Zacharias, servant of the servants of God, to his very reverend' and holy brother and fellow bishop Boniface.
When we received your letter, most holy brother, which was brought to us by your priest Denehard, and heard that you were in good health (as we hope you may always be), we gave thanks to Almighty God who has deigned to crown your labours with success. Our heart is always filled with great joy on the receipt, of your letters, because we find in them reports about the salvation; of souls and the conversion of new peoples through your preaching to our Holy Mother, the Church.
Your latest letter tells us that you have established three bishops in three separate places to govern the people whom God, through your intervention, has brought into his fold. You ask that these episcopal sees may be confirmed by our authority. You should, however, first consider and carefully examine whether this is advisable and whether the places and the number of inhabitants warrant the establishment of bishoprics. You will recall, beloved, that the sacred canons decree that bishops should not be attached to villages and small cities lest the dignity of the episcopate be lessened.
However, in response to your earnest appeal we hasten to grant your request. By our apostolic authority we ordain that bishoprics be fixed there and that a worthy succession of bishops shall govern the people and instruct them in the faith: there shall be one in the fortress called Wurzburg, a second in the town of Buraburg and a third in the place called Erfurt. Let no one dare to violate in the future what we have laid down and confirmed by the authority of the blessed Apostle Peter.
You tell us that our son Carloman [] summoned you to meet him and to arrange for a synod to be held in that part of the Frankish kingdom which is under his rule because of the complete collapse of church discipline in that province, a matter which we deeply regret. For a long time no council has been held there, and as a result many who call themselves priests hardly know what the priesthood is. When Carloman has put his promises into effect and you take your place by his side at the council, if you see bishops, priests or deacons living in adultery or having more than one wife in flagrant contradiction to the decrees and laws of the Fathers, or shedding the blood of Christians and pagans or acting in any other way contrary to ecclesiastical law, you must suspend them, on apostolic authority, from their priestly duties: for such individuals stand condemned by their own conduct as false priests and arc worse than those layfolk who give rein to their lusts, foster infamous unions and commit murder. On what grounds do they consider themselves to be priests? And how do they interpret God's word: "Let my priests marry once "? Or the words of the Apostle: " Faithful to one wife "? And this is valid only before receiving the priesthood, for afterwards they arc forbidden to marry. How do they think they can perform priestly duties when they are obviously steeped in such crimes as are unthinkable even in laymen? Are they not afraid to handle the sacred mysteries? How can they have the effrontery to offer prayers for the sins of the people, when the sacred canons prescribe that not even a simple cleric who has not been ordained may contract a second marriage? These men, on the contrary, are guilty of sins worse than those of laymen not only because, being priests, they refuse to give up one wife, but because they take several wives when they know quite well that their state precludes even the taking of one.
Carloman was one of the sons of Charles Martel. Brought up at Saint Denys, he was more religious than his brother Pippin the Short and was of great assistance to Boniface. He eventually abdicated and entered the monastic life.
But they attach no importance to this and proceed to call down on themselves the wrath of God by committing the still greater, crime of murder: and so it comes about those whom they should baptize and cleanse from their sins and whom they should save: from hell by the administration of the sacraments are slain by their sacrilegious hands. How can any reasonable man regard them as priests if they neither restrain their lust nor keep their hands free from blood? Who can believe that their sacrifices are pleasing to God when the prophet says: "Bloodthirsty and treacherous men the Lord holds in abhorrence "?
As I have said previously, we command you to suspend them from the performance of priestly duties and the handling of the sacred mysteries. If you find that they have acted contrary to the laws of the Church in any other matters, consult the canons and decrees of the Fathers and make your decisions accordingly.
You say that you are entitled to name your successor and to choose a bishop to take your place during your lifetime: this we cannot allow under any consideration. It is in open contradiction to the law of the Church and the opinions of the Fathers. But we will allow you to have an assistant to help you to preach the Gospel of Christ, according to the Apostle's words: "Those who have served well in the diaconate will secure for themselves a sure footing and great boldness in proclaiming the faith." It would obviously be quite wrong for us to appoint a substitute for you during your lifetime. We command you to offer up continual prayer as long as God grants you life to find you a successor pleasing to Him, able to govern the people whom you have brought to His grace and capable of leading them along the path of life. Even if we wanted to satisfy your desire, we could not do so, for we are all frail and mortal, not knowing what the coming day may bring and unable to foretell who may die first. However, if God allows him to outlive you and you find that he is suitable and you persevere in your intention, then as soon as you become aware that your death is not far off you may designate your successor in the presence of others and send him to me to be consecrated. But this is a privilege which we grant to you out of our affection: we cannot allow it to be conferred on any other person.
As regards the man who wishes to marry his uncle's widow, it appears that the woman was previously married to her own cousin after having taken the veil, and the story has been put about that our predecessor, of blessed memory, gave him permission to contract this scandalous marriage with her. God forbid that our predecessor should have allowed such a thing. The Holy See never countenances anything in open violation of the teaching of the Fathers and the laws of the Church. Continue to warn, exhort and urge them to break off so detestable a marriage, lest they perish eternally. Recall to their minds that they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and that they must not wittingly hand themselves over to the power of the devil in this incestuous marriage. Let them dedicate themselves to Christ and the Holy Ghost in whose name they have been snatched from the claws of that ancient foe. Impress upon them, most holy brother, the words of Scripture: " To bring back erring feet into the right path means saving a soul from death, means throwing a veil over a multitude of sins."
As regards the New Year celebrations, auguries, amulets, incantations and other practices, which you say are observed in pagan fashion at the church of St. Peter, the Apostle, or in the city of Rome, we consider them to be sinful and pernicious not only for us but for all Christians, according to God's word in the Scriptures: " Jacob needs no soothsayer, Israel no divination: time will reveal the marvellous things God does to them." We consider also that auguries and divinations should be avoided, for we have been taught that such practices were repudiated by the Fathers. Because these evils were cropping up again, we strove to abolish them from the very outset of our pontificate, when by divine favour we were elected to fill the place of the Apostle. We desire you to instruct your people on the same lines and so lead them to eternal life. All such practices were conscientiously and thoroughly suppressed by our predecessor and teacher, Gregory of sacred memory, together with many others, which, on the instigation of the devil, were beginning to make their appearance in the fold of Christ.
In fulfilment of your request, we are sending separate letters of confirmation to each of your three bishops and we ask you to deliver them with your own hand.
We have sent letters also to our son Carloman urging him to' carry out his promises at the earliest possible opportunity and to give you his support.
These, beloved brother, are our answers to the enquiries you made previously, given as God has inspired us for the suppression of all the scandals and deceits of the devil. If other disorders arise among your people, do your best to counteract them, framing your decisions on the laws of the Church. We have no right to teach anything except the traditions of the Fathers, but if some new situation arises through the wiles of the devil and no solution is suggested in the provisions of the Church canons do not hesitate to refer the matter to us, so that with God's help we may quickly give you an answer and attend to the wellbeing of your newly converted people.
Be assured that you have a special place in our affections and that it would give us great pleasure to have you always by our side as a minister of God in charge of the churches of Christ.
Finally, beloved brother, take strength in God. Persevere manfully in the work to which God'. in His mercy, has called you; for the great reward which God has promised to all those who love Him awaits you. And sinners though we are, we will never cease to implore Him to bring to perfection the generosity He has inspired in you. May blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, assist you in everything which you do in obedience to Him to the best of your desire.
May God keep you safe, most reverend and holy father.
Given on the kalends of April in the 24th year of our pious and august lord Constantine, by God crowned Emperor, in the second year of his consulship, in the eleventh indiction.
Zacharias, servant of the servants of God, to his very reverend' and holy brother and fellow bishop Boniface.
When we received your letter, most holy brother, which was brought to us by your priest Denehard, and heard that you were in good health (as we hope you may always be), we gave thanks to Almighty God who has deigned to crown your labours with success. Our heart is always filled with great joy on the receipt, of your letters, because we find in them reports about the salvation; of souls and the conversion of new peoples through your preaching to our Holy Mother, the Church.
Your latest letter tells us that you have established three bishops in three separate places to govern the people whom God, through your intervention, has brought into his fold. You ask that these episcopal sees may be confirmed by our authority. You should, however, first consider and carefully examine whether this is advisable and whether the places and the number of inhabitants warrant the establishment of bishoprics. You will recall, beloved, that the sacred canons decree that bishops should not be attached to villages and small cities lest the dignity of the episcopate be lessened.
However, in response to your earnest appeal we hasten to grant your request. By our apostolic authority we ordain that bishoprics be fixed there and that a worthy succession of bishops shall govern the people and instruct them in the faith: there shall be one in the fortress called Wurzburg, a second in the town of Buraburg and a third in the place called Erfurt. Let no one dare to violate in the future what we have laid down and confirmed by the authority of the blessed Apostle Peter.
You tell us that our son Carloman [] summoned you to meet him and to arrange for a synod to be held in that part of the Frankish kingdom which is under his rule because of the complete collapse of church discipline in that province, a matter which we deeply regret. For a long time no council has been held there, and as a result many who call themselves priests hardly know what the priesthood is. When Carloman has put his promises into effect and you take your place by his side at the council, if you see bishops, priests or deacons living in adultery or having more than one wife in flagrant contradiction to the decrees and laws of the Fathers, or shedding the blood of Christians and pagans or acting in any other way contrary to ecclesiastical law, you must suspend them, on apostolic authority, from their priestly duties: for such individuals stand condemned by their own conduct as false priests and arc worse than those layfolk who give rein to their lusts, foster infamous unions and commit murder. On what grounds do they consider themselves to be priests? And how do they interpret God's word: "Let my priests marry once "? Or the words of the Apostle: " Faithful to one wife "? And this is valid only before receiving the priesthood, for afterwards they arc forbidden to marry. How do they think they can perform priestly duties when they are obviously steeped in such crimes as are unthinkable even in laymen? Are they not afraid to handle the sacred mysteries? How can they have the effrontery to offer prayers for the sins of the people, when the sacred canons prescribe that not even a simple cleric who has not been ordained may contract a second marriage? These men, on the contrary, are guilty of sins worse than those of laymen not only because, being priests, they refuse to give up one wife, but because they take several wives when they know quite well that their state precludes even the taking of one.
Carloman was one of the sons of Charles Martel. Brought up at Saint Denys, he was more religious than his brother Pippin the Short and was of great assistance to Boniface. He eventually abdicated and entered the monastic life.
But they attach no importance to this and proceed to call down on themselves the wrath of God by committing the still greater, crime of murder: and so it comes about those whom they should baptize and cleanse from their sins and whom they should save: from hell by the administration of the sacraments are slain by their sacrilegious hands. How can any reasonable man regard them as priests if they neither restrain their lust nor keep their hands free from blood? Who can believe that their sacrifices are pleasing to God when the prophet says: "Bloodthirsty and treacherous men the Lord holds in abhorrence "?
As I have said previously, we command you to suspend them from the performance of priestly duties and the handling of the sacred mysteries. If you find that they have acted contrary to the laws of the Church in any other matters, consult the canons and decrees of the Fathers and make your decisions accordingly.
You say that you are entitled to name your successor and to choose a bishop to take your place during your lifetime: this we cannot allow under any consideration. It is in open contradiction to the law of the Church and the opinions of the Fathers. But we will allow you to have an assistant to help you to preach the Gospel of Christ, according to the Apostle's words: "Those who have served well in the diaconate will secure for themselves a sure footing and great boldness in proclaiming the faith." It would obviously be quite wrong for us to appoint a substitute for you during your lifetime. We command you to offer up continual prayer as long as God grants you life to find you a successor pleasing to Him, able to govern the people whom you have brought to His grace and capable of leading them along the path of life. Even if we wanted to satisfy your desire, we could not do so, for we are all frail and mortal, not knowing what the coming day may bring and unable to foretell who may die first. However, if God allows him to outlive you and you find that he is suitable and you persevere in your intention, then as soon as you become aware that your death is not far off you may designate your successor in the presence of others and send him to me to be consecrated. But this is a privilege which we grant to you out of our affection: we cannot allow it to be conferred on any other person.
As regards the man who wishes to marry his uncle's widow, it appears that the woman was previously married to her own cousin after having taken the veil, and the story has been put about that our predecessor, of blessed memory, gave him permission to contract this scandalous marriage with her. God forbid that our predecessor should have allowed such a thing. The Holy See never countenances anything in open violation of the teaching of the Fathers and the laws of the Church. Continue to warn, exhort and urge them to break off so detestable a marriage, lest they perish eternally. Recall to their minds that they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and that they must not wittingly hand themselves over to the power of the devil in this incestuous marriage. Let them dedicate themselves to Christ and the Holy Ghost in whose name they have been snatched from the claws of that ancient foe. Impress upon them, most holy brother, the words of Scripture: " To bring back erring feet into the right path means saving a soul from death, means throwing a veil over a multitude of sins."
As regards the New Year celebrations, auguries, amulets, incantations and other practices, which you say are observed in pagan fashion at the church of St. Peter, the Apostle, or in the city of Rome, we consider them to be sinful and pernicious not only for us but for all Christians, according to God's word in the Scriptures: " Jacob needs no soothsayer, Israel no divination: time will reveal the marvellous things God does to them." We consider also that auguries and divinations should be avoided, for we have been taught that such practices were repudiated by the Fathers. Because these evils were cropping up again, we strove to abolish them from the very outset of our pontificate, when by divine favour we were elected to fill the place of the Apostle. We desire you to instruct your people on the same lines and so lead them to eternal life. All such practices were conscientiously and thoroughly suppressed by our predecessor and teacher, Gregory of sacred memory, together with many others, which, on the instigation of the devil, were beginning to make their appearance in the fold of Christ.
In fulfilment of your request, we are sending separate letters of confirmation to each of your three bishops and we ask you to deliver them with your own hand.
We have sent letters also to our son Carloman urging him to' carry out his promises at the earliest possible opportunity and to give you his support.
These, beloved brother, are our answers to the enquiries you made previously, given as God has inspired us for the suppression of all the scandals and deceits of the devil. If other disorders arise among your people, do your best to counteract them, framing your decisions on the laws of the Church. We have no right to teach anything except the traditions of the Fathers, but if some new situation arises through the wiles of the devil and no solution is suggested in the provisions of the Church canons do not hesitate to refer the matter to us, so that with God's help we may quickly give you an answer and attend to the wellbeing of your newly converted people.
Be assured that you have a special place in our affections and that it would give us great pleasure to have you always by our side as a minister of God in charge of the churches of Christ.
Finally, beloved brother, take strength in God. Persevere manfully in the work to which God'. in His mercy, has called you; for the great reward which God has promised to all those who love Him awaits you. And sinners though we are, we will never cease to implore Him to bring to perfection the generosity He has inspired in you. May blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, assist you in everything which you do in obedience to Him to the best of your desire.
May God keep you safe, most reverend and holy father.
Given on the kalends of April in the 24th year of our pious and august lord Constantine, by God crowned Emperor, in the second year of his consulship, in the eleventh indiction.
◆
Zacharias, servant of the servants of God, to his very reverend' and holy brother and fellow bishop Boniface.
When we received your letter, most holy brother, which was brought to us by your priest Denehard, and heard that you were in good health (as we hope you may always be), we gave thanks to Almighty God who has deigned to crown your labours with success. Our heart is always filled with great joy on the receipt, of your letters, because we find in them reports about the salvation; of souls and the conversion of new peoples through your preaching to our Holy Mother, the Church.
Your latest letter tells us that you have established three bishops in three separate places to govern the people whom God, through your intervention, has brought into his fold. You ask that these episcopal sees may be confirmed by our authority. You should, however, first consider and carefully examine whether this is advisable and whether the places and the number of inhabitants warrant the establishment of bishoprics. You will recall, beloved, that the sacred canons decree that bishops should not be attached to villages and small cities lest the dignity of the episcopate be lessened.
However, in response to your earnest appeal we hasten to grant your request. By our apostolic authority we ordain that bishoprics be fixed there and that a worthy succession of bishops shall govern the people and instruct them in the faith: there shall be one in the fortress called Wurzburg, a second in the town of Buraburg and a third in the place called Erfurt. Let no one dare to violate in the future what we have laid down and confirmed by the authority of the blessed Apostle Peter.
You tell us that our son Carloman [] summoned you to meet him and to arrange for a synod to be held in that part of the Frankish kingdom which is under his rule because of the complete collapse of church discipline in that province, a matter which we deeply regret. For a long time no council has been held there, and as a result many who call themselves priests hardly know what the priesthood is. When Carloman has put his promises into effect and you take your place by his side at the council, if you see bishops, priests or deacons living in adultery or having more than one wife in flagrant contradiction to the decrees and laws of the Fathers, or shedding the blood of Christians and pagans or acting in any other way contrary to ecclesiastical law, you must suspend them, on apostolic authority, from their priestly duties: for such individuals stand condemned by their own conduct as false priests and arc worse than those layfolk who give rein to their lusts, foster infamous unions and commit murder. On what grounds do they consider themselves to be priests? And how do they interpret God's word: "Let my priests marry once "? Or the words of the Apostle: " Faithful to one wife "? And this is valid only before receiving the priesthood, for afterwards they arc forbidden to marry. How do they think they can perform priestly duties when they are obviously steeped in such crimes as are unthinkable even in laymen? Are they not afraid to handle the sacred mysteries? How can they have the effrontery to offer prayers for the sins of the people, when the sacred canons prescribe that not even a simple cleric who has not been ordained may contract a second marriage? These men, on the contrary, are guilty of sins worse than those of laymen not only because, being priests, they refuse to give up one wife, but because they take several wives when they know quite well that their state precludes even the taking of one.
Carloman was one of the sons of Charles Martel. Brought up at Saint Denys, he was more religious than his brother Pippin the Short and was of great assistance to Boniface. He eventually abdicated and entered the monastic life.
But they attach no importance to this and proceed to call down on themselves the wrath of God by committing the still greater, crime of murder: and so it comes about those whom they should baptize and cleanse from their sins and whom they should save: from hell by the administration of the sacraments are slain by their sacrilegious hands. How can any reasonable man regard them as priests if they neither restrain their lust nor keep their hands free from blood? Who can believe that their sacrifices are pleasing to God when the prophet says: "Bloodthirsty and treacherous men the Lord holds in abhorrence "?
As I have said previously, we command you to suspend them from the performance of priestly duties and the handling of the sacred mysteries. If you find that they have acted contrary to the laws of the Church in any other matters, consult the canons and decrees of the Fathers and make your decisions accordingly.
You say that you are entitled to name your successor and to choose a bishop to take your place during your lifetime: this we cannot allow under any consideration. It is in open contradiction to the law of the Church and the opinions of the Fathers. But we will allow you to have an assistant to help you to preach the Gospel of Christ, according to the Apostle's words: "Those who have served well in the diaconate will secure for themselves a sure footing and great boldness in proclaiming the faith." It would obviously be quite wrong for us to appoint a substitute for you during your lifetime. We command you to offer up continual prayer as long as God grants you life to find you a successor pleasing to Him, able to govern the people whom you have brought to His grace and capable of leading them along the path of life. Even if we wanted to satisfy your desire, we could not do so, for we are all frail and mortal, not knowing what the coming day may bring and unable to foretell who may die first. However, if God allows him to outlive you and you find that he is suitable and you persevere in your intention, then as soon as you become aware that your death is not far off you may designate your successor in the presence of others and send him to me to be consecrated. But this is a privilege which we grant to you out of our affection: we cannot allow it to be conferred on any other person.
As regards the man who wishes to marry his uncle's widow, it appears that the woman was previously married to her own cousin after having taken the veil, and the story has been put about that our predecessor, of blessed memory, gave him permission to contract this scandalous marriage with her. God forbid that our predecessor should have allowed such a thing. The Holy See never countenances anything in open violation of the teaching of the Fathers and the laws of the Church. Continue to warn, exhort and urge them to break off so detestable a marriage, lest they perish eternally. Recall to their minds that they have been redeemed by the blood of Christ and that they must not wittingly hand themselves over to the power of the devil in this incestuous marriage. Let them dedicate themselves to Christ and the Holy Ghost in whose name they have been snatched from the claws of that ancient foe. Impress upon them, most holy brother, the words of Scripture: " To bring back erring feet into the right path means saving a soul from death, means throwing a veil over a multitude of sins."
As regards the New Year celebrations, auguries, amulets, incantations and other practices, which you say are observed in pagan fashion at the church of St. Peter, the Apostle, or in the city of Rome, we consider them to be sinful and pernicious not only for us but for all Christians, according to God's word in the Scriptures: " Jacob needs no soothsayer, Israel no divination: time will reveal the marvellous things God does to them." We consider also that auguries and divinations should be avoided, for we have been taught that such practices were repudiated by the Fathers. Because these evils were cropping up again, we strove to abolish them from the very outset of our pontificate, when by divine favour we were elected to fill the place of the Apostle. We desire you to instruct your people on the same lines and so lead them to eternal life. All such practices were conscientiously and thoroughly suppressed by our predecessor and teacher, Gregory of sacred memory, together with many others, which, on the instigation of the devil, were beginning to make their appearance in the fold of Christ.
In fulfilment of your request, we are sending separate letters of confirmation to each of your three bishops and we ask you to deliver them with your own hand.
We have sent letters also to our son Carloman urging him to' carry out his promises at the earliest possible opportunity and to give you his support.
These, beloved brother, are our answers to the enquiries you made previously, given as God has inspired us for the suppression of all the scandals and deceits of the devil. If other disorders arise among your people, do your best to counteract them, framing your decisions on the laws of the Church. We have no right to teach anything except the traditions of the Fathers, but if some new situation arises through the wiles of the devil and no solution is suggested in the provisions of the Church canons do not hesitate to refer the matter to us, so that with God's help we may quickly give you an answer and attend to the wellbeing of your newly converted people.
Be assured that you have a special place in our affections and that it would give us great pleasure to have you always by our side as a minister of God in charge of the churches of Christ.
Finally, beloved brother, take strength in God. Persevere manfully in the work to which God'. in His mercy, has called you; for the great reward which God has promised to all those who love Him awaits you. And sinners though we are, we will never cease to implore Him to bring to perfection the generosity He has inspired in you. May blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, assist you in everything which you do in obedience to Him to the best of your desire.
May God keep you safe, most reverend and holy father.
Given on the kalends of April in the 24th year of our pious and august lord Constantine, by God crowned Emperor, in the second year of his consulship, in the eleventh indiction.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.