A letter from Elfed, abbess of Whitby

Translated letter:

To the holy lady honorable by God, abbess Adolana, a servant of the ecclesiastical family, Elfled, [sends] greetings of eternal safety in the lord. Since we knew your fame for holiness from those coming from your region, relating the well known reports, I confess that love for you seized me in the depths of my being, according to the lord's command: "This is my command, that you love one another" [John 15:12]. That is why we ask as suppliant that you deign to defend us with the almighty lord by your sacred and flaming oracles; indeed our humility will annoy you less in this exchange since the apostle James orders and says: "Pray for each other, that you may be saved" [James: 5:16]. Moreover we commend to your highest holiness and customary piety, strenuously with all diligence, N, the devoted handmaid of God and religious abbess, our dearest and most faithful daughter from the years of her youth — for love of Christ and the honor of the apostles Peter and Paul desiring to go to their holy threshold, but held back by us until now for the needs and service of the souls committed to her — and we pray that she be received by you with the affection of true charity in the bosom of pious mercy with those who accompany her, so that she can finally carry out the journey so long desired and often begun, with God helping and your piety assisting. For which we ask, repeating again and again, that she be directed to the maternal city of Rome on a favorable course with your catalogues and the favor of the holy sign-bearer, Peter prince of apostles; and if she gets to you with God wishing, she find you prepared with whatever she should ask in person, stimulated by the occasion, for the needs of her journey. May divine grace deign to protect your holiness praying for us.

Original letter:

Domine sanctae atque a deo honorabili Adolanae abbatissae Aelffled, ecclesiastice familiae famula, sempiternae sospitatis salutem in domino. Ex quo...me famam vestrae sanctitatis ab adventatibus ex illis partibus, rumore celebri referente, cognovimus, fateor in primis nos vestrum visceraliter iuxta preceptum dominicum ex intimo pectore amorem caepisse, Domino dicente: “Hoc est preceptum meum, ut diligatis invicem.” Quapropter precibus subnixis suppliciter poscimus, ut sacrosanctis flammigerisque oraculis vestris nos apud almipotentem Dominum defendere dignemini; siquidem vobis vicem reddere nostra humilitas minime pigebit, apostolo Iacobo hoc ipsum precipiente ac dicente: “Orate pro invicem, ut salvemini.” Insuper et summae sanctitati vestrae ac solite pietati, N., devotam ancillam Dei ac relegiosam abbatissam, karissimam fidelissimamque filiam nostram ab annis adoliscentiae — pro Christi caritate et pro honore sanctorum apostolorum, Petri videlicet et Pauli, ad ipsorum sancta limina ire cupientem, sed a nobis pro necessitate atque utilitate animarum sibi commissarum actenus detentam — obnixe omni cum diligentia commendamus, et precamur, quatenus cum affectu verae caritatis in sinum clementiae piae a vobis suscipiatur cum his, qui secum comitantur, ut diu desideratum ac sepe coeptum iter, Deo auxiliante, adnitente etiam vestra pietate, tandem aliquando perficere possit. Quam ob rem iterum iterumque repetendo petimus, ut cum vestris indiculis missisque ad almissimam urbem Romam prospero cursu, suffragante sancto ac signifero apostolorum principe Petro, dirigetur; et, si quando presens Deo volente adfuerit, quicquid viva voce, qualibet occasione stimulante, pro sui iteneris necessitate suggesserit, paratum apud vos invenerit. Orantem pro nobis sanctitatem vestram divina gratia tuere dignetur.

Historical context:

Elfled declares her love for Adolana based on her reputation for holiness, prays for her intervention with God by her prophetic powers, and asks her to receive another abbess who is about to make a pilgrimage to Rome, and supply her and her companions with travel information. The letter suggests a network of abbesses in touch by letter and visit from England to Rome.

Printed source:

MGH, Epistolae Merovingici et Karolini Aevi, 6, S.Bonifacii et Lulli Epistolae, ep.8

Date:

before 713