Letter 3007: Caesarius, bishop, to the most beloved brother Ruricius.

From: Caesarius of Arles To: Ruricius, Bishop of Limoges Date: ~490 AD Context: Caesarius explains why he could not attend a synod and shares concerns about Gallic church affairs. Caesarius, bishop, to the most beloved brother Ruricius. I owe you an explanation for my absence from the synod, and I want to give you an honest one rather than a ceremonial one. I was ill — genuinely ill, not diplomatically ill. The illness that has been troubling me intermittently for the past two years chose this particular moment to reassert itself with unusual force, and my physicians were sufficiently alarmed that they forbade the journey. I did not follow their advice without resistance; I wanted to be there. The matters I had hoped to raise in person I will instead set out briefly here, for you to raise if you find it appropriate. The first: the situation in several rural parishes in the region between Arles and Limoges, where the regular pastoral care has broken down because the priests assigned to those parishes have either died, fled, or simply stopped performing their duties. The populations involved are not negligible; they need more attention than they are getting. The second: the question of the clergy who were ordained under irregular circumstances during the recent political disruptions. This has been discussed before but never fully resolved, and the uncertainty is doing ongoing harm. The third: a personal note — I miss our conversations. Write when you have time. Your brother in Christ, Caesarius

VII. DOMNO SANCTO MERITISSIMO IN CHRISTI LUMINARIA PRAEPERENDO ET PLURIMUM IN CHRISTO DESIDERANDO PIISSIMO DOMNO RURICIO EPISCOPO CAESARIUS EPISCOPUS. Dum nimium tribularetur animus meus, quare ad synodum uestram praesentiam non meruimus obtinere, sanctus et domnus meus Uerus episcopus mihi dignatus est dicere, quod per suum diaconum mihi Agate uestras litteras destinasset, quas ego nescio quo casu aut qua neglegentia me non retineo suscepisse. sed tamen sancto et domno meo fratri uestro certissime credo et malo hoc portitoris neglegentiae inputare. sed licet sanctos et desiderabiles uestros apices miseritis, tam-en, sicut ipsi optime nostis, dignissimum fuerat, ut personam dirigeretis, quae ad uicem uestram subscriberet, et, quod sancti fratres uestri statuerunt, in persona uestra firmaretur. 2 pape S 3 domino v 5 postquam ante taediosam Kr., P ceteris litteris euanidis S tenue romore S sed harum] Sicharium Kr . 6 distinaui S 7 nuncii S reueletis v 8 conpacientis S perferentes S 10 integre S 12 suspitate S obtata S1 14 domino v 16 cesarius S 17 sinodum S 18 preseutiam S 20 agate uestras S, a caritate uestra suspicatur v distinasset S 21 reteneo S 22 domino v 23 mallo S negligentiae S 25 obtime S dirigeritis S 26 que S subscriberit S fratris S Sed quia noui, quam sancto et frequenti ac pio desiderio interesse uolueritis, omnibus fratribus uestris uotum uestrum et sanctam uoluntatem exposui, pro qua re nihil pietati uestrae uel potuimus uel debuimus inputare. sed, licet desiderabilem uestram praesentiam non habuerimus, orationum tamen uestrarum suffragia nos meruisse persensimus. et ideo his datis saluto plurimum affectu et honore, quo dignum est, et rogo, ut me sanctis et inlustribus precibus simul ac meritis domino commendetis, simulque indico pietati uestrae, ut, quia filius uester Eudomius, si potuerit, hoc elaborare desiderat, et superueniente anno Tolosa synodum Christo propitio habeamus, ubi etiam, si potuerit, Hispanos uult episcopos conuenire. et ideo orate, ut tam sancto desiderio suo dominus tribuere dignetur effectum. Sanctum uero et dulcissimum fratrem meum Capillutum presbyterum, amatorem et praedicatorem uestrum, uestrae sanctimoniae, quanta ualeo, insinuatione commendo et pro ipso uobis ingentes et uberes gratias ago, quia, quantum ipse adseruit, tantum se circa illum inpendit pia et sincera beniuolentia uestra, ut hoc nullus hominum possit exponere. nunc ergo. quia pro uestro desiderio aestuans pietatem uestram expetiit, dignum iudicaui, ut per ipsum humilitatis meae litteras destinarem, quo remeante, si Christus annuerit, apices uestros quasi caeleste munus desidero promereri. ora pro me.