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Life of St Wilfrid

Eddius Stephanus, tr. Colgrave, 1927

31. Of Pope Agatho’s Answer

The most holy and thrice-blessed Agatho, Bishop of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of the city of Rome, made reply: “It gives no small satisfaction to those of us who have listened to the course of the petition which Bishop Wilfrid, beloved of God, has offered, that, though he believes himself to be unworthily driven from the episcopal see, he did not contumaciously oppose his rivals, nor did he choose to repel force with force in a worldly manner, but, with humble mind, he procured the canonical aid of our blessed founder, Peter the chief Apostle. With humble expectation he promises to acknowledge immediately that which is decreed concerning him, nor does he cavil about the pronouncement of our opinion; but he accepts the conclusions, whatever they may be, declaring that he will with unshaken loyalty accept whatever our founder, the blessed Apostle Peter, whose ministry we fulfil, shall decide by our mouth.”