852_PG | Fontes Istrie medievalis

Era

Vol. 2: A 804 usque ad 1077

Series

Epistolae pontificum Romanorum

Date

April 1, 852

Place

Roma

Regestum

Pope Leo IV writes to Victor, the patriarch of Grado, conferring upon him the pallium.

Subjects

Leo IV, papa (847–855)

Victor I, patriarcha Gradensis (852)

Lotharius I, imperator Imperii Romanorum (817-855)

Ludovicus II, rex Italiae (844-875), imperator Imperii Romanorum (855-875)

Source

The original is lost; the text survives in the following manuscript traditions:

T = Venice, Archivio di Stato di Venezia, Pacta e aggregati, Codex Trevisaneus, fol. 64r–v; late 15th-/early 16th-century simple copy, based on the copy from the nowadays lost Codex Egnatii, presumably from the 13th/14th century; the copy has the following title: Epistola Leonis papę directa domno Victori patriarchę Gradensi pro usu pallii, and the following signature in the upper left corner: 846 male si indictio bene, Dand(ulo) carta 19, Eg(natii) carta 86.

D = Venice, Biblioteca Marciana, ms. Lat. XIV, 77 (= 2991), fols. 146v–147v; 16th-century simple copy, copied by Tomaso Diplovataccio and included in his unfinished Tractatus de Venetae urbis libertate; the copy is presumably based on the nowadays lost Codex Egnatii; the copy has the following title: Item Leo 4^s pontifex concessit Victori patriarche Gradensi pallium utentum in diebus, contentus in privilegio CCC^o Gradensi, teste Andree Dandulo libro VIII^o suorum hystoriorum, capitulo 4, parte 26, et licet Andrea non ponat, privilegium tale est, videlicet, et erit 200 [corr. in 210] privilegium.

Paul Fridolin Kehr’s reference to ms. Lat. XIV, 74 or 75 of the Venetian Biblioteca Marciana, fol. 281, is erroneous (Italia pontifica, vol. 7: Venetiae et Histria, pars 2: Respublica Venetiarum – Provincia Gradensis – Histria (Berlin 1925), n. 37, p. 43) – ms. Lat. XIV, 75 (= 4529) does not even reach fol. 281; and fol. 281 of ms. Lat. XIV, 74 (= 4056) contains the letter of Pope Leo III to Patriarch Fortunatus II of Grado (edited here as doc. 803_PG).

The text is based on Liber Diurnus, doc. 45: De usu pallei, pp. 32–35 of Sickel’s edition.

Previous Editions

Curt-Bogislav von Hacke, Die Palliumverleihungen bis 1143: Eine diplomatisch-historische Untersuchung (Göttingen 1898), doc. 1, pp. 148–150; based solely on T, but with editor’s emendations based on Liber Diurnus; as such, the edition is much better than that of Roberto Cessi.

Roberto Cessi (ed.), Documenti relativi alla storia di Venezia anteriori al mille, vol. 1 (Padua 1940), doc. 59, pp. 112–114; based solely on T with some silent emendations and omissions.

FIM Edition

Collated edition based on TD, favoring T over D, judged to be the better copy. Liber Diurnus is referenced as Ld in the critical apparatus.

Transcription

Leo^a episcopus, servus servorum Dei, reverendissimo et sanctissimo confratri nostro Victori sanctę Gradensis ecclesię patriarchę^b, diebus vitę tuę tantummodo.

Si pastores ovium sole[m]^c geluque pro gregis sui custodia die ac nocte ferre^d contenti sunt, ut ne qua ex eis aut errando^e pereat aut ferinis laniata morsibus rapiatur, oculis semper vigilantibus circumspectant, quanto sudore quantaque cura debemus esse^f pervigiles^g, nos^h qui pastores animarum dicimur, attendamusⁱ et susceptum officium exhibere erga^j custodiam dominicarum^k ovium non cessemus, ne in die divini examinis pro nostra desidia ante Summum Pastorem negligentię reatus excruciet, unde modo honoris^l reverentia sublimiores inter cęteros iudicamur^m.

Pallium autem fraternitati tuęⁿ ad missarum solemnia^o celebranda concedimus, quod tibi non aliter, ecclesię tuę privilegiis in^p suo statu manentibus, uti largimur, nisi solummodo in die sanctę ac venerandę resurrectionis domini nostri Iesu Christi seu in natalitiis sanctorum apostolorum atque beati baptistę Iohannis^q, necnon in Assumptione beate Dei genitricis Marię, simulque in dominicę domini nostri Iesu Christi^r nativitatis die^s, pariterque in solemnitatis^t ecclesię tuę die^u, verum etiam et in ordinationis tuę natalitio concedimus die^v, sicuti a beatissimo predecessore nostro domino Gregorio huius almę sedis presule sancitum est. In secretar[i]um^w vero induere fraternitas pallium^x debeat et ita ad missarum solemnia^y proficisci et nihil sibi amplius^z ausum^a' temerarie presumptionis erogare, ne dum^b' in exteriori habitu inordinate aliquid adripitur^c', ordinate, et[iam] que^d' licere poterant, admittantur. Cuius quoniam indumenti honor modesta actuum vivacitate servandum^e' est, hortamur ut ei cuncta ornamenta conveniant, quatenus auctore Deo recte, ut ubique^f', possit^g' esse conspicuus.

Itaque vita tua filiis tuis sit regula; in ipsa, si qua tortitudo illis iniecta est, dirigant; in ea quod imitentur^h', aspiciant, in ipsa se semper considerando proficiant, ut tuum post Deum^i' videatur esse bene quod vixerint.

Cor ergo neque prospera, quia^j' temporaliter blandiuntur, extollant neque adversa deiciant^k', sed quicquid illud fuerit, virtute patientię devincatur. Nullum apud te locum odia; nullum favor indiscretus inveniant^l'; destrictum mali cognoscant; insontem apud te culpabilem suggestio^m' mala non faciant^n', nocentem^o' gratia non^p' excuset^q'; remissum te delinquentibus non ostendas, ne quod ultus^r' non fueris perpetrari permittas^s'.

Sit in te et boni pastoris dulcedo, sit^t' et iudicis severa districtio, unum scilicet quod innocenter viventes foveat, aliud quod inquietos fer[i]endos^u' a pravitate compescas^v'. Sed quoniam nonnumquam, prepositorum zelus dum destrictus maiorum^w' vult [vindex]^x' existere, transit in crudelitate[m]^y' correctio^z', iram iudicio refrena et censura^a'' disciplinę sic utere, ut et culpa^[s]^b'' ferias et a dilectione personarum quas corrigis non recedas.

Misericordem te prout virtus patitur operibus^c'' exhibe; oppressis defensio tua subveniat; opprimentibus modeste [e]rectio^d'' contradicat; nullius facie[m]^e'' contra iustitiam accipias^f''; nullum querentem iuste despicias^g''; custodia in te aequitatis^h'' excellat, ut nec divitem potentia sua aliquid apud vos extra viam suadeat rationis audire, nec pauperem de sua faciat humilitas desperare, quatenus Deo miserante talis possis existere qualem sacra lectio precipit dicens: “Oportet episcopum irreprehensibilem^i'' esse.”¹ Sed his omnibus^j'' uti salubriter poteris, si magistram caritatis^k'' habueris, quam qui sequtum^l'' fuerit, a recto aliquando tramite non recedit.

Ecce, frater carissime, inter multa alia ista sunt sacerdotii^m'', ista sunt pallii, quę si studiose servaveris, quod foris accepisse ostenderis, intus habebis. Sancta Trinitas fraternitatem vestram gratię suę protectione circumdet^n'' atque ita in timoris sui tua^o'' nos dirigat, ut post vitę huius amaritudinem ad eternam^p'' simul pervenire dulcedinem mereamur.

Scriptum per manum Theodori notarii et scriniarii sancte Romane ecclesie in mense martio, indicione quintadecima.

Bene vale!

Data kalendis aprilis per manum Tiberii primicerii sanctę Sedis Apostolicę^q'', imperante domno piissimo perpetuo augusto Hlotario^r'' a Deo coronato magno imperatore anno tricesimo quinto et pacis^s'' eius anno^t'' tricesimo quinto^u''², sed et Hludovico^v'' novo imperatore eius filio anno secundo, indictione quintadecima^w''.

Critical apparatus

a) litteris capitalibus D. b) patriarche et saepe sic -e loco -ę D. c) sole TD; solem em. Banić iuxta Ld. d) ex ferret corr. D. e) ęrrando D. f) om. D. g) ex pervililes corr. D. h) seq. esse add. D. i) adtendamus D. j) ęrga D. k) animarum D. l) honori Ld. m) D; iudicemur T. n) seq. ex more add. Ld. o) sollemnia D. p) seq. sio canc. D. q) D; Ioannis T. r) Iesu Christi] subsignavit T; Dei D. s) diem D. t) sollemnitatis D. u) diem D. v) diem D. w) secretarum TD; secretarium em. Banić. x) D; om. T. y) sollemnia D. z) seq. autem canc. T. a') sic LD: pro ausu. b') nec dum D. c') adrripirtur ex corr. D. d') etiam que] et que D; et quamquam T; etiam que em. Banić iuxta Ld. e') sic TD: pro servandus, sicut Ld. f') ut ubique] utrobique Ld. g') sic TD: pro possis, sicut Ld. h') D; immittentur T. i') D; deinde T. j') sic TD: pro quae, sicut Ld. k') ex adiciant corr. D. l') inveniat LD. m') D; sugestio T. n') sic TD: pro faciat. o') seq. te add. T. p') D; om. T. q') seq. re canc. T. r') D; ultra T. s') add. sup. l. D; om. T. t') D; om. T. u') ferendos TD; feriendos em. Banić iuxta Ld. v') sic TD: pro compescat. w') sic TD: pro malorum, sicut Ld. x') om. TD; em. Banić iuxta Ld. y') crudelitate TDLd; em. Banić. z') correptio D. a'') cęnsura D. b'') culpam T; culpa D; culpas em. Banić iuxta Ld. c'') sic TD: pro pauperibus, sicut Ld. d'') rectio subsignavit T; ro cum sign. abbr. D; correctio em. Cessi; erectio em. Banić iuxta Ld. e'') facie T; facię D; faciem em. Banić iuxta Ld. f'') accipiens D. g'') D; dispicias T. h'') ęquitatis D. i'') D; irreprenhesibilem T; inreprehensibilem LD. j'') his omnibus] D; lusionibus T. k'') sic TD: pro caritatem, sicut Ld. l'') sequutus D. m'') D; sacerdotis T. n'') seq. quam canc. D. o'') sic TD: pro via, sicut Ld. p'') D; fraternam T. q'') apostolici D. r'') Hlothario D. s'') D; paci T; pro: post consulatum. t'') seq. tertio canc. D. u'') anno tricesimo quinto] anno 35^o D; om. Cessi. v'') Hludohvico D. w'') D; XV^a T.

1) Vulg., 1 Tim. 3:2.
2) A contaminated reading of the originally written post consulatum eius anno tricesimo quinto. Post consulatum was usually abbreviated as "p.c.", but late medieval scribes, in whose time the years after the ruler's consulship were no longer used as dating elements, would often erroneously expand the abbreviation as "pacis" or "pace".

Medieval Recollections

Acts of the Synod of Rome of 1024 – edited here as doc. 1024_SR.

“Victor patriarcha, nacione Venetus, ex patre Bello Ausibiaco sive Berentano vel Batioccum, sedit annis VI, mensibus IIIs, diebus IIII^or. Hic pallium suscepit a Leone papa, utendum diebus contentis in privilegiis ecclesie sue, sepultusque est in ecclesia sancte Euphemie.” – Andrea Dandolo, Chronica per extensum descripta, ed. Ester Pastorello, RIS, ser. 2, 12/1 (Bologna 1958), p. 153.

Selected Bibliography

Wilhelm Meyer, “Die Spaltung des Patriarchats Aquileja,” Abhandlungen der Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, Phil.-Hist. Klasse, Neue Folge, 2/6 (1898): p. 33.

Walter Lenel, Venezianisch-Istrische Studien (Strasbourg 1911), p. 22, 110.

Paul Fridolin Kehr, “Rom und Venedig bis ins 12. Jahrhundert,” Quellen und Forschungen aus italienischen Archiven und Bibliotheken 19 (1927): p. 58.

Roberto Cessi, Venezia ducale, vol. 1: Duca e popolo (Venice 1940), p. 264.

Gherardo Ortalli, “Il ducato e la ‘civitas Rivoalti’: Tra carolingi, bizantini e sassoni,” in Storia di Venezia: Dalle origini alla caduta della Serenissima, vol. 1: Origini – Età ducale, ed. Lellia Cracco Ruggini, Massimiliano Pavan, Giorgio Cracco and Gherardo Ortalli (Rome 1992), online.

Daniela Rando, Una chiesa di frontiera: Le istituzioni ecclesiastiche veneziane nei secoli VI–XII (Bologna 1994), p. 19.

Steven A. Schoenig, SJ, Bonds of Wool: The Pallium and Papal Power in the Middle Ages (Washington DC 2016), pp. 40–41, 59–60.

Editor's Notes

Like his predecessor, Patriarch Fortunatus II, Patriarch Victor also received the pallium from the incumbent Roman pope. Whether Victor’s immediate predecessor, Patriarch Venerius, who succeeded Fortunatus II, also received the pallium or not cannot be known, since no such document survives. Since the Synod of Mantua (doc. 827_SM) took place during Venerius’s lifetime, it is probable that he never received the recognition of the metropolitan status of his church, as the Synod proclaimed only the patriarch of Aquileia as the metropolitan of the entire ecclesiastical province.

However, as this document shows, the decrees of the Synod of Mantua were not enforceable in the long run. Already in 852, Pope Leo IV recognized the metropolitan status of the Patriarchate of Grado by this conferral of the pallium to Patriarch Victor. By this very act, the decrees of the Synod of Mantua were largely revoked and the battle between the two patriarchs for the metropolitan jurisdictions over Istrian bishoprics was reignited.

During one especially violent phase of this centuries-long conflict, Patriarch Urso of Grado travelled to Rome to prove the metropolitan status of his church and, among other documents, he presented this conferral of pallium to the incumbent Pope John XIX (see doc. 1024_SR).

How to Cite

First citation: Josip Banić (ed.), Fontes Istrie medievalis, vol. 2: A 804 usque ad 1077, doc. 852_PG, fontesistrie.eu/852_PG (last access: date).

Subsequent citations: FIM, 2: doc. 852_PG.

Facsimile

Image Source and Info

The publication of the facsimiles of T (Pacta e aggregati, Codex Trevisaneus, fol. 64r–v) is granted free of charge by Archivio di Stato di Venezia by way of the “simplified procedure” of publishing archival facsimiles (La circolare della Direzione generale archivi n. 39 del 29 settembre 2017: procedura semplificata: pubblicazioni online che perseguano finalità scientifiche o pedagogiche, non beneficino di inserzioni pubblicitarie o commerciali e non siano soggette ad accesso a pagamento).

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