Difference between revisions of "Pope Hormisdas" - New World Encyclopedia
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| − | '''Pope Saint Hormisdas''' was [[pope]] from July 20, 514 to 523. | + | '''Pope Saint Hormisdas''' was [[pope]] from July 20, 514 to 523. He is best known for ending the Acacian schism between [[Rome]] and [[Constantinople]], reuniting the Greek and Latin churches after several decades of bitter division. |
| − | + | Born to a wealthy family, Hormisidas had married and fathered children before becoming a deacon of the Roman church. In that capacity he was a prominent supporter of his predecessor, [[Pope Symmachus]], who had faced the challenge of a rival pope and charges of moral and financial impropriety. | |
| − | + | After reconciling the remaining supporters of the former antipope Laurentius, Hormisidas turned his attention to relations between Rome and the East. Most of what we know of his papacy relates to the Acacian schism, which that had existed since 484. The schism was the result of [[Acacius of Constantinople]]'s attempt to reconcile [[Monophysites]] with the main body of the church, a policy accepted by Constantinople but sternly reject by Rome. After years of unsuccessful negotiations and intrigues, the church of [[Constantinople]] was reunited with Rome in 519 by means of the confession of faith that is called the ''Formula of Hormisdas''. | |
| − | + | Recognized as a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox church, but not by the Coptic Orthodox Church, is the [[patron saint]] of grooms and stable-boys. | |
Revision as of 19:02, 10 July 2008
| Hormisdas | |
|---|---|
| 200px | |
| Birth name | Hormisdas |
| Papacy began | July 20, 514 |
| Papacy ended | 523 |
| Predecessor | Symmachus |
| Successor | John I |
| Born | ??? Frosinone, Campagna di Roma, Italy |
| Died | 523 Rome |
Pope Saint Hormisdas was pope from July 20, 514 to 523. He is best known for ending the Acacian schism between Rome and Constantinople, reuniting the Greek and Latin churches after several decades of bitter division.
Born to a wealthy family, Hormisidas had married and fathered children before becoming a deacon of the Roman church. In that capacity he was a prominent supporter of his predecessor, Pope Symmachus, who had faced the challenge of a rival pope and charges of moral and financial impropriety.
After reconciling the remaining supporters of the former antipope Laurentius, Hormisidas turned his attention to relations between Rome and the East. Most of what we know of his papacy relates to the Acacian schism, which that had existed since 484. The schism was the result of Acacius of Constantinople's attempt to reconcile Monophysites with the main body of the church, a policy accepted by Constantinople but sternly reject by Rome. After years of unsuccessful negotiations and intrigues, the church of Constantinople was reunited with Rome in 519 by means of the confession of faith that is called the Formula of Hormisdas.
Recognized as a saint in both the Catholic and Orthodox church, but not by the Coptic Orthodox Church, is the patron saint of grooms and stable-boys.
Before becoming pope
Hormisdas belonged to a wealthy and prominent family the Campagna di Roma, the low-lying area surrounding Rome in today's Lazio region of central Italy. He was married before being ordained ecclesiastical orders, and his son also became pope, under the name of Silverius (536-537). Under Pope Symmachus (498-514) Hormisdas held the office of deacon of the Roman church. He was one of the most prominent and loyal clerical attendants of Symmachus during the schism of Laurentius, who was recognized for several years as pope by King Theodoric the Great.
Hormisidas was notary—appointed to draw up official or authentic documents—at the synod held at Saint Peter's in 502, during a period when his pope, Symmachus, was under indictment for fornication and financial corruption. Around this time, his fellow aristocrat, Bishop Ennodius of Pavia (Magnus Felix Ennodius) expressed the conviction that Deacon Hormisidas, known for his piety, wealth, and distinguished birth, would one day become pope himself. Symmachus eventually emerged as the sole pope, occupying himself with such issues as the Acacian schism between Rome and Constantinople, which had also been a factor in the anti-papacy of Laurentius. Underlying this split was the issue of the eastern Roman empire's policy of reconciliation with Monophysitism on the basis of the theological document known as the Henotikon, which held that churchmen should avoid debates over the question of whether Christ had one "nature" (essentially divine) or two (divine and human).
Papacy
The day after the funeral of Symmachus (July 20, 514) Hormisdas was chosen and consecrated as pope. Although some of the clergy and senators had never acquiesced to the removal of Laurentius, there is no mention of divisions or disturbances at Hormisidas' election. One of the new pope's first cares, nevertheless, was to remove the last vestiges of the Laurentian schism in Rome. He thus received back into the church those adherents who had not already been reconciled and were willing to be re-united under him as their bishop.
The Acacian schism
From the beginning of his pontificate the affairs of the East occupied his special attention. At Constantinople, the Acacian schism, named after Patriarch Acacius of Constantinople. The schism arose from Rome's absolute rejection of the Henotikon of the Emperor Zeno, which attempted to allow those of the Monophysite confession to be reconciled with those who insisted on the affirming that Christ had "two natures" by banning debate over the issue.
Emperor Anastasius I (491-518), Zeno's successor, maintained the Henotikon, which from Rome's point of view constituted a repudiation of the Council of Chalcedon. Anastasius took measures against those who refused to sign the Henotikon, and three pro-Caldedonian patriarchs, Macedonius of Constantinople, Elias of Jerusalem, and Flavianus of Antioch had been driven from their sees.
In the midst of this confusion, a number of Eastern bishops who faced Monophysite rivals in their cities had appealed to Rome during the pontificate of Symmachus, in order that their positions might be strengthened and the progress of Monophysitism checked. Symmachus had required them to join in his excommunication of Patriarch Acacius, but the Orientals were not ready for this step. Part of their reticence had to do with the papacy's own refusal to recognize Constantinople as "New Rome," which, after all, had been proclaimed by the same Council of Chalcedon.
Attempts at reunion
Taking advantage of the discontent aroused against Anastasius by his toleration of Monophysitism, a commander in the army named Vitalian led a revolt against him. Vitalian demanded, among other things, that the Council of Chalcedon should be recognized and the unity with Rome reestablished. He gained numerous adherents defeated the emperor's nephew, Hypatius, in battle outside of Constantinople. Anastasius was thus obliged to negotiate with him. One of the terms of Vitalian's submission was that the emperor should take an oath to convene a synod at Heraclea in Thrace, invite the pope to attend it, and submit to his arbitration.
Anastasius accordingly wrote to Hormisdas, Deccember 28, 514, inviting him to the synod on July 1 of the following year. The letter had first to be submitted to Vitalian, whose representative accompanied the bearer to Rome. A second, less courteous communication, was dated January 12. The second letter reached Rome before the first one, and on April 4, Hormisdas answered it, expressing his delight at the prospect of peace, but at the same time defending the memory of his predecessors. The bearers of the emperor's first letter arrived on May 14. The pope guardedly carried on negotiations, convened a synod at Rome, and wrote a letter to the emperor, dated July 8, in which he announced the departure of an embassy for Constantinople. Meanwhile the 200 bishops who had assembled on July 1 at Heraclea, left without accomplishing anything.
The pope's embassy to the imperial court consisted of two bishops, Ennodius of Pavia and Fortunatus of Catina, and also the priest Venantius, the deacon Vitalis, and a notary, Hilarius. The letter of Hormisdas to the emperor, dated August 1 515, is still preserved. So also are the minute instructions given the legates with regard to the position they were to take. These indicated that if the emperor agreed to the proposals made to him, the pope was ready, if necessary, to appear in person at a council. The pope further sent the formula of a confession of faith for the Eastern bishops to sign.
The Formula Hormisdae
This confession of faith, which the pope sent to Constantinople to be signed by all bishops who wished to be reunited with the Latin Church, is known as the Formula Hormisdae. It begins with the words: "The first means of safety is to guard the rule of strict faith and to deviate in no way from those things that have been laid down by the Fathers. And indeed the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ: 'Thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church' cannot be disregarded; these things which were spoken are demonstrated by the results, for the Catholic religion has been preserved ever immaculate in the Apostolic See."
Following this the confession condemns of Nestorius and other heresiarchs including Patriarch Acacius and the Monophysites.
The embassy brought about no real results. Anastasius, without breaking off the negotiations, gave the envoys an evasive letter for Hormisdas. A new revolt of Vitalian was suppressed, and an imperial embassy which came to Rome adopted a less than accommodating posture. One of their aims seems to have been to garner support for Constantinople's position in the Roman Senate, some of whose leaders had been amenable to cooperation during the Laurentian schism. The senate and King Theodoric, however, remained steadfast in their support of the pope.
Meanwhile an additional number of eastern bishops had entered into relations with Rome, and several of them had also conferred with the papal legates in Constantinople upon the question of the reunion. They now submitted to the condemnation of Acacius and signed the confession of faith of Hormisdas.
A second papal embassy consisting of Ennodius of Pavia and Bishop Peregrinus of Misenum had no better success. Anastasius reportedly even attempted to bribe the legates, in which, however, he was unsuccessful. They sought on the contrary to circulate secretly the pope's letters summoning the people to reunite with the Roman Church. When the emperor heard of this, he had them brought out of the city by a private gate to the seashore, put on shipboard, and sent back to Italy. Then Anastasius, who had for the present nothing to fear from Vitalian, wrote an insolent letter to Hormisdas dated July 11 517, breaking off the negotiations, and continued to persecute the advocates of union with Rome.
Reuinon succeeds
Ultimately, it would be not be diplomacy but the sudden deaths of two key players in this drama that finally paved the way for reunion to be achieved. On July 9 518, Anastasius died very suddenly in the midst of a terrible storm. Shortly before that date, Timotheus, the patriarch of Constantinople, had also passed away. Emperor Justin I (518-527), who succeeded Anastasius, was an orthodox Christian who rejected Monophysitism.
The new patriarch, John II, known to history as John of Cappadocia, was now faced with the question of whether he should anathematize Monophysitism and recognize the Chalcedonian formula, thus opening the way to reunion between the Greek and Latin churches, or continue to support the Henotikon in order to avoid conflict with the still substantial Monophysite movement in the East. A popular outcry at the Cathedral of Constantinople in the presence of the new emperor motived the patriarch to declare himself in favor of the Chalcedonian formula and to call a synod to formalize reunion.
The synod, held at Constantinople, confirmed this direction, and an imperial envoy departed for Rome to entreat the pope on behalf of the emperor. Hormisdas appointed a delegation with the same instructions and confession of faith which were given the legates of 515. The embassy was received in Constantinople with great splendor. All the demands of the pontiff were conceded. The name of the condemned Patriarch Acacius as well as the names of the Emperors Anastasius and Zeno were stricken from the church diptychs (honor roles), the Patriarch John of Constantinople accepted the formula of Hormisdas. On March 28, 519, in the cathedral of Constantinople in presence of a great throng of people, the reunion of the Greek Church with Rome was ratified in the most solemn manner. The greater number of the Eastern and Greek bishops approved and signed the formula of Hormisdas. At Antioch an orthodox patriarch was chosen to replace the Patriarch Severus, who tended toward Monophysitism.
Other issues
In the midst of all this activity for the establishment of peace a new quarrel broke out, which turned upon the formula: "One of the Trinity was crucified." This strongly anti-Monophysite formula was promulgated at Constantinople in 519 by John Maxentius and numerous Scythian monks. However, others felt it went too far by seeming to divide God the Son from the Father and the Holy Spirit. The patriarch and the pope's legates opposed the demand that this formula should be embodied as a dogma of the Church. The monks then proceeded to Rome where they caused some trouble. They also addressed the African bishops then residing in Sardinia. In 521 Hormisdas officially pronounced that the formula in question, although not false, was dangerous because it admitted of a false interpretation. He affirmed that the Council of Chalcedon needed no amendment.
About this time an African bishop named Possessor, at the instigation of some African monks, appealed to the pope for information regarding the Roman church's attitude toward the Bishop Faustus of Riez, whose writings appeared to the Africans to smack of Pelagianism. In his reply, Hormisdas severely rebuked the quarrelsome spirit of these monks. He did not forbid the reading of the works of Faustus, but decided that what was good in them should be preserved and what was contrary to the doctrine of the Church should be rejected.
In the spirit of reunion, Hormisdas directed that a Latin translation of the canons of the Greek Church be prepared by Dionysius Exiguus. He sent letters to several bishops in Spain and Gaul on ecclesiastical matters and gave directions regarding church administration. His relations with King Theodoric remained amicable. The "Liber Pontificalis" enumerates valuable gifts presented to Saint Peter's Basilica by this king, as well as by the Emperor Justin, during Hormisidas' reign.
Shortly before his death the pope received tidings that Thrasamund, the Vandal King of Northern Africa had died (523), and that the severe persecution of Catholics in that region had consequently ceased. Hormisdas was buried at Saint Peter's.
Legacy
| Roman Catholic Popes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Symmachus |
Bishop of Rome 514–523 |
Succeeded by: John I |
| ||||||||||||||||
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