Hildegard to Her Brother Hugo
The Letters ofHildegarJ ofBingen Tboley
Hildegard to Her Brother Hugo Before 1170 It is interesting to see the mundane affairs that the saint had to deal with. Hildegard writes her brother beseeching him to treat his brother with more civility.
The Church frequently recounts miracles, but sometimes they move beyond truth into derision. Therefore, I admonish you not to accuse your brother Roricus unjustly in your heart and not to move beyond the bounds in speaking evil words about him. God knows that you are not acting correctly in this matter.
Therefore, beware lest the Lord find you guilty in this wrath of yours and other similar matters. May God have mercy on you in all your sins.
Trier (St. Eucbarius)
The Abbot Bertolf to Hildegard 1148-59 The abbot Bertolf was present at the famous synod of Trier, when Pope Eugenius read from the Sciviasto the assembled prelates. Here, he writes a letter of praise for Hildegard, and requests her prayers for himself and his community.
To Hildegard, refulgent pearl, Bertolf, poor servant of Christ and unworthy abbot of St. Eucharius, with a prayer that, dedicated to virginity, she be pleasing to the Bridegroom of virgins.
We have heard of and fully believe in the fame of your virtue, nay not just the fame but the real virtue that is active in your fragile vessel [cf. II Cor 4.7] of divine piety. We heard and fully believed, and immediately we knew that the following prophecy was fulfilled in you: "It is good for a man, when he hath borne the yoke," et cetera [Lam 3.27]. Indeed, you have far exceeded your sex by having surpassed with manly spirit that which we were afraid even to approach, and you have made it such a part of your calling that you can say with the Apostle,
"Our conversation is in heaven" [Phil 3.20].
Although, saintly lady, we have failed to greet you for a long time, impeded as we have been by the vacillations of this unstable age, you must not believe