Letter 3018: With God's favor, we celebrated with you — with you, I say, not in place but in spirit — the paschal feast, your...

From: Avitus, bishop of Vienne To: Prince Sigismund Date: ~511 AD Context: An Easter letter expressing longing for Sigismund's presence and navigating the delicate relationship between the churches of Vienne and Lyon. Bishop Avitus to the lord Sigismund. With God's favor, we celebrated with you — with you, I say, not in place but in spirit — the paschal feast, your poor flock of Vienne. If you ask how: painfully, because we were separated; but well, because we are close neighbors. And yet what could have been more easily present made the absence more bitter to bear. Still, when I lament this, do not think I am at odds with your will. We have long believed, and holily so, that it is affection that holds you there, not contempt that excludes us here. You love your one church in both cities equally, but to your devoted father, as far as is fitting, until we can follow you wherever you go, grant us the patience of those who wait in hope.

Avitus episcopus domno Sigismundo. Celebravimus vobiscum divinitate propitia. vobiscum, inquam, non loco sed animo, pauperculi Viennenses vestri paschale festivum. Si autem interrogetis et qualiter: quia divisi, aegre; prospere, quia vicini. Quamquam quod adesse facilius potuerat, plus taedeat defuisse. Nec tamen, cum ista deflemus, discrepare nos a vestra volun- tate ducatis; iam dudum ab illo, sancte credimus, affectus illic cohibet, non hinc de- spectus excludit. Vnam in utraque civitate vestram ecclesiam perinde diligitis, sed pio patri, in quantum expedit, donec vos ad quamlibet sequi consentiat, adhaeretis. Vnde sicut iussum est, primum deo de sollemnitate, tum, quod debetur, solvimus Cae- sari. Vos de laetitia vestra et incolumitate sollicitis licet Caesares sitis, quod domnis exigimus, reddite pietati. Sigismundus rex domno imperatori. Si devotionem nostram, qua vobis animo militamus, etiam corporaliter praesentari obex temporum regionumque non patitur, quid tamen haberemus in votis, exerere temptamus officiis. Credimus enim totiens coram sacris gloriae vestrae obtutibus intro- mitti, quotiens sollicitudinis debitum studio paginae famulantis offerimus. Nam licet mundum latere nequeat vestra prosperitas et orbem suum radiis perspicuae claritatis illustret, dulce tamen est, si hi, quos militiae fascibus et peculiaris gratiae pietate sustollitis, quos in extimis terrarum partibus aulae pollentis contubernio et veneranda Romani nominis participatione ditatis, specialiter gaudia vestrae perennitatis agnoscant, quae generaliter cunctis fama concelebrat. Ornat quippe imperii vestri amplitudinem longinquitas subiectorum et diffusionem reipublicae vestrae adserit, quod remotius possi- demur. Vnde suscipite propitii cum obsequio portitorem. Et quamquam universis expetentibus ad honoris apicem sufficiat, si vos merentur adspicere, et nos tamen in- sinuent, quos praesumimus commendare. Quorum etiam carorum familiariumque per- sonas hoc intercurrendi commercio nobis quoque profore iudicantes, desiderii prosi- liente compendio in his, quos destinamus, occurrimus illud super omnia deprecantes, ut, quia dignatio celsitudinis vestrae oblivisci non potest beneficia sua, pro gratiarum actione, qua fungimur, quamprimum serenissimi oris responsa mereamur.