By the influence of the same imperial Edict, not only Spain and Gallia, but also Illyricum became subject to the Pope. Damasus made Ascholius, or Acholius, Bishop of Thessalonica the Metropolis of Oriental Illyricum, his Vicar for hearing of causes; and in the year 382, Acholius being summoned by Pope Damasus, came to a Council at Rome. Pope Siricius the successor of Damasus, decreed that no Bishop should be ordained in Illyricum without the consent of Anysius the successor of Acholius. And the following Popes gave Rufus the successor of Anysius, a power of calling Provincial Councils: for in the Collections of Holstenius there is an account of a Council of Rome convened under Pope Boniface II. in which were produced Letters of Damasus, Syricius, Innocent I. Boniface I. and Coelestine Bishops of Rome, to Ascholius, Anysius and Rufus, Bishops of Thessalonica: in which Letters they commend to them the hearing of causes in Illyricum, granted by the Lord and the holy Canons to the Apostolic See throughout that Province. And Pope Siricius saith in his Epistle to Anysius: etiam dudum, frater charissime, per Candidianum Episcopum, qui nos praecessit ad Dominum, hujusmodi literas dederamus, ut nulla licentia esset, sine consensu tuo in Illyrico Episcopos ordinare praesumere, quae utrum ad te pervenerint scire non potui. Multa enim gesta sunt per contentionem ab Episcopis in ordinationibus faciendis, quod tua melius caritas novit. And a little after: Ad omnem enim hujusmodi audaciam comprimendam vigilare debet instantia tua, Spiritu in te Sancto fervente: ut vel ipse, si potes, vel quos judicaveris Episcopos idoneos, cum literis dirigas, dato consensu qui possit, in ejus locum qui defunctus vel depositus fuerit, Catholicum Episcopum vita & moribus, probatum, secundum Nicaenae Synodi statuta vel Ecclesiae Romanae, Clericum de Clero meritum ordinare. And Pope Innocent I. saith in his Epistle to Anysius: Cui [Anysio] etiam anteriores tanti ac tales viri praedecessores mei Episcopi, id est, sanctae memoriae Damasus, Siricius, atque supra memoratus vir ita detulerunt; ut omnia quae in omnibus illis partibus gererentur, Sanctitati tuae, quae plena justitiae est, traderent cognoscenda. And in his Epistle to Rufus the successor fo Anysius: Ita longis intervallis disterminatis a me ecclesiis discat consulendum; ut prudentiae gravitatique tuae committendam curam causasque, siquae exoriantur, per Achaiae, Thessaliae, Epiri veteris, Epiri novae, & Cretae, Daciae mediterraneae, Daciae ripensis, Moesiae, Dardaniae, & Proevali ecclesias, Christo Domino annuente, censeam. Vere enim ejus sacratissimis monitis lectissimae sinceritatis tuae providentiae & virtuti hanc injungimus sollicitudinem: non promitus haec statuentes, sed Praecessores nostros Apostolicos imitati, qui beatissimis Acholio & Anysio injungi pro meritis ista voluerunt. And Boniface I. in his decretal Epistle to Rufus and the rest of the Bishops in Illyricum: Nullus, ut frequenter dixi, alicujus ordinationem citra ejus [Episcopi Thessalonicensis] conscientiam celebrare praesumat: cui, ut supra dictum est, vice nostra cuncta committimus. And Pope Coelestine, in his decretal Epistle to the Bishops throughout Illyricum, saith: Vicem nostram per vestram Provinciam noveritis [Rufo] esse commissam, ita ut ad eum, fratres carissimi, quicquid de causis agitur, referatur. Sine ejus consilio nullus ordinetur. Nullus usurpet, eodem inconscio, commissam illi Provinciam; colligere nisi cum ejus voluntate Episcopus non praesumat.
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