Letter 50041: I cannot tell you how much your letter cheered me, dearest brother.

Augustine to Aurelius, greetings. I cannot tell you how much your letter cheered me, dearest brother. The warmth of your words, the steadiness of your faith, and the evident seriousness with which you are tackling the duties of your office — all of this gives me deep encouragement. But I must raise with you a matter that has been pressing on my mind. The feasting and drinking that take place at the memorials of the martyrs have become a scandal. I know the practice has deep roots and that many good people see nothing wrong with it. But you and I both know what actually happens: what begins as a pious commemoration of the dead descends into drunkenness and revelry that would embarrass a pagan. The very martyrs whose memory we claim to honor would be appalled at the spectacle. The pagans used to feast at the tombs of their dead, and when our people took over those customs, they merely Christianized the surface while keeping the substance. We owe the martyrs better than this. They gave their blood for Christ — and we honor them by getting drunk at their graves? I know this will not be easy to change. Habits defended by the word "tradition" are the hardest of all to uproot. But you are bishop of Carthage now — the primate of Africa — and if you lead, others will follow. Preach against it. Legislate against it. And when the pushback comes (as it will), stand firm. The people may grumble at first, but they will thank you later — or if not them, then God, who sees what we do and why. I stand with you in this, and I will do the same in Hippo. Let us clean the Lord's house together. Farewell, dearest brother. [Context: The practice of feasting at martyrs' tombs — the refrigeria — was deeply embedded in North African Christianity. Ambrose of Milan had already suppressed the practice in his city, and Augustine had witnessed the reform firsthand when he lived there. Now, as bishop of Hippo, Augustine pushed for the same reform in Africa, with the support of Aurelius, Bishop of Carthage and primate of the African church. The campaign was partially successful but met significant popular resistance.]

Letter 41 (A.D. 397) Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... To Father Aurelius, Our Lord Most Blessed and Worthy of Veneration, Our Brother Most Sincerely Beloved, and Our Partner in the Sacerdotal Office, Alypius and Augustine Send Greeting in the Lord. 1. Our mouth is filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing, by your letter informing us that, by the help of that God whose inspiration guided you, you have carried into effect your pious purpose concerning all our brethren in orders, and especially concerning the regular delivering of a sermon to the people in your presence by the presbyters, through whose tongues thus engaged your love sounds louder in the hearts than their voice does in the ears of men. Thanks be unto God! Is there anything better for us to have in our heart, or utter with our lips, or record with our pen, than this? Thanks be unto God! No other phrase is more easily spoken, and nothing more pleasant in sound, profound in significance, and profitable in practice, than this. Thanks be unto God, who has endowed you with a heart so true to the interests of your sons, and who has brought to light what you had latent in the inner soul, beyond the reach of human eye, giving you not only the will to do good, but the means of realizing your desires. So be it, certainly so be it! let these works shine before men, that they may see them, and rejoice and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 In such things delight yourself in the Lord; and may your prayers for these presbyters be graciously heard on their behalf by Him whose voice you do not consider it beneath you to hear when He speaks by them! May they go on, and walk, yea, run in the way of the Lord! May the small and the great be blessed together, being made glad by those who say unto them, Let us go into the house of the Lord! Let the stronger lead; let the weaker imitate their example, being followers of them, as they are of Christ. May we all be as ants pursuing eagerly the path of holy industry, as bees labouring amidst the fragrance of holy duty; and may fruit be brought forth in patience by the saving grace of steadfastness unto the end! May the Lord not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able, but with the temptation may He make a way to escape, that we may be able to bear it! James 1:13 2. Pray for us: we value your prayers as worthy to be heard, since you go to God with so great an offering of unfeigned love, and of praise brought to Him by your works. Pray that in us also these works may shine, for He to whom you pray knows with what fullness of joy we behold them shining in you. Such are our desires; such are the abounding comforts which in the multitude of our thoughts within us delight our souls. It is so now because such is the promise of God; and as He has promised, so shall it be in the time to come. We beseech you, by Him who has blessed you, and has by you bestowed this blessing on the people whom you serve, to order any of the presbyters' sermons which you please to be transcribed, and after revisal sent to us. For I on my part am not neglecting what you required of me; and as I have written often before, I am still longing to know what you think of Tychonius' seven Rules or Keys. We warmly commend to you our brother Hilarinus, leading physician and magistrate of Hippo. As to our brother Romanus, we know how actively you are exerting yourself on his behalf, and that we need ask nothing but that God may prosper your endeavours.