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ER 1965

Bishop Ambrose of Milan (Italy) replies to the letter of Bishop Siricius of Rome sent by presbyters Cresecens, Leopardus, and Alexander, which speaks of the condemnation of Jovianian. Ambrose gathers a synod in Milan that supports this condemnation. At the synod, Bishop Geminianus of Modena (Italy) is represented by his presbyter Aper. Letter of Ambrose and his fellow bishops to Siricius, Letter extra collectionem 15 (Maur. 42), AD 393.

Epistula extra collectionem 15 (Maur. 42)

Domino dilectissimo fratri Siricio Ambrosius Sabinus Bassianus et ceteri

The bishops praise Siricius for detecting and condemning the heresy of Jovinianus about which he informed them in a letter. Then they dwell on the impiety of Jovinianus's disregard for virginity and his teaching that Mary did not remain a virgin after the birth of Jesus. They compare this doctrine to the heretical and Jewish teachings that deny incarnation of Christ. They are also compared to the Manichees.

13. Manichaeus est qui abnegat veritatem, qui carnem Christi negat, et ideo non est illis remissio peccatorum sed est impietas Manichaeorum, quam et clementissimus exsecratus est imperator, et omnes qui illos viderunt quasi quaedam contagia refugerunt, sicut testes sunt fratres et conpresbyteri nostri Crescens Leopardus et Alexander sancto ferventes spiritu, qui eos omnium exsecratione damnatos Mediolanensi ex urbe quasi profugos reliquerunt.

14. Itaque Iovinianum Auxentium Germinatorem Felicem Plotinum Genialem Marcianum Ianuarium et Ingeniosum quos sanctitas tua damnavit scias apud nos quoque sacundum iudicium tuum esse damnatos.

Incolumem te et florentissimum deus noster tueatur omnipotens, domine dilectissime frater.

Item subscriptio: Ego Eventius episcopus saluto sanctitatem tuam in domino et huic epistulae subscripsi, Maximus episcopus, Felix episcopus, Bassianus episcopus, Theodosius episcopus. Ex iussu domini episcopi Geminiani ipso praesente Aper presbyter subscripsi, Eustasius episcopus, Constantius episcopus, Sabinus episcopus; eo omnes ordine subscripserunt.

(ed. Zelzer 1990: 310-311; summary M. Szada)

Letter extra collectionem 15 (Maur. 42)

Ambrose, Sabinus, Bassianus and the others to their Lord and dearly beloved brother Siricius.

13. A Manichee is someone who denies the truth, who denies the incarnation of Christ, and therefore these men do not have their sins forgiven, but share the impiety of the Manichees, which our most clement emperor too has execrated, and all who see them flee from them as from some infection. Witnesses of this are our brethren and fellow priests, Crescens, Leopardus, and Alexander, men imbued with the Holy Spirit, men who brought upon them the condemnation of all and drove them as fugitives from the city of Milan.

14. Therefore take cognisance that Iovinianus, Auxentius, Germinator, Felix, Plotinus, Genialis, Marcianus, Ianuarius and Ingeniosus whom your holiness has condemned, in accordance with your judgement, have been condemned by us also.

May our almighty God keep you our most beloved lord and brother, safe and prosperous.

Also the subscription: I Eventius, bishop, greet your Holiness in the Lord and sign the letter; Maximus, bishop; Felix, bishop; Bassianus, bishop; Theodolus, bishop; by order of the bishop Geminianus, himself present at the meeting, I the presbyter Aper have signed; Eustasius, bishop; Constantius, bishop; Sabinus bishop. All signed in that order.

(trans. Liebeschuetz 2010: 344-345; adapted)

Discussion:

The present letter is a response to the letter of Siricius (for the dating of the letter of Siricius to 393 see discussion in [1964]). See Liebeschuetz 2010: 339-340.

The see of Bishop Geminianus is not mentioned in the letter but he is most probably identical with Geminianus mentioned as the late fourth-century bishop of Modena by the charter of Charlemagne of 782 and by Andreas Agnellus in his Liber pontificalis Ecclesiae Ravennatis c. 14-15. The Life of Geminianus from the tenth or eleventh centuries presents Geminianus as the predecessor of Theodulus, the bishop of Modena attested after 396 and before 412/413. See PCBE Italie, v. 1, Geminianus 1.

Place of event:

Region

Rome
Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia

City

Milan

About the source:

Author: Siricius
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Milan (Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Ambrose was a bishop of Milan from 374 until his death in 397. We have a collection of his letters organized in three parts. The first one consists of 77 letters organized in ten books most probably by Ambrose himself. He published his letters at some point after the death of Theodosius in 395. From this collection, Book 4 is missing, as are some letters of Books 2 and 4. The second part is the group of letters that survived outside the collection (extra collectionem), and the third is a group of letters concerning the council of Aquileia in 381 (together with the acts of this council). For a detailed discussion on the letters and further reading see Liebeschuetz 2010: 27–48 and Nauroy 2016: 146–160.

Edition:

M. Zelzer ed., Sancti Ambrosi opera pars decima epistularum liber decimus. Epistulae extra collectionem. Gesta concili Aquileiensis, Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum Lationorum 82/3, Wien 1982

Translation:

Ambrose of Milan, Political Letters and Speeches, trans. J.H.W.G. Liebeschuetz, Translated Texts for Historians 43, Liverpool 2010

Bibliography:

J.H.W.G. Liebeschuetz, Ambrose of Milan: political letters and speeches, Liverpool 2010.

G. Nauroy, "The Letter Collection of Ambrose of Milan", [in:] Late Antique Letter Collections: A Critical Introduction and Reference Guide, ed. C. Sogno, B.K. Storin, E.J. Watts, Oakland, CA 2016, 146–160.

G. Nauroy, "Édition et organisation du recueil des lettres d’Ambroise de Milan: une architecture cachée ou altérée?", in: La correspondance d'Ambroise de Milan, textes réunis et préparés par A. Canellis, Saint-Étienne 2012, 19-61.

A. Paredi, S. Ambrogio e la sua età, Milano 1960.

Categories:

Travel and change of residence

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR896.

Ecclesiastical administration - Participation in councils and ecclesiastical courts

PR896.

Ecclesiastical administration - Ecclesiastical envoy

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Described by a title - Conpresbyter

Education - Theological interest

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1965, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1965