Epistolae

FIRST LETTER POPE JOHN I TO ARCHBISHOP ZACHARIAS. On not accusing bishops. John, bishop of the city of Rome, to Archbishop Zacharias, greeting. Your love, dearest brother, demands a precept of the apostolic see, in which the decrees of the Fathers concur, which we believe it is not lawful to deny either to you or to any priest living and believing rightly. And although, on account of the merit and honor of the priesthood in which you greatly excel, all the rules of ecclesiastical living and teaching are known to you in every respect, nevertheless, because you have earnestly requested the norm and authority of the Roman Church, we have taken care to reply briefly to your writings. For it is unjust to judge rashly concerning the hidden thoughts of another’s heart, and it is a sin to reproach, out of suspicion, one whose works are seen to be only good. Therefore, the sheep that have been entrusted to their pastor ought neither to reproach him unless he has deviated from the right faith, nor can they accuse him at all, because the deeds of pastors are not to be struck by the sword of the mouth, even if they seem rightly blameworthy. We say these things because we find in your writings that certain bishops in your regions have been accused by their own sheep, some out of suspicion and others for a certain reason, and that for this reason some have been despoiled of their goods, while others have been driven from their own sees.

those whom you know can be summoned neither to a provincial synod nor to a general one, nor be judged in any matter, until all things that have been taken from them are restored to their authority by law. Therefore, first all things must be restored to them by law, and the churches that have been taken from them must be restored with all their privilege, and afterwards not within a narrow space of time, but as much time shall be granted to them as they are seen to have been despoiled or expelled, before they are summoned to a synod, and each one is heard by all the bishops of his province. For one who has been despoiled or expelled can neither be summoned to a case nor be judged, because there is no privilege by which one already stripped can be despoiled. Whence it was also decreed in ancient times: All possessions, and all things taken from him, and all fruits before the contestation of the suit, the taker or the prior possessor shall restore to the possessor. And elsewhere it is written: He who suffered violence shall receive everything in the state in which they were, and shall hold securely what he possesses.

And elsewhere in the synodal decrees of the Fathers and the edicts of kings it is therefore established: All things are to be fully restored to bishops who have been despoiled or expelled, by the immediate ordination of pontiffs, and they are to be recalled completely to their authority (dominion) from which they departed, whatever the condition of time, or by deceit, or by captivity, or by the power of greater men, or through whatever unjust causes, they are known to have lost church property or their own possessions or their substance before accusation, or before their regular summons (convocation) to a synod, and so forth. It is also decreed in the ancient statutes of the Church (In the decree of Ivo, book 4) that he who invades another's property shall not go unpunished, but shall restore everything with multiplication. Whence it is also written in the Gospel: "But if I have defrauded anything, I repay fourfold" (Luke 19). And in the laws of the secular world it is provided: He who steals another's property shall restore to the one whose property was seized eleven times what was taken. And in divine law it is read: "Cursed is everyone who moves his neighbor's boundary markers. And all the people shall say, Amen" (Deuteronomy 27).

Such things, therefore, are not to be attempted without punishment, nor carried out without their own condemnation. But you, dearest brother, see that you do not transgress these things, and teach the other bishops, both those entrusted to your care and others, to hold firmly to them, because the apostolic statutes cannot be transgressed without danger to the rank of the transgressor. As for enemies (Words of the council under Symmachus), accusers, or those coming forth from the house of an enemy, or those who dwell with enemies, they are not to be believed: neither should those who wish to harm in anger, nor those who, having been injured, wish to avenge themselves, be trusted. These also are to be rejected, not approved. These things, dearest one, hold fast, and always avoid what is forbidden. Strive to fulfill what was well said to Jesus son of Sirach: "Fight for the truth unto death, and the Lord your God will always fight for you" (Ecclus. 4:28). For this reason, therefore, the holy Church has been entrusted to you and to us, that we may labor for all and not neglect to bring aid to everyone: since when a strong man, armed, guards his courtyard, all things which he possesses are at peace (Luke 11:21? [sic]). Therefore, with such great necessity pressing, it is especially necessary that by your apostolic authority you restrain the other bishops who are hostile, and relieve the oppressed, so that, with God's help, without grave difficulty, we may be worthy to sacrifice unharmed and with gladness at all times. To you (Ennodius in the appeal...).

for the same Symmachus) also compels me to return, by the friendly condition of the intended work, who have hitherto wished to devote my efforts to better discourses, while such a necessity, poisoned, demands this reasoning. The habitation of the heavenly mandate either joins us or separates us. Nor does it matter what intervals separate us, if we are held by the same key of the supernal dwelling. Nor will such things be able to harm you, if you do not delay in bringing mutual assistance. Moreover, it is an unheard-of kind of sacrilege, which the prefixed rival colors with the honor of a feigned religion. For he dishonors the reverence of the venerable divinity who boasts himself an assistant in those things which he claims are committed against God. It is a kind of insult, as if he were present in solace to the sublime, according to the Apostle: "Who are you, who judges another's servant" (Rom. 14)? Why do they deceive unskilled ears, and make the appearance of vengeance graver than the fault? If they have hatred, let them correct their excesses. Why, then, do they condemn crimes more freely than they avoid them? Surely, everyone who attacks the Fathers is an assailant of his own progress, and does not fear to detract. For there is nothing in which the weapons of enemies, with the Lord bringing aid, you cannot overcome, if, according to the voice of truth, you have such mutual love as the Lord commanded (John 13). Given on the fifteenth day before the Kalends of November, under the consuls Maximus (in the year of the Lord 523) and Olybrius (526), most distinguished men.

LETTER II. TO THE BISHOPS OF ITALY. Concerning King Theodoric, and the defense of the Catholic faith against the Arians, and the consecration of their churches by sacred rite and their reconciliation to divine worship. John, bishop, to all the bishops established throughout the provinces of Italy, greeting in the Lord. Very often by much experience (S. Leo, ep. 70) I have already learned that the holy zeal of your piety concerning the Christian religion grows and spreads with glorious increases, and the right faith, which consoles and strengthens not only me but all the priests of the Lord, is recognized and spread in your minds and works through priestly labor. Wherefore, brothers, I exhort and warn you, against the Arian perfidy, which was once condemned not once but often, and now revives in some places, to arm yourselves with the sword of the Holy Spirit, so that we may (with divine grace assisting) so oppress and extirpate it that not even its root may be found in the future. But the Arian churches, wherever you find them, consecrate them as Catholic with divine prayers and works without any delay: because we also, when we were at Constantinople, both for the Catholic religion and for the cause and affairs of King Theodoric, with the most pious and most Christian orthodox Emperor Justin urging and exhorting and extirpating the Arians, consecrated as Catholic whatever of their churches we were able to find in those parts, with the Lord's help.

Although the aforementioned King Theodoric, touched inwardly by their plague and enveloped outwardly, threatens to destroy us and our entire region (yours) and to consume us with sword and fire, do not on that account fail, but strive to labor manfully in the Lord's field, and (according to the voice of Truth) Fear not those who kill the body, but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can send both soul and body into Gehenna (Matthew 10:28). And the eminent apostle of the Gentiles says: For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ our Lord, and we are your servants through Jesus: because God, who commanded light to shine forth from darkness, has himself shone in our hearts for the illumination of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus. Moreover, we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the sublimity may be of the power of God, and not from us. In all things we suffer tribulation, but we are not distressed; we are in difficulty, but we are not forsaken; we suffer persecution, and we are not abandoned; we are cast down, but (and) we do not perish; we always carry the mortification of Jesus Christ in our body, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always delivered to death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may be manifested in our flesh of little worth. Therefore death works in us, but life in you.

But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written: "I believed, therefore I spoke," and we believe, therefore we speak: knowing that He who raised Jesus will also raise us with Jesus and place us with you. For all things are for your sake, so that abundant grace through many thanksgivings may abound to the glory of God. For this reason we do not falter. But although the outer man in us is corrupted, yet the inner man is renewed day by day. For what is momentary and light in our present tribulation works in us beyond measure an eternal weight of glory in sublimity, as we contemplate not what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporal; what is unseen is eternal (2 Cor. 4:5-18). For we know that if our earthly house of this habitation is dissolved, we have from God a building not made by hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, desiring to put on over our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed we are found clothed, and not naked. For even we who are in this tabernacle groan, burdened, because we do not wish to be stripped, but to be clothed over, so that what is mortal may be absorbed by life. And He who makes us do this is God, who gave us the pledge of the Spirit.

Therefore, we are always bold, and knowing that while we are in this body, we are pilgrims away from the Lord (for we walk by faith, and not by sight): we are bold, and we have a good will to be pilgrims away from the body, and to be present with God: and so we strive, whether absent or present, to please Him. For all of us must appear before the tribunal of Christ, so that each one may render account for his own body, according to what he has done, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men, but we are manifest to God, and I hope also manifest to your consciences. We do not again commend ourselves to you, but we give you an occasion to glory on our behalf, so that you may have something against those who glory in appearance, and not in heart. For whether we are out of our minds before God, or sober before you, the charity of Christ urges us: considering this, that if mine died for all, then all are dead, and Christ died for all, so that those who live may no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again for them. Therefore, from this point we no longer know anyone according to the flesh: and if we once knew Christ according to the flesh, now we no longer know Him thus. If, therefore, there is a new creation in Christ, the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

All things, however, are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, since indeed God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not counting their offenses against them, and placed in us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we act as ambassadors for Christ, as if God were exhorting through us. We beseech for Christ: be reconciled to God. He who knew no sin made sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor. 5:1-21). And helping, we exhort you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says: At the acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you. Behold now the acceptable time, behold now the day of salvation.

Giving offense to no one, so that our ministry may not be reproached, but in all things we show ourselves as ministers of God, in great patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses, in afflictions, in imprisonments, in seditions, in labors, in vigils, in fasts, in chastity, in knowledge, in forbearance, in gentleness, in the Holy Spirit, in unfeigned charity, in the word of truth, in the power of God through the weapons of justice on the right and on the left, through glory and ignobility, through infamy and good repute; as deceivers and truthful, as unknown and known: as if dying, and behold we live: as chastened and not killed: as if sad, yet always rejoicing: as needy, yet enriching many: as having nothing, yet possessing all things (2 Cor. 6:1-10). For the rest, brothers, rejoice, be perfected, exhort one another, have peace, that the God of peace and love may always be with you. Amen (2 Cor. 13:11, 13). Given on the third day before the Ides of June, under the consulship of Maximus and Olybrius, most illustrious men.