Letter 12

From: Braulio of Zaragoza, bishop To: Chindasuinth, King of the Visigoths Date: ~642 AD Context: Braulio writes to King Chindasuinth on church affairs, navigating the delicate relationship between episcopal authority and royal power that characterized the Visigothic kingdom. To the most glorious and Christian King Chindasuinth, greetings in the Lord, Your recent letter on the matter of the contested bishopric in Toledo has required me to think carefully before replying, and I hope you will read this response in the spirit in which it is written — as the honest counsel of a bishop who serves both God and the kingdom, and who believes those two loyalties should not be in conflict. The canonical procedure for episcopal elections is not merely a formality. It exists because the Church has learned from centuries of experience that when appointments are made without proper process — however good the intentions behind them — the result is usually trouble: resentment among the clergy, questions of legitimacy that can fester for decades, and an undermining of the very authority the appointment was meant to establish. I am not questioning your wisdom or your devotion to the Church. I am asking you to trust the procedure. What I can promise you is this: if the election is conducted properly, I will use whatever influence I have with the assembled bishops to ensure that the process moves quickly and that the result reflects what is best for the Church in Toledo. There is no need for the crown to intervene directly when it has friends who can serve as effective advocates within the proper channels. I remain, as always, your loyal servant in Christ and a faithful subject of your kingdom. Braulio, bishop of Zaragoza