Sender
Innocent II, pope
Receiver
Richinza of Nordheim and Brunswick
Translated letter:
To queen Richinza.
We have heard, dearest daughter in the Lord, that you truly shine with Christian sanctity, that you love churches, that you nourish the servants of God everywhere with pious solaces: you are surely not to be exalted by lesser public officials, since the direction of the whole kingdom is said to hang on your moderation most powerfully in the judgment of justice. Which things we have heard about your blessedness, most illustrious daughter and we believe it without hesitation; and these and other things reported to us about you make us happy and we pray almighty God with assiduous prayers that he make you bring the pious works of holiness to a pious and better end to the merits of the apostles Peter and Paul. And we urge your noble prudence, and we admonish in the Lord, that among the cares of the kingdom and sollicitude for earthly matters and the glories of the world you have your heart always in the Lord and consider that at some time you will die; that you not strive for praises of the world from pious works, lest while it is appealing to please men externally, you can displease the eyes of God internally.
Exhort your dearest husband our son Lothar the most Christian king with assiduous suggestions that he so preside over the earthly kingdom with human power, that he always cautiously and diligently attend to him who is above us, through whom kings rule and princes decern just matters, who transfers kingdoms as he will, who makes kings inglorious and girds their loins with death. And though we are certain he embraces the Roman church with full arms, we desire through your industry to spread further his love and affection towards the apostolic see and us who have loved it for a long time. Furthermore, we love his person with well-disposed charity and desire to preserve his honor, God granting, and to increase it diligently and effectively.
Since, required by my sins to undergo the direction of the church, to bear the weight of the apostolate in the bitterness of my soul, I need the comforts of holy men, to make God propitious to me always by the effect of their prayers, and increase his grace in all occasions everywhere. And therefore we pray you especially that you pray God very obstinately for us and relieve us very frequently with your help and pious counsels. May almighty God increase your life and years in good works by the merits of his apostles Peter and Paul, and after the course of this life extend eternal life to you.
Dated at Rome at St. Peters in the [Ides] of May.
Original letter:
Ad Richinzam reginam.
Auditum habemus, charissima in Domino filia, quod vere Christiana sanctitate refulgeas, quod ecclesias diligas, quod servos Dei piis ubique solatiis foveas: nec minoribus es profecto praconiis attollenda, quod totius regni regimen censura justitiae de tua potissimum dicitur moderatione pendere. Quae de beatitudine tua, illustrissima filia, audivimus incunctanter et credimus; et haec et alia plura de te nobis bona saepius nuntiata laetificant, et omnipotentem Deum assiduis precibus exoramus, ut, incoepta sanctitatis opera, apostolorum Petri et Pauli meritis, pio et meliori te faciat fine concludere. Hortamur itaque nobilem prudentiam tuam, et in Domino commonemus, ut inter regni curas, et saecularium negotiorum sollicitudines, et saeculi glorias cor tuum semper ad Dominum habeas, et te quanndoque cogites morituram: non de piis operibus mundi laudes affectes, ne dum hominibus foris placere delectat, Dei intus oculis possis displicere. Virum tuum charissimum filium nostrum Lotharium Christianissimum regem sedulis suggestionibus adhortare, ut sic terreno regno humana potesltate praesideat quatenus ipsum qui supra nos est, per quem reges regnant,et principes justa decernunt (Prov. viii) qui transfert regna cum vult, qui facit reges inglorios, et accingit fune renes eorum, caute semper et diligenter attendat. Et licet ipse Romanam Ecclesiam ut certum habemus, pienis brachiis amplexetur, dilectionem tamen ejus et affectum circa sedem apostolicam, et nos, qui eam ex longo tempore dileximus, per tuam potius optamus industriam propagari. Porro nos personam ejus propensiori charitate diligimus, et honorem suum, largiente Domino, cupiamus conservare, et diligenitus et efficaciter ampliare. Quia igitur peccatis meis exigentibus Ecclesiae regimen sum subire coactus, apostolatus onus cogor in amaritudine animae meae portare, sanctorum virorum solatiis egeo, ut orationum suarum instania mihi semper Deum propitium faciant, et gratiam ejus in omnibus ubique opportunitatibus augeant. Et ideo te plurimum deprecamur, ut et Deum debeas pro nobis obnixius exorare, et auxiliis et piis consiliis tuis nos crebrius allevare. Vitam et annos tuos omnnipotens Dominus apostolorum suorum Petri et Pauli meritis in bonis operibus augeat, et post vitae hujus cursum vitam tibi largiatur aeternam.
Datum Romae apud S. Petrum in diebus [Idibus] Maii.
Historical context:
In the first year of his papacy, the pope writes a conventional letter to the queen (not yet empress), praising the good he has heard about her, urging her to pursue a good life, to exhort the king to do the same, and to pray for him with his new burdens.
Printed source:
PL179, c.707-08, ep.19.
Date:
1130, May 15.
