Januarius & Pope Gregory the Great

If our Lord Himself by the testimony of Holy Scripture declares Himself to be the husband of widows and father of orphans, we also, the members of His body, ought with the soul's supreme affection to set ourselves to imitate the head, and saving justice, to stand by orphans and widows if need be. And, having been given to understand that Catella...

Though your Fraternity in the zeal of righteousness gives fitting attention to the protection of various persons, yet we believe that you will be the more prone to succour those whom a letter from us may commend to you. Know then that Pompeiana, a religious woman, has represented to us through one of her people that she endures many grievances c...

Although for a long time it has caused you no sorrow that the Church of God should be without a pontiff, yet as for us, we are both compelled by the charge of the office we bear and bound especially by the charity of our love for you, to take thought for its government, knowing that in its supervision lies at the same time advantage to your soul...

Gregory to Januarius, archbishop of Caralis (Cagliari). If with integrity of heart we consider the priestly office which we administer, the concord of personal charity ought so to unite us with our sons that, as we are fathers in name, so we should be proved by our affection to be so in deed. While, then, we ought to be such as has been said abo...

Having read your letter, beloved, we learn that you have made choice of Honoratus your archdeacon; and know that it is altogether pleasing to us that you have chosen for the order of episcopacy a man tried of old and of grave manner of life. We too join with you in approbation of his personal character, inasmuch as it is already known to us; and...

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). We think indeed that your position may in itself be enough to compel you to be instant in the fulfilment of pious duties. But, lest remissness of any kind should intervene to abate your zeal, we have thought it right to exhort you especially with regard to them.

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). Pastoral zeal ought indeed in itself to have sufficiently instigated you, even without our aid, to protect profitably and providently the flock of which you have taken charge, and to preserve it with diligent circumspection from the cunning devices of enemies. But, since we have found that your...

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). Theodosia, a religious lady, being desirous of carrying out the intention of her late husband Stephen by the building of a monastery , has begged us to transmit our letters to your Fraternity, whereby, through our commendation, she may the more readily be counted worthy of your aid. She asserts...

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). We have ascertained from the report of our fellow bishop Felix and the abbot Cyriacus that in the island of Sardinia priests are oppressed by lay judges, and that your ministers despise your Fraternity; and that, so far as appears, while you aim only at simplicity, discipline is neglected. Wher...

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). Your Fraternity ought indeed to have been so attentive to pious duties as to be in no need at all of our admonitions to induce you to fulfil them: yet, as certain particulars that require correction have come to our knowledge, there is nothing incongruous in your having besides a letter address...

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). It has come to our knowledge that in the place within the province of Sardinia called Phausiana it is said to have been once the custom to ordain a bishop; but that, through stress of circumstances, the custom has for long fallen into disuse. But, as we are aware that now, owing to scarcity of ...

Gregory to the clergy and people of the Church of Ravenna. We have been informed that certain men, instigated by the malignant spirit, have wished to corrupt your minds by false speech with regard to the reputation of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus ; saying that this our brother venerates the holy synod of Chalcedon less than becomes h...

Gregory to the presbyters, deacons, and clergy, nobles and people, dwelling at Jadera, and who have communicated with the prevaricator Maximus. It has come to my knowledge that some of you, deceived by ignorance or under compulsion, have communicated with those who, their fault as you know requiring it, have been deprived of communion by the Apo...

Our pastoral charge constrains us to succour with anxious consideration any Churches that are deprived of the government of a priest. Accordingly, inasmuch as your Church has long been deprived of pastoral rule from the malady, as you know, of its own priest, we, moved by your entreaties, have not failed to admonish the said bishop, that, if he ...

The preacher of Almighty God, Paul the apostle, says, Rebuke not an elder 1 Timothy 5:1. But this rule of his is to be observed in cases where the fault of an elder does not draw through his example the hearts of the younger into ruin. But, when an elder sets an example to the young for their ruin, he is to be smitten with severe rebuke.

The most distinguished lady Nereida has complained to us that your Fraternity does not blush to exact from her a hundred solidi for the burial of her daughter, and would bring upon her the additional vexation of expense over and above her groans of sorrow. Now, if the truth is so, it being a very serious thing and far from a priest's office to r...

Gregory to Januarius, a Bishop of Sardinia. We knew before the letter of your Fraternity reached us what our enemies had effected in Sardinia. And, having for some time feared that this would be so, we now groan with you on what we foresaw having come to pass.

The Jews who have come hither from your city have complained to us that Peter, who has been brought by the will of God from their superstition to the worship of Christian faith, having taken with him certain disorderly persons, on the day after his baptism, that is on the Lord's day of the very Paschal festival, with grave scandal and without yo...

It has been laid down by the plain definition of the law that those who go into a monastery for the purpose of entering on monastic life are no longer at liberty to make wills, but that their property passes into possession of the same monastery . This being known to almost all, we have been greatly surprised by the notification of Gavinia, abbe...

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Sardinia. It has come to our ears that some of your clerics, inflated with a spirit of elation (which is a serious thing to be said), neglect obedience to the commands of your Fraternity, and occupying themselves rather in the services and labours of others, desert the business of their own Church in which they ar...

Know that your Fraternity's solicitude has pleased us, in that you have evinced, as was right, pastoral vigilance for the guardianship of souls. For indeed it has been reported to us that you have forbidden a monastery to be founded in the house of the late Epiphanius, a reader of your Church, in accordance with his will, for this reason; lest, ...