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E06415: A letter of Pope Gregory the Great (Register 11.10) of 600, to Serenus, bishop of Marseille, condemns his destruction of images of saints in Marseille (southern Gaul), arguing that they are for the instruction of the illiterate. Written in Latin in Rome.
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posted on 2018-09-11, 00:00 authored by CSLA AdminPope Gregory the Great, Register of Letters 11.10
Perlatum siquidem ad nos fuerat quod inconsiderato zelo succensus sanctorum imagines sub hac quasi excusatione, ne adorari debuissent, confringeres. Et quidem quia eas adorari uetuisses omnino laudauimus, fregisse uero reprehendimus. Dic, frater, a quo factum sacerdote aliquando auditum est quod fecisti? Si non aliud, uel illud te non debuit reuocare, ut despectis aliis fratribus solum te sanctum et esse crederes sapientem? Aliud est enim picturam adorare, aliud per picturae historiam quid sit adorandum addiscere. Nam quod legentibus scriptura, hoc idiotis praestat pictura cernentibus, quia in ipsa ignorantes uident quod sequi debeant, in ipsa legunt qui litteras nesciunt; unde praecipue gentibus pro lectione pictura est.
‘For indeed it has reached our ears that as you were burning with uncontrolled zeal, you began breaking the images of the saints with the rather weak excuse that they ought not to be worshipped. Indeed, that you had banned their adoration, we fully applauded you, but we condemn you for having broken them. Tell me, brother, when have you ever heard of some other priest doing what you did? If never, should that not have warned you that you were despising all other brethren in your belief that you alone were holy and wise? For the worship of a picture is one thing but learning what should be worshipped through the story on a picture is something else. For what writing provides for readers, this a picture provides for uneducated people looking at it, for in it the ignorant see what they should follow and the illiterate read the same from it. Thus a picture serves as a text, especially for pagans.’
Gregory continues to encourage Serenus to gather together his congregation and tell them that, whilst it is forbidden to worship images, they should learn from them.
Text: Norberg 1982, vol. 2, 873-4. Translation: Martyn 2004, vol. 3, 745, lightly adapted.
Perlatum siquidem ad nos fuerat quod inconsiderato zelo succensus sanctorum imagines sub hac quasi excusatione, ne adorari debuissent, confringeres. Et quidem quia eas adorari uetuisses omnino laudauimus, fregisse uero reprehendimus. Dic, frater, a quo factum sacerdote aliquando auditum est quod fecisti? Si non aliud, uel illud te non debuit reuocare, ut despectis aliis fratribus solum te sanctum et esse crederes sapientem? Aliud est enim picturam adorare, aliud per picturae historiam quid sit adorandum addiscere. Nam quod legentibus scriptura, hoc idiotis praestat pictura cernentibus, quia in ipsa ignorantes uident quod sequi debeant, in ipsa legunt qui litteras nesciunt; unde praecipue gentibus pro lectione pictura est.
‘For indeed it has reached our ears that as you were burning with uncontrolled zeal, you began breaking the images of the saints with the rather weak excuse that they ought not to be worshipped. Indeed, that you had banned their adoration, we fully applauded you, but we condemn you for having broken them. Tell me, brother, when have you ever heard of some other priest doing what you did? If never, should that not have warned you that you were despising all other brethren in your belief that you alone were holy and wise? For the worship of a picture is one thing but learning what should be worshipped through the story on a picture is something else. For what writing provides for readers, this a picture provides for uneducated people looking at it, for in it the ignorant see what they should follow and the illiterate read the same from it. Thus a picture serves as a text, especially for pagans.’
Gregory continues to encourage Serenus to gather together his congregation and tell them that, whilst it is forbidden to worship images, they should learn from them.
Text: Norberg 1982, vol. 2, 873-4. Translation: Martyn 2004, vol. 3, 745, lightly adapted.
History
Evidence ID
E06415Type of Evidence
Literary - LettersLanguage
- Latin
Evidence not before
600Evidence not after
600Activity not before
600Activity not after
600Place of Evidence - Region
Rome and regionPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
RomePlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Rome Rome Rome Roma Ῥώμη RhōmēMajor author/Major anonymous work
Gregory the Great (pope)Cult activities - Rejection, Condemnation, Scepticism
Condemnation/rejection of a specific cultic activityCult activities - Use of Images
- Public display of an image
