PL 54 · cols. 614–619

Leo the Great, Letters

Letters V–VI

Domino, qui multipliciter et in perpetuum mansura retribuet, recipere valeamus.

[…] Lord who will repay it manifold, with things that will last for ever.

CAP. V. Episcopus canones infringens dejiciatur. — Hoc itaque admonitio nostra denuntiat, quod si quis fratrum contra haec constituta venire tentaverit, et prohibita fuerit ausus admittere, a suo se noverit officio submovendum, nec communionis nostrae futurum esse consortem, qui socius esse noluit disciplinae. Ne quid vero sit quod praetermissum a nobis forte credatur, omnia decretalia constitnta, tam beatae recordationis Innocentii, quam omnium decessorum nostrorum, quae de ecclesiasticis ordinibus et canonum promulgata sunt disciplinis, ita a vestra dilectione custodiri debere mandamus, ut si quis in illa commiserit, veniam sibi deinceps noverit denegari.

CHAP. V. That a bishop who breaks the canons is to be deposed. — This, therefore, our admonition declares: that if any of the brethren attempts to go against these ordinances, and dares to commit what has been forbidden, he should know that he is to be removed from his office, and that he who would not be a partner in our discipline will not be a sharer in our communion. And so that there may be nothing which might perhaps be thought to have been passed over by us, we command that all the decretal ordinances, both of Innocent of blessed memory and of all our predecessors, which have been promulgated concerning the orders of the Church and the disciplines of the canons, be kept by your affection in such a way that, if anyone offends against them, he should know that pardon will henceforth be denied him.

Data sexto idus Octobris, Maximo iterum et Paterio viris clarissimis consulibus.

Given on the sixth day before the Ides of October, in the consulship of Maximus (for the second time) and Paterius, most illustrious men.

EPISTOLA V.

LETTER V.

AD EPISCOPOS METROPOLITANOS PER ILLYRICUM CONSTITUTOS.

TO THE METROPOLITAN BISHOPS ESTABLISHED THROUGHOUT ILLYRICUM.

Editors' notes and page, col. 614

Footnotes

(n) ‹quod si› · printed under col 613

Dist. 19, c. 1, Si Rom. pontif., § Quibus ad haec.

Dist. 19, c. 1, [the canon] Si Rom. pontif., § Quibus ad haec.

(o) ‹constituta› · printed under col 613

Vulg. ante Quesn. cum Vat. collect. 24, venerit vel venire tentaverit. Vindebon. collect. 5, venire voluerit.

The editions before Quesnel, with the Vatican [codex] of collection 24: venerit vel venire tentaverit. The Vienna [codex] of collection 5: venire voluerit.

(p) ‹submovendum, nec› · printed under col 613

Vat. Hisp. cum duobus aliis mss. addit cum.

The Vatican [codex] of the Spanish [collection], with two other manuscripts, adds cum.

(q) ‹ecclesiasticis› · printed under col 613

Vulg. ante Quesn. cum solis mss. collect. 24, ordinationibus et canonum ordinata sunt disciplinis. Vide not. 8 Quesn. et observationem nostram. Mox idem Vulgati cum Vindebon. et Vat. Hisp. aliisque quinque codd., ita vestram dilectionem custodire debere mandamus. Sed Vat. Dionysii, Vindeb. collect. 5 cum Hadrianeis et Florentino S. Marci Quesnelli lectionem tuentur.

The editions before Quesnel, with only the manuscripts of collection 24: ordinationibus et canonum ordinata sunt disciplinis. See Quesnel's note 8 and our observation. Next, the same editions, with the Vienna [codex] and the Vatican [codex] of the Spanish [collection] and five other codices: ita vestram dilectionem custodire debere mandamus. But the Vatican [codex] of Dionysius and the Vienna [codex] of collection 5, with the Hadrianic [codices] and the Florentine [codex] of St Mark's, uphold Quesnel's reading.

(r) ‹si quis› · printed under col 613

Iidem Vulgati cum mss. collect. 24, illa contempserit.

The same editions, with the manuscripts of collection 24: illa contempserit.

(s) ‹et Paterio› · printed under col 614

Vulgati omnes cum plerisque mss., Paterno, rejecto in marginem Paterio, quod in Merlini editione legebatur: et nos in Vat. et Vindebon. Hisp. et in alio Vat. collect. 11 reperimus. Hanc autem lectionem omnino tenendam optime probat Pagius ad A. 443, num. 1 et 11, eamque confirmat Georgius in notis ad Pagium novissimae Lucensi editioni subjectis. Rem vero extra omnem aleam ponit coaevum papyraceum documentum Ecclesiae Ravennatis emendate recusum a marchione Maffeio in Hist. Diplom. pag. 132, et ab eodem Vaticanae bibliothecae donatum, in quo consulatus ejusdem anni Pateri, non autem Paterni nomine designatur. Porro alius annotator in eadem Lucensi editione ex hoc papyraceo monumento colligit Maximum hoc anno non secundum, sed tertium consulatum gessisse, eo quod ibidem scribatur cons. Maximi ter et Pateri vv. cc. At cum omnes nostri codd. omniaque monumenta a Pagio et a Georgio allata Maximum integris fere vocibus iterum, secundo vel bis consulem vocent, caetera autem numeralibus litteris II, palam fit in papyro non ter legendum sed iter., id est iterum, ita ut littera i sumenda sit ex finali vocis praecedentis Maximi, cum non raro accidat, in ejusmodi monumentis omitti initialem litteram, quando antecedens vox eadem littera desinit: idque multo magis ex scriptoris indole eruitur, qui in ipsis vocibus Pateri et Theodosi duplicis ii scriptionem effugit.

All the editions, with most manuscripts: Paterno, Paterio, which was read in Merlin's edition, being relegated to the margin; and we have found it in the Vatican and Vienna [codices] of the Spanish [collection] and in another Vatican [codex] of collection 11. That this reading must by all means be held Pagi proves excellently at the year 443, nos. 1 and 11, and Giorgi confirms it in the notes on Pagi appended to the latest Lucca edition. But the matter is put beyond all hazard by a contemporary papyrus document of the Church of Ravenna, correctly reprinted by the Marchese Maffei in his Historia Diplomatica, p. 132, and given by him to the Vatican Library, in which the consulship of that same year is designated by the name of Paterius [Pateri], not of Paternus. Further, another annotator in the same Lucca edition gathers from this papyrus record that Maximus held not his second but his third consulship in this year, because it is written there cons. Maximi ter et Pateri vv. cc. But since all our codices and all the records adduced by Pagi and by Giorgi call Maximus consul iterum, secundo or bis, generally in full words, and the others in the numeral letters II, it becomes plain that in the papyrus one must read not ter but iter., that is, iterum, the letter i being taken from the final letter of the preceding word Maximi; for it not rarely happens in records of this kind that an initial letter is omitted when the preceding word ends in the same letter: and this is gathered much more from the habit of the writer, who in the very words Pateri and Theodosi avoided writing a double ii.

(t) ‹EPISTOLA V.› · printed under col 614

Scripta 12 Januar. anr 444.

Written 12 January, in the year 444.

(u) ‹AD EPISCOPOS› · printed under col 614

Haec epistola inter eas est quae collectae fuerunt pro Ecclesia Thessalonicensi, et in collectione Romana Holstenii primum edita fuit. Eam vero non inutiliter recognovimus cum ms. Barberino 3386 collect. 16, ex quo Holsteniana editio prodiit, cum sit unius Thessalonicensis collectionis codex. Praeponenda autem fuit haec epistola sequenti ad Anastasium, quippe quod eodem licet die exarata, in subsequenti tamen epistola cap. 6 jam conscripta traditur.

This letter is among those which were collected for the Church of Thessalonica, and it was first published in Holstenius's Roman collection. We have, however, collated it to good purpose with the Barberini manuscript 3386 of collection 16, from which Holstenius's edition came, since it is a codex of the Thessalonian collection alone. This letter had to be placed before the following one to Anastasius, since, although it was written on the same day, it is stated in the next letter, chap. 6, to have been already written.

Editors' prose

SYNOPIS. — I. Illicitos contra canones conatus prudenter monitis praeveniri. — II. Vices suas per Illyricum Anastasio Thessalonicensi more praedecessorum suorum committit. — III. Bigamos, viduarum maritos aut repudiatarum a sacerdotio ex canonibus arceri jubet. — IV. Ut provinciales episcopi ad metropolitanos, sic metropalitanos ad exarchum seu vicarium pertinere. — V. Eorumdem esse metropolitanos ordinare, et de provinciarum statu ad sedem

SYNOPSIS. — I. That unlawful attempts against the canons are wisely forestalled by warnings. — II. He entrusts his vicariate throughout Illyricum to Anastasius of Thessalonica, after the custom of his predecessors. — III. He orders that bigamists, and husbands of widows or of divorced women, be kept from the priesthood according to the canons. — IV. That as the provincial bishops belong to the metropolitans, so the metropolitans belong to the exarch or vicar. — V. That it belongs to the same to ordain the metropolitans, and concerning the state of the provinces to report to the […]

Page

running head: shared with col 613 (613 EPISTOLA V. 614; "V." and the right-hand numeral stand over col 614)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 613): A ‹Domino, qui multipliciter›; B ‹idus Octobris, Maximo›; C ‹jecto in marginem Paterio› (in the notes); D ‹autem numeralibus litteris› (in the notes)
old-edition numerals: 617 before ‹(t) EPISTOLA V.›
signature: none
other: the editors' SYNOPIS (so printed) of Letter V begins in col 614 after the address and runs on into col 615; the part printed in col 615 is set in n615. Notes (n)–(r), called in col 614, are printed under col 613

PL 54:615

Dilectissimis fratribus episcopis metropolitanis per Illyricum constitutis Leo.

To his most beloved brethren the metropolitan bishops established throughout Illyricum, Leo.

CAP. I. — Omnis admonitio salutaris, quam Domino credimus aspirante contingere, in mercedem proficit monentis et moniti; et ideo nos hoc libenter arripimus, quoniam placere Deo nostro non solum nostris, sed omnium fratrum consacerdotumque nostrorum actibus festinamus. In nostram enim recurrit gratiam, si Ecclesiae sic regantur ut nullus querimoniis aditus reseretur. Sit itaque dilectioni vestrae, fratres charissimi, dulcis et jucunda praeceptio, quam de sedis apostolicae auctoritate, servata charitatis gratia, manare noscatis; nec vobis aliquid juris credatis imminui, si tam praesentibus quam futuris rebus videatis, ne illicitis praesumptionibus reseretur aditus, praecaveri. CAUTIUS enim usurpationibus, antequam tententur, obsistere, quam quae usurpata fuerint vindicare.

CHAP. I. — Every salutary admonition, which we believe comes about by the inspiration of the Lord, profits to the reward of the one who admonishes and of the one admonished; and therefore we gladly seize upon this, since we hasten to please our God not only by our own acts but by those of all our brethren and fellow priests. For it redounds to our credit if the Churches are so governed that no opening is given to complaints. Let the instruction, therefore, be sweet and pleasant to your affection, dearest brethren, which you know to flow from the authority of the apostolic see with the grace of charity preserved; and do not think that any of your right is diminished if you see that precaution is taken, for things both present and future, that no opening be given to unlawful presumptions. For it is more prudent to resist usurpations before they are attempted than to punish what has been usurped.

CAP. II. — Et quia per omnes Ecclesias cura nostra distenditur, exigente hoc a nobis Domino, qui apostolicae dignitatis beatissimo apostolo Petro primatum fidei suae remuneratione commisit, universalem Ecclesiam in fundamenti ipsius soliditate constituens, necessitatem sollicitudinis quam habemus, cum his qui nobis collegii charitate juncti sunt sociamus. Vicem itaque nostram fratri et coepiscopo nostro Anastasio, secuti eorum exemplum, quorum nobis recordatio est veneranda, commisimus, et ut sit in speculis, ne quid illicitum a quoquam praesumatur, injunximus: cui in his quae ad ecclesiasticam pertinent disciplinam, ut dilectio vestra pareat, admonemus. Non enim tam illi obtemperabitur quam nobis, qui hoc illi pro nostra sollicitudine per illas provincias cognoscimur commisisse.

CHAP. II. — And since our care extends through all the Churches, the Lord requiring this of us, Who entrusted to the most blessed apostle Peter the primacy of the apostolic dignity in reward for his faith, establishing the universal Church on the solidity of that foundation, we share the burden of the solicitude that we bear with those who are joined to us by the charity of the college. We have therefore entrusted our place to our brother and fellow bishop Anastasius, following the example of those whose memory is to be venerated by us, and we have enjoined him to keep watch lest anything unlawful be presumed by anyone: and we admonish your affection to obey him in the things that belong to the discipline of the Church. For it will not be so much he who is obeyed as we, who are known to have entrusted this to him throughout those provinces out of our solicitude.

CAP. III. — Volumus enim tales fieri Domino sacerdotes, quibus cuncta conveniant, quae sunt ecclesiasticis canonibus definita: ut episcopi, presbyteri atque diaconi unius uxoris viri sint secundum beati Apostoli sententiam (I Tim. III, 2), et hanc secundum legis praecepta virginem acceperint, non viduam, non repudiatam, sicut legis scriptura testatur (Levit. XXI, 13, 14; Ezech. XLIV, 22). Nec se quisquam aestimet posse ad sacerdotium pervenire, qui ante baptismum, deficiente quam habebat, uxore, alteram rursum, postquam per gratiam

CHAP. III. — For we wish such men to be made priests for the Lord as all the things befit which are defined by the canons of the Church: that bishops, priests and deacons be husbands of one wife, according to the teaching of the blessed Apostle (1 Tim. 3:2), and that, according to the precepts of the law, they have taken her as a virgin, not a widow, not one divorced, as the scripture of the law testifies (Lev. 21:13, 14; Ezek. 44:22). Nor let anyone think that he can come to the priesthood who, the wife he had having died before baptism, takes another again after he has been renewed through the grace […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 615

Footnotes

(a) ‹primatum› · printed under col 615

In editione Holstenii typographorum errore, fidei sui. Emendationem, de qua Quesnellus not. 1 loquitur, Barberinus codex probat.

In Holstenius's edition, by a printers' error: fidei sui. The emendation of which Quesnel speaks in note 1 is confirmed by the Barberini codex.

(b) ‹fundamenti› · printed under col 615

Vide notam 2 Quesnelli, qui mavult legi istius, et observationem nostram.

See the note 2 of Quesnel, who prefers to read istius, and our observation.

Ms. Barb., ut episcopus, presbyter atque diaconus.

The Barberini manuscript: ut episcopus, presbyter atque diaconus.

(d) ‹virginem› · printed under col 615

Apud Holsten, et in ms., accipiant. Cur Quesnellus emendaverit, vide ejusdem not. 3.

In Holstenius and in the manuscript: accipiant. For why Quesnel emended it, see his note 3.

Editors' prose

apostolicam referre. — VI. Causae graviores vel appellationes Illyrici sedi apostolicae reserventur.

[…] apostolic see. — VI. That the weightier causes or the appeals of Illyricum are to be reserved to the apostolic see.

Page

running head: shared with col 616 (615 S. LEONIS MAGNI EPISTOLAE. 616; the left-hand numeral and "S. LEONIS MAGNI" stand over col 615)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 616): A ‹apostolicam referre›; B ‹aliquid juris credatis›; C ‹tum a quoquam praesumatur›; D ‹nire, qui ante baptismum›
old-edition numerals: 618 after ‹eorum›
signature: none
other: col 615 opens with the end of the editors' synopsis of Letter V, begun in col 614 (set above as editors' prose); "apostolicam" is printed in worn italic that looks like apostolicum. The notes under col 615 run on with notes (e)–(g), whose calls stand in col 616; they are set in n616

PL 54:616

baptismatis est renovatus, acceperit, cum in baptismate peccata deleantur, non uxorum numerus abrogetur. Adeo autem in excusationem sui hoc obtendere non poterit, ut eorum se patrem filiorum, quos ante baptismum susceperit, negare non possit. Neque enim uxor quae ex legis praecepto ducitur, inter peccata quae abluuntur baptismate poterit numerari.

[…] of baptism; for in baptism sins are wiped out, but the number of wives is not annulled. So little will he be able to put this forward in his own excuse that he cannot deny that he is the father of the children whom he begot before baptism. For a wife who is married according to the precept of the law cannot be counted among the sins that are washed away by baptism.

CAP. IV. — Ad synodum quicumque fuerit evocatus occurrat, nec congregationi se deneget, in qua ad Deum pertinentes causas noverit esse tractandas ...... Quidquid causarum, ut assolet, inter consacerdotes evenerit, ejus cui vicem nostram commisimus examini reservetur: ut illo sub Dei timore praesule omnis ambiguitas finiatur. Nihil in ejus, aut nostram, contra haec quae constituimus, praesumatur injuriam. Ejus nobis relatione, si quis ad nos referendum fuerit, innotescat: ita enim vos ad illum pertinere volumus, ut ad vos provinciarum vestrarum pertinent sacerdotes. Qui ergo jure sibi debito uti cupiunt, apostolicae sedis auctoritate concessa per suam contumaciam imminuere non nitantur.

CHAP. IV. — Whoever has been summoned to a synod, let him attend, and not refuse himself to the assembly in which he knows that causes pertaining to God are to be treated ...... Whatever causes arise among fellow priests, as usually happens, let them be reserved to the examination of him to whom we have entrusted our place, so that under his presidency, in the fear of God, every doubt may be ended. Let nothing be presumed, against these things that we have decreed, to his injury or ours. If anything is to be referred to us, let it become known to us by his report: for we wish you to belong to him in the same way as the bishops of your provinces belong to you. Let those, then, who desire to use the right due to them not strive by their contumacy to diminish what has been granted by the authority of the apostolic see.

CAP. V. — Ut vero vestrae dilectioni provinciae suae ordinatio permittitur sacerdotum, ita fratrem et coepiscopum nostrum Anastasium de ordinando antistite volumus consulatis. Cui metropolitan⟨i⟩ episcopi consecrationem statuimus reservari, ut eo inquisitore atque custode, cum certus licentiae modus imponitur, ecclesiesticae disciplinae in omnibus ordo servetur. Ipsum vero secundum definita canonum hoc vestra dilectio nostris epistolis admonitum esse cognoscat, ut de statu Ecclesiarum vestrarum certiores subinde sua relatione nos faciat; sciturus sibi a nobis imputandum, si quid de his quae statuimus a quoquam fuerit temeratum.

CHAP. V. — And as the ordination of the bishops of his province is permitted to your affection, so we wish you to consult our brother and fellow bishop Anastasius about the ordaining of a prelate. To him we have decreed that the consecration of a metropolitan bishop be reserved, so that, with him as examiner and guardian, since a fixed limit is set to licence, the order of ecclesiastical discipline may be kept in all things. Let your affection know that he himself has been admonished by our letters, according to the definitions of the canons, to inform us from time to time by his report about the state of your Churches; knowing that it will be imputed to him by us if anything of what we have decreed is violated by anyone.

CAP. VI. — Si quae vero causae graviores vel appellationes emerserint, eas sub ipsius relatione ad nos mitti debere decrevimus, ut nostra secundum ecclesiasticum morem sententia finiantur. Haec vero quae per filium meum Nicolaum presbyterum scripta direximus recurrentibus litteris, ut vos eadem sciamus accepisse, rescribite.

CHAP. VI. — But if any weightier causes or appeals arise, we have decreed that they ought to be sent to us under his report, so that they may be ended by our sentence according to the custom of the Church. And as to these writings, which we have sent by my son Nicholas the priest, write back by return letter, so that we may know that you have received them.

Data pridie idus Januarias Theodosio XVIII et Albino consulibus.

Given on the day before the Ides of January, in the consulship of Theodosius (for the eighteenth time) and Albinus.

EPISTOLA VI.

LETTER VI.

AD ANASTASIUM THESSALONICENSEM EPISCOPUM.

TO ANASTASIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA.

Editors' notes and page, col. 616

Footnotes

(e) ‹esse tractandas› · printed under col 615

Puncta adjecimus ob indicandam lineam cum dimidio in ms. Barber. vacantem, quae aliquid in vetustiori codice, unde Barberinus exscriptus fuit, corrosum et ab amanuensi minime lectum significat.

We have added the dots to indicate a line and a half left blank in the Barberini manuscript, which signifies that something in the older codex from which the Barberini was copied was eaten away and not read at all by the copyist.

(f) ‹Ipsum vero› · printed under col 615

Vide not. 4 Quesn.

See Quesnel's note 4.

(g) ‹vestra dilectio› · printed under cols 615–616

Voces nostris epistolis aliam anteriorem epistolam a subsequenti diversam, quae interierit, ad Anastasium scriptam videntur innuere, in qua Leo illum monuerat ut de statu Ecclesiarum vestrarum, inquit, certiores subinde sua relatione nos faceret. Id enim in sequenti epistola praescriptum non legitur; immo cap. 1, illis vocibus in his litteris, in quibus de statu Ecclesiarum certiores effecti, indicari videntur Anastasii litterae, quibus de Ecclesiis Illyrici retulit, ut memoratae Leonis admonitioni satisfaceret; quod scribendae sequenti epistolae occasionem dedit.

The words nostris epistolis seem to hint at another, earlier letter written to Anastasius, distinct from the following one, which has perished, in which Leo had admonished him that he should, as he says, inform us from time to time by his report about the state of your Churches. For this is not read as enjoined in the following letter; rather, in chap. 1, by those words in his litteris, in quibus de statu Ecclesiarum certiores effecti, a letter of Anastasius seems to be indicated, in which he reported on the Churches of Illyricum in order to satisfy the admonition of Leo just mentioned; and this gave occasion for the writing of the following letter.

(h) ‹debere› · printed under col 616

Hoc decretum legitur cap. 5 epistolae sequentis, quae una cum hac in Illyricum transmissa fuit.

This decree is read in chap. 5 of the following letter, which was sent to Illyricum together with this one.

(i) ‹EPISTOLA› · printed under col 616

Al. 4. Quae autem erat 6, nunc 1. Scripta 12 Januar. an. 444.

Elsewhere 4. And the one that was 6 is now 1. Written 12 January, in the year 444.

(j) ‹AD ANASTASIUM› · printed under cols 616–617

Haec quoque epistola ex eodem codice Barberino collectionis 16 Thessalonicensis sumpta, et in collectione Romana Holstenii edita est, ex quo epistola anterior. Confer annotationem primam in eamdem epistolam. Quaedam testimonia hujus epistolae vulgaverat Leo Allatius in Concordia Ecclesiae Orientalis cum Occidentali, pag. 1370, ex cod. vetustissimo Vaticano, qui hoc tempore inveniri non potuit. Variantes ex hoc quoque ms. unde Barberinus prodiit, Allatii auctoritate dabimus.

This letter too was taken from the same Barberini codex of the Thessalonian collection 16, from which the previous letter [came], and was published in Holstenius's Roman collection. Compare the first annotation on that same letter. Some passages of this letter had been published by Leo Allatius in the Concordia Ecclesiae Orientalis cum Occidentali, p. 1370, from a very old Vatican codex which could not be found at this time. We shall give the variants from this manuscript too, from which the Barberini came, on the authority of Allatius.

Editors' prose

SYNOPSIS. — I. Ut bonus pastor ad sollicitudinem coepiscoporum

SYNOPSIS. — I. That as a good shepherd, to solicitude [through the letters] of his fellow bishops […]

Page

running head: shared with col 615 (615 S. LEONIS MAGNI EPISTOLAE. 616; "EPISTOLAE." and the right-hand numeral stand over col 616)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 615): A ‹baptismatis est renovatus›; B ‹stram, contra haec›; C ‹epistolis admonitum esse›; D ‹(j) AD ANASTASIUM›
old-edition numerals: 619 after ‹imponitur,›
signature: none
other: the text of CAP. IV has a printed row of dots after ‹esse tractandas› (the editors' mark of a gap in the Barberini manuscript; note (e)), set as printed. The synopsis of Letter VI begins in col 616 below the address and runs into col 617; its word co-|episcoporum, hyphenated across the break, is set whole here. Notes (e)–(g), called in col 616, are printed under col 615

PL 54:617

Dilectissimo fratri Anastasio, Leo.

To his most beloved brother Anastasius, Leo.

CAP. I. — Omnium quidem litteras sacerdotum grato nos relegere animo, fraterni collegii charitas facit, cum per spiritalem gratiam tanquam praesentes amplectimur, quibus sermone epistolis mutuo commeantibus sociamur. Sed major nobis in his videtur esse affectio, in quibus de statu Ecclesiarum certiores effecti, ad exercendae sollicitudinis vigilantiam officii nostri consideratione compellimur ut in speculis, quemadmodum Dominus voluit, constituti, et pro voto nostro currentibus rebus nostrum commodemus assensum, et ea quae depravari aliqua usurpatione perspicimus, adhibitae coercitionis remediis corrigamus: sperantes jacti seminis responsurum nobis uberem fructum, si non sinamus crescere quae in messis detrimenta Dominicae coeperint pullulare.

CHAP. I. — The charity of the brotherly college makes us read over the letters of all bishops with a grateful mind, since through spiritual grace we embrace as though present those with whom we are joined in converse by letters passing to and fro. But our affection seems to be greater towards those letters in which, being informed about the state of the Churches, we are driven by the consideration of our office to exercise the vigilance of solicitude, so that, set as it were in a watch-tower, as the Lord willed, we may both lend our assent to things going as we would wish, and correct by the remedies of the restraint applied the things that we see being corrupted by some usurpation: hoping that the seed that has been sown will answer us with rich fruit if we do not allow to grow the things that have begun to spring up to the loss of the Lord's harvest.

CAP. II. — Postquam itaque nobis petitio tuae dilectionis innotuit per filium nostrum Nicolaum presbyterum, ut tibi quoque a nobis, sicut decessoribus tuis, per Illyricum cum nostra vice propter custodiam regularum auctoritas praestaretur, praebentes assensum, nostra adhortatione compellimus ut nulla dissimulatio, negligentia nulla proveniat circa Ecclesiarum regimen per Illyricum positarum, quas dilectioni tuae vice nostra committimus, beatae recordationis Siricii exemplum secuti, qui sanctae memoriae Anysio praedecessori tuo bene de apostolica sede tunc merito, et rebus post sequentibus approbato, certa tum primum ratione commisit: ut per illam provinciam positis, quas ad disciplinam teneri voluit, Ecclesiis subveniret. Gloriosa instantius exempla sequenda sunt, ut quorum privilegiis uti cupimus, eorum nos similes in omnibus approbemus. Imitatorem te tam praedecessoris tui quam decessoris, qui pari modo hoc et meruisse et egisse cognoscitur, esse volumus: ut de profectu Ecclesiarum

CHAP. II. — Since, then, the petition of your affection has become known to us through our son Nicholas the priest, that to you also, as to your predecessors, authority might be granted by us throughout Illyricum, with our vicariate, for the keeping of the rules, we give our assent and urge you by our exhortation that no pretence, no negligence, arise in the government of the Churches situated throughout Illyricum, which we entrust to your affection in our stead, following the example of Siricius of blessed memory, who then for the first time, on a fixed plan, entrusted [them] to Anysius of holy memory, your predecessor, who had then deserved well of the apostolic see and was approved by the events that followed: that he should succour the Churches situated throughout that province, which he wished to be held to discipline. Glorious examples must be followed the more earnestly, so that we may prove ourselves like in all things to those whose privileges we desire to use. We wish you to be an imitator both of your earlier predecessor and of your immediate predecessor, who is known in like manner both to have deserved and to have exercised this [office]: so that concerning the progress of the Churches […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 617

Footnotes

(a) ‹relegere animo,› · printed under col 617

Ms. Barb., alterni, corrupte.

The Barberini manuscript: alterni, corruptly.

(b) ‹Sed major› · printed under col 617

Pronomen nobis a Quesnello omissum restituimus ex eodem cod. et editione Holstenii. De Anastasii litteris hic indicatis confer annot. 8 (Col. 615 (g) in epist. praecedentem.

We have restored the pronoun nobis, omitted by Quesnel, from the same codex and Holstenius's edition. On the letter of Anastasius indicated here, compare annotation 8 (col. 615, (g)) on the preceding letter.

Ita idem cod. Vulg. Deus.

So the same codex. The editions: Deus.

(d) ‹cum nostra› · printed under col 617

Vide not. 1 et 2 Quesnelli.

See Quesnel's notes 1 and 2.

(e) ‹compellimus ut nulla› · printed under col 617

Cod. Vat. apud Allatium, dissimulatione.

The Vatican codex in Allatius: dissimulatione.

(f) ‹sequentibus approbato,› · printed under col 617

Vide not. 3 Quesnelli.

See Quesnel's note 3.

(g) ‹Imitatorem te tam› · printed under cols 617–618

Praedecessoris nomine Anysius paulo ante memoratus intelligitur, qui vitam produxit usque ad Innocentium papam; decessoris vero nomine Rufus, qui sub Innocentio electus, Anastasio immediate praecessit.

By the name praedecessor is understood Anysius, mentioned a little before, who prolonged his life up to Pope Innocent; by the name decessor, Rufus, who, elected under Innocent, immediately preceded Anastasius.

Editors' prose

litteris compelli amat. — II. Vices suas per Illyricum Anastasio committit, Siricii secutus exemplum. — III. Canonum observantiam, praesertim in ordinationibus, commendat: a quibus arcentur bigami et viduarum mariti. — IV. A metropolitano comprovinciales episcopi conscio exarcho ordinentur; metropolitani ab ipso exarcho. — V. Ut omnes conveniant ad synodos; harum utilitas et auctoritas. — VI. Tam presbyteros et diaconos quam sacerdote⟨s⟩ non nisi diebus Dominicis esse consecrandos.

[…] he loves to be moved by [their] letters. — II. He entrusts his vicariate throughout Illyricum to Anastasius, following the example of Siricius. — III. He commends the observance of the canons, especially in ordinations: by which bigamists and husbands of widows are debarred. — IV. That the bishops of a province be ordained by the metropolitan with the knowledge of the exarch; the metropolitans by the exarch himself. — V. That all should assemble at synods; their usefulness and authority. — VI. That priests and deacons, as well as bishops, are to be consecrated only on Sundays.

Page

running head: shared with col 618 (617 EPISTOLA VI. 618; the left-hand numeral and "EPISTOLA" stand over col 617)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 618): A ‹episcoporum litteris compelli›; B ‹vigilantiam officii nostri›; C ‹(e) dissimulatio›; D ‹verat Leo Allatius› (in the notes)
old-edition numerals: 620 after ‹fraterni›
signature: PATROL. (printed in worn type, looking like PATBOL,), below the notes of col 617; the sheet number 20 stands below col 618
other: col 617 opens with the rest of the synopsis of Letter VI (begun in col 616; the word coepiscoporum, hyphenated across the break, is set whole in n616). The last letters of sacerdote⟨s⟩ in the synopsis are lost at the line end; exarcho is printed in worn type looking like exareho. The notes under col 617 open with the end of note (j), called in col 616 and set in n616

PL 54:618

quas tibi vice nostra committimus, gaudeamus. Ut enim bene agenti, et quae sacerdotali auctoritati conveniunt solertius exsequenti ad honorem proficit res tributa, ita huic oneri esse cognoscitur, qui commissa sibi potestate, qua debet moderatione non utitur.

[…] which we entrust to you in our stead we may rejoice. For as a thing bestowed turns to the honour of one who acts well and carries out skilfully what befits priestly authority, so it is known to be a burden to him who does not use the power entrusted to him with the moderation he ought.

CAP. III. — Credita itaque tibi, frater charissime, gubernacula pervigil tene, et mentis tuae oculos per ⟨o⟩mnia quae curae tuae videas injuncta circumfer, in ⟨me⟩rcedem tuam profutura custodiens, et his qui disciplinam canonum labefactare nituntur obsistens. Divinae legis sanctio veneranda, et canonum specialius decreta serventur. Per commissas tibi provincias tales Domino sacerdotes, quibus sola vitae et clericalis ordinis suffragantur merita, consecrentur. Nihil gratiae personali, nihil ambitioni, nihil redemptis permittas licere suffragiis. Examinentur diligentius, et per longum vitae tramitem disciplinis ecclesiasticis, qui ordinandi fuerint, imbuantur.

CHAP. III. — Hold, therefore, most dear brother, with unsleeping watchfulness the helm entrusted to you, and turn the eyes of your mind round upon all the things that you see laid upon your care, guarding what will profit towards your reward, and resisting those who strive to undermine the discipline of the canons. Let the venerable sanction of the divine law, and more especially the decrees of the canons, be observed. Throughout the provinces entrusted to you let such men be consecrated bishops for the Lord as are commended only by the merits of their life and of the clerical order. Allow nothing to be lawful for personal favour, nothing for ambition, nothing for purchased votes. Let those who are to be ordained be examined very diligently, and be instructed in the disciplines of the Church through a long course of life.

Si tamen illis omnia quae a sanctis Patribus sunt constituta conveniant, et qua beatum apostolum Paulum de talibus legimus praecepisse custodierint, ut unius uxoris vir sit, et hanc virginem, ut auctoritas divinae legis cavet, acceperit. Quod ita sollicitus volumus custodiri, ut omnibus excusationibus locum adimamus, ne se quisquam credat posse ad sacerdotium pervenire, qui uxorem antequam Christi gratiam consequeretur accepit, qua deficiente alteram post baptismum conjunxerit sibi. Cum negari uxor illa non possit, nec prioris conjugii numerus aboleri, et eorum ita sit pater filiorum quos ante baptismum ex illa susceperit, quemadmodum et illorum fit quos ex altera post baptismum noscit suscepisse. Sicut enim peccata et quae illicita esse noscuntur per lavacrum baptismatis abolentur, ita quae sunt legis praecepto concessa vel licita non delentur.

Provided, however, that all things that have been established by the holy Fathers befit them, and that they have kept what we read that the blessed apostle Paul enjoined concerning such men: that he be the husband of one wife, and that he have taken her as a virgin, as the authority of the divine law provides. This we wish to be so carefully kept that we take away room for all excuses, lest anyone believe that he can come to the priesthood who took a wife before he obtained the grace of Christ and, when she died, joined another to himself after baptism. For that wife cannot be denied, nor the number of the former marriage be abolished; and he is as much the father of the children he begot of her before baptism as he is of those whom he knows he has begotten of the other after baptism. For just as sins, and the things that are known to be unlawful, are abolished by the washing of baptism, so the things that are granted or lawful by the precept of the law are not wiped out.

CAP. IV. — Nullus te inconsulto per illas Ecclesias ordinetur antistes: ita enim fiet ut sint de eligendis natura judicia, dum tuae dilectionis examinatio formidetur. Quisquis vero a metropolitanis episcopus contra nostram praeceptionem praeter tuam notitiam fuerit ordinatus, nullam sibi apud nos status sui esse noverit firmitatem, eosque usurpationis suae rationem qui hoc praesumpserint, reddituros. Singulis autem metropolitanis sicut potestas ista committitur, ut in

CHAP. IV. — Let no prelate be ordained throughout those Churches without consulting you: for so it will come about that the judgements about those to be chosen are mature, while the examination of your affection is feared. And whoever has been ordained bishop by the metropolitans against our command and without your knowledge, let him know that his standing has no security with us, and that those who have presumed to do this will render account of their usurpation. But as this power is entrusted to the individual metropolitans, that in […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 618

Footnotes

(g) continued from col 617, set in n617

(h) ‹tibi vice nostra› · printed under col 618

Cod. Vat. Allat., commisimus; sed supra etiam committimus.

The Vatican codex of Allatius: commisimus; but above, too, committimus.

(i) ‹obsistens. — et his› · printed under col 618

Idem cod. Vat., quae.

The same Vatican codex: quae.

(j) ‹clericalis ordinis› · printed under col 618

Ita ex eodem cod. Al., suffragentur.

So from the same codex. Elsewhere: suffragentur.

(k) ‹acceperit. Quod› · printed under col 618

Ex cod. Barber. adjecimus ita.

We have added ita from the Barberini codex.

(l) ‹et illorum› · printed under col 618

Addidimus fit ex utrisque codd., ex quibus etiam noscit pro noscitur reposuimus.

We have added fit from both codices, from which we have also restored noscit for noscitur.

(m) ‹suscepisse.› · printed under col 618

Vide not. 4 Quesnelli, qui duas voces sicut enim necessarias supplevit, et abolentur emendavit pro abolebuntur.

See Quesnel's note 4; he supplied the two necessary words sicut enim, and emended abolebuntur to abolentur.

(n) ‹examinatio formidetur.› · printed under col 618

Hoc quoque loco Quesnellus necessariam emendationem induxit, de qua vide not. ejus 5. Antea perperam: Quisquis vero de metropolitanis episcopis.

In this place too Quesnel introduced a necessary emendation, on which see his note 5. Previously, wrongly: Quisquis vero de metropolitanis episcopis.

Page

running head: shared with col 617 (617 EPISTOLA VI. 618; "VI." and the right-hand numeral stand over col 618)
marginal letters (gutter, shared with col 617): A ‹quas tibi vice nostra›; B ‹gratiae personali›; C ‹quemadmodum et illorum›; D ‹sub Innocentio electus› (in the notes)
old-edition numerals: 621 after ‹potestate,›
signature: 20 (sheet number, below the notes of col 618; PATROL. stands below col 617)
other: in CAP. III the first letters of ⟨o⟩mnia and ⟨me⟩rcedem are lost to damaged type at the line starts. The notes under col 618 open with the end of note (g), called in col 617 and set in n617

PL 54:619

suis provinciis jus habeant ordinandi, ita eos metropolitanos a te volumus ordinari, maturo tamen et decocto judicio. Quamvis enim omnes antistites probatos et Deo placitos deceat consecrari, hos tamen praecellere volumus, quos praefuturos his qui ad se pertinent consacerdotibus noverimus. Quod dilectionem tuam sollicitus agere praemonemus et cautius, ut illud apostolicum custodire, quod scriptum est approberis: Manus cito nemini imposueris (I Tim. V, 22).

[…] their provinces they have the right of ordaining, so we wish these metropolitans to be ordained by you, but with a mature and well-considered judgement. For although it befits all prelates who are consecrated to be approved and pleasing to God, yet we wish those to excel whom we know to be set over the fellow priests who belong to them. This we forewarn your affection to do carefully and with the greater caution, so that you may be proved to keep that apostolic [saying] which is written: Lay hands hastily on no one (1 Tim. 5:22).

CAP. V. — Ad synodum quisquis fratrum fuerit evocatus occurrat, nec sanctae congregationi se deneget: in qua maxime constituendum esse noverit quod ad disciplinam poterit ecclesiasticam pertinere. Melius enim omnis culpa vitabitur, si inter sacerdotes Domini collatio frequentior habeatur, et emendationi pariter et charitati plurimum praestat adunata societas. Illic, si quae causae natae fuerint, praestante Domino, ita poterunt terminari, ut contentio nulla resideat: sed sola inter fratres charitas coalescat. Si qua vero causa major evenerit, quae a tua fraternitate illic praesidente non potuerit definiri, relatio tua missa nos consulat: ut revelante Domino, cujus misericordiae profitemur esse quod possumus, quod ipse nobis aspiraverit, rescribamus: ut cognitioni nostrae pro traditione veteris instituti et debita apostolicae sedis reverentia, nostro examine vindicemus: ut enim auctoritatem tuam vice nostra te exercere volumus, ita nobis quae illic componi non potuerint, vel qui vocem appellationis emiserit, reservamus.

CHAP. V. — Whichever of the brethren has been summoned to a synod, let him attend, and not refuse himself to the holy assembly: in which, let him know, above all must be settled whatever can pertain to the discipline of the Church. For every fault will be better avoided if conference among the priests of the Lord is held more frequently; and a united fellowship contributes very greatly alike to amendment and to charity. There, if any causes have arisen, they will be able, with the Lord's help, to be so ended that no contention remains, but charity alone grows strong among the brethren. But if any greater cause arises which cannot be decided with your fraternity presiding there, let your report be sent to consult us: so that, the Lord revealing it, to Whose mercy we profess that we owe whatever we are able, we may write back what He Himself has inspired in us: so that, in keeping with the tradition of the ancient ordinance and the reverence due to the apostolic see, we may claim [the matter] for our cognizance by our own examination: for as we wish you to exercise your authority in our stead, so we reserve to ourselves the things that could not be settled there, or [the case of] whoever has lodged an appeal.

CAP. VI. — Haec itaque in omnium fratrum facies notitiam pervenire, ut nullus deinceps per ignorationem in observandis his quae praecepimus excusandi se reperiat facultatem. Ad ipsos etiam metropolitanos singularum provinciarum nostra, quibus eos moneremus, scripta direximus: ut noverint apostolicis obediendum esse sententiis, et tunc se nobis parere

CHAP. VI. — You will therefore bring these things to the knowledge of all the brethren, so that no one henceforth may find a means of excusing himself through ignorance in observing what we have commanded. To the metropolitans of the several provinces themselves we have also sent our writings, by which to admonish them: that they may know that the apostolic decisions must be obeyed, and that they then obey us […]

Editors' notes and page, col. 619

Footnotes

(a) ‹maturo tamen et› · printed under col 619

Sic cod. Barb. et Vulgat. Leo Allatius legit decoro.

So the Barberini codex and the editions. Leo Allatius reads decoro.

(b) ‹in qua maxime› · printed under col 619

Cod. Barb., custodiendum. Holstenius emendavit ex ingenio, cum in synodis decreta constituantur.

The Barberini codex: custodiendum. Holstenius emended by conjecture, since decrees are established in synods.

Vocem omnis a Quesnello omissam ex ms. Barb. et editione Holsteniana revocavimus.

We have restored the word omnis, omitted by Quesnel, from the Barberini manuscript and Holstenius's edition.

(d) ‹resideat: sed› · printed under col 619

Sic ex ms. emendavimus. Editi solida ex Holstenii conjectura, quae tamen non cogit.

So we have emended from the manuscript. The printed editions: solida, from Holstenius's conjecture, which, however, is not compelling.

(e) ‹ut enim auctoritatem› · printed under col 619

Ita codex et Holstenius. Quesnellus nostram ex ingenio posuit.

So the codex and Holstenius. Quesnel put nostram by conjecture.

(f) ‹qui vocem› · printed under col 619

Vide not. 6 Quesn. et nostram observationem.

See Quesnel's note 6 and our observation.

(g) ‹ut nullus deinceps› · printed under col 619

Apud Allatium, ignoratione, et dein, quae praecipimus.

In Allatius: ignoratione, and then quae praecipimus.