The Presbyters Project

XXV

DOMINO MEO EMILIANO PRESBITERO ET ABBATI, BRAULIO SERUUS INUTILIS SANCTORUM DEI

[...]

Braulio praises Emilian for his many virtues, and asks him for support.

Nam quia susceptor meus esse dignatus es et partem animae mee te esse non dubito, sic pro te mihi sollicitudo quasi pro me ipso instat, notum est Domino. Unde presentem seruulum uestrum benignitati[s] uestre commendo, ut et per uos glorioso domino nostro presentetur et uestra cura quomodo debeat incedere instruatur.

Uerumtamen questo ut, quia librum Apringii Pacensis episcopi tractatum Apocalipsin quero et non inuenio, a uobis ad transcribendum accipiam directum; facile enim uobis erit propter amplissimam potestatem uestram et celebritatem urbis, etiam si eum non habetis, peruenire a quo habetur, ut nobis per uos presentetur. Sane in tempore aput Laurentium comitem dudum eum fuisse noui. Iam domini mei erit ubiubi perquirere, et petitionem meam implere; citius enim et transcriberetur et remitteretur. [...]

Follow the final salutations.

(ed. Riesco Terrero 1975: 122, 124)

Letter 25

Braulio, unworthy servant of the saints of God, to my lord Emilian, presbyter and abbot.

[...]

Braulio praises Emilian for his many virtues, and asks him for support.

Since you have been so kind as to become my supporter and I do not doubt that you are a part of my soul, likewise, my concern for you is as great as if it were for myself, the Lord knows. Hence, I commend this your humble servant to your kindness that he may be presented through you to our glorious lord [the king] and may by your care be instructed how he should proceed.

I have been looking for and cannot find the book of Apringius, bishop of Beja, which is a Commentary on the Apocalypse. I am asking you to get the text and send it to me to be copied, for it will be easy for you on account of your widespread power and the large size of your city, even if you do not have it, to find out from whom it may be obtained so that you can send it to us. I know that, at one time, it did exist in the library of Count Laurentius. You, my lord, must find it wherever it is and fulfil my petition, for it will be copied and returned immediately. [...]

Follow the final salutations.

(trans. by C. Barlowe 1969: 63-64; slightly adapted)

Discussion:

Emilian was most probably a priest and abbot in Toledo, because Braulio mentions that Emilian lives in a city of large size and has access to the king (at the time it was King Chindaswinth).

The commentary to the Apocalypse of Apringius of Beja was written in the 6th century. Only fragments of this text survived, see edition by R. Gryson (2003).

Place of event:

Region

Iberian Peninsula

City

Saragossa
Toledo

About the source:

Author: Braulio of Saragossa
Title: Letters, Epistularium
Origin: Saragossa (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

According to Lynch (1938: 73-74, 208) the letters between Braulio and Emilian (letter 25, 26, 27) were written between 641 and 646. This date is derived from the position of the letters in the corpus, as it seems they are arranged chronologically. Similarly (Madoz 1941: 55-56).

Edition:

Edition:

Riesco Terrero, Luis ed. Epistolario de san Braulio. Annales de la Universidad Hispalense. Serie Filosofía y Letras, v. 31. Sevilla, 1975.

Translation:

C.W. Barlowe, Iberian Fathers, v. 2, Braulio of Saragossa, Fructuosus of Braga, Washington D. C. 1969.

Bibliography:

R. Gryson ed., Commentaria minora in Apocalypsin Johannis, Corpus Christianorum. Series Latina 107, Turnhout 2003.

C.H. Lynch, Saint Braulio, bishop of Saragossa (631-651) his life and writings, Washington, D.C 1938 (see also Spanish translation revised by P. Galindo: C.H. Lynch, P. Galindo, San Braulio, obispo de Zaragoza: (631 - 651). Su vida y sus obras, Madrid 1950).

J. Madoz, Epistolario de San Braulio de Zaragoza: ed. crít. según el cód. 22 del Archivo capitular de León, Madrid 1941.

Categories:

Writing activity - Correspondence

PR127.

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

PR127.

Monastic or common life - Monastic superior (abbot/prior)

PR127.

Reverenced by

PR127.

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

PR127.

Relation with - Monarch and royal/imperial family

PR127.

Intercession

PR127.

Devotion - Reading the Bible and devotional literature

PR127.

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER323, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=323