Innocent to his beloved brother John

TO THE BELOVED BROTHER JOHN, INNOCENTIUS

If even the innocent ought to await all good things and seek mercy from God, yet letters of encouragement have been sent by us, who exhort to patience, ^A through Cyriacus the deacon; so that the outrage may not have more power to oppress than a good conscience has to hope. For you, the teacher and shepherd of so many peoples, need not be taught that the best men are always and perpetually put to the test, to see if they remain in the vigor of patience and do not succumb to any labor or trouble; and indeed, a clear conscience is a most firm thing against all things that happen unjustly: which, unless one overcomes them by enduring, provides proof of an evil reputation. One ought to endure all things, trusting first in God, and then in one’s own conscience; since especially the good and virtuous man is able to be exercised unto patience, but not to be conquered, ^B because the divine Scriptures guard his mind: and divine readings, which we deliver to the peoples, abound with examples; which have confirmed that almost all the saints were afflicted in various ways and repeatedly, and were tested as if in some examination, and thus came to the crown of patience. May that conscience itself comfort your love, most honorable brother, which in calamities is wont to be the consolation of virtue. For as the Lord Christ looks on, the conscience, having been cleansed in the harbor of peace, shall stand.

INNOCENTIUS THE BISHOP

From the letters of your love, which you sent through Germanus the presbyter and Cassianus the deacon, I learned with anxious care of the scene of evils which you have placed before your eyes; and by reading them repeatedly, I perceived with how many hardships and labors the faith struggles; which thing only the consolation of patience can heal; for our God will shortly grant an end to such great tribulations, and it will be profitable to have endured these things. ^C But indeed, we have recognized in the beginning of your letter, while praising your purpose, that necessary consolation, containing many testimonies prompting to patience; for the comfort which we owed to send to you, you have forestalled in your own letters. For our Lord is accustomed to provide such patience to those who are suffering, so that even while they are in tribulations, the servants of Christ may comfort themselves, reflecting with themselves that the things which they themselves suffer have already happened to the holy men before. And we also are able to offer ourselves consolation from your very letters; for we are not alien to suffering with you, since we too are afflicted in your affliction. For who would be able to bear the crimes done by those who ought especially to have been students of the serenity of peace and of concord ^D itself? Now, in a reversed manner, innocent priests are thrust out from the headship of their own Churches. This, our brother and fellow-minister John, your bishop, has first suffered unjustly, having received no hearing: no charge is brought, nor is he listened to. And what is the forbidden intent? Lest a pretext for judgment arise. Or is it sought that others be put in the places of living priests, as if those who originate from such a transgression could be considered to have done anything rightly or justly? For we have never known such things to have been dared by our predecessors; but rather it has been forbidden, since no authority has been given to anyone to ordain another into the place of one who is living. For an invalid ordination cannot take away the honor of a priest; 524 since he who is unjustly substituted cannot even be a bishop. We write concerning the observance of the canons, that it is necessary to follow those which were defined at Nicaea, to which alone the Catholic Church ought to adhere and to acknowledge. But if others are brought forward by some, which differ from the canons at Nicaea, and which are proven to have been composed by heretics, let these be rejected by Catholic bishops. For things found by heretics are not to be attached to Catholic canons; for they always wish to undermine the counsel of those at Nicaea through contrary and illicit deeds. Not only, therefore, do we say that these ought not to be followed, but rather that those [authors] together with the dogmas of heretics and schismatics are to be condemned, just as was done before at the Council of Sardica by the bishops who were before us. For it is better that things wrongly done be condemned, than that those things which were done against the canons should obtain any firmness, most honorable brothers. But what shall we do in the present against such things? A conciliar judgment is necessary, which we have long since said must be convened: for it alone is what can calm the agitations of such storms: that we might attain which, it is useful for the present to postpone the healing to the will of the great God and of Christ our Lord Himself. All things, therefore, which have been disturbed by the envy of the devil for the testing of the faithful, shall be calmed; we ought not to despair of the firmness of faith from the Lord. For we also are considering much how an ecumenical council might be assembled, so that by the will of God the turbulent movements may be calmed. Let us wait, therefore, for the time being, and being fortified by the wall of patience, let us hope that all things will be restored by the help of our God. All things, moreover, which you stated you are undergoing, we have learned by complete inquiry—even though they came at different times, namely Demetrius, Cyriacus, Eusysius, and Palladius, who are with us—when our fellow-bishops ran to Rome before.