Gregory the Great: SANCTI GREGORII MAGNI EPISTOLAE AD CONSTANTINAM AVGVSTAM (IV.30)

Serenitas vestrae pietatis, religionis studio et sanctitatis amore conspicua, propter eam quae in honorern sancti Pauli apostoli in palatio aedificatur ecclesiam, caput eiusdem sancti Pauli, aut aliud quid de corpore ipsius, suis ad se iussionibus a me praecepit debere transmitti. Et dum illa mihi desiderarem imperari, de quibus facillimam oboedientiam exhibens vestram erga me amplius potuissem gratiam provocare, maior me moestitia tenuit, quod illa praecipitis quae facere nec possum, nec audeo. Nam corpora sanctorum Petri et Pauli apostolorum tantis in Ecclesiis suis coruscant miraculis atque terroribus, ut neque ad orandum sine magno illuc timore possit accedi.

Your Serenity, conspicuous in zeal for religion and in love of holiness, because of the church being built in the palace in honor of Saint Paul the Apostle, has by her own orders commanded that the head of that same Saint Paul, or some other part of his body, ought to be sent to her by me. And while I was wishing that those things be commanded to me, by which, showing the most ready obedience, I might the more provoke your favor toward me, a greater sorrow held me, because those were hasty things which I can neither do nor dare to do. For the bodies of the holy apostles Peter and Paul shine in their own churches with such great miracles and terrors that one cannot approach there to pray without great fear.

Denique dum beatae recordationis decessor meus, quia argentum, quod supra sacratissimum corpus beati Petri apostoli erat, longe tamen ab eodem corpore fere quindecim pedibus mutare voluit, signum ei non parvi terroris apparuit. Sed et ego aliquid similiter ad sacratissimum corpus sancti Pauli apostoli meliorare volui; et quia necesse erat ut iuxta sepulcrum eius effodi altius debuisset, praepositus loci ipsius ossa aliqua non quidem eidem sepulcro coniuncta reperit. Quae quoniam levare praesumpsit, atque in alium locum transponere, apparentibus quibusdam tristibus signis, subita morte defunctus est.

Finally, while my predecessor of blessed memory, because the silver which lay above the most sacred body of blessed Peter the apostle he nonetheless wished to move to a place nearly fifteen feet away from that same body, a sign of no small terror appeared to him. But I also wished to do something similarly for the most sacred body of Saint Paul the apostle; and because it was necessary that the ground next to his sepulchre be dug deeper, the praepositus of that place found some bones not indeed joined to that very tomb. Since he presumed to lift these and to transfer them to another place, with certain sorrowful signs manifesting, he died a sudden death.

Praeter haec autem sanctae memoriae decessor meus, itidem ad corpus sancti Laurentii martyris quaedam meliorare desiderans, dum nescitur ubi venerabile corpus esset collocatum, effoditur exquirendo, et subito sepulcrum ipsius ignoranter apertum est; et ii qui praesentes erant atque laborabant, monachi et mansionarii, qui corpus eiusdem martyris viderunt, quod quidem minime tangere praesumpserunt, omnes intra decem dies defuncti sunt, ita ut nullus vitae superesse potuisset, qui sanctum iusti corpus illius viderat.

Besides these things, however, my predecessor of blessed memory, likewise wishing to improve somewhat the body of Saint Lawrence the martyr, while it was not known where the venerable body had been laid, had it sought for by digging, and suddenly his tomb was unknowingly opened; and those who were present and were working, monks and mansionarii, who saw the body of that same martyr, which indeed they did in no wise presume to touch, all died within ten days, so that no one could remain alive who had seen the holy body of that righteous man.

Cognoscat autem tranquillissima domina quia Romanis consuetudo non est, quando sanctorum reliquias dant, ut quidquam tangere praesumant de corpore, sed tantummodo in pyxide brandeum mittitur, atque ad sacratissima corpora sanctorum ponitur. Quod levatum in ecclesia quae est dedicanda debita cum veneratione reconditur, et tantae per hoc ibidem virtutes fiunt, ac si illuc specialiter eorum corpora deferantur. Unde contigit ut beatae recordationis Leonis papae temporibus, sicut a maioribus traditur, dum quidam Graeci de talibus reliquiis dubitarent, praedictus pontifex hoc ipsum brandeum allatis forficibus inciderit, et ex ipsa incisione sanguis effluxerit.

Let the most tranquil lady know, moreover, that among Romans it is not the custom, when they give the relics of saints, that they presume to touch anything of the body, but only the brandeum is placed in a pyx and laid upon the most sacred bodies of the saints. Which brandeum, when lifted in the church that is to be dedicated, is reburied with due veneration, and by this very thing such great virtues occur there, as if their bodies were brought thither specially. Whence it happened in the times of Pope Leo of blessed memory, as is handed down by our elders, that while certain Greeks doubted about such relics, the aforesaid pontiff cut that very brandeum with scissors brought for the purpose, and from that very incision blood flowed forth.

In Romanis namque vel totius Occidentis partibus omnino intolerabile est sacrilegium, si sanctorum corpora tangere quisquam fortasse voluerit. Quod si praesumpserit, certum est quia haec temeritas impunita nullo modo remanebit. Pro qua re de Graecorum consuetudine, qui ossa levare sanctorum se asserunt, vehementer miramur, et vix credimus.

For among the Romans, and indeed in the parts of the whole West, it is altogether an intolerable sacrilege if anyone should perhaps wish to touch the bodies of the saints. And if he should presume to do so, it is certain that this temerity will in no way remain unpunished. For this reason we are greatly amazed at the custom of the Greeks, who claim to remove the bones of saints, and we scarcely believe it.

Nam quidam monachi Graeci, huc ante biennium venientes nocturno silentio iuxta ecclesiam sancti Pauli, corpora mortuorum in campo iacentia effodiebant, atque eorum ossa recondebant, servantes sibi, dum recederent. Qui cum tenti et cur hoc facerent diligenter fuissent discussi, confessi sunt quod illa ossa ad Graeciam essent tanquam sanctorum reliquias portaturi. Ex quorum exemplo, sicut praedictum est, maior nobis dubietas nata est, utrum verum sit quod levare veraciter ossa sanctorum dicuntur.

For certain Greek monks, who had come here two years before, in the silence of night beside the church of Saint Paul were digging up the bodies of the dead lying in the field, and were putting away their bones, keeping them for themselves while they withdrew. When they were seized and carefully questioned why they did this, they confessed that those bones were to be carried to Greece as if relics of saints. From their example, as has been said, a greater doubt has arisen in us whether it is true that the bones of saints are said to be really carried off.

De corporibus vero beatorum apostolorum quid ego dicturus sum, dum constet quia eo tempore quo passi sunt ex Oriente fideles venerunt, qui eorum corpora sicut civium suorum repeterent? Quae ducta usque ad secundum urbis milliarium in loco qui dicitur Catacumbas collocata sunt. Sed dum ea exinde levare omnis eorum multitudo conveniens niteretur, ita eos vis tonitrui atque fulguris nimio metu terruit atque dispersit, ut talia denuo nullatenus attentare praesumerent.

Of the bodies indeed of the blessed apostles what shall I say, since it is plain that at the time when they suffered men faithful came from the East, who sought to reclaim their bodies as if they were their own citizens? Which, having been led as far as the city's second mile, were placed in the place called the Catacombs. But when all their multitude thereupon were striving suitably to raise them, the force of thunder and of lightning so greatly terrified and dispersed them with excessive fear, that they would in no wise presume again to attempt such things.

Tunc autem exeuntes Romani eorum corpora, qui hoc ex Domini pietate meruerunt, levaverunt, et in locis quibus nunc sunt condita posuerunt.

Then the Romans, coming forth, raised up the bodies of those who had deserved this by the Lord’s piety, and placed them in the places in which they are now laid.

Quis ergo, serenissima domina, tam temerarius possit existere, ut haec sciens, eorum corpora non dico tangere, sed vel aliquatenus praesumat inspicere? Dum igitur talia mihi a vobis praecepta sunt, de quibus parere nullatenus potuissem, quantum invenio, non vestrum est; sed quidam homines contra me pietatem vestram excitare voluerunt, ut mihi, quod absit, voluntatis vestrae gratiam subtraherent, et propterea quaesiverunt capitulum de quo vobis quasi inobediens invenirer. Sed in omnipotente Domino confido quia nullo modo benignissimae voluntati subripitur, et sanctorum apostolorum virtutem, quos toto corde et mente diligitis, non ex corporali praesentia, sed ex protectione semper habebitis.

Who then, most serene lady, could be so rash as, knowing this, not to say to touch their bodies, but even to presume to look upon them in any measure? Therefore, since such things were commanded to me by you, to which I could in no wise submit, as far as I find it is not your doing; but certain men wished to excite against me your piety, so that they might, God forbid, withdraw the grace of your goodwill from me, and for that reason sought a chapter by which I would be found, as it were, disobedient to you. But I trust in the omnipotent Lord that in no way is your most benign will usurped, and the virtue of the holy apostles, whom you love with whole heart and mind, you will always have not by corporal presence but by their protection.

Sudarium vero, quod similiter transmitti iussistis, cum corpore eius est, quod ita tangi non potest, sicut nec ad corpus illius accedi. Sed quia serenissimae dominae tam religiosum desiderium esse vacuum non debet, de catenis quas ipse sanctus Paulus apostolus in collo et in manibus gestavit, ex quibus multa miracula in populo demonstrantur, partem aliquam vobis transmittere festinabo, si tamen hanc tollere limando praevaluero; quia dum frequenter ex catenis eisdem multi venientes benedictionem petunt, ut parvum quid ex limatura accipiant, assistit sacerdos cum lima, et aliquibus petentibus ita concite aliquid de catenis ipsis excutitur ut mora nulla sit. Quibusdam vero petentibus, diu per catenas ipsas ducitur lima, et tamen ut aliquid exinde exeat, non obtinetur.

The sudarium, however, which likewise you ordered to be sent, is with his body, which therefore cannot be touched, nor can his body be approached. But because so devout a desire ought not to be left unfulfilled for the most serene lady, concerning the chains which the holy apostle Paul himself wore about his neck and hands, from which many miracles are shown among the people, I will hasten to send some part of them to you, if indeed I prevail in removing it by filing; for while often from those same chains many, coming to seek a blessing, ask to receive some small particle of filings, the priest assists with a file, and for some petitioners something is so quickly struck off from the very chains that there is no delay. Yet for other petitioners the file is drawn along the chains themselves for a long time, and nevertheless it does not happen that anything comes off from them.

Mense Iunio, indictione XII.

In the month of June, in indiction 12.