Letter 1023: Gregory to Peter, subdeacon [Gregory's administrator in Sicily].

Gregory to Peter, subdeacon [Gregory's administrator in Sicily]. It has been brought to our attention that Marcellus of the Church of Barunitana [a diocese in Sicily], currently assigned to do penance in the monastery of Saint Adrian in the city of Palermo, is suffering not only from a lack of food but also enduring severe hardship from want of clothing. For this reason, we find it necessary to command your diligence by this present order to provide him with an allowance for food, clothing, and bedding sufficient for his needs, as well as a ration for his servant — whatever amount you judge to be adequate. Let his poverty and nakedness be remedied by such provision, and whatever you assign to this man may afterward be charged to your accounts. Act therefore in such a way that you both carry out our command and, by providing for him, may yourself share in the reward of this mercy. Furthermore, we have taken care to charge you with investigating the following matter, setting aside the old custom that had taken root: if any cities in the province of Sicily are known to lack pastoral governance because their bishops have fallen into sin, you are to examine whether any persons worthy of the episcopal office can be found from among the clergy of those same churches, or from the monasteries. First inquire into the gravity of their character, then send them to us, so that the flock of each place need not be found destitute for a long time on account of its pastor's fall. If, however, you find positions vacant but no suitable person of such dignity from that same church, report to us likewise with diligent inquiry, so that God may provide someone he judges worthy of such appointments. For it is not fitting that, because of one man's transgression, the Lord's flock should scatter without a shepherd over dangerous ground. In this way, both the proper ordering of these places will be achieved, and no suspicion will remain that those who have fallen might return to their former rank — so that they may do their penance more thoroughly.

AD PETRUM SUBDIACONUNM. Ut Marcello ad victum et veslitum necessaria provideat, pas(ores in lapsorum locum et vicem curet 8ub>litui. Gregorins Petro subdiacono. Insinuatum nobis est Marcellum * Barunitanze B Ecelesiz, ibidem in Panormitana civitale, in mona- sLle1io $ancli Adriani in penitentiam deputatum, nou solum vicius necessKilatem pati, Sed et nudilatis ni- miam $ustinere molestiam. Pro qua re nece-se habe- mus $lrenvitati tur praesenti jussione precipere, ut ipsi pro victu et vestimento stratoque Þ ad continen- tiam, pueroque £cjus ZQZ annonam, quantum pro- 8pexeris satis es$e, conStituas; ut inopia nuditasque ejus tali providentia possint habere consvItum, ut ca quz eidem viro deputaveris, luis postmodum possint rationibus imputari. Ita ergo fac, ut et nostram jus- ' Errsr. XY. — © ha seribitur in plerisque Mss. In un» tamen e Vatlicanis legitur, Barro/itann, in alio Barulitane. In Excusis, Barbicane, vel Barubi- cane. Tal. wm part., cap. 20, adn. 21. Dens diqnum juiicaverit. Verum non raro Gregorius preposlero o0:dine vorces disponit et contexit. 4 In Norm., Corb., Turon., per presumpta. nendo, hac ipsa possis participari mercede. Prelerea hoc tivi indagandum mandare curavimus, veleri que jam inoleverat consuetudine postpoxita, ut $i que cj- vitates in provineia Sicilie pro peccaiis per Sacerd9- tum lapsus a pastorali regimine vacare noscuntur, de clero Ecclesjiarum ipsarum, vel ex monasteriis, $i qui digri ad sacerdotalem locum possunt inveniri, per- Spicias, et ad nos inquisita primitus morum gravilate transmilt+s, ut grex uniuscvjusque loci per pastoris lapsum inveniri non debeat longo tempore destitutus, Si vero vacantia quidem loca repereris, et nullus tali dignitate ex eadem Ecclesia congruus inveniatur, ad nos similiter inquisitione solerli renuntia, ut Deus quem dignum talibus ordinationibus judicaverit, va- leat © provideri. Non enim oportet ut unius excessu grex dominicus 4 per praxrupta possit Sine - pa-tore diſluere. Ita enim et locorum ordinatio proveniet, et revertendi © lapsis ad gradum priorem, quo melius peniteant, Suspicio non manebit. EPISTULA XIX. AD NATALEM EPISCOPUM SALONITANUM. Honoratum archidiaconum $810 gradui restituat; de- inde, si manet conlroversia, Rome causam dicant. (Vide l. 11, ep. 18.) Gregorius Natali episcopo Salonitano. Gesta (Grat. dis. 74, cap. 2) que nobis in concilii veslri conſeeta ® secretario direxistis, in quibus ar- dylgentiam in persona incestuosi Corinthii exbibet Theodoretns, h:rretic. Fabul. lib. v, cap. 28, de pce- nitent:a : De eo autem qui Corinthi ſornicatus es, quid d'cent, qui non s0lum divinis 84cramentis dignus est ha- bitus, 8ed docendi quoque gratiam as+eculus es! ? (Quare cum tanquam de vero, docto et s1piente 8e jactarent, qui 8b eo erant, divinus Apostolus iilos reprehendit, di- cens : « Et vos in/lati eslis, et non polius luctum habui- slis, ut tollatur de medio restrum qui hoc ſecit. » Sed lamen cum eum qui doctor eral, et maximum flagitium paira:e ausns. ſueral, Satane lradidisset, rursus illum ex ejus manibus e:ipuilt, et corpori Ecclesie tradidit, etc. Tum coneludit : Hlujusmodi habebant commisera- tionem Ecclesice magistri. Eraut enim medici 8pirilales, $4'.0rum quilem raletudinem conservantes, male autem ' afſoclorum miorbos profl:gantes. Gussanv. De irrevoca- hi:i lypSorum clericorum depositione, infra, ad epist. 92, lib. 1x. EpisT. XIX. — © Vox apud jurisconsultos obvia, pro loco in quo judicr's causas audiunt. In conciliis et scriptoribus ecclesiasticis usurpatur pro parie len- Concinit cum Epaonens), cap. 22, Agathensi, cap. D Pi ab a'liis secrrla, in quam episSC-Pus, SACeriiotes Z0 : Si episcopus, presbyter, aut diaronus c pitale cri-— men commigert, aut charias ſalsaverit, ant les{monium ſal-um dixeril, ab officii "onore deposilus, in monasle- rio relrudutur, et ib1 quaniu rizerit, (aicam tantum- modo communionem accimal. lun»eent.us I, epi-l. 2, ad Exuperium, rights adversus Sacerdotes mconti- nentes. Neoc:rsariense , Cap. 9 et 10, obscurius lo- quitur, et alias difficu}t-tes movet. Quamobrem cur cum libellaticis et sacriſicatis, cum h:rrelicis et $Cini- $maticis ſacilius aliquand» dispe:$atum $18, non li- quet. Fortassis extranei alliciendi erant quoquomodo, filii $everius caStigandi. Monet Santius Augu-linus lib, 1 conua Cresconium, cap. 16, aliter paganos, aliter h;xreticos recipi. Sic Donabsiis nihil non _con- cedit, ut ad Ecclesiz redeant unitatem. De iis qui carne lapsi sunt, legat stndioous Sanctum Augnsi- num, episl. v4, ad Aurehum, ubi locum explicat Rom. xm, quzritque cur hoc viti genus Acerrime pre caieris ab Ecclesia vindicetur. Ejus lamen mn- et ministri sese recipiebant ante et posl 82crum. Sic apuil Severum Sulpicium, dialogo 2, de Vita $:ncti Martini, cap. 1, Conc. Lao cenum, cp. 21, appellat Secrelarium Sive diacon'cum. Sidovius Aprilin., lb. v, epist. 17, vocat receplorium. S nctvs Gregorius, epist. 56, bb, v, salutator.um. Erat autem Secreia- rium majus, et Secretarium minus. Maju3 proprie Salutatorium dicebatur, quod in eo episecopi Sacra ſacturi, antequam ad altare procederent, fideli m Salutationes exciperent, Seu illorum $e oraiionibus commendarent. In illo filii Ecclesie admittebaitur, vidue profitebantur, et cogebantur quaadoque con- Ci'la. Carthagin. concil. tertium, quartum, Sextum, Septunum, Milevitanum atque Africacnum plenarium habita swnt in 8ecretcrio basilica, ut habet Singulorum inscriptio. CaSarauguStanum quoque et Arelat, Se- cindum, Locum in quo habita est £ynodus Chalce- don. Secretarium vocal Liberatus Diac., in Breviario, cap. lo. Vide lib. 1m, epist. 56. Ipsum in inferiort 465 EPISTOLARUM LIB. 1. — INDICT. IX. — EPIST. XXI. 466 ehidiaconus Honoratus Þ addicitur, plena esse co- A quam elegerit personam instructam ; ut omnia $ubtili giicvimus BOS semine jurgiorum, cum uno eodem- qie tempore una persona nolens ad sacerdotiii hono- rem provehitur, que tanquam immeriti © a diacona- 1s officio removetur. Et sicut justum est ut nemv crescere compellatur invitus, ita censendum ' puto, ne quisquam insons ab ordinis Sui ministerio dejicia- tur injuste. Verumitamen quia inimica Deo discordia Suam Honorato archidiacono reslituas commonemus, alque concordes divinis ministeriis competentia exhi- bere servilia. Audientiz et quezstioni nostrz, $i ad- huc inter vos causa nutritur scandali, predictus ar- chidiaconus occurrat admonitus, atque dilectio tua pro parlibus $uis dirigat personam instructam, qui- bus praxsentibus solatiante -nobis Domino, deposito $ludio personarum, que competunt ſavori juslitie decernere valeamus.