Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 377
Fructuosus, presbyter in Iberian Peninsula, writes to Braulio, bishop of Saragossa (AD 649-651) asking him for explanation of a problematic passage in the Old Testament and for copies of the Conferences of Cassian and lives of saints for his monastery (ca AD 651).
XLIII
 
DOMINO MEO PROPRIO BRAULIONI EPISCOPO, FRUCTUOSUS EXIGUUS SEMPERQUE TUUS
 
Scribture sacre textu narrante didicimus quam sit gratus homini de longinqua terra nuntius bonus. Et quia qualisue alius melior nuntius nobis est expectandus quam Cristi dilectio, quam catholice eclesie intemerata professio adque propagatio, quam amicorum Dei sacerdotumue Cristi sincera uita, felix actus doctrinaque fidelis? Hec nos desiderare ueementer adque sitienter agnoscere cupere, pater beatissime, confitemur. [...]
 
Fructuosus continues paying plenty of compliments to Braulio.
 
Primum igitur flagito ut quedam, qua parens sanctimonie et particebs glorie uestre beatissimus eruditissimusque uir pretermisit enodare Ieronimus, ex lectione priscorum patrum et doctrina Sancti Spiritus refertus, dominus meus, mici leproso tuo nouicioque Eleazaro ulceroso breui et aperta digneris significare pagella; sic tibi Dominus celesti pandat regni introitum.
 
Fructuosus asks a question about the age of Melchisedech.
 
Specialiter tamen, domine mi, quod in hac regione in qua degimus non inuenitur, supplex suggero ut pro mercede tua de Conlationibus Cassiani inlumines monasteria sta, et uitam sanctorum uirorum Honorati adque Germani uestrique beatissimi noui Imiliani pusillitati nostre uestra largitate faciatis adtribui et, qui alios adsiduo uestrorum eloquiorum melle saturatis, nos longe positos et occidentis tenebrosa plaga depressos non despiciatis.
   Age, piissime domine, ut uestra pro hoc merces claread ante Deum, Septem Conlationes, quas memoratus Casianus Ioui<ni>ano, Mineruio, Leontio et Teodoro scribsit, iam hic cristianis tribuentibus habemus. Reliquias decem, quas Elladio et Leontio episcopis, et alias septem, quas sancto Honorato adque Eucerio se adserit edidisse, minime habemus. Has exoramus ut percipere uobis largientibus mereamur.
 
There follow the final salutations.
 
(ed. Riesco Terrero 1975: 155-162)
Letter 43
 
Fructuosus, insignificant and always your servant, to my own lord, Bishop Braulio.
 
We have learned from the story in Sacred Scripture how pleasing to a man is "good news from a far country"; and what other better news could we expect than the love of Christ, than the spotless profession and propagation of the Catholic Church, than the pure lives, successful work, and faithful doctrine of the friends of God and the bishops and priests of Christ? These, most blessed father, we confess that we vehemently yearn for and thirstingly desire to learn. [...]
 
Fructuosus continues paying plenty of compliments to Braulio.
 
First of all then, I demand that my lord, filled with the teaching of the early fathers and the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, deign to explain, in a brief and clearly stated page or two to me, your leprous friend and to the ulcerous novice, Eleazer, certain problems which Jerome, the father of sanctity and sharer of your glory, a most blessed and most learned man, failed to clarify. And if you do so, may the Lord open to you the entrance to His heavenly kingdom.
 
Fructuosus asks a question about the age of Melchisedech.
 
I am especially suppliant, my lord, that you enlighten our monasteries by your generosity with the Conferences of Cassian, which cannot be found in this whole area in which we live, though we have searched. We also request that out of your bounty you make a present to us, unworthy though we  are, of the Lives of the holy men Honoratus and Germanus, and your beatitude's own recent Life of Emilian. You regularly fill the wants of others with the honey of your eloquence; do not refuse to do the same for us, so far remote and sunk low in the obscure lands of the west. Do this, most pious lord, that your reward may shine before God.
   We already have there, thanks to certain Christians, the seven Conferences of the aforementioned Cassian, which he wrote to Jovinian, Minervius, Leontius, and Theodore, but the next ten Conferences, which he says he published for the bishops Hellaedius and Leontius, and the final seven, which he says he published for Saints Honoratus and Eucherius, we do not have. We ask that we may deserve to receive them from your bounty.
 
There follow the final salutations.
 
(trans. by C. Barlowe 1969: 96-99)
 

Place of event:

Region
  • Iberian Peninsula
  • Rome
City
  • Saragossa

About the source:

Author: Braulio of Saragossa
Title: Letters, Epistularium
Origin: Saragossa (Iberian Peninsula)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Letters 43 and 44 were written shortly before Braulio`s death in 651 (Lynch 1938: 75; Madoz 1941: 55-56). The sender of letter 43 was Fructuosus, famous monastic leader (born ca 603, ob. 665/666; see discussion in the record [155]). We do not know from which monastic establishment he is writing his letter to Braulio, but it is certain from letter 44 ([387]) that it is somewhere in Galicia.
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:
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
Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς
    Monastic or common life - Cenobitic monk
    Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
    Relation with - Monk/Nun
    Education - Theological interest
    Devotion - Reading the Bible and devotional literature
    Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER377, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=377