A letter from Gregory IX (05/05/1238)

Translated letter:

To his beloved daughters the abbess and convent of the enclosed handmaids of Christ of the monastery of St. Francis of Prague or the order of St. Damian, greetings and apostolic blessing. Weighing with pious meditation, that the son of the eternal father, incarnate from the womb of the glorious virgin Mary for the salvation of human kind, disposing all things with kindness offered different remedies to the universality of his faithful, for which it is delighted to persist in his praises; we wish willingly to be held solicitous for that through which, with God helping, the fervor of devotion in you for the observation of divine law, and the grace of perseverance can be increased. Since, therefore, because of the cold disposition of the country in which you live under the discipline of regular observance established to the glory of the redeemer, it happens that you can not sustain the rigor of the Rule granted you in all things, as you desire, we have provided from eternal kindness, to temper this kind of austerity with the zeal of salutary moderation. So we grant you, with the authority of the presents that if there is no obstacle you ought to fast at all times according to the same rule in Lenten food, you may on Sundays and Thursdays eat twice, and feed on dairy products. On Easter and the solemn days of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and also the Apostles, or on the feast of the Nativity of the lord, also at a time of manifest necessity, like illness, none of your [sisters] is bound to fast. And if perhaps some one of you should be ill, the abbess or whatever major sister may have power with her of dispensing from fast and food. Moreover on those days in greater and lesser Lent [Lent and Advent] on which according to the Rule you are bound to fast on bread and water, we want you to have sustenance in all as on other days of Lent. Also, we bestow on you license to have two tunics, scapulary [shoulder covering], and cloak with fur, and shoes, and to use mattresses filled with hay and straw, and pillows. It is permitted to no one to violate this page of our decree in any way, or to oppose it by rash boldness. If any should presume to attempt this, he should know that he will incur the indignation of almighty God and the blessed apostles, Peter and Paul. Dated at the Lateran, 3rd nones of May in the 12th year of our pontificate.

Original letter:

Dilectis filiabus Abbatissae, & Conventui inclusarum Ancillarum Christi Monasterii Sancti Francisci Pragensis Ordinis S.Damiani Salutem, & Apostolicam Benedictionem. Pia meditatione pensantes, quod Patris aeterni filius de utero gloriosae Virginis Mariae pro salute humani generis incarnatus, cuncta cum fauvitate disponens suorum universitati Fidelium remedia diversa protulit, per quae in ipsius laudibus per vota persistere delectetur; libenter ad id volumus haberi solliciti, per quae, Deo juvante, circa Divinae legis observantiam in vobis devotionis fervor, & persevrantiae gratia valeant adaugeri. Cum, igitur ex frigida dispositione patriae, in qua estis sub disciplina regularis observantiae ad Redemptoris gloriam constitutae proveniat, quod rigorem concessae vobis Regulae non possitis in omnibus, ut cupitis, sustinere; de aeterna benignitate providendum duximus, ut austeritatem hujusmodi salutaris moderantiae studio temperemus. Vobis itaque praesentium auctoritate concedimus, ut non obstante, quod omni tempore secundum eamdem Regulam in cibo quadragesimali jejunare debetis, diebus Dominicis, & quinta feria bis commedere, & lacticiniis refici valeatis. In omni vero Pascha, & solemnitatibus Beatae Mariae Virginis, ac etiam Apostolorum, sive in festo Nativitatis Domini, nec non tempore manifestae necessitatis, utpote infirmitatis, nulla, vestrum ad jejunium teneatur. Et si forte aliqua ex vobis infirma fuerit, li- Abbatissa, vel Soror major nihilominus cum ipsa. de jejunio, & cibo dispensandi habeat potestatem. Praeterea volumus, quod diebus illis, quibus in Quadragesima majori , & minori, secundum Regulam in pane, & aqua tenemini jejunare, refectionem in omnibus, sicut aliis diebus quadragesimalibus habeatis. Ceterum habendi duas tunicas, Scapularia, & Mantellum cum pellibus, & Subulares, & utendi fisconibus plenis foeno, vel palea, nec non cervicalibus vobis licentiam, impertimur. Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostrae concessionis infringere, vel ei ausu temerario contraire. Si quis autem hoc attentare praesumpserit, indignationem, Omnipotentis Dei, & Beatorum Petri, & Pauli Apostolorum ejus se noverit incursurum. Datum Laterani III. Nonas Maii Pontificatus Nostri Anno Duodecimo.

Historical context:

The pope sends a change in the regulations for fasting, which Agnes felt did not conform to Francis's directives. She wrote to Clare for clarification, see Clare's third response to Agnes (Epistolae, 569.html.

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), 240-41 ep.262.

Date:

05/05/1238