De statu terre sancte.
The Holy Land Lost and Remembered
After Heraclius withdraws, an Arab prince conquers the Holy Land, and Christians endure nearly five centuries of harsh rule.
Not long after Emperor Heraclius withdrew from the holy land, a certain Arab prince named Ilomar, who was the third successor to Muhammad's kingdom, invaded the holy land and seized it by force. And so Christians living in the city of holy Jerusalem and in the surrounding regions endured for four hundred and ninety years the harshest yoke of unbelieving and cruel rulers.
A Hermit Stirred to Mercy
Moved by God's mercy, Peter the Hermit is inspired to visit the Holy Land, sees its affliction, receives a vision from Christ, and zealously urges Pope Urban II and Western princes to act.
At last, after He had been angry for a long time, the Lord remembered His mercy and, seeing the affliction of His people, inspired a poor and religious man from the kingdom of France — a hermit living in the diocese of Amiens, called Peter the Hermit — to visit the Lord's tomb and the places of the Holy Land. When he arrived at the holy city and saw the holy places being treated irreverently by the godless, and even the venerable man Symeon, patriarch of the city, being tormented like a worthless slave along with his subjects, with every kind of degradation and countless abuses — for he was a holy man, deeply compassionate, and bore a tender heart for the afflicted — he began to grieve bitterly and to be filled with sorrow, and in many ways he turned over in his mind anxiously how he might bring help to those who were suffering. One night, while he was keeping vigil in the church of the Lord's Resurrection, praying and making supplication to the Lord, and worn out from the long labor of staying awake, he began to drift off to sleep on the church floor — and then our Jesus Christ appeared to him in a dream, entrusting him with a mission to the lord pope and to the Western princes for the liberation of the holy land. Strengthened by divine revelation and fired with the zeal of love, he first approached Pope Urban II, carrying letters from the aforementioned patriarch Symeon and from the other faithful living in Jerusalem. Received kindly by the pope, he crossed through Italy and over the Alps, and set about carefully urging both Eastern and Western princes, as well as the common people, with earnest appeals and various exhortations — for he was a prudent and capable man in both action and speech — and he inclined many hearts to take up the labor of a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, with the Lord cooperating and granting abundant grace through the words of his envoys.
The Preaching of the Cross
Pope Urban II proclaims a pilgrimage of forgiveness for all sins, and the seed of his word bears fruit as many take the cross and vow to journey to Jerusalem.
Not long afterward, Pope Urban II followed the aforementioned Peter into France. Having called a general council, he carefully laid out before all the assembled the calamities and oppressions of the faithful living in the holy land, and how both the Lord's tomb and other holy places had been trampled and profaned by unclean dogs. To all whom the Holy Spirit would stir up to avenge the injuries of the Crucified and to liberate the holy land, he enjoined a holy and pleasing pilgrimage for the forgiveness of all sins. The seed of God's word fell on good and fertile soil and bore much fruit, so that many bishops, church prelates, princes, dukes, counts, barons, and nobles, along with others, signed themselves with the sign of the cross on their shoulders and bound themselves by a vow of pilgrimage to the Lord.✦
The First Crusade and Its Gains
In 1096 Peter and a great host capture Antioch and Jerusalem, take many cities from unbelievers, and establish a Latin patriarchal hierarchy.
In the year of the Lord 1096, the aforementioned Peter, together with those signed with the cross and a great multitude of Teutonic warriors, crossed the sea, passed through the Hellespont to the city now called the Arm of Saint George, and also took the city of Antioch and the holy city of Jerusalem. As time went on, through other arriving pilgrims they captured countless, nearly impregnable cities and fortresses, freeing them from the hands of unbelievers, so that a patriarch was established in the holy city of Jerusalem, who had under him four archbishops: Tyre with four suffragans, Caesarea with one, Nazareth with one, and Petra with one suffragan.
A Flourishing Church in the Land of Promise
The restored land abounds in churches, monasteries, and a Christian king, prompting wonder at God's creative goodness, who saw all that he had made and it was very good.
There were very many collegiate churches, monasteries of religious orders, communities of monks, hermitages of hermits, and cloisters of nuns. There was a king in Jerusalem as well, who had under him many princes, counts, and lords. Who could suffice to enumerate the wondrous and great works of the Lord, sought out for every purpose of his will, which he created as matter for his praise and for the use of our need? God saw all that he had made, and it was very good, and he hated nothing of what he had made.✦
The Sole Offense of Sin
God hates only sin, which transforms angels into devils and blessed citizens into exiles, and this alone offends His majesty and makes the gentle God harsh toward humanity.
Only sin, which is nothing, he hates, pursues, and destroys. So whereas in just six days he created all things by his word alone, he labored for more than thirty thousand years to destroy sin in the world. This alone is what displeases him, what offends the eyes of his majesty, what makes him who is gentle and sweet to us become harsh toward us: this is what made a devil out of an angel; out of a free being, a slave; out of an incorrupt one, a mortal and corrupt one; out of a blessed one, a wretched one; out of a citizen, an exile and an outcast; out of sons of God, sons of the devil. This is what he never leaves unpunished.
Mercy Turned to Judgment
When the sins of the impious who defiled the Holy Land provoked Him, God who is naturally kind was turned to cruelty.
So when the sins of impious men demanded it — men who defiled the holy land with crimes in many ways and provoked him — he who by nature is kind and gentle was turned into one who is cruel.
A Land Made a Byword
Drawing on Job and Lamentations, the text laments that God's people are mocked, their strength reduced, the mistress of nations made a widow subject to tribute, and enemies prevail over them.
So they became a laughingstock to their own neighbors, and their enemies mocked them to their face. Their harp has been turned to mourning, and their strength has been reduced to ashes.✦ The mistress of the nations has become like a widow, the ruler of the provinces—✦ —has been made subject to tribute.✦ To such a degree did God shut up his own people under the sword, and he despised his own inheritance.✦ To such a degree did their enemies prevail against them, and they themselves—✦✦
The Widespread Ruin of the Land
From Egypt to Mesopotamia the enemies violently seized cities and fortresses, and despite repeated crusading efforts, the Holy Land declined until Acre fell in 1290.
For not only the land of promise, but nearly all the regions, cities, and fortifications from the entrance of the land of Egypt all the way to Mesopotamia—a journey of more than twenty days—their enemies violently seized, besides many other coastal cities and strongholds. Afterward, many kings and princes came with an innumerable host of armed men and recovered the holy land—only to lose it again once more. So that by the year of our Lord 1250 it began to decline noticeably, until in the year of the same Lord 1290 the city of Acre, which alone had survived, was completely destroyed by the pagans.
The Fall of Acre and Its Causes
Acre was destroyed through the rivalry of its own lords and the rebellious, leaderless crusaders who broke their truces.
The cause of this city's destruction was twofold: first, the rivalry of its lords, who were at odds with one another in its defense; second, that the crusaders, whom the lord pope sent to its aid, were without a leader and rebellious, and kept breaking their truces.
Lament for the Desolate Land
In a sustained apostrophe drawn from Lamentations, the Holy Land is personified as bereft: God has become her enemy, thrown down her walls, destroyed her tent, cast king and priest into reproach, and left her to weep through the night with no comforter.
A lament for the desolation of the Holy Land. So then, O holy land of promise, beloved by God and venerated by the holy angels, admired by the whole world, chosen and pre-elected by God — so that he might visibly illuminate you with his presence, and by dispensing in you the sacraments of our liberation, might redeem the human race — you have been laid desolate and consumed with grief.✦ The Lord has become your enemy; he has thrown down all your walls, he has destroyed your fortifications, he has torn down your tent like a garden booth, your tabernacle has been demolished; he has handed over your festivals and sabbath to oblivion, he has cast king and priest into reproach, in the fury of his indignation.✦✦✦ All your persecutors have seized you in your distress; you wept, therefore, through the night, and tears were on your cheeks, and there is no one to comfort you among all who were dear to you.✦
A Cry for Deliverance
The Holy Land herself exhorts all Christian peoples to behold her disgrace, take up arms, draw the sword, and snatch her free from the hands of her persecutors.
An exhortation from the Holy Land to Christians for its liberation. Hear, I beg you, all Christian peoples, and see the grief of my desolation; remember what has happened to me; behold and look upon my disgrace; take up arms and shield and rise up to help me; draw the sword and shut them in against those who persecute me; snatch me, poor and desolate as I am, free from the hands of sinners.✦✦ ,
Read the original Latin
Non longe post recessum Eraclii imperatoris de terra sancta, quidam no mine Ilomar princeps Arabum, qui tercius successor fuit regni Macbometi terram sanctam ingressus hostiliter occupavit, et sic Cristiani in civitate sanctae Jeru salem et in partibus adjacentibus commorantes per ccccxc annos perpessi sunt jugum durissimum infidelium et crudelium dominorum. Tandem dominus cum diu iratus fuisset, recordatus misericordie sue, videns afflictionein populi sui, cuidam pauperi et religioso homini de regno Francie, in Ambiensi episcopatu vitam heremiticam agenti, qui dicebatur Petrus heremita, inspiravit, ut sepulcrum domini et loca terre sancte visitaret. Qui cum venisset ad sanctam civitatem, videns loca sancta ab impiis irreverenter tractari, virum eciam venerabilem Symeonem civitatis patriarcham una cum subditis suis tanquam vile mancipium cum omni abjectione innumeris obpressionibus affligi, sicut erat vir sanctus et valde compaciens et super afllictos pia gestans viscera, cepit dolere vehementer et contristari et variis modis secum anxius cogitare, si quo modo posset afllictis subvenire. Cum autem quadam nocte in ecclesia dominice resurrectionis in oracionibus domino supplicans pernoctaret, etf longo vigiliarum labore fatigatus supra pavimentum ecclesie inciperet paululum obdormire, do minus noster Jesus Cristus apparuit ei in somnis, injungens ei legacionem ad dominum papam et ad principes occidentales pro liberacione terre sancte. Ipse vero divina revelacione confortatus et zelo caritatis succensus cum literis predicti patriarche Symeonis et aliorum fidelium Jerosolime commorancium primo dominum papam Urbanum ii petiit, a quo benigne susceplus Ytaliam transcurrens et Alpes transiens, tarn principes orientales quam occidentales, quam'1 in feriorem populum sollicite admonendo, et variis exhortacionibus (sicut erat vir prudens et potens in opere et sermone) multorum animos ad suscipiendum peregrinacionis Jerosolimitanea laborem inclinavit, domino cooperante et legati sui sermonibus copiosam graciam largiente. Non multo tempore post dominus papa Urbanus predictum Petrum in Gallias secutus, convocato concilio generali calamitateS et oppressiones fidelium in terra sancta commorancium et tarn dominicum sepulcrum quam alia sancta loca ab immundisb canibus conculcata et prophanata diligenter exposuit, omnibus, quos spiritus sanctus ad ulcionem injuriarum crucifixi et ad terre sancte liberacionem incitaret, in remissionem omnium peccatorum tarn sanctam et placitam peregrinacionem injungens. Semen autem verbi dei cecidit in terram bonam et fertilem et fecit fructum multum, sic quod multi episcopi, prelati ecclesiarum, principes, duces, comites, barones et nobiles et alii signo salutifere crucis humeris suis affixo sese voto peregrinacionis domino obligarunt. Anno ergo domini mxcvi predictus Petrus cum cruce signatis et multitudine copiosa Theutonicorum mare transiens Hellespontum civitatem, quec hodie brachium sancti Georgii dicitur, urbem etiam Anthiocenam et civitatem sanctam Jerusalem, et procedente tempore per alios peregrinos advenientes infinitas et quasi inexpugnabiles civitates et castra ceperunt, de manibus infidelium liberantes, sic quod in civitat'e sancta Jerusalem patriarcha fuerat institutus, qui sub se habuit quatuor archiepiscopos scilicet Tyrensem cum quatuor suffraganeis, Cesariensem cum uno, Nazarenum cum uno, et Petracensem cum uno suffraganeo.
Ecclesie collegiate, monasteria regularium, cenobia monachorum, oratoria heremitarum, claustra sanctimonialium fuerant multa nimis. Rex fuit et Jerusalem, qui sub se habuit multos principes, comites et dominos. Ecce quis enumerare sufficeret mira et magna opera domini, exquisita in omnes voluntales ejus, que in materiam laudis sue et in usum necessitatis nostre creavit. Vidit deus cuncta, que fecerat, et erant valde bona, et nihil odit eorum, que fecit. Solum peccatum, quod nihil est, odit, persequitur, et destruit. Unde cum sex diebus solo verbo cuncta creavit, annis plus quam xxxm ad destruendum peccatum in mundo laboravit. Hoc solum est, quod ei displicet, quod oculos majestatis sued offendit, quod ipsum mitem et suavem nobis asperum reddit, hoc est, quod de angelo diabolum fecit; de libero servum, de incorrupto mortalem et corruptum, de beato miserum et de cive exulem et ejectum, de filiis dei filios diaboli; hoc est, quod nunquam impunitum relinquit. Unde peccatis impiorum hominum exigentibus, qui terram sanctam' multis modis sceleribus sordidabant, et ipsum provocantibusf, conversus est in crudelem, qui natura benignus est et suavis.
Unde facti sunt in derisum vicinis suis, et inimici coram subsannaverunt eos. Cythara eorum versa est in luctum, et fortitudo eorum redacta est in favillam. Facta est quasi vidua domina gencium, princeps provin-ihren i, i. ciarum facta est sub tributo. Adeo enim conclusit deus in gladio populum suum et hereditatem sprevit. Adeo facti sunt inimici eorum in caputg, et ipsi in cau-ihren i,. dam, quod non solum terram promissionis, sed omnes fere regiones, civitates et municiones ab introitu terre Egipti usque Mesopotamiam itinere plus quam viginti dierum inimici eorum violenter abstulerunt preter alias multas civitates et municiones maritimas. Postea multi reges et principes cum innumera multitudine armatorum venientes terram sanctam recuperarunt et recuperatam iterum perdiderunt, sic quod anno domini mccl incepit sensibiliter deficere, quousque anno ejusdem domini mccxc civitas Achonensis, que sola supererat, a paganis funditus est destructa.
Causa destructionis hujus civitatis fuit duplex, prima diversitas dominorum, qui in defensione ipsius discordabant, secunda, quod cruce signati, quos dominus papa misit in subsidium, erant sine capite et rebelles et treugas continue infringebant. 79 Querimonia desolacionis terre sancte. Sic ergo tu o sancta terra promissionis deo amabilis et angelis sanctis venerabilis et universo mundo admirabilis a deoa electa et preelecta, utb te presenciac sua visibiliter illustraret, et in te liberacionis nostre sacramenta ministrando genus humanum redimeret, posita esd desolata et merore consumpta. Factus est dominus inimicus, precipitavit omnia menia tua, dissipavit municiones tuas, dissipavit quasi ortum tentorium tuum, demolitus est tabernaculum tuum, oblivioni tradidit festivitates et sabbatume, abjecitf in opprobrium in indignacione furoris regem et sacerdotem. Omnes persecutores tui apprehende runt te inter angustias, plorans ergo plorasti in nocte, et lachrime in maxillis tuis, nec est, qui consoletur te ex omnibus caris tuis. so Exhortacio terre sancte ad Cristianos pro liberacione sua. Audite obsecro universi populi Cristiani et videte dolorem desolacionis mee, recordamini, quid acciderit mihi, intuemini et respicite opprobrium meum, apprehendite arma et scutum et exurgite in adjutorium mihi, effundite frameam et concludite adversus eos, qui me persequuntur, eripite me pauperem et desolatams et de peccatorum manibus liberate. ,
Scripture echoes
- ↩Matt.13.8 — But other seed fell on good soil and produced grain—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
- ↩Gen.1.31 — And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
- ↩Job.30.31 — So my harp is turned to mourning, and my flute to the voice of those who weep.
- ↩Lam.1.1 — How sits the city solitary, that was full of people. She who was great among the nations, princess among the provinces — she has become like a widow.
- ↩Lam.1.1 — How sits the city solitary, that was full of people. She who was great among the nations, princess among the provinces — she has become like a widow.
- ↩Lam.2.5 — The Lord has become like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces; he has destroyed his fortresses. And he has multiplied in Judah mourning and lamentation.
- ↩Deut.28.43-Deut.28.44 — The foreigner who is among you will rise higher and higher above you, but you will sink lower and lower. Deut.28.44 — He shall lend to you, and you shall not lend to him; he shall be the head, and you shall be the tail.
- ↩Lam.1.5 — Her enemies have become the head; her foes prosper, for the LORD has afflicted her because of the multitude of her transgressions. Her little ones have gone into captivity before the enemy.
- ↩Lam.1.1 — How sits the city solitary, that was full of people. She who was great among the nations, princess among the provinces — she has become like a widow.
- ↩Lam.2.1-Lam.2.8 — How the Lord has covered the daughter of Zion with his anger! He has cast down from heaven to earth the glory of Israel, and has not remembered his footstool in the day of his anger. Lam.2.2 — The Lord has swallowed up without pity all the pastures of Jacob; in his wrath he has torn down the strongholds of daughter Judah, bringing them to the ground; he has defiled the kingdom and its princes. Lam.2.3 — He has cut down in fierce anger every horn of Israel; he has drawn back his right hand from before the enemy, and he has burned against Jacob like a flaming fire that devours all around. Lam.2.4 — He has bent his bow like an enemy; he has stood his right hand like a foe, and has slain all the delights of the eye. In the tent of Daughter Zion he has poured out his wrath like fire. Lam.2.5 — The Lord has become like an enemy; he has swallowed up Israel. He has swallowed up all her palaces; he has destroyed his fortresses. And he has multiplied in Judah mourning and lamentation. Lam.2.6 — He has torn down his booth like a garden; he has destroyed his appointed place. The LORD has caused feast and Sabbath to be forgotten in Zion, and in the fury of his anger he has spurned king and priest. Lam.2.7 — The Lord has rejected his altar, he has abandoned his sanctuary; he has delivered into the hand of the enemy the walls of her citadels. They have raised their voice in the house of the LORD as on the day of a feast. Lam.2.8 — The LORD determined to destroy the wall of Daughter Zion; he stretched out the measuring line and did not withdraw his hand from destruction. The rampart and wall mourn together; they languish.
- ↩Isa.1.8 — And daughter Zion is left like a booth in a vineyard, like a lodge in a cucumber field, like a city under siege.
- ↩Lam.2.6 — He has torn down his booth like a garden; he has destroyed his appointed place. The LORD has caused feast and Sabbath to be forgotten in Zion, and in the fury of his anger he has spurned king and priest.
- ↩Lam.1.2 — She weeps bitterly in the night, her tears on her cheek; she has no comforter among all her lovers. All her friends have betrayed her; they have become her enemies.
- ↩Ps.35.1-Ps.35.3 — Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Ps.35.2 — Take up shield and buckler, and rise up to help me. Ps.35.3 — Draw the spear, and close ranks against my pursuers; say to my soul, "I am your salvation."
- ↩Lam.3.13 — He drove the arrows of his quiver into my kidneys.
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