medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
On Tue, 12 Nov 2002 18:13:49 -0800
Phyllis Jestice wrote:
>Today (13. November) is the feast day of:
>Nicholas I (d. 867) The Roman Nicholas was elected pope in 858. He was a
>strong and able pontiff, vigorously asserting Roman primacy, upholding the
>permanence of marriage even in face of a threatened invasion (by the
>disgruntled Lothar II of Lorraine, who was unable to obtain a divorce), and
>encouraging missionary work in Scandinavia and Bulgaria. He is sometimes
>called "the great," one of the three popes who has won the appellation.
>
Nicholas I's letters are in PL 119. Those to the Emperor Michael and other important east Romans in the matter of the deposition of the patriarch of Constantinople (the so-called "Photian schism") are literary masterpieces: concise, vigorous, and eloquent. Light years above the chancery standard of his remaining correspondence, they are apparently the product of a writing team whose chief member (he tells us, some years after and in a different pontificate) was Anastasius the future papal librarian (Anastasius Bibliothecarius). A good read, if you get the chance.
Best,
John Dillon
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