Letter 66

From: Ambrose, Bishop of Milan To: Romulus Date: ~380 AD Context: A pastoral letter to a layman named Romulus on the proper treatment of widows in the Christian community and the honorable estate of Christian widowhood. Ambrose to Romulus — greetings. You have asked about the status of widows in the Church, and your question comes at a good time, because the matter is often misunderstood. The widow who chooses not to remarry and devotes herself to prayer, fasting, and good works occupies an honored place in the Church (1 Timothy 5:3-16). Paul was explicit: "Honor widows who are truly widows." The widow who lives for pleasure, on the other hand, "is dead even while she lives" (1 Timothy 5:6). I do not condemn remarriage — it is entirely lawful. But I commend the widow who chooses to remain as she is, dedicating the rest of her life to God. She has known the goods and burdens of marriage; she has earned the freedom to choose a different path. That freedom should be respected, not pressured. The problem, as you well know, is that widows are often pressured — by families who want them to remarry for financial or political reasons, or by fortune-seekers who target wealthy widows for their estates. The Church must protect these women from exploitation. A widow's property belongs to her and, through her, to the works of charity she supports. It does not belong to the next man who flatters her. I also urge the community to support widows materially when they are in need. The early Church maintained rolls of widows who received regular assistance (Acts 6:1). We should do no less. A civilization is judged by how it treats those who cannot protect themselves, and the widow without family or resources is among the most vulnerable. Honor the widows of your community, Romulus. Their prayers sustain us more than we know. Farewell.

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