Letter 26: FEtfAGlUS HII ARIAE and IOHANNI.

Pope Pelagius I to Hilaria and John. Although it is prohibited by law for a bishop to alienate properties acquired during his episcopate, our concern is to increase the utility of the Church not so much by accumulating wealth as by the sincerity of our commitment. The properties in question are to be administered for the benefit of the Church and the poor, and any transaction concerning them must be conducted with full transparency and in accordance with established norms. Neither personal interest nor family claims may override the rights of the Church in this matter.

FEtfAGlUS HII^ARIAE ET IOHANNI. Quamuis enim pon¬ tificem episcopatus adquisita temporibus alienare legalibus sit pro¬ hibitum statutis, nostri tamen studii est, ecclesiasticas utilitates non tam facultatibus quam sinceritate mentis augere. al. litt. eras, inter fa cui B. Dies, quibus epistulae ab hac usque ad ep. 37 datae fuerunt, ex ordine quo inveniuntur potissimum definiuntur. Tit. Pelagianae origini huius epistulae, sub Gd^ii nomine positae, praeter rationem continentiae inter alias Pelagii litteras, favet sane lex lustiniani, diei 1 m. martii a, 528, infra adlegata, Cf. quae scripsi in ep. 29, p. 84. De Hilaria et loanne, ad quos missa est epistula, nihil scitur. legalibus sit prohibitum statutis: Quae tulit lusriNlANUS, Cod., I, 3,41,5: Episcopis autem, qui sunt quive erunt, facultatem omnino adimirnus testandi, vel... alienandi quid de rebus suis, quas, postquam episcopi facti sunt, sive ex testamentis, sive ex donationibus, aliove quo modo adquisierint, nisi ea sola, quae ante episcopatum ... ad eos pervenerunt... 6. —p. PELAGn I PAPAE Pelagius, defensorem Ecclesiae monachum non constituit, cum impar sit.monachorum condicio tali officio fungendi.