Pope Stephan III writes to all the bishops of Istria, reprimanding their insolence for consecrating each other, reminding them that they fall under the metropolitan jurisdiction of the Archbishopric of Grado, and threatening the bishops who fail to heed these warnings with excommunication.
Stephanus episcopus, servus servorum Dei, omnibus episcopis per universam provinciam Istriam constitutis.
Quisquis sacerdotali pręditusa non dicam honore, sed onere existuntb necesse est, ut canonica sanctorum patrum traditione tantum se observandum tota mentis integritate exhibeantc, quantum nimirum constat, transgressoribus dignęd ultionis et in hac vita de propriis reatus excessibus vindictam inferri et venturo in sęculo ante tribunal Dei nee condemnationis atque cruciatus pęnam irrogari. Unde necesse est omnibus huic sacro deditis officio in huiuscemodi canonicę sanctionis norma diutissime permaneref et nulla pęnitus ratione a recto itineris tramite quibuslibet sęcularibus persuasos fribolis pręsidiis deviare presumantg, neh tanti ponderis sibi regimen confertum detrimentum potius quam lucri stipendia pariat.
Itaque pervenit ad nos nuncio precurente quod vos omnes episcopi ipsius Istrię provincię constituti, qui canonica traditione a priscis temporibus sub iuris districtione ac consecratione sanctę Gradensis ecclesię Archiepiscopatus esse videmini, nunc, quod cum magno cordis dolore dicimus, sęcularibus convolantes auxiliis ab eadem Episcopatus sede protervo spiritu inflati recedere presumpsistis et inter vos, quod numquam auditum est, unus alterutrum vosmet ipsos consecratis. Unde commissa nos pastoralis cura compulit apostolicę correptionis apicibus vos argui, ut talis prava et inaudita temeritas canonicę correptionis framea abscidatur. Quam ob rem ecce auctoritate domini nostri, beati Petri apostolorum principis, cuius licet immeriti, Deo tamen dignante, vices gerimus, magnis per huius nostrę apostolicęi relationis seriem interdicimus sub anathematis interpositionibus vobis omnibus, contumacibus ac transgressoribus canonicę transgressionisj ipsius Istrię provincię episcopis, oblegantesk vos atque privantes a sacerdotalel honore vestro, ita ut et vos, qui ipsos enormiter consecrare presumpsistis episcopos, et him qui a vobis illicite consecrati sunt a proprio sacerdotali honore atque a sacro officio, quo fungere videmini, recedere debeatis vestroque vos archiepiscopo cum magna humilitate et cordis lamentatione nequiter vos degisse deflentes subicere studeatis, in eius vos iudicii arbitrio et canonica de huiuscemodi prolata transgressionis reatu sententia submittentes.
Nam si, quod non credimus et istius nostrę apostolicę interditionis obligationem transgredi presumpseritis, sciatis auctoritate apostolorum principis beati Petri celorum regni clavigeri , cui a domino Deo [in] cęlo ac terra ligandi solvendique concessa est potestas, anathematis vinculo esse innodati et a regno Dei alienati atque cum diabolo et eius atrocissimis pompis sicut transgressores sanctorum patrum canonicę traditionis deputati, quoniam scriptum est: “Terminos patrum nostrorum nulla auctoritate inlicite temeritatis transgredi presumite”1, et iccirco oportunitatis exigit ratio, protervos et transgressores canonicę institutionis correptionis freno constringi et dignę emendationis vindicta percelli.
a) praeditus ed. Cessi et saepe sic -ę in -ae mutavit. b) sic T. c) sic T; exhibeat ed. Gundlach et Cessi. d) dignae ed. Gundlach et saepe sic -ę in -ae mutavit. e) sic T; om. Gundlach et Cessi. f) permanerę ed. Gundlach sed perperam. g) presumat ed. Cessi. h) ex nec corr. T. i) om. Gundlach et Cessi. j) institutionis em. Gundlach. k) ablegantes em. Gundlach. l) sacerdotali ed. Cessi. m) sic T; si ed. Gundlach et Cessi.
1) Vulg, Prov. 22, 28.
“Episcopi quoque Ystrie, receptis papalibus admonicionibus, seculari contagione poluti rescipiscere renuerunt.” – Andrea Dandolo, Chronica per extensum descripta, ed. Ester Pastorello, Rerum Italicarum scriptores, 2 ser., 12/1 (Bologna 1958), p. 121.
The papal letter to all the bishops of Istria comes as a response to Patriarch John of Grado’s lamentations over the growing Lombard influence in Istria and the diminishing influence of his metropolitan authority in the region (see doc. 768_IS).
The pope responded by issuing two letters: this one to the bishops of Istria and another one to Patriarch John of Grado (doc. 768_SI).
In the hereby edited letter, the pope reminds the bishops of Istria, who began consecrating each other without any permission from their metropolitan, that their metropolitan jurisdiction is the Archbishopric of Grado. This “reminder” is most certainly directed against the Lombard patriarch of Aquileia, who used the secular authority of his king to spread his influence over the, at this point, Lombard Istria. The pope then proceeds to threaten the Istrian bishops who fail to heed this warning and return to the potestas of the archbishop/patriarch of Grado with excommunication.
Interestingly, the pope mentions neither the Lombard authority in the region nor the newly imposed dues, something Patriarch John vehemently laments over. The pope is only concerned with bishops’ growing independence and his main objective is to return them under the potestas of their lawful metropolitan.
For the dating of the letter, most probably written in January of 771, see the Editor’s Comments in doc. 768_IS.
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