Letter 3017: While others feast on the holy and serene delights of your presence, I sustain the barrenness of my longing more by...

Bishop Avitus to the lord Sigismund. While others feast upon the holy and serene delights of your presence, I sustain the barrenness of my longing more by the slenderness of my poor service than by reason. And so, after the festival [Easter] — ever beloved by all, yet uniquely so to the people of Chalon — I have sent this letter of a servant's solicitude. Even if it should strive to touch upon however small a portion of your praises, it could not adequately cultivate even this much: that it is permitted to my humility to offer them, or that it pleases your worthiness to receive them. Drawing my conclusion, then, from the joy of so many, I beg again and again that, with God's favor, you may make the Easter days joyful by a happy return. For, since in your absence a certain Lenten austerity persists for us, it is a solemn joy for all Catholics to have seen a Christian prince — and for his particular humble servant, to have seen his most pious lord — even after the festival.

Avitus episcopus domno Sigismundo. Dum alii sanctis ac serenis praesentiae vestrae deliciis epulantur, ego sterilitatem desiderii mei sustento magis pauperis officii tenuitate quam ratione. Vnde post festi- vitatem cunctis quidem semper amabilem, set Cabillonensibus singularem famulae sollicitudinis litteras destinavi. Quae si quantamcumque particulam laudum vestrarum niterentur attingere, nec hoc quidem sufficienter excolerent, quod eas vel humilitati meae licet porrigere, vel dignationi vestrae sumere libet. Coniciens ergo de tantorum laetitia multipliciter quaeso, ut deo propitio laetos paschales dies felici reditu faciatis. Quia, cum in absentia vestra quaedam nobis quadragesimae perduret austeritas, omni- bus catholicis principem Christianum, peculiari servulo piissimum domnum etiam post sollemnitatem vidisse sollemne est.