Letter CCXXXVII. To the Whole Roman Curia, When They Chose the Abbot of S. Anastasius for Pope (Eucenius)

(A.D. 1145.)

Bernard expresses his surprise and apprehension at this election. He begs the attendance and faithful help of the Cardinals for the Pope Elect.¹

To the lords and reverend fathers, all the Cardinals and Bishops of the Curia, the son of their holiness wishes health.

1. May God forgive you what you have done! You have recalled to the world a man who was buried; you have again involved in cares and thrown amongst crowds a man who had fled from both. You have made the last first, and lo! his last state is more dangerous than the first. He was crucified to the world; through you he now lives again to the world, and you have chosen him to be lord of all, who had chosen to be a door-keeper in the house of his God. Why have you confounded the counsel of the poor? Why have you destroyed the resolve of one who was poor and needy and stricken in heart? He was running well. What made you block up his roads, turn aside his paths, and entangle his footsteps? He will fall among robbers just as though he were going down from Jerusalem, instead of ascending from Jericho. And so he who had powerfully shaken off from himself the hands of the devil, however violent the lusts of the flesh, and the glory of the world, could not yet escape from your hands. Did he leave Pisa only that he should be taken to Rome? l Did he, who shrank from being the second in command in one church, require the supreme command over the whole Church?²

2. What reason or counsel made you, when the supreme Pontiff was dead, rush upon a mere rustic, lay hands on him in his concealment, wrest from his hands the axe, pickaxe, or hoe, drag him to the palace, lift him to a throne, clothe him with purple ] and fine linen, gird him with a sword to execute vengeance on nations, to rebuke peoples, to bind their kings in chains and their nobles with links of iron? Was there no wise and experienced man amongst you more fitted for such things? It certainly seems absurd that a man humble and ragged should be taken to preside over Kings, to rule Bishops, to dispose of kingdoms and empires. Is it ridiculous or miraculous? Certainly one of these. J do not deny, I do not doubt, that even this may have been the work of God, who alone worketh great marvels, especially when I hear constantly from the mouths of many that this has been done by the Lord. Nor do³ forget either the judgments of God in olden time or the Scripture which tells us that by the will of God very many have been at different times called from a private, or even a rustic life, to rule His people. For example, to mention but one out of many, did He not choose His servant David in this way, and take him from the sheepfolds, from following the ewes great with young? So I say it may have happened by the good pleasure of God with our Eugenius.

3. Yet I am not sure; but I fear for my son, who is of delicate nature, and whose tender modesty is accustomed rather to leisure and quiet than to managing those things which are without: and it is to be feared that he will not execute the offices of his Apostleship with the dignity that is fitting. What sort of disposition do you think a man is likelv to have who sees himself dragged into the midst from the depths of spiritual contemplation, and from the pleasing solitude of the heart, and led like a sheep appointed to be slain to such strange and unwelcome duties. Unless the Lord support him with his hand he must, alas! be cast down and crushed under the unusual and excessive burden, whichseems a heavy load for the shoulders of a giant, so to speak, or even of an angel. But it has now been done, and, as many say, from the Lord; it is your duty, therefore, dearly beloved, to anxiously help forward by your earnest efforts and faithful services what we see has been the work of your own hands. If there be any consolation in you, if any power of love in the Lord, if any godly pity, if any bowels of compassion, assist and co-operate with him in the work to which he has been called through you by God. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, suggest them to him, urge him to them, do them with him; do this, and the God of peace shall be with you.

Footnotes

1. Lucius II., successor of Celestine, died A.D. i 145, when Bernard, Abbot of S. Anastasius, at Rome, was made Pope under the title of Eugenius III. He had been a disciple of S. Bernard, and to him S. Bernard addressed his book De Consideratione. Ep. 344 was written by him to S. Bernard while he was still abbot; also when Pope he wrote the Letter prefixed to ep. 273. Ep. 475 was written on his death. ↩

2. Eugenius had formerly been vice-dominus of the Church of Pisa, and a MS. of Dunes quoted by Henriquez calls him Suffragan; he then became a disciple of S. Bernard, then Abbot of S. Anastasius, or of Trois Fontaines at AquaeSalviae, near Rome. Contrary to the usual custom, the cardinals elected as a successor to Lucius, A.D. 1145, not a Cardinal, but an Abbot. And, therefore. Bernard expresses his wonder that one, who had found the office of vice-dominus of a single Church too heavy for him to bear, should have been called to govern the whole Church. We will briefly say what the office of vice-dominus (Vidame) was, for there are some Churches or Dioceses which still retain the title. At one time, indeed, each Bishop was bound to have a vice-dominus and a steward (Distinct. 89, cap. " Volumus "). And, therefore. S. Gregory the Great, writing to the sub-deacon Anthelm (lib. ix. ep. 66), says: — " We will that our Brother Paschasius appoint for himself a vice-dominus and a major-domo,- whose duty it shall be to care, as far as possible, for any guests that may come, and to hear complaints which may arise, etc.'' The Gloss, on " Volumus and Vice-dominus," then explains the word: "A steward of the episcopal property whose duty it is to look after that property and to provide for guests" It adds: " Because a Bishop cannot manage such matters himself." What is said, then, about guests is to be referred to the Vice-dominus. But Filesacus (Thenl. Pans, ad tit.de Offic. Jttil. Ontin. lib. i. Decret. or on the sacred authority of Bishops) so distinguishes the two offices, that the steward's duty is to look after guests, and the Vice-dominus is to act as the deputy of the Bishop in hearing causes and suits. ↩

3. At that time the Pope was vested in a red cope (Pet. Damian lib. i. ep. 20). VOL. II. 45 ↩