R89: Bertulf von St. Eucharius in Trier an Hildegard von Rupertsberg
Greeting to the Pearl of Hildegard
The abbot greets Hildegard with admiration, humbly commends her virtue as divine grace working in an earthen vessel.
The abbot of Saint Eucharius. To Hildegard. O Hildegard, most brilliant pearl! B. A poor servant of Christ and the unworthy abbot of Saint Eucharius. To please the Bridegroom of virgins in the resolve of virginity. We have heard and come to know the report of your virtue. Nay, rather, the virtue that works in your earthen vessel — the virtue of divine mercy!✦1
Recognized Prophecy and Heavenly Conversation
The abbot recognizes prophecy fulfilled in Hildegard, testifies to her uplifting influence, and alludes to the apostolic hope of heavenly conversation.
We have heard and we have known, and right away we recognized that prophetic word fulfilled among you! It is good for a man when he has borne the yoke.2 et cetera. Truly you have raised me up greatly and beyond myself. Because that which we fear to undertake. With a courageous spirit, having surpassed this, you have led it into custom. So that with the apostle you may say. But our way of life is in the heavens.
Delay of Love and Final Blessing
The abbot explains his delayed greeting by the restlessness of the age, affirms enduring love, asks mutual prayer and admonition, and closes with a blessing and farewell.
But though we've been held back by the turmoil of this restless age— we would have long since stopped greeting your holiness through our messengers! Still, that fire of love is believed in no way to have grown cold. Once it began to burn toward you in our hearts. And so may your blessedness hold no less the memory of my timidity before him with whom you are one spirit! And may that same one unceasingly admonish the sisters entrusted to you on our behalf and on behalf of our place to act. We also desire your admonitory words. And from the bottom of our hearts we pray that you may always fare well in every way. Farewell.
Read the original Latin
Abbas de sancto Evchario. hildegardi. Hildigardi margaritę prelucidę. B. pauper christi seruus et abbas de sancto Euchario immeritus. in uirginitatis proposito placere uirginum sponso. Audiuimus et nouimus famam uestrę uirtutis. immo uirtutem quę operatur in fictili uase uestro diuinę pietatis!
audiuimus et nouimus statimque propheticum illud expletum in uobis considerauimus! bonum est uiro cum portauerit iugum. et cetera. Uere multum et super uos extulistis. quia quod nos aggredi formidamus. in uirili animo supergressa sic in consuetudinem duxistis. ut cum apostolo dicatis. nostra autem conuersatio in celis est.
Sed nos licet tumultuantis seculi fluctuationibus impediti. salutare sanctitatem uestram per nuncios nostros diu supersedissemus! in nullo tamen refriguisse credendus est ignis ille caritatis. qui semel erga uos ardere cepit in cordibus nostris. Vnde et in nullo minus beatitudo uestra memoriam meę pusillanimitatis apud eum cum quo unus spiritus estis habeat! et idem pro nobis et pro loco nostro agere commissas uobis sorores incessanter admoneat. Admonitoria quoque uerba uestra desideramus. et uos bene semper ualere ex omnibus uisceribus nostris exoptamus.
Valete.
Scripture echoes
- ↩2Cor.4.7 — But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that the surpassing power belongs to God and not from us.
Notes
- 1 ↩immo functions adversatively here, correcting the prior sentence: not merely 'we have heard of your virtue' but 'indeed, the virtue itself that operates.' The exclamatory force is rendered with an em dash. 'Fictili uase' (earthen vessel) echoes 2 Cor 4:7, but Moses resolution is pending.
- 2 ↩cum is ambiguous among temporal, causal, and concessive senses; temporal chosen as default.
Epistolae: Letters to Frederick Barbarossa and Henry II of England companion
Read one voice like Hildegard's every morning
Chosen Portion delivers daily excerpts from Hildegard and 77 other historic devotional writers, free on iOS.
Hildegard directed souls through short written portions sent one at a time, and Chosen Portion continues that letter-a-day rhythm as daily devotionals.
- Daily 2-minute readings including Hildegard's letters and visions
- 78 complete historic works, translated into modern readable English
- A weekly email tracing one writer's story in depth