A letter from John VIII, pope (877, February 10)

Translated letter:

Bishop John to Empress Richild Much time has already passed that we desired to send messengers of the apostolic see as much to the aspired mercy of our august [imperial] spiritual son as to yours, that we might be made happier by the protection of both, bringing back to memory the oppressions and calamities visited on us, that is your holy mother the Roman church, which it suffers without cease from pagans and evil Christians, and would deserve to receive sometime consolation and desired help from that same emperor, as we hoped. But with the entries to all the roads blockaded by evil men, sorrow compelled us more to shed tears than the place allows to send our messengers to you, since on one side, as we said, Christians, on the other pagans so cruelly persecute us that they have consumed everything far and wide and reduced [us] directly to solitude with only small fish left in the city. From which we had expected to be relieved so much by the emperor and we were exceedingly ready to obtain some recovery or redress, but lo for our sins, busy with other affairs, he has so far put off giving us that help. And since we can not go on, we pray your glory multiply that in our place you swiftly take on a virile breast in the female sex and for love of the holy apostles Peter and Paul, whose territory is so devastated that it would be better to weep than to speak, you press our most pious emperor so long until he offers help against the pagans and dares to restrain the Christians. Since we took care to adorn him with the diadem long wished for and desired from us, so that the recovery and security of the holy Roman church whose loss we grieve for, through his pious zeal which he always enjoyed, would return. For which, dearest daughter, we adjure you through God, press him opportunely and importunely(1) that before another danger, God forbid, strikes that Romulean city, he show his hand in its defense and bring this land, which is the head of his empire, back to freedom, lest people say: Where is its emperor?(2) As long as hope of escaping and living remains and before winter or spring passes, troops are prepared of that army against the pagans of Rome; otherwise we shall either perish altogether or, compelled to redeem only our life, we are subjected to those who dominate us. Dated 4 Ides of February, 10th Indiction.

Original letter:

Joannes Episcopus Richildi Auguste Multo peracto iam tempore tam ad spiritualis filii nostri augusti quam ad vestram invisendam clementiam missos apostolice sedis destinare desideravimus, quatenus et de utriusque sospitate letiores officeremur, et nobis commisse, sancte scilicet matris vestre, Romane ecclesie calamitates atque oppressiones, quas a paganis et ab iniquis Christianis sine cessatione patitur, ad memoriam reducentes ab eodem augusto consolationem et optatam opem, sicut sperabamus, tandem aliquando consequi mereremur. Sed omnium viarum aditibus a malis obsessis hominibus plus nos compulit dolor lacrimas fundere, quam locus pateret ad vos nostros missos dirigere, quia ex uno, sicut diximus, Christiani, ex alio pagani ita nos crudeliter persecuntur, ut solis menibus Urbis relictis omnia in circuitu longe lateque consumpta habeant et in solitudinem prorsus redacta. A quibus per tantum imperatorem relevari iam credebamus et recuperationem aliquam vel medelam adipisci summopere prestolabamur, sed ecce pro peccatis nostris aliis negotiis implicatus nobis hactenus distulit ferre presidium. Et quia iam sustinere non possumus, gloriam vestram multipliciter deprecamur, ut vice nostra frete sumatis in femineo sexu virile pectus et pro amore sanctorum apostolorum Petri et Pauli, quorum ita est devastatum terminium, ut magis libeat flere quam dicere, tamdiu apud piissimum imperatorem nostrum insistatis, quousque et contra paganos opem prebeat et Christianos compescere audeat. Quoniam ideo illum tanto diademate ab olim quidem a nobis expetitum ac preelectum decorare curavimus, ut sancte Romane ecclesie recuperatio et securitas, quam ademptam dolebamus, per pium studium eius, quo semper fruebatur, rediret. Quapropter, karissima filia, per Deum vos adiuramus, oportune importune insistite,(1) ut, antequam in ipsa urbe Romulea aliud periculum, quod Deus avertat, proveniat, manum sue defensionis exhibeat et hanc terram, que sui imperii caput est, ad libertatem reducat, ne quando dicant gentes: Ubi est imperator illius?(2) Quatenus et nobis spes evadendi vivendique remaneat, et, priusquam hiemps vel ver transeat, contra eosdem paganos Rome sint illius exercitus preparata subsidia; alioquin aut omnino peribimus, aut coacti, ut solam vitam redimere valeamus, eis, qui nobis dominantur, quomodocumque subiciemur. Data IIII. Idus Februarii, Indictione X.

Historical context:

The pope describes a desperate situation with the city under siege and the expected help from the emperor not forthcoming. He begs the empress to press the emperor to send an army to rescue them.

Scholarly notes:

(1)This phrase or some variation thereof from Paul’s letter to Timothy about preaching the Word, “insta opportune, importune” (2Tim.4:2), recurs frequently in letters from early popes to royal consorts, urging them to persuade their husband to do the right thing according to the church’s lights. (2)Editor’s note compares this question to Ps.113:2: Ne quando dicant gentes: Ubi est Deus eorum? Lest when people ask where is their God?

Printed source:

HGF 7.474-75; MGH, Ep. Kar. Aevi, 5.32-33, Johannis VIII, Papae, Epistolae, ep.33.

Date:

877, February 10