R13: Christian I. von Buch an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Greeting and Affection
Christian, archbishop of Mainz, greets Hildegard and her sisters with paternal and filial affection, expressing heartfelt longing for her devout love despite being hindered by many affairs.
Christian, archbishop. To Hildegard. Christian, by the grace of God, archbishop of the see of Mainz! To Hildegard. To the beloved mistress of the sisters of St. Robert in Pingis. With a devotion of grace, as much with paternal as with filial affection. Held back by a great many affairs, we write to you in few words! Although our heart is enlarged, we long for your devout love with our whole mind striving forward.✦
Prayer amid Earthly Burdens
Christian acknowledges Hildegard's Holy Spirit inspiration, confesses his neglect of the heavenly king while serving earthly duties, and commends himself to her prayers and those of her sisters for deliverance from the storms of the age.
And because we recognize that you are inspired by the Holy Spirit, we long for your words of exhortation. Since while we try to serve an earthly kingdom outwardly, we often neglect the heavenly King within. Therefore, we entrust ourselves to your prayers and to the sisters who are with you, so that, helped through them, we may be delivered from the storms and tempests of this age, in which we are greatly wearied, and mercifully snatched away as God comes to our aid. We, however, desire to be present with you in all your necessities and to be of service in all things.
Trust in God's Will
Christian concludes by expressing his desire to serve Hildegard's needs as God grants, and affirms certainty in this intention.
As God will grant. You should know for certain.
Read the original Latin
Cristianus archiepiscopus. hildegardi. Cristianus dei gratia maguntinę sedis archiepiscopus! hildegardi. dilectę magistrę sororum de sancto roberto in pingis. deuotionem gratię suę tam cum paterno quam cum filiali affectu. Plurimis negocijs impediti per pauca tibi scribimus! cum tamen dilatato corde toto mentis annisu ad piam dilectionem tuam anhelemus.
Et quia diuino spiritu te inspiratam cognoscimus exhortatoria uerba tua desideramus! quoniam dum terreno regno exterius seruire conamur. celestem regem multociens interius negligimus. Igitur et orationibus tuis ac sororum quę aput te sunt nos committimus! ita ut per illas adiuti turbinibus et procellis huius seculi in quibus multum fatigamur. deo succurrente clementer eripiamur. Nos autem uobis in omnibus necessitatibus uestris adesse. ac in omnibus prodesse.
prout deus donauerit. pro certo sciatis.
Scripture echoes
- ↩2Cor.6.11 — Our mouth is open to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
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