Letter 11017: Your appointment to oversee the poor table and the administration of the diaconia is now confirmed.

Your appointment to oversee the poor table and the administration of the diaconia is now confirmed. This is a charge of the highest spiritual seriousness — the hungry who come to that table are the Lord Christ himself in disguise, and every loaf distributed in his name is an act of worship. I have granted you the necessary authority to carry out this work without interference. Let no one attempt to constrain you in your obligations. The poor must be served with consistency, with dignity, and without favoritism. Keep careful accounts; bring any serious difficulties to my attention without delay. You have my full confidence.

Licet eos qui pia intentione sollicitudinis * curam debilibus ac egenis impendunt sua apud omnes valeat tueri devotio, melius tamen est, si pro quiete sua de his fuerint muniti^ quae gesserint, ne deinde® eis inquietudinis occasio, unde magis laudandi sunt, oriatur. Quia igitur te^ lohannem religiosum intentionis tuae studio provocati mensis XI, 16 in dtulo: lohs Rl — RavennatU Rl; Rayen q.q* 1.2.3; Ravennensis Q*4; Ravenn R*l. dicte Rl. impertuno q1. ^ suppliciter Rl. 9) ren. est q1; est ren. q3. quantam q* 1. tatis Ql. a) eius Rl. o) diverso Rl. p) omnino q1. ^) referre Rl. Mense cet: decembrio Rl; decebr. q*; decembri R*l; dec. om. q1; novembri q3. XI, 17 in Htulo: lofis Rl. ») sollitudinis q* 1. »>) munita Q 1. c) deinde Rl. Q. Q*l; inde, ut videtur, q* 2. 3. d) ©t Rl. 1) De argentariis, eorum corpore eorumque contractibus cf. nov. lust. 136 et edict. VU. — BavenmiLe saeculo V. et VL commemorantur lulianua argentariua (AgneU. c. 57. 59. 77. Marini pap. dipl. nP. 114.) et aliquot alii (C.I.L. XI i, 350; Marini, pap. dipl. no.84. 90. 113. 115). 2) De pdkOinia cf. IX, 72 n. 1. IX, 113 n. 2. 3) De asylo eccksiastico cf ep. IX, 4 n,3. 4) Hic de eautione quadam Inportuni agi videtur. Cf. de huius modi cautionibm ep. XI, 4 (n. 1). XI, 17. lohannea o/ios ignotu8 est. — Cf. cum hac ep. Diumi f. 95. 118. mDICTIO IV. NOV. (XI, 16) - lAN. (XI, 18). pauperum et® exhibendae diaeoniae^ elegimus praeponendum, ne qua tibi ex hac nascatur amministratione ' dubietas, hac te munitione prospeximus fulciendum consti- tuentes, ut de hoc quod ad mensas pauperum vel diaconiae exhibitionem percepisti sive subinde perceperis erogandum, nuUi» umquam hominum quolibet** modo seu inge- nio cogaris ponere rationem^ vel aliquam^ debeas molestiam sustinere. Sed quia ita ab* humanis te omnibus esse" volumus rationibus absolutum", ut Deo nostro de his quae tibi commisimus rationem te noveris positurum, hortamur, ut fidei in te sinceritas vigeat, sit mens in rebus intentior°, cura propensior, voluntas pronior, studiumP vigi- lantius, devotio clarior, exhibitio efficacior, quatenus, dum divino iutus*» auxilio hoo opus' sollerter impleveris", et illi pro quibus sollicitudinem geris* studii tui solacio utiliter consolentur" et tu^ mercedis tuae bonum'' in aetema vita redemptoris nostri* gratia compensante^ recipias. MENSE lANUARIO INDICTIONE IIIL