Letter 13

From: Sigismund, King of Burgundy To: Pope Symmachus (letter composed by Avitus) Date: ~512 AD Context: This famous letter was composed by Avitus of Vienne in the name of the newly Catholic Sigismund — it presents the Burgundian king as a Roman ally and requests recognition from Rome. Sigismund, king, to the most holy Pope Symmachus. My conversion from the Arian faith that was my inheritance has now been public for several years, and I want to address to you directly what my faith means in the context of my kingdom and my reign. I govern a kingdom of Burgundian Arians and Roman Catholics. The Catholics have always maintained communion with Rome; the Arians have maintained their separate tradition. My own conversion does not change the composition of my kingdom, and I am not proposing to change it by force. But I want to be clear about where I stand: I stand with the Catholic tradition, with Rome, with the bishops who maintain the faith that I now hold. I am asking, through this letter, for the same recognition that the bishop of Rome has extended to other kings who have entered into the community of Catholic faith — the formal acknowledgment that the Burgundian king is a son of the church and a protector of the Catholic communities within his territory. I hold your office in the highest reverence. Sigismund, king of the Burgundians

**6^Nov Synimachi papae ad epieospos Oalliae. Cofiprnnit diviaioT^em provinciae inter Viennenaem et Arelatensem ecclesias a \ Leone papa constitutam. Dilectissimis fratribus universis episcopis per Gallias consistentibus Symmachus^). 1. Sedis apostolicae nos^) instituta praedicanda sollieitant, ut de concordia universalis Ecclesiae, quae toto orbe diflFusa est, per- vigili cura tractemus : quae tunc praecipue efficacius adolescit, si ea quae a patribus statuta sunt, aetas subsequens reverenter observet Caesarius siquidem frater et coepiscopus noster, metropolitanae Are- latensis civitatis sacerdos, ecclesiae beati apostoli Petri liminibus praesentatus , ea quae pridem de privilegiis ecclesiarum coustituta sunt, nostris postulavit innovari sermonibus. Cuncta igitur inter ecclesias Arelatensem et Viennensem a decessore nostro beatae re- cordationis Leone papa quae super hac parte ordinata sunt, eccle- siae Romanac fidelis declarat iustructio. Atque ideo ne ea, quae semper veritatis est aemula, sibi aliquid vindicare queat oblivio, ei Gallias constiiutis subjicitur hoc oxordiuni: Cnnctas inter ecclesias GmQianm <A praecipuas Viennensem et Arelatensem cxstitit controversia, Quae vero a pn sore nostro beatae recordationis etc, et deinceps ad baec n. 2 verba transcendi, quibus addito Valete fragmeutum clauditur. Hinc confirmatQr qnod alibi observavimus, plerasqui; epistolas, quae in illa Bibliotheca veterum poiiiti< ticum nominibus iusigniuntur, ut pUirimum veranmi cpistolarum quaedam dm- taxat frajifmenta esse non siucera. EPISTOLAB 13 — 15. 723 prioris decreti yigor temporis diutumitate vergatur^) in senium, ne-a. 613. cessarium duximus olim promulgatis lucem reddere nostris affatibus. 2. Idcirco quemadmodum decessor noster Leo papa dudum cogni- tis allegationibus partium definivit, parochiarum numerum vel quan- titatem Arelatensi et Viennensi sacerdotibus deputandum*), et nos praeciprmus nullius usurpatione transcendi : sed ut ante praediximus, juxta indulgentiam supradicti pontificis Yalentiam, Tarantasiam, Genevam atque Gratianopolim oppida Viennensis antistes juri suo vindicet; nec quidquam amplius ab bis, quae semel ab apostolica sibi sede concessa sunt, aestimet praesumendum. Alias vero paro- chias vel dioeceses cunctas privilegio et honori^) suo Arelatensis episcopus sub temporum continuatione defendat. Hac^) enim ob- servatione et vetustatis reverentia custoditur, et amplius de humili- tate gloria sacerdotalis attollitur. 3. ProindC; fratres carissimi, singuli honoris sui sint distribu- tione contenti, nec per saecularia patrocinia nec per cujuslibet excusationis obtentum illicita praesumptione terminos concessae potestatis excedant. Studere siquidem imusquisque debet^), ut de devotionis officio magis gratiam, quam de ambitione Domini nostri offensam et humanam in se lacessat invidiam. Tacere nos ista com- missae dispensationis jura minime patiuntur: ut et de his, qui eccle- siasticis regulis obsecundant, perseverantibus in concordia sedis apostolicae gratulemur, et illi, qui catholicis disciplinis obtemperare destiterint, ab Ecclesiae gratia et caritate se alienos ostendant. Deus vos incolumes custodiat, fratres carissimi! Data VIII®) Idus No- vembris, Probo viro clarissimo consule.