nothing was omitted by the Council of Chalcedon that any diligence could have thought useful. It also either made clearer or reaffirmed the earlier decrees with renewed authority, engaging in a specific battle against Nestorius and Eutyches — one denying the divinity of our Lord Jesus Christ from the flesh, and thus avoiding the proclamation of the Virgin Mary as the Mother of God; the other rejecting the truth of the flesh in the Lord. For our Lord Jesus Christ, the same Son of God and Son of Man, is in one person with two natures — divinity and humanity — without the natures being confused by their union. He is not a fourth person added to the Trinity, but the same Son of God, emptying Himself and taking on the form of a servant.

For this reason, we profess one indivisible essence of the Trinity, while also acknowledging the distinct properties of each person: one essence of the Son of God with the assumed flesh, one essence of the Holy Spirit. We designate the persons by their properties, and by the unity of essence, we confirm the inseparable mystery of the Trinity. It cannot be doubted that the Word of God, by taking human nature in the flesh, united them within the womb of the mother. Just as the humanity was not brought forth without God, so on the cross, the impassible divinity was not separated from the passion of the flesh.

If they uphold what the Fathers have established and believe it without exceeding the definitions, they will not deviate. For those who depart from this path bring upon themselves the cloud of doubt. As for us, it is necessary to respond to the contentious with the apostolic principle: ‘We have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.’ (1 Cor. 11:16).

Thus, I have addressed this briefly because it is not appropriate to question matters so often defined according to the faith, and the mention is almost redundant when addressed to those who are already instructed. Since I have already touched upon this matter extensively in my letters to our most merciful prince, our son, and since we have responded to the proposal of the Jerusalemites, it seemed appropriate, for their sake, to add that if they desire the unity of Apostolic Communion, they should send their profession in writing, which they submitted to our legates in Constantinople, either directly to us or to your brotherhood, ensuring that it is conveyed to us in all respects under your direction.

Concerning the Thessalonians, whose envoys came to us under the order of our most merciful and faithful prince, our son, we want you to know that, following what seems fitting in the Lord’s sight, the entire matter will be managed under your direction, and that, if necessary, it will be carried out through our brother, the venerable man, John, our co-bishop, and our sons, Heraclian the presbyter and Constantius the deacon, who are most worthy of ecclesiastical honor.

Thus, having committed to writing what pertains to the cause, we have rejoiced to find in a man of our order equal merit and religious purpose, with wisdom and conduct fitting for the entrusted mission. For it is a joyful and most welcome thing to consider justly commendable those who have become our companions in communion and duty.

In another hand: May God keep you safe, venerable brother. Dated the seventh before the calends of April, in the consulship of the illustrious Valerius (AD 521).

The most holy Archbishop said: Now let the most venerable notaries of our most holy Church, if they have any documents concerning the present matter, make them known to us. And the documents were produced by the venerable Cosmas the deacon, notary, and archivist. The venerable deacon and notary Macarius read the petition from the clergy of Theopolis and the report of the synod convened in the royal city to John, the saintly archbishop of that same royal city. And Calonymus, the venerable deacon and notary, read from the codex the letter to John, of holy memory, the archbishop of Jerusalem, and to Epiphanius, of pious memory, bishop of Tyre. Furthermore, the letter sent by John, bishop of Jerusalem, and his synod to the holy John was read. And Stephen, the venerable notary and deacon, read the report sent by Epiphanius of Tyre and the synod convened under him. And Paul, the venerable notary and deacon, read the report with the acts sent by the bishops of Second Syria to the most holy John, archbishop of the royal city; all of which were included.