Letter 38: The pious devotion of Senilis, an honorable man, is to be embraced.

Of Pope Gelasius, to Bishop Senecio. [Summary: A certain church is to be consecrated in honor of Saint Vitus, the endowment having first been made over, but in such a way that the donor retains no property right of his own beyond the right of entry for procession.] Gelasius the pope to Bishop Senecio. The devotion of a pious mind is to be embraced, by which Senilis [...], a man of honor, is reported to have founded upon his own land a church on the estate of Vivianus; which church he desires to be consecrated under the name of Saint Vitus the confessor. This church, therefore, dearest brother, if you do not doubt that it pertains to your diocese, it is fitting to dedicate according to custom, the solemn donation having first been conferred, which the offerer of the aforesaid gift attests that he has assigned to the ministers of the church: knowing without doubt that, apart from the right of entry for procession, which is owed to every Christian, he will hold no property right of his own in that same place. Given on the thirteenth day before the Kalends of August.

^^4^^|l Gelasii papae ad Seneeioneni episcopum. ('onsecrari ecclesiam quamdam in honorem s. Fiti praemissa dotatione peratHiii^ p.4 ita tameUf ut donator praeter processionis aditum nihil proprii Jyris habeei. (jlelasius papa Senecioni episcopo. Piae mentis amplectenda devotio est, [qua Seniliils^) vir hono- ') Erat Sora urbs Latii vcr8U8 Campanium et Marsos, mmc quoque episctv palis sub Neapolitano metropolitano. EPISTOLAE 31 — 30. 449 rabilis in re Viviaiia sui juris fundasse perhibotur ecclesiam; quam (a. 405 in honorem sjincti Viti confessoris ejus uomiue cupit consecrari. ~ ' '^ Hanc igitur, frater carissime, si ad tuani dioecesim pertinere non ambigis, ex more convenit dedicari, collata primitus donatione sol- lemni, quam ministris ecclesiae destinasse se praefati muneris testa- tur oblator: sciturus sine dubio, praeter processionis aditmn, qui omni Christiano debetur, nihil ibidem se })roprii juris habiturum. Data^) Xin Calendas Augusti.