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Henry and Gregory VII at Canossa |
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Henry and Gregory VII at Canossa |
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OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE ELECTION of GREGORY VII |
[0283]
SANCTI GREGORII VII PONTIFICIS ROMANI OPERUM PARS PRIMA.---REGISTRUM
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April 22, 1073. |
Anno Dominicae incarnationis millesimo septuagesimo tertio, indictione undecima. |
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In the Reign of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the year of his merciful incarnation one thousand and seventy-three, the eleventh Indiction, the tenth day of the Kalends of May, and the second day of the week, and the day of the burial of our lord Pope Alexander II of happy memory, in order that the Apostolic See might not long mourn the loss of a. suitable pastor, We, the cardinal clerks of the Holy Roman Catholic and Apostolic Church, acolytes, subdeacons, deacons and presbyters, in the presence of venerable bishops and abbots supported by [their] priests and monks, and amid the acclamations of vast crowds of both sexes and of various ranks, assembled in the church of St. Peter in Chains, |
Regnante Domino Jesu Christo, anno clementissimae incarnationis ejus millesimo septuagesimo tertio, indictione et luna undecima, X Kalendas Maii, feria secunda, die sepulturae domini Alexandri bonae memoriae secundi papae, ne sedes apostolica diu lugeat proprio destituta pastore, congregati in basilica Beati Petri ad Vincula, nos sanctae Romanae catholicae et apostolicae Ecclesiae cardinales, clerici, acolythi, subdiaconi, diaconi, presbyteri, praesentibus venerabilibus episcopis et abbatibus, clericis et monachis consentientibus, plurimis turbis utriusque sexus diversique ordinis acclamantibus, |
| do choose for our pastor and supreme pontiff a man of piety, eminent for learning both sacred and profane, famed for his love of justice and equity, strong in adversity, moderate in prosperity, and, according to the words of the Apostle, of good character, of pure life, modest, sober, chaste, given to hospitality, ruling well his own house, brought up and taught in noble fashion from Childhood in the bosom of this Mother Church and for his merits raised to the honor of the arch-diaconate — namely Archdeacon Hildebrand, whom we choose and approve to be and to be called now and forever, Gregory, Pope and Apostolicus. | eligimus nobis in pastorem et summum pontificem virum religiosum, geminae scientiae prudentia pollentem, aequitatis et justitiae praestantissimum amatorem, in adversis fortem, in prosperis temperatum, et, juxta Apostoli dictum, bonis moribus ornatum, pudicum, modestum, sobrium, castum, hospitalem, domum suam bene regentem , in gremio hujus matris Ecclesiae a pueritia satis nobiliter educatum et doctum, atque pro vitae merito in archidiaconatus honorem usque hodie sublimatum, Hildebrandum videlicet archidiaconum, quem a modo [e modo] usque in sempiternum et esse et dici Gregorium papam et apostolicum volumus et approbamus |
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‘Do you approve?’ ‘We approve!’ |
[approbatis eum? approbamus]. |
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‘Do you agree?’ ‘We agree!’ |
Placet vobis? placet. |
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‘Do you desire him,’ ‘We desire him!’ |
Vultis eum? volumus. |
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‘Do you approve him ?’ ‘We approve him!’ |
Laudatis eum? laudamus |
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Done at Rome, the tenth of the Kalends of May and the eleventh Indiction. |
Data [Datum, et sic semper] Romae XI [IX]. Kalendas Maii, indictione XI |
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REGISTRI LIBER PRIMUS. |
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To DESIDERIUS, ABBOT or MONTE CASINO, INFORMING HIM of GREGORY’S ELECTION |
[0285]
EPISTOLA PRIMA. AD DESIDERIUM ABBATEM. (Anno 1073.)
[0285A]
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Book I, 1, p. 3. April 23, 1073. |
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Gregory, Roman pontiff-elect, to Desiderius, abbot of the monastery of St. Benedict at Monte Casino, greeting in Christ Jesus. |
GREGORIUS in Romanum pontificem electus DESIDERIO abbati monasterii Sancti Benedicti Montis Cassini salutem in Christo Jesu. |
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Our lord Pope Alexander is dead. His death was a heavy blow to me, and all my inward parts were stirred to their depths. For after he had died, the Roman people, contrary to their custom, placed the conduct of affairs in my hands so quietly that it was evidently done by a special act of divine grace. And so, taking counsel, we decided that after a three days’ fast and after public funeral services and the prayers of many persons, accompanied by works of charity, we would determine what it would be best to do about the choice of a Roman pontiff. |
Dominus noster papa Alexander mortuus est, cujus mors super me cecidit, et omnia viscera mea concutiens, penitus conturbavit. Nam in morte quidem ejus Romanus populus, contra morem, ita quievit, in manu nostra consilii frena dimisit ut evidenter appareret ex Dei misericordia hoc provenisse. [0285B] Unde accepto consilio hoc statuimus ut, post triduanum jejunium, post litanias, et multorum orationem eleemosynis conditam, divino fulti auxilio statueremus quod melius de electione Romani pontificis videretur. |
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But then, suddenly, while our lord the pope was being carried to his burial in the church of Our Savior, a great tumult and shouting of the people arose, and they rushed upon me like madmen, so that I might say with the prophet : ‘I am come into deep waters where the floods overflow me. I am weary with my crying; my throat is dried.’ And also: ‘Fear and trembling are come upon me and darkness hath encompassed me about’ |
Sed subito cum praedictus dominus noster papa in ecclesia, [Ad. Sancti, sic ubique] Salvatoris sepulturae traderetur, ortus est magnus tumultus populi et fremitus, et in me quasi vesani insurrexerunt, ita ut cum Propheta possim dicere: Veni in altitudinem maris, et tempestas demersit me. Laboravi clamans, raucae factae sunt fauces meae (Psal. LXVIII); et: Timor et tremor venerunt super me, et contexerunt me tenebrae (Psal. LIV). |
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But, as I am confined to any bed completely tired out and cannot properly choose my words, I will not tell the story of my anxieties. I will only ask you in the name of Almighty God to beg the brethren and sons who are under your charge and to call upon them, out of your affection for me, to pray God in my behalf, so that out of your affection for me, to pray God in my behalf, so that prayer, which should have kept me free from danger, may at least protect me now that I am in danger. And do you yourself not fall to come to us as soon as ever you can ; for you know how greatly the Church of Rome needs you and how much it depends upon your good judgment. Give our greetings to our lady, the empress Agnes, and to Rainald, the venerable bishop of Como, and exhort them in our name to show toward us all the loyalty they have for us. |
Sed quia in lecto jacens, valde fatigatus, satis dictare nequeo, angustias meas enarrare supersedeo. Te [0285C] itaque per omnipotentem Dominum rogo, ut suffraganeos fratres et filios, quos in Christo nutris, ad exorandum Deum pro me provoces, et ex vera charitate invites quatenus oratio, quae me liberare debuit ne incurrerem periculum, saltem tueatur in periculo positum. Tu autem ipse quantocius ad nos venire non praetermittas, qui quantum Romana Ecclesia te indigeat et in prudentia tua fiduciam habeat non ignoras. Dominam Agnetem imperatricem et Rainaldum venerabilem Cumanum episcopum ex nostra parte saluta et quantum erga nos dilectionis habuerint nunc ut ostendant nostra vice fideliter obsecra. |
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