Calixtus II's Papal Assent to the election of Peter the Venerable

PL 163, col.1093. CALIXTI II PONTIFICIS ROMANI EPISTOLAE ET PRIVILEGIA. (Internet Archive)

Latin	English
CXIC.Petro creato abbati Cluniacensi gratulatur	Calixtus offers congratulations to Peter, upon his election as Abbot of Cluny
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CXC. Ad Cluniacenses. Petrum electum abbatem probat.	To the Cluniacs. Calixtus formally approves of Peter the abbot-elect (21 October, 1122)
CALIXTUS episcopus, servus servorum Dei, dilectis [Col.1256D] in Christo filiis Cluniacensis monasterii monachis, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Quia nos in pastorum nostrorum defectione omnipotens Dominus hoc tempore visitavit, monasterium vestrum in multis magnum incurrisse incommodum et fraternitatem vestram detrimenta nonnulla perpeti audivimus et labores. Unde tanto nos contristari et dolore gravius cognoscatis, quanto amplius locus idem ad Romanam videtur Ecclesiam pertinere. Verumtamen vos, filii in Domino dilectissimi, super hujusmodi perturbationibus non miremini, scientes quia omnes qui pie volunt vivere in Christo persecutionem [Col.1257A] patientur. Ad coronam quippe nisi per tribulationes et certamina non pervenitur, dicente Apostolo ac testante: Nemo coronabitur, nisi qui legitime certaverit. In his itaque certaminibus non formidetis, neque terreamini, quia confortator et auxiliator vobis Dominus aderit, qui sperantes in se minime derelinquit, sed de coelo victoriam tribuit, et coronam immarcescibilem gloriae suis fidelibus usque in finem viriliter persistentibus administrat. Nos quoque vos tanquam filios nostros charissimos semper diligere, semper, in quantum poterimus, adjuvare, ac semper, Domino auxiliante, protegere procurabimus.	Bishop Calixtus, servant of the servants of God, sends greeting and apostolic benediction to the monks of the monastery of Cluny, his beloved sons in Christ. Since the omnipotent Lord often sees us in remove from our flock, we heard that your monastery suffered great disruption for many years and your fraternity fully endured many hardships and labours. On this account, may you know that we are saddened all the more painfully and gravely, the more the very place is seen to belong to the Roman Church. Nonetheless, we should not be surprised should you, O most beloved sons in the Lord, suffer further disturbances of this sort, knowing that all who wish to live piously in Christ must suffer persecution. Indeed, one is not brought to the crown [of martyrdom] but through tribulations and struggles, as the Apostle says and testifies, “No one receives the crown unless he has fought justly.” And so in this, you must not dread your struggles and do not fear since the Lord your guardian and helper is near; he abandons those having little faith in him, but offers victory in heaven and bestows the unfading garland of glory to his faithful men manfully persevering to the end. And so we will take care to love you always, our so beloved sons, to help you always as much as we are able, and, with the Lord helping, to protect you always.
Abbatem sane vestrum Petrum, quem nuper ad honorem Dei et beati Petri, nec non et vestri utilitatem monasterii communi voto et conniventia [Col.1257B] elegistis, nos in ejusdem administratione regiminis sancto cooperante Spiritu stabilimus: quem sic specialem beati Petri filium specialiter diligere volumus, atque ipsi, et per eum vestro monasterio possessiones, bona omnia et dignitates, quas nostri vobis confirmavere praedecessores, et quas hactenus locus vester quiete habuisse dignoscitur, confirmamus. Praecipimus etiam, et statuentes penitus interdicimus, ne quis fratrum vestrorum, aut ulla omnino persona occasione Pontii olim abbatis in vestra audeat congregatione scandalum suscitare. Nam sicut ei nos monasterium ipsum ex parte beati Petri et Romanae commiseramus Ecclesiae, ita ipse illud in manu nostra per quamdam virgam beato Petro et Romanae Ecclesiae absque ulla recuperationis [Col.1257C] spe in perpetuum refutavit. Si quis ergo contra nostrum interdictum hoc in vestra, quod absit! congregatione scandalum commovere praesumpserit, Dei et beati Petri atque apostolicae sedis indignationem incurret; qui autem conservator exstiterit, et praedicto abbati Petro reverentiam debitam et obedientiam exhibuerit, omnipotentis Dei et apostolorum Petri et Pauli et nostram gratiam, nec non et peccatorum suorum, largiente Domino, indulgentiam obtinebit. Datum Laterani XII Kal. Novembris, indictione prima.	And therefore, in administration of this governance with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit, we do not hesitate to confirm Peter your abbot, whom recently you elected at your communal vote and indulgencefor the honour of God and of blessed Peter, as well as for the benefit of your monastery. We wish thereby to specially esteem that special son of blessed Peter and to the same, we confirm to your monastery through him the possessions, all the goods and the dignities which our predecessors had confirmed to you and which your place has been known to have enjoyed peacefully up until now. Also, we command and entirely forbid with the power of law that any of your brothers or any person at all in your congregation dare to rekindle the scandal about the situation of Pontius, formerly your abbot. For just as we had entrusted the monastery [at Cluny] to him on behalf of the blessed Peter and the Roman Church, likewise he himself returned the same into our hands in perpetuity by means of a certain scepter without any hope of recovery. If anyone in your congregation, God forbid, presume to bring up the scandal in opposition to this our interdict, let them incur the anger of God, of blessed Peter and of the apostolic seat. But let him who stands as its guardian and demonstrates the proper reverence and obedience to the said abbot Peter receive our thanks, as well as the thanks of God and of the apostles Peter and Paul and also let him receive, with the Lord granting it, the forgiveness of his sins. Granted at the Lateran Palace, 12th kalends of November, first indiction.