The Presbyters Project

Letter 4

For the first part of the letter see [1657].

3. Nec hoc quoque praetereundum esse duximus, quosdam lucri turpis cupiditate captos, usurariam exercere pecuniam, et fenore velle ditescere. Quod nos, non dicam in eos qui sunt in clericali officio constituti, sed et in laicos cadere, qui Christianos se dici cupiunt, condolemus. Quod vindicari acrius in eos qui fuerint confutati decernimus, ut omnis peccandi opportunitas adimatur. 4. Illud etiam duximus praemonendum, ut sicut non suo, ita nec alieno nomine, aliquis clericorum exercere fenus attentet; indecens enim est crimen suum commodis alienis impendere. Fenus autem hoc solum aspicere et exercere debemus, ut quod hic misericorditer tribuimus, ab eo Domino, qui multipliciter et in perpetuum mansura retribuet, racipere valeamus.

(Patrologia Latina 54, 613-614 = Ballerini 1753: 615-616)

Letter 4

For the first part of the letter see [1657].

3. This point, too, we have thought must not be passed over, that certain possessed with the love of base gain lay out their money at interest, and wish to enrich themselves as usurers. For we are grieved that this is practised not only by those who belong to the clergy, but also by laymen who desire to be called Christians. And we decree that those who have been convicted be punished sharply, that all occasion of sinning be removed. 4. The following warning, also, we have thought fit to give, that no cleric should attempt to make money in another's name any more than in his own: for it is unbecoming to shield one's crime under another man's gains. Nay, we ought to look at and aim at only that usury whereby what we bestow in mercy here we may recover from the Lord, who will restore a thousand fold what will last for ever.

(trans. Ch. Lett Feltoe 1895: 3)

Place of event:

Region

Rome
Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia
Italy south of Rome and Sicily

City

Rome

About the source:

Author: Leo the Great
Title: Letters, Epistulae
Origin: Rome (Rome)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Leo the Great was the bishop of Rome from AD 440 to his death in AD 461. We have the collection of 173 letters of Leo. The present letter is dated to the sixth day before the Ides of October in the year of consulship of Maximus (for the second time) and Paterius, i.e. 10 October 443.

Edition:

P. and G. Ballerini eds., Sancti Leoni Magni Romani pontificis opera, vol. 1, Venice 1753

Patrologia Latina, vol. 54

Translation:

Leo the Great, Letters, trans. Ch. Lett Feltoe, [in:] The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, 2nd series, vol. 12, Edinburgh 1895, 1-114

Categories:

Described by a title - Clericus

Economic status and activity - Loans

Livelihood/income

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: M. Szada, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER1659, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=1659