To the most blessed Pope Hormisdas

We received your letters, conveyed by the esteemed Eulogius, in which you expressed the intentions of the Scythian monks and how it seemed appropriate for your apostolate to delegate this matter to the Bishop of Constantinople, so that he might hear the case between them and those they accuse. This did not displease me, for where a clear conscience, aided by God, feels no fear, it should avoid no challenge but rather hasten to reveal the truth through examination to all.

You informed me that they have made a declaration that heretics should not be joined to me. I do not know whom they call heretics, unless it is perhaps those who accept the Council of Chalcedon, whom I call Catholics. It is said that Victor is a deacon: some had a disagreement with him before we entered Constantinople, concerning one of the Trinity crucified, the composite Christ, and other points brought against us here. They submitted a petition against him to us and to the Bishop of Constantinople. We gathered at the bishop’s residence to understand the dispute between them. The aforementioned bishop presented the Council of Chalcedon and read everything established in that council before everyone, saying: ‘Beyond these things, nothing else shall be spoken to me. Whoever follows these things can be among the Catholics.’

Victor responded: ‘I accept likewise the letters of Pope Leo and the synodal letters of Saint Cyril which are cited in the Council of Chalcedon. I sign with my hand and confirm by oath that I accept these, and I will not preach anything beyond these. If I am ever found preaching anything outside of these, I seek no mercy regarding myself.’ The Scythians, on the other hand, began to say, ‘Let it be added that one of the Trinity was crucified.’ We responded, ‘What is not defined in the four councils or in the letters of the blessed Pope Leo, we neither can say nor add.’ They were displeased by this statement. But whether Victor spoke these things sincerely or deceitfully, who can know except the One who knows all hearts? We heard these words; it is for God to judge the mind.

Later, without us, the illustrious Vitalian, the Master of Soldiers, called Victor before himself and the Bishop of Constantinople; they spoke with him, but what they decided among themselves, we do not know. After that, Victor did not come to us, nor was the case discussed. Yet these Scythians (let your blessedness know) call all who accept the Council of Chalcedon Nestorians, saying, ‘The council is not sufficient against Nestorius, and it must be accepted in the manner that we have explained it.’ What kind of people they are, what intentions they hold, and what they wish to introduce into the Catholic faith has been made clear to all Catholics with God’s help. The matter does not require my effort, for God has brought it to light through His mercy.

I have not kept silent nor hidden what I learned from the Fathers and what the Catholic Church has always preserved. There is one God, of whom Moses speaks, saying: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord your God is one Lord’ (Deuteronomy 6); and in another place: ‘The Lord alone led them’ (Deuteronomy 32). We believe in the Trinity of one substance, as I have previously stated one deity; three persons, for we neither say there are multiple gods nor deny the three persons, lest we seem to follow the dogma of Sabellius. It is true that the person of the Son, that is, the Word of God, is consubstantial with the Father, and it became flesh; it dwelt in the womb of Mary; it assumed human nature without sin; the Son of God Himself was made man and was born of the Virgin Mary. For this reason, we call and believe her to be the Mother of God because the unity of divinity and humanity began from the moment the angel Gabriel announced to Mary, saying: ‘Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Holy Spirit shall come upon you’ (Luke 1), etc. This unity was neither divided in the womb, nor in birth, nor in nurturing, nor in passion, nor in the tomb, nor in the resurrection, nor in heaven: for our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is one, not divided in persons, not separated in natures, nor different in power. For the same one endured the passion, for all men, dividing as Nestorius does, denying as Eutyches does, believing less in the incarnation as Apollinaris does, or introducing a phantom as Mani does, are cut off from the Catholic faith, workers of iniquity, and enemies of the apostolic doctrine. This is what I have learned and heard from our elders; if I must follow anything beyond this, I do not know, but if your blessedness explains, I must follow it.

As for Maxentius, who under the title of abbot claims to have a community, if questioned, he cannot say with which monks he has lived, or in which monastery, or under which abbot he became a monk. Similarly, if I were to speak of Achilles, it would be superfluous: it suffices to say that he has always kept himself hidden due to his conscience, condemned by all Catholics.

Given on the Ides of October in the consulship of Eutharicus (519 AD). Received on the fifteenth day before the Calends of December, in the consulship of Rusticus (520 AD).