From Bishop Hormisdas to Anastasius Augustus

Your Serenity’s care of principal acumen is well and usefully exercised, not only in administering the office of the republic, but also in ennobling it with better institutions, and by the care of restoring unity, appeases the author of the revered empire. For they are certain of protection under your reign, if under the same presiding, the chastity of the Church is not stained by the intrusive mixture of the devil. How can it happen that people offer shining prayers to our God for their rulers, if the populace is lethally corrupted by faithlessness? For just as perfect wisdom according to God in emperors is before all good things, so supplication from the sanctuary of pure hearts must proceed for them with the faithful abundance of souls. Nothing, most exalted lord, can be more pleasing to you as material for triumphs than the subjugation of faithlessness.

We also confidently suggest this, by virtue of the prerogative of our entrusted office; for it is near that one who, by God’s granting, can remove the darkness in his subjects, allows it to remain if he suffers it to persist. Therefore, since your mildness has announced a future synod with most sacred writings, to which we should attend, as the same pages, God, as we believe, commanding Himself, have notified us, we rejoice, knowing that it is of directed minds to seek the teachers of the venerable Church. Only those who are not continent in life shun the examination of conscience. For with a festive mouth, he proclaims the splendor of good will, who through the apostolic and immaculate faith and through competent preachers wishes either to be confirmed or corrected.

However, although in these matters no example exists in the preceding age, nor is the quality of an older deed committed to books or memories retained; it means nothing to us, to whom it is sweet by God’s grace, your piety inviting, to initiate better things, and to impose upon ourselves the undertaking of such a clear work, which we have not received from our forefathers; because we gladly embrace to do everything for the restoration of faith and the peace of the Churches: provided, however, that the definition of our forefathers and the holy Fathers remains unshaken in its roots: if Nestorius with his accomplices is anathematized, who, evacuating the sacraments of divine nature, falsely claims the blessed virgin Mary to be the mother of a mere man; forgetting the angelic announcement, through which it was made known to the world, that what would be born from her should be called holy, the Son of God. Let the so contemptuous glorification of God by the impious cease: for the divinity operated in the womb of the virgin in such a way, that from her proceeded the unity of flesh and human soul; uncreated indeed, but not confused in the connection of substance; and if in both natures for the love of our redemption the persona of Christ Jesus our Lord is one, building the mystery…… the restoration could have suffered death of nature….. the fragility of the heavenly empire could have been repaired by the power, or so for the unity of the person both the Lord was crucified for the majesty, and the Son of man is believed to have descended from heaven.

Eutyches’ ignorance of all divine goods, and he himself with his associates in the already detestable name, are to be abjured for his dullness, who testified that our God and Lord Jesus Christ only had the figure of flesh, and did not have the truth of our substance, not knowing of whom it was promised: that his persecutors would see in whom they fought. Thus in one and the same person both natures persist, so that God and man, the one Son of God Jesus Christ appears to the hearts of the faithful. For what did the presence of the Lord living and eating with men for forty days after the resurrection do? Except in these matters to make the age of healing older than the wound for those who were going to deny the truth of the flesh. For thus he said to the disciples: “What are you thinking in your hearts? Touch and see that a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see me have (Luke 24, John 20).” Nor would it have been a mystery that he entered to them with the doors closed, if he did not have the integrity of the human body. We could bring forth the preceding word further in this gift: but we believe it is enough through our Lord to implore your learned clemency with brief suggestions, hoping that by following the form of your venerable predecessors Marcian and Leo, you will also support the labor and care of the pastoral office with the participation of principal power.

You will have, God willing, a hope of victories not lying down, if you fortify peaceful instruction for fighting with a pontifical confrontation against the incursions of the devil. Never in the memory of the holy Churches let the mention of Dioscorus, the accomplice of Eutyches, Timothy, and Peter, the parricides, revive: let the definition of the Council of Chalcedon, by God operating through you, be received by all. Acacius, polluted by the communion of Peter, the son of darkness, should have the companions he chose: who, even among his own excesses, did not allow himself to be clear of Peter of Antioch and his accomplices. Let the curses cast on the doctrines of the most holy Pope Leo of blessed memory cease, which only punish those who attack him while he remains in their midst. In these matters which we have mentioned, we call upon the solicitude of your empire: for your piety, preserving this, can possess its crowns and scepters after many years, transferred to another age.

Receive our prayers through Ennodius and Fortunatus, our brothers and fellow bishops, and also Venantius, presbyter, and Vitalis, deacon, and Hilarius, notary, our sons, whose faith in the fear of God and zeal have shone brightly with us, sent for your love, and accommodate your conscience peacefully in our place through supplications. For we hope, and having confidence in God, we promise that the efforts that you will have expended for true religion will not be without reward and prize. Given on the third day before the Ides of August, in the consulship of Florentius V.D.