The letter refers to the so-called Theopaschite theology which was promoted by the Scythian monks in the context of the Christological debates of the 5th and 6th century. From AD 513 they advocated the formula that "One of the Trinity suffered in the flesh", which, however, led to the further controversy in Constantinople. In AD 519 the Acacian schism came to an end, and the doctrine of the Scythian monks started to be interpreted as an attack on the Council of Chalcedon and a newly established union between Rome and Constantinople. Among the persons that opposed the monks in Constantinople, were also the papal legates, the addressees of the present letter. The monks proceeded to Rome in 519, but, as is clear from the present letter, Hormisdas did not grant them an audience. They eventually left Rome, and in response Hormisdas in August AD 520 wrote a letter to Bishop Possessor in which he criticized the theology of the Scythian monks (see Grillmeier and Hainthaler 1995: 322-327).
See also [1507].