Letter 10045
Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)→Unknown|gregory great
**From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome
**To:** Ecclesius, Bishop of Chiusi
**Date:** ~600 AD
**Context:** Expresses sympathy about illness.
I have heard of your illness and I write to express my genuine concern. I know something about suffering from infirmity — my own body has given me no peace these many years — and I can tell you that enduring such things with patience is itself a form of prayer. Do not lose heart. Attend to your health as best you can, accept the care of those around you, and trust that God's purposes are not thwarted by our physical weakness.
AD ECCLESIUM CLUSINUM EPISCOPUM.
De infirmitale condolet. Gratulatur de prudenti episco=
pi electione. Equum millit. Baptizalos consignaturus
. ad Ecclesias accedal.
Gregorius ®* Ecclesio episcopo Clusino,
Scripta ſraternitatis veslr# suscipientes, contrista- .
ti sumus quod vos per ea et graviler infirmatos, et
adhuc debiles esse cognovimus. Et licet sanclitatem
Eeisr. XLIV. — * Fesulz, vulgo Fiesoli rovinato.
urbs olim Tusciz clara. Nunc urbecu'a ; adbuc tamen
episcopalis sub azchiepiscopo Florentino, a Floreutia
duobus mill. in boream distlans. Gussanv.
SANCTI GREGORII MAGNI
vestram videndi desiderium haberemus, bene tamen A Quamvis glorios0 Apollonio, magistro militum,
ſecistis isto vos illic tempore conlinere, ne venientes
- hue Þ de zgritudinis vestre molesiia recidivam nobis
iris (itiam faceretis.
De episcopatu antem lauda\imus, quod personam
nou temere eleg:-tis, sed cauti, sicut decuit, exSli-
listis. Venientibus enim vobis, si Deo placuerit, com-
muni deliberatione tractabimus, et quod utile visum
ſuerit, Deo anxiliante, disponemus.
Unum autem caballum vobis qualem invenire po0-
tuimus, de benedictione sancti Petri transmisimus, ut
habeatis cum quo post infirmitatem vectari possitis.
De causi+ vero pro quibus latores presentium huc
venerunt quid actuin Sit, ipsorum omnia renuntiatio-
ne cognoscetis. Przterea Ecclesiis ad quas s8ine la-
communi filio, paternam vos pietatem noverimugs
impeudere, quia tamen eumdem dilectionis modum,
quem Circa eum $acerdoetaliter exhibetis , nosiris
credidii apicibus augmentandum, idcirco eum ſrater-
nitati vestre his epistolis commendanus, borianles
ut paternam in vobis, sicut decet, consolationem in-
veulat, et $0laliis veslris, 8icut uSus exegeril, Comi-
tante ju>titia, potiatur, quatenus dum vestram erga
8 amplius fuerit dilectionem expertus, et ipse quod
de vobis conlidit agnoscat, et nostram sentiat epi-
stvlam proſuisse. |
◆
**From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome
**To:** Ecclesius, Bishop of Chiusi
**Date:** ~600 AD
**Context:** Expresses sympathy about illness.
I have heard of your illness and I write to express my genuine concern. I know something about suffering from infirmity — my own body has given me no peace these many years — and I can tell you that enduring such things with patience is itself a form of prayer. Do not lose heart. Attend to your health as best you can, accept the care of those around you, and trust that God's purposes are not thwarted by our physical weakness.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.