A letter from Gregory I, pope (601, August )

Translated letter:

Gregory to Barbara and Antonina Having received your letters I am utterly joyful to learn of your health, and I pray that the almighty Lord guards you with his protection from evil spirits in thought and from perverse men and from all adversity and that with the grace of his fear he establishes you in worthy relationships so that he gladdens us all concerning your arrangement. Moreover, sweetest daughters, place your hope in his support and always beneath the shade of his defense, and by praying and acting well deflect the snares of evil men. For whatever human consolations or adversities may be, they are nothing unless his grace protects or his displeasure confounds. Therefore place your hope in no man; draw your whole mind to trust in almighty God. Accordingly while we sleep he protects you; about him it is written: Lo he did not sleep nor will sleep, who guards Israel [Ps. 120:4]. Further, that you say you will rush to the doors of blessed Peter prince of apostles, I long for this very much and await it with ardent desire so that I may see you married in his church with worthy rewards, and so that you will have a little consolation from me and I will gain no small joy from your presence. Moreover, I have been careful to entrust your affairs to a most venerable man my brother John the bishop and Roman defender so that with God as leader they should complete what they began. In addition, I received gladly your gift, the two capes, which you reported to be the fruit of your labor. But nonetheless know that I did not believe what you claimed to me. For you seek praise from another’s work because perhaps you still have never put a hand to the spindle. Nonetheless this matter does not sadden me because I pray that you love to read holy scripture so that as long as almighty God will have united you with husbands you may know both how to live and how you should arrange your household.1

Original letter:

GREGOIUUS BARBARAE ET ANTONINAE. Susceptis epistolis vestris omni modo cognita vestra sospitate laetatus sum atque omnipotentem Dominum deprecor, qui vos et a malignis spiritibus in cogitatione et a perversis hominibus atque ab omni contrarietate sua protectione custodiat sicque vos cum timoris sui gratia dignis coniunctionibus ordinet, ut omnes nos in vestra ordinationo laetificet. Vos autem, dulcissimae filiae, in eius adiutorio spem vestram ponite et sub umbra defensionis illius semper et orando et bene agendo malorum hominum insidias declinate. Quaecumque enim humana solacia vel adversitates fuerint, nullae sunt, nisi aut eius gratia protegat aut eius offensa perturbet. In nullo ergo hominum spem ponatis, totam mentem in fiducia Dei omnipotentis astringite. Nobis ergo dormientibus ille vos proteget, de quo scriptum est: 'Ecce non dormitavit neque dormiet, qui custodit Israel’. Quod autem ad beati Petri apostolorum principis limina festinare vos dicitis, opto nimis et aestuanti desiderio expecto, ut dignis meritis iunctas in eius vos ecclesia videam, quatenus et vos de me solamen aliquantulum et ego de vestri praesentia non parvam laetitiam adquiram. Viro autem reverentissimo fratri meo Iohanni episcopo et Romano defensori causas vestras studui commendare, ut quae coeperunt debeant Deo auctore perficere. Exenium autem vestrum duas racanas, quas de labore vestro esse mandastis, libenter accepi. Sed tamen cognoscite, quia non mihi mandatum credidi. Nam vos de labore alieno laudem quaeritis, quia fortasse adhuc ad fusum manum numquam misistis. Nec tamen me res ista contristat, quia opto, ut sanctam scripturam legere ametis, ut, quamdiu vos omnipotens Deus viris coniunxerit, sciatis, et qualiter vivere et domum vestram quo modo disponere debeatis.

Historical context:

The pope encourages the sisters in their intention to come to Rome, where he will see to their interests, to their marriages, and to the protection of their possessions, which he has put under the care of bishop John. He also thanks them for a gift of capes, though he does not believe they made them as they claimed, hoping they will give their time to studying scripture rather than to handiwork.

Scholarly notes:

1 Ashleigh Imus provided this translation.

Printed source:

Gregorii I Papae Registum Epistolarum, ed. Paulus Ewald and Ludovicus Hartmann (Berlin: Weidmann, 1887-91, repr. 1978), 11.59.

Date:

601, August