Letter 6050: Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks. The tenor of your letters, which evinces a religious spirit and the earnestness of a pious mind, causes us not only to commend the purpose of your request, but also to grant willingly what you demand. For indeed it would ill become us to refuse what Christian devotion and the desire of an upright heart...
Pope Gregory the Great→Brunichild|c. 595 AD|gregory great
barbarian invasionillnesswomen
Barbarian peoples/invasions; Military conflict; Miracles & relics
Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
The tenor of your letters, which reflects a devout spirit and the earnestness of a pious mind, moves us not only to commend the intention behind your request but also to grant willingly what you ask. For it would ill become us to refuse what Christian devotion and an upright heart solicits — especially when we know that what you ask and embrace with your whole heart is something that both protects the faith of believers and works no less the salvation of souls.
Accordingly, we send your Excellency our due and proper greetings, and inform you that to Leuparic, the bearer of these presents — through whom we received your communication, and whom you described as a priest — we have delivered with all due reverence, in accordance with your Excellency's request, certain relics of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul. But so that this praiseworthy and devout dedication may become ever more evident among your people, you must ensure that these sacred gifts are deposited with reverence and proper honor, and that those who serve in attendance on them are burdened with no troubles or hardships. For if under the pressure of outward need they are rendered unprofitable and slack in the service of God, the sacred gifts that have been bestowed may — God forbid — be left neglected and ill-used. Let your Excellency therefore see to their security and comfort, so that, protected by your generosity from all distress, they may render praise to our God with undisturbed hearts; and so that an eternal reward may come to you as well.
Book VI, Letter 50
To Queen Brunichild.
Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
The tenor of your letters, which evinces a religious spirit and the earnestness of a pious mind, causes us not only to commend the purpose of your request, but also to grant willingly what you demand. For indeed it would ill become us to refuse what Christian devotion and the desire of an upright heart solicits, especially as we know that you demand, and embrace with your whole heart, what may both protect the faith of believers, and work no less the salvation of souls. Accordingly, greeting your Excellency with befitting honour, we inform you that to Leuparic, the bearer of these presents, through whom we received your communication, and whom you described as a presbyter, we have handed over, according to your Excellency's request, with the reverence due to them, certain relics of the blessed apostles Peter and Paul. But, that laudable and religious devotion may be more and more conspicuous among you, you must see that these benefits of the saints be deposited with reverence and due honour, and that those who serve in attendance on them be vexed with no burdens or molestations, lest perchance, under the pressure of outward necessity, they be rendered unprofitable and slow in the service of God, and (which God forbid) the benefits of the saints that have been bestowed sustain injury and neglect. Let, then, your Excellency see to their quiet, to the end that, while they are guarded by your bounty from all disquietude, they may render praises to our God with minds undisturbed, and that reward may also accrue to you in the life eternal.
About this page
Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360206050.htm>.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.
◆
Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks.
The tenor of your letters, which reflects a devout spirit and the earnestness of a pious mind, moves us not only to commend the intention behind your request but also to grant willingly what you ask. For it would ill become us to refuse what Christian devotion and an upright heart solicits — especially when we know that what you ask and embrace with your whole heart is something that both protects the faith of believers and works no less the salvation of souls.
Accordingly, we send your Excellency our due and proper greetings, and inform you that to Leuparic, the bearer of these presents — through whom we received your communication, and whom you described as a priest — we have delivered with all due reverence, in accordance with your Excellency's request, certain relics of the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul. But so that this praiseworthy and devout dedication may become ever more evident among your people, you must ensure that these sacred gifts are deposited with reverence and proper honor, and that those who serve in attendance on them are burdened with no troubles or hardships. For if under the pressure of outward need they are rendered unprofitable and slack in the service of God, the sacred gifts that have been bestowed may — God forbid — be left neglected and ill-used. Let your Excellency therefore see to their security and comfort, so that, protected by your generosity from all distress, they may render praise to our God with undisturbed hearts; and so that an eternal reward may come to you as well.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.