HORMISDAS, SAINT

born , Roman Campania died Aug. 6, 523, Rome; feast day August 6 pope from 514 to 523. He reunited the Eastern and Western churches, which had been separated since the Acacian Schism (q.v.) of 484. Born of a wealthy family of Frosinone in the Campania, Hormisdas was married before he rose in the church. (His son became pope as Silverius.) Pope Symmachus made him deacon, and he was prominent in attendance on Symmachus, whom he succeeded on July 20, 514. His great achievement was the reunion of the Eastern and Western churches, separated since the excommunication of Acacius in 484. After two unsuccessful attempts under the Byzantine emperor Anastasius I, Hormisdas settled the Acacian Schism with Anastasius' successor, Justin I, and with Patriarch John of Cappadocia in 519 and thus reunited Constantinople and Rome.