Letter 42: The case of Coelestinus is this: he was found guilty as an accomplice in the murder of his father and of his bishop,...

The case of Coelestinus is of such a nature that I think you also are not unaware of it. Since this man, being conscious and convicted in the murder of his parent and bishop, as the tenor of the documents shows, was judged by the verdict of all to be by no means worthy of the office of the altar, and for so detestable a crime communion was forbidden to him for one year, so that through appropriate penance he might take care to atone for the breach of so great a crime. Even if this were minimally ordered by us, he himself, reflecting rather upon the sacrament of the divine body, ought to have returned to it with a more purified mind. However, we think that time has either been fulfilled or is now nearly completed. After which time it is not doubtful that we will grant him the faculty of communion, so that both the synodal sentence may be dissolved and, what is more beneficial for him, he may be able to be cleansed by greater satisfaction.

(Jel)isii papae ad Phillppiim ot Casslodornm. ("oelrstinum prrxfiiffrrtitn. ui cavdr epixcnpi siii consriMm conmrtMm^ officio ftuo p ct communionr privat. (lolasius IMiilippo et Cassiodoro. ('oolostini causa talis ost, cpiam vos cpioque non arbitror igncv- raro. Sicpii<lom hic conscius convictus in caetle parentis^) et episcopi, qnomadmodum «jfostorum tonoro monstratur, cunctorum judicio nul- latonus aostimatus <»st officio di^nus altafis, eique pro tam dete- . stando facinoro unius anni interdicta communio est, quatenus poeni- tudino comp<.'t(Miti tanti facinoris cur&ret abmptum. Quod ctiamsi a nobis minini<»'') juborotur, ipso mfigis cogitans divini corporis sa- cramontum, dcd)uit ad hoc monto pnrgatiori romeare. Quod tempus tjimon aut oxph»tum aut propo jam pntamns exactum. Post quod oi coninuinionis facultattMn ])atoro non dubium est, ut et scntentia synodalis possit al)rumpi, ot ut illi ma»i^is prosit, valeat inajori satis- factiono nnindari. '') Karonius ;ul aitnuin 41X> Mani(.'ha(H)s hic noturi obHervat, de quibus Leo sorni. \ dt' (|uadra^. (.•. r> ait : tjitumijuc nd tcijcndam infidcUtntem xuam nostrU an- dcnnt intrrcsse mystrriist ifn in sacrnmcntorum cnmmunionc se temperant^ Mt inter^mm. ne penitux iatere non possint, orc inditjno Christi corpuM accipiant^ sanffuinem autem rcdcmptiunis iiostrne hniirirc omnino deciincnt. Quod ideo vestrae notnm farimms sanctitnti^ ut vnhis hujiiscniiodi homines ct his manifestentur indiciisty et quorwm de- prrhensa fuerit sacrilr/fa simulatio» a sanctorum societnte sacrrdotali auetoriiair pel- inntitr, hoc ost, (luod nosti^r Ciolasius (licit: ah integris arceantiir. Sone hiyil^ pontiticis haoroticis illis (l«>t(?prondis ac prosoribcndis vigilantiam ivc seduUtat^^m Anast^isius bildioth. scu l\)ntitioalis libor connn^^ndavit his verbis: At^tis tempi»- rilius inventi sunt .Mnnirhari in itrbc lioma^ quos in cjcsitium deportari praecrpil, fptoriim f/uoyur codices antr forrs hasiticac s. Mariae incendio coneremamt, Hiiic autom Anastasii narrationi nonnullam otiam iidom faciuut tot Maiiichaeomin sonpta in dooroto soquonti dc libris apocryphis tam ouucleate receneita. *3) Dum soilicot iit istud ox im))ia su]»orstition(*; nisi enim ii^sis Leonia at quo (iohisii tomporibus Iicuiss(>t aliquando oucharistiam sub una ajiocie pcrci- porOf nunquam mox diot^» artiticio latoro so potuisso Manichtvei oonfiAi eitsent ') Vix orravorinnis, si huno parcntrm rt episcopum Scjllacenonini illiini anti- stit4'm popuorimus, «lo oujus oaodo in ojustolis .'^0 (»t 37 jam pbiriliii» traotu- tnm (»st. "■) Ita T*. i'" omitt. miniinr. EPISTOLAE 37 — 40. 453 Epiatola 39. Oelasii papae ad Majoricuiu^ Screuuin et Johanuem episcopos. 43. IHonysios quasdam, qui ecclesiae Vibonetisi delrimenla intu/erant, saira commu- nione usque arcendos, et presbytcrum, qui contra pontificale judicium iltos ad- miscrai, ab officio suo pellcndum decernit. Gelasius Majorico, Sereno et Jolianni episcopis. 1. Qui et^) humanis legibus incivili temeritate ^) calcatis et reverentia religionis abjecta, vel ecclesiastica privilegia calcare con- tendunt vel ubilibet in paupenim prosilire dispeudium, nec hujus- modi saltem commoniti convictique nequitiam sopire cojisentiunt atque illata sacris rebus detrimenta sarcire: merito diviui mimeris suut participatione privandi, ut hujus perceptione careant, quod sacrilegis^) ausibus habuere despectui. 2. Quapropter^) Diouysii, qui, sicut vcstrae textus relationis ostendit; non solum Vibonensis ecclesiae jura turbare, sed etiam rei>ensare quod nequiter admisijrant respuerimt, sacrae communionis arceantur accessu, douec quae honori divino competunt, discant de- vota mente deferre. Contra quos etiam quidquid publicis legibus agi poterit, minime negligatur: ut qui utrumque temi)serunt, utrisque cohibiti^ tam sibi quam ceteris praebeaut quod fiecessaria cUsciplina poscdt exemplum. 3. Coelestinus vero presbyter fratris et coepiscopi iiostri Sereui, qui contra pontificale judicium coutraque aj^ostolicae sedis mandata prorumpens, supradictis commiuiionem sacram ministrare praesum- psit, quum non potuerit ignorare senteutiam proprii sacerdotis, ab officio protinus ecclesiastico pellatur^): ut nullus Ecclesiae ministro- rnm contra pontificalia constituta venire coutendat.