hormisdas.html

The Formula of Pope St Hormisdas

(includes links to historical background)

What was the view of the Christian East in the first millennium regarding the role of the Bishop of Rome? Was he viewed merely as possessing a "primacy of honor"? Or, did the Christian East ever subscribe to the concept of a particular Petrine charism to the See of Rome? The history surrounding the Formula of St Hormisdas helps us understand how the Christian East had come to view the Roman primacy by the early sixth century. We will not here deal with church politics or the political intrigues of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires--though these are important to understanding the history of this era.

The adoption of Pope St Leo's Tome at the Council of Chalcedon in AD 451 did not mean the influence of Eutychianism and Monophysitism was extinguished. By 484 the Patriarch of Constantinople Acacius was excommunicated by Pope St Felix III for his support of Byzantine Emperor Zeno's Henoticon (which downplayed the theology in St Leo's Tome). This was the first schism between the East and Rome and was not healed until the time of Pope St Hormisdas. In AD 519 St Hormisdas was able to effect a reconciliation between East and West. He insisted upon the full acceptance of the theology in Pope St Leo's Tome. He also insisted upon the recognition of the See of Peter in Rome as the place where "the whole, true and perfect security of the Christian religion resides." The Formula was formally signed by the Eastern Emperor Justin I , John the Patriarch of Constantinople (who added a gloss but did not deny the formula itself) and 250 Eastern Bishops. According to the Formula the primacy of Rome was not based upon its political situation (in fact, the Roman Empire in the West had ended over 40 years earlier) but on Christ's promise to St Peter: "You are Peter and upon this rock I will build my Church" (Matthew 16:18). The continual doctrinal orthodoxy of the See of Rome was affirmed as a fulfillment of Christ's words. (This over 150 years after Pope Liberius.) The complete text of the Formula of St Hormisdas follows:

The first condition of salvation is to keep the norm of the true faith and in no way to deviate from the established doctrine of the Fathers. For it is impossible that the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church," [Matthew 16:18], should not be verified. And their truth has been proved by the course of history, for in the Apostolic See the Catholic religion has always been kept unsullied. From this hope and faith we by no means desire to be separated and, following the doctrine of the Fathers, we declare anathema all heresies, and, especially, the heretic Nestorius, former bishop of Constantinople, who was condemned by the Council of Ephesus, by Blessed Celestine, bishop of Rome, and by the venerable Cyril, bishop of Alexandria. We likewise condemn and declare to be anathema Eutyches and Dioscoros of Alexandria, who were condemned in the holy Council of Chalcedon, which we follow and endorse. This Council followed the holy Council of Nicaea and preached the apostolic faith. And we condemn the assassin Timothy, surnamed Aelurus ["the Cat"] and also Peter [Mongos] of Alexandria, his disciple and follower in everything. We also declare anathema their helper and follower, Acacius of Constantinople, a bishop once condemned by the Apostolic See, and all those who remain in contact and company with them. Because this Acacius joined himself to their communion, he deserved to receive a judgment of condemnation similar to theirs. Furthermore, we condemn Peter ["the Fuller"] of Antioch with all his followers together together with the followers of all those mentioned above.

Following, as we have said before, the Apostolic See in all things and proclaiming all its decisions, we endorse and approve all the letters which Pope St Leo wrote concerning the Christian religion. And so I hope I may deserve to be associated with you in the one communion which the Apostolic See proclaims, in which the whole, true, and perfect security of the Christian religion resides. I promise that from now on those who are separated from the communion of the Catholic Church, that is, who are not in agreement with the Apostolic See, will not have their names read during the sacred mysteries. But if I attempt even the least deviation from my profession, I admit that, according to my own declaration, I am an accomplice to those whom I have condemned. I have signed this, my profession, with my own hand, and I have directed it to you, Hormisdas, the holy and venerable pope of Rome.

[From pp. 70-71 of The Church Teaches, as quoted by Kenneth D. Whitehead in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic , published by Ignatius Press (2000), pp. 286-287. (The long chapter entitled "The Primacy of Rome in the Early Church" in this book by Whitehead is highly recommended.)]

The Formula of St Hormisdas continued to be used for many years as a means of expressing doctrinal orthodoxy. The next Byzantine emperor Justinian I in 535 wrote to Pope John II about the policies of the Empire in uniting the Bishops with Rome: "Ascribing to the Apostolic See and to Your Holiness the honour which was and is always our wish, and, as is right, honouring Your Blessedness as a Father, we hasten to bring to the knowledge of Your Holiness whatever concerns the state of the Churches; for it has always been our earnest desire that the unity with Your Apostolic See and the state of the holy Churches should be preserved as it has up till now subsisted and remain firm without any contradiction. For this reason we have hastened to make subject and to unite to Your Holiness all the bishops of the entire East." (Cited in The Eastern Churches and the Papacy by S. Herbert Scott, p. 231. Scott also documents that Justinian sent a profession of faith to the next pope Agapetus which opened quoting the Formula of St Hormisdas.)