CHAPTER 29: Our bishop’s letters are received by the most blessed pope Agatho and the holy synod[679]
CHAPTER 29
Our bishop’s letters are received by the most blessed pope Agatho and the holy synod[679]
GOD’S beloved bishop reached Rome quite safely, only to learn that his case had preceded him; the holy monk Cenowald had just then arrived with letters from Archbishop Theodore. So Pope Agatho was already familiar with the quarrel.1 To an assembled gathering of holy bishops and priests, more than fifty in number, in that church of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which is called the Basilica of Constantine, the most holy and thrice blessed Agatho, bishop of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Roman Church, gave the following address: ‘The reason why I have summoned you, venerable brethren, is not hidden from you. I require this honourable assembly to understand and discuss with me the dissension which has recently arisen among the churches in the island of Britain, where through God’s grace the company of the faithful has greatly increased. News of the quarrel has come both from pilgrims’ accounts of the situation and from a series of written reports.’
Andrew, the most reverend Bishop of Ostia and John, Bishop of Porto, then rose to speak.
‘The ordering of the affairs of all the churches hangs on the decision of your apostolic authority. You fulfil the office of the blessed apostle Peter to whom the Creator and Redeemer of all, Christ Our Lord, gave the keys for loosing and binding. In accordance with your Holiness’s recent injunction, sitting in session with our brother bishops and fellow servants we have read every letter which the messengers from Britain brought to your Holiness, as well as those which have come from Archbishop Theodore, who was himself formerly sent to Britain by the Apostolic See, and the reports from others against a certain bishop who, they allege, secretly fled from his diocese and whom they believe to have come to Rome. We have gone through those presented by Wilfrid, Bishop of York and God’s beloved, who has come here to appeal to the Apostolic See against ejection from his diocese by the above-mentioned holy archbishop. In these letters the accusers raise many dubious points, but never do we find Wilfrid convicted of any crime at all, on any interpretation of the sacred canons, and therefore the ejection was completely irregular. His accusers’ statements cannot prove him guilty of anything leading to his degradation. Rather are we of the opinion that he refrained by his modesty from implicating himself in seditious quarrelling. After being ejected, he let his fellow bishops know the merits of the case and forthwith had recourse to the Apostolic See wherein Christ the Almighty Lord who redeemed the Church with His Blood founded the primacy of the priesthood and confirmed the authority of the Prince of the Apostles. Finally the case has been submitted to your apostolic jurisdiction for an authoritative answer.’
Then Agatho, the most holy and thrice blessed bishop of the Holy Catholic Roman Church, thus replied: ‘Wilfrid, Bishop of York and God’s beloved, is said to be at the doors of this assembly. Let him, in answer to his request, be admitted to address the petition he has brought.’
Our beloved bishop, on entering the sacred precincts, began: ‘I beseech your Pontifical Holiness to command that this my humble petition be received and read out in your presence.’
To this the pope replied: ‘Let Bishop Wilfrid’s petition be received and read out before the whole gathering.’
It was then taken and read out in front of the whole apostolic council by John the notary.