APOSTOLICAM SEDEM
LETTER OF INNOCENT II
TO THE BISHOP OF CREMONA
[TEMP. INCERTI.]

Presbyterum, quem sine unda baptismatis extremum diem clausisse (litteris suis) significasti, quia in sanctae matris Ecclesiae fide et Christi nominis confessione perseveravit, ab originali peccato solutum et caelestis patriae gaudium esse adeptum (ex auctoritate sanctorum Patrum Augustini atque Ambrosii) asserimus incunctanter. Lege (frater) super octavo libro Augustini de civitate Dei, ubi inter cetera legitur: << Baptismus invisibiliter ministratur, quem non contemptus religionis, sed terminus necessitatis excludit. >> Librum etiam beati Ambrosii de obitu Valentiniani idem asserentis revolve. Sopitis ergo quaestionibus, doctorum Patrum sententias teneas, et in ecclesia tua iuges preces hostiasque Deo offerri iubeas pro presbytero memorato.
To your inquiry we respond thus: We assert without hesitation (on the authority of the Fathers Augustine and Ambrose) that the priest whom you indicated (in your letter) had died without the water of baptism, because he persevered in the faith of holy mother the Church and in the confession of the name of Christ, was freed from original sin and attained the joy of the heavenly fatherland. Read (brother) in the eighth book of Augustine's "City of God" where among other things it is written, "Baptism is ministered invisibly to one whom not contempt of religion but death excludes." Read again the book of the blessed Ambrose concerning the death of Valentinian where he says the same thing. Therefore, to questions concerning the dead, you should hold the opinions of the learned Fathers, and in your church you should join in prayers and you should have sacrifices offered to God for the priest mentioned.

INNOCENT II



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