A letter from Gregory IX (08/30/1234)

Translated letter:

To his dearest daughter in Christ, Agnes, sister of his dearest son in Christ, the king of Bohemia, greetings and apostolic benediction. We are delighted in the sincere fervor of your spirit, sensing the fragrance of your recent devotion with joy, in this, as in the odor of a field in full bloom, which God blessed, expecting in Agnes another charity that many waters could not extinguish; for which we give praise and thanks to the bestower of all goods, who mercifully inspired this affection in you; that you would await his sudden coming to the wise maidens secure with light.(1) For Agnes has imitated the most blessed Agnes; though delicate and young, you have permitted yourself to be in no way deceived by the flatteries of the world, nor seduced by temporal power or glory, but holding the favors of the world and the affluence of worldly things as nothing, you compelled flesh to serve the spirit, so having denied all transitory things, you chose the heavenly spouse in the religion/order of the poor enclosed nuns in purity of heart and service of body, dedicating yourself to him by solemn vow and desiring to become from a queen the handmaid of one who humiliating the height of divinity and taking the form of a slave exalts the humble in salvation. Whence our dearest son in Christ, the illustrious king of Bohemia your brother, piously considering that you were strengthened by the high virtue of the spirit and kindled with the ardor of charity and divinely inspired by your purpose, restrained by the affection of brotherly love and concurring with gracious kindness, granted to the church of Rome a foundation to construct a monastery with a hospital at Prague in honor of St. Francis, in which you have determined to be enclosed with the other sisters; and he and our venerable brother the diocesan bishop of Prague [John II], with the consent of his chapter gave each place full freedom for the contemplation of piety; as is contained fully in their letters to us. Since therefore the affection of a devout mind should be embraced and the new planting of holy religion more readily nourished with the care of human sollicitude, that it might bring forth rich flowers and honorable fruits, we, inclined to the prayers of the king, bishop and the chapter, take said monastery and hospital in its right and possession under the care of the apostolic see, and communicate that by the protection of the present writing, confirming the freedoms and immunities granted them by the king, bishop and chapter and said apostolic authority; and prohibiting no less strictly that any archbishop, bishop or whatever other prelate dare to promulgate a sentence of excommunication, suspension, or interdict against said monastery and hospital or the persons living there; which if proffered despite our prohibition we declare not to bind. We have established moreover, that according to the custom of the Roman church the divine office will be celebrated there, except the psaltery which you can say according to Gallic custom. To no man is it permitted to violate this page of our protection, confirmation, and decree etc. If anyone, etc. Dated at Spoleto, 3rd kalends of September, in the 8th year of our pontificate.

Original letter:

Carissime in Christo Filiae Agneti Sorori carissimi in Christo Filii illustris Regis Bohemiae Salutem, & Apostolicam Benedictionem. Sincerum animi tui fervorem, tuaeque devotionis flagrantiam nuper cum gaudio sentientes in hoc sumus, velut in odore agri pleni, cui benedixit Dominus, delectati, attendentes in Agnete alterum charitatem, quam, aquae multae extinguere nequiverunt; super quo in laudes, & gratias assurgimus bonorum omnium largitori, qui tibi hunc affectum misericorditer inspiravit; ut prudentibus juncta puellis improvisum ejus adventum secura cum lumine praestoleris. Agnes enim Agnetem beatissimam imitata, te nullatenus quamvis delicta, & juvenis permisisti seculi decipi blandimentis, aut potentia, vel gloria temporali seduci, sed pro nihilo ducens Mundi favores, & rerum affluentiam terrenarum, carnem coegisti spiritui deservire, ut abdicatis transitoriis universis, coelesti Sponso in Religione pauperam Monialum inclusarum elegeris in munditia cordis, & corporis famulari Illi voto solemni te dedicans, & Ejus ancilla fieri cupiens ex Regina, qui celsitudinem Divinitatis humilians, & formam servi suscipiens exaltat humiles in salutem. Unde carissimus in Christo Filius noster illustris Rex Bohemiae Germanus tuus pie considerans, te ex alto virtute Spiritus roboratam, & charitatis ardore in Christo succensam, tuoque proposito divinitus inspirato, cohibitis germanae dilectionis affectibus, grata benignitate concurrens, fundum ad construendum Monasterium cum Hospitali apud Pragam in honorem Beati Francisci, in quo te cum aliis Sororibus claudere statuisti, Ecclesiae Romanae concessit; & ipse, ac Venerabilis Frater noster Pragensis Episcopus Loci Dioecesanus de consensu capituli sui utrumque locum pietatis intuitu plenae libertati donarunt; sicut in eorum litteris ad Nos transmissis plenius continetur. Quia igitur devotae mentis, & affectio amplectenda, & circa sacrae Religionis novella plantaria humanae sollicitudinis cura debet propensior adhiberi, ut uberes flores, & fructus proferant honestatis: Nos eorumdem Regis, Episcopi, & Capituli precibus inclinati praefatum Monasterium, & Hospitale in jus, & proprietatem, ac tutelam, Apostolicae Sedis suscipimus, & praesentis Scripti patrocinio communimus; libertates, & immunitates concessas eis a Rege, Episcopo, & Capitulo supradictis auctoritate Apostolica confirmantes; & districtius nihilominus inhibentes, ne quis Archiepiscopus, Episcopus, vel quilibet, alius Praelatus in dictum Monasterium, & Hospitale, vel personas existentes ibidem excommunicationis, suspensionis, & interdicti audeat sententiam promulgare; quam contra prohibitionem nostram prolatam decernimus non tenere. Statuimus insuper, uta juxta morem Eccleisae Romanae ibi Divinum Officium celebretur excepto Psalterio, quod secundum consuetudinem possitis dicere Gallicanam. Nulli ergo omnio hominum liceat hanc paginam nostrae protectionis, confirmationis, & constitutionis infringere &c. Si quis autem &c. Datum Spoleti III.Kal.Septembris Pontificatus Nostri Anno Octavo.

Historical context:

Two months after she had entered the monastery, the pope praises Agnes for having chosen the life of a poor Clare over marriage to a powerful ruler. The monastery and hospital referred to were built by Agnes, but her brother finally supported her choice of life.

Scholarly notes:

(1) The wise and foolish maidens who await the coming of the holy bridegroom with their lamps, five with oil, five without, is based on an analogy at the beginning of Matthew 25, which developed into a rich medieval tradition.

Printed source:

Bullarium Franciscanum Romanorum Pontificum, ed. J. H. Sbaralea, 1 (Rome: Sacrae Congregationis de Propaganda Fide, 1759, repr. Santa Maria degli Angeli: Proziuncola, 1983), 134-35, ep.138.

Date:

08/30/1234