A probably partly authentic papal letter of privilege issued by Pope Eugenius I grants special rights to the monastery at Agaune (south-east Gaul) dedicated to *Maurice and the Theban Legion (martyrs of Agaune, S00339). Written in Latin at Rome, 654/7.
E06976
Documentary texts - Charter or diploma
Documentary texts - Letter
Privilege of Pope Eugenius I (JE †2084; JH †3415) (excerpts)
In nomine domini dei ęterni et saluatoris nostri Ihesu Christi. Eugenius humilissimus omnium seruorum dei et in sancta sede romana tocius orbis magistra non meritis propriis sed intercessione beatissimi apostolorum principis Petri ab omnipotenti deo in apostolatus arche electus. Quia dominus noster oues proprias, quas suo sancto ac precioso sanguine adquisiuit, beato Petro pascendas commisit, constat nimirum cunctos dei cultores ipsius subici tuicione, cuius nos ubique non diffidimus protegi patrocinio; [...] Igitur quia postulauit a nobis Chlodoueus excellentissimus rex Francorum, quatenus monasterium sanctorum Agaunensium in regno Burgundię super fluuium Rodanum, que<m> in honore beati Mauricii uel aliorum martyrum Sigismundus bone memorie rex construxisse dinoscitur in quo Siagrus abba preesse uidetur, priuilegio cum sedis apostolice infulis decoretur [...] Propterea [...] per huius preceptionis nostre auctoritatem id, quod exposcimur, effectu mancipamus [...]
'In the name of the eternal Lord God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. Eugenius, most humble of all the servants of God and elected to the holy Roman see, which is the teacher of all the world, not by his own merits but with the intercession of Peter, prince of the apostles, chosen by almighty God for the apostolic eminence. Because our Lord committed to blessed Peter the care of his flock, which he bought with his own holy and precious blood, it is surely fitting that all worshippers of God are placed beneath his guardianship, the protection of which we do not despair of defending everywhere... Therefore, because Clovis (II), the most outstanding king of the Franks, has asked from us that the monastery of the saints of Agaune in the kingdom of Burgundy over the river Rhône, which King Sigismund of happy memory is known to have constructed in honour of the blessed Maurice and other martyrs, in which Abbot Syagrius is seen to preside, might be honoured with the dignity of a privilege of the apostolic see... Therefore... through the authority of this, our command, we put that which has been requested into effect...'
Text: Anton 1975, 22-3.
Translation: B. Savill.
Cult building - monastic
Places Named after SaintMonastery
Non Liturgical ActivityAwarding privileges to cult centres
Construction of cult buildings
Protagonists in Cult and NarrativesEcclesiastics - Popes
Ecclesiastics - abbots
Monarchs and their family
Theorising on SanctityUsing saints to assert ecclesiastical/political status
Considerations about the hierarchy of saints
Source
This privilege only survives in a corrupted form, in manuscript copies of the tenth century onwards. Its authenticity has long been contested, but Anton's 1975 study-cum-edition of the text argues for its essential underlying trustworthiness.Discussion
King Sigismund, commemorated here as Saint-Maurice d'Agaune's founder, was culted as a martyr at the seventh-century monastery, although he is not treated as a saint in this particular document. For other possibly contemporary accounts of his foundation of Saint-Maurice, see the interpolated version of the Passion of the Agaunensian Martyrs (E07794) and the Martyrdom of Sigismund (E08266).Bibliography
Edition and study:Anton, H.H., Studien zu den Klosterprivilegien der Päpste im frühen Mittelalter unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Privilegierung von St. Maurice d'Agaune (Berlin and New York, 1975).
Further reading:
Anton, H.H., ‘Der Liber Diurnus in angeblichen und verfälschten Papstprivilegien der früheren Mittelalters,’ in Fälschungen im Mittlelalter: Internationaler Kongreß der Monumenta Germaniae Historica, München, 16.-19. September 1986, 5 vols (Hannover, 1988), 3. 115-42.
Benjamin Savill
14/10/2022
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00036 | Peter, the Apostle | Petrus | Certain | S00339 | Theban Legion, commanded by Maurice, martyrs of Agaune, Gaul | Mauricius uel alii martyres | Certain |
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