GERLIER, Pierre-Marie. - Lot 122

GERLIER, Pierre-Marie. (1880–1965) Cardinal, Archbishop of Lyon, a leading figure in the French Catholic Church during the 20th century. Typewritten letter signed “+ Pierre-Marie Cardinal Gerlier, Archbishop of Lyon.” Lyon, March 26, 1963. 1 page, quarto size, on printed letterhead bearing the ecclesiastical coat of arms. Letter addressed to a correspondent regarding Émile Littré, in which Cardinal Gerlier politely declines a request for a contribution or testimonial. After expressing his wish that he could have “fulfilled your request and provided you with a text concerning Émile Littré,” he explains that he is unable to do so due to a lack of sufficient direct knowledge: “While I did, in fact, know Sophie Littré a little, I have, so to speak, known Émile Littré himself not at all.” He adds that he is not in a position “to add anything of interest to the texts that have already been provided to you about him,” concluding with a phrase marked by cordiality and deference. This letter illustrates Cardinal Gerlier’s intellectual caution and honesty, as he was careful not to venture beyond his field of expertise, while also bearing witness to the intellectual and religious networks surrounding Littré’s legacy in the 20th century.