1. Long time, my venerable
fellow-bishop Paulinus, have I been thy Holiness’s debtor for an
answer; even since thou wrotest to me by them of the household2708
of our
most
religious daughter Flora, asking of me whether it
profit any
man after
death that his body is buried at the
memorial of some
Saint. This, namely, had the said
widow begged of thee for her son
deceased in those parts, and thou hadst written her an answer,
consoling her, and announcing to her concerning the body of the
faithful young man Cynegius, that the thing which she with motherly
and pious affection desired was done, to wit, by placing it in the
basilica of most
blessed Felix the Confessor. Upon which occasion
it came to pass, that by the same bearers of thy letter thou didst
write also to me, raising the like
question, and craving that I
would answer what I thought of this matter, at the same time not
forbearing to say what are thine own sentiments. For thou sayest
that to thy thinking these be no empty motions of
religious and
faithful minds, which take this care for their
deceased friends.
Thou addest, moreover, that it cannot be
void of effect
2709
that the
whole
Church is wont to supplicate for the departed: so that hence
it may be further conjectured that it doth
profit a person after
death, if by the faith of his friends for the interment of his body
such a spot be provided wherein may be apparent the aid, likewise
in this way sought, of the Saints.
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