Pope Gregory VII
Letter to Anzir, King of Mauretania, A.D. 1076

The Christian Faith in the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Faith, edited by J. Neuner, S.J., and J. Dupuis, S.J. ©1973, Theological Publications in India, St. Peter's Seminary, Bangalore, India. PIN 560055.

In a letter to the Muslim King of Mauritania, referred to in Vatican II, Nostra Ætate #5, the Pope thanks Anzir for gifts he has received from him, as well as for freeing some prisoners and for his promise to free others. He also sends him a delegation as a token of Christian friendship and love and as a proof of his desire to be of service to him "in all things agreeable to our Fathers." The most significant part of the letter is the following extract in which the Pope expalins that Christians and Muslims worship the same God. See Epistola 21, PL 48, 450-452.

Christians and Muslims adore the same God.

God, the Creator of all, without whom we cannot do or even think anything that is good, has inspired to your heart this act of kindness. He who enlightens all men coming into this world (John 1.9) has enlightened your mind for this purpose. Almighty God, who desires all men to be saved (1 Timothy 2.4) and none to perish is well pleased to approve in us most of all that besides loving God men love other men, and do not do to others anything they do not want to be done unto themselves (cf. Mt. 7.14). We and you must show in a special way to the other nations an example of this charity, for we believe and confess one God, although in different ways, and praise and worship Him daily as the creator of all ages and the ruler of this world. For as the apostle says: "He is our peace who has made us both one." (Eph. 2.14) Many among the Roman nobility, informed by us of this grace granted to you by God, greatly admire and praise your goodness and virtues... God knows that we love you purely for His honour and that we desire your salvation and glory, both in the present and in the future life. And we pray in our hearts and with our lips that God may lead you to the abode of happiness, to the bosom of the holy patriarch Abraham, after long years of life here on earth.

Comments by Prax Maskaren

Astonishing that for a reference upon which such a crucial teaching of the Antichurch stands, the full text and veracity of this document cannot be found or provided. I checked on the net, and all I can find is that Pope Gregory VII is a saint, and that there was NO King Anzir, Nacir, Nasir, or Naseer, in Morocco in 1076! Amazing! At this time, the reigning king was Joseph (Yusef) of the Almoravid dynasty, and by his history, it is improbable that he is the same person who had supposedly treated with St. Gregory VII.

There are two probabilities:
  1. That this king was a minor prince of one of the principalities that had not yet been, at that date absorbed by the Almoravids.


  2. The prince IS the same as Yusef the Almoravid, and that Anzir and Nacir are forms of his title: probably An Naseer or 'the Naseer' corrupted to Anzir. That would depend upon the meaning of the word 'Naseer.'
The supporters of Nostra Ætate should provide us the full text, history and conext of this document.

However, there remains the question about what the document actually represents: Is it a doctrinal document, as projected by Renovationists, or is it not? What is its magisterial authority?

I seriously doubt that it is infact a doctrinal document. Obviously and logically, not every document written by a Pope is intended to teach doctrine. And this was a document that was intended to establish or reciprocate diplomatic relationship. Again, while it is true in apparent fact that Jews, Samaritans, Muslims, Sabaeans, Mormons, Protestants, Nestorians, etc., do ostentatiously worship the same God as the Christians do: Yahweh or Elohim, in theological fact, that is not the truth. This is because even a merely schismatic liturgy is offensive to God, is rejected and is joined to the the rebellion of the devils.

This is fundamental Christian doctrine, and because it is Divine Law, not merely Church law, even a pope cannot alter it.

And I do not even believe that it was the intention of St. Gregory to do so. There is no evidence of such an intent, and if there had been, we would have known about it, because there would have been a fierce controversy, just as there had been in the time of John XXII on the subject of when souls departing in grace attained the Beatific Vision: John XXII proposed the theory that these souls did not attain immediately, but only after the Last Judgement, which is contrary to long-decided Catholic doctrine.

Prax Maskaren

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