Letter 5
Festal.
The God who made us brought care and sorrow in after our sin. But he has furnished us with divine occasions of consolation by appointing sacred feasts. The thoughts these feasts stir up call to mind God's past gifts and hold out the promise of a complete freedom from all our troubles yet to come. Filled with the good things of this feast, and our hearts warmed by its joy, we greet your Magnificence and pay the debt of friendship that the festive season requires.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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