Letter 1052: My son Boniface the deacon has told me that your Experience had written to say that a monastery built by Labina, a religious lady, is now ready for monks to be settled in it. And indeed I praised your solicitude; but we wish that some other place than that which has been assigned for the purpose should be provided; but with the condition, in vie...
Pope Gregory the Great→Quintus Aurelius Symmachus|c. 590 AD|gregory great
Book I, Letter 52
To Symmachus the Defensor [a church legal advocate serving in Corsica].
Gregory to Symmachus.
My son, the deacon Boniface, has told me that you wrote to say a monastery built by Labina, a religious woman, is now ready for monks to be settled in it. I commend your initiative. However, we want a different location than the one proposed -- with the condition, given the insecurity of the times [from barbarian raids], that it should be above the sea, either naturally fortified by its position or at least easily defensible without much effort. That way we can send monks there, so that the island itself, which has until now lacked a monastery, may benefit from having this way of life established on it.
To carry this out, we have given instructions to Horosius, the bearer of this order. You must accompany him around the shores of Corsica, and if a more suitable location is found on anyone's private property, we are prepared to pay a fair price so we can make a secure arrangement.
We have also directed Horosius to proceed to the island of Gorgona [a small island off Tuscany]. Accompany him there as well, and deal so firmly with the problems we have learned have taken root there that through the punishment you impose, the island remains corrected for the future. Let Abbot Horosius set the monasteries of this island in order, then hasten back to us.
Act so that in both matters -- establishing monasteries in Corsica and correcting the monks of Gorgona -- you carry out not our will, but Almighty God's.
We also direct that priests living in Corsica be forbidden from having any contact with women, except a mother, sister, or wife (toward whom chastity must be observed). As for the three persons you wrote about to my son the deacon Boniface, give them whatever you judge sufficient, since they are in dire need. We will credit it to your accounts afterward.
Given in the month of July.
Book I, Letter 52
To Symmachus the Defensor.
Gregory to Symmachus, etc.
My son Boniface the deacon has told me that your Experience had written to say that a monastery built by Labina, a religious lady, is now ready for monks to be settled in it. And indeed I praised your solicitude; but we wish that some other place than that which has been assigned for the purpose should be provided; but with the condition, in view of the insecurity of the time, that one above the sea be looked out for, which is either fortified by its position, or at all events can be fortified without much labour. So may we send monks there, to the end that the island itself, hitherto without a monastery, may be improved by having this way of life upon it.
For carrying out and providing for this business we have given directions to Horosius, the bearer of this present order, with whom your Experience must go round the shores of Corsica, and if any more suitable place in the possession of any private person should be found, we are prepared to give a suitable price, that we may be able to make some secure arrangement. We have enjoined the aforesaid Horosius to proceed to the island Gorgonia; and let your Experience accompany him, and do you so avenge the evils that we have ascertained to have found entrance there that through the punishment you shall inflict the aforesaid island may remain corrected for the future also. Let the same abbot Horosius set in order the monasteries of this island, and so hasten to return to us. Let, then, your Experience so act that in both these matters, that is, both in providing for monasteries in Corsica, and in correcting the monks of Gorgonia, you may make haste to obey, not our will, but that of Almighty God.
Moreover we desire that the priests who abide in Corsica shall be forbidden to have any intercourse with women, except it may be a mother, or a sister, or a wife, towards whom chastity should be observed. But to the three persons about whom your Experience has written to my son the aforesaid deacon Boniface, give whatsoever you deem sufficient for them, since they are in grievous need; and this we will allow you afterwards in your accounts. Given in the month of July.
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Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360201052.htm>.
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Book I, Letter 52
To Symmachus the Defensor [a church legal advocate serving in Corsica].
Gregory to Symmachus.
My son, the deacon Boniface, has told me that you wrote to say a monastery built by Labina, a religious woman, is now ready for monks to be settled in it. I commend your initiative. However, we want a different location than the one proposed -- with the condition, given the insecurity of the times [from barbarian raids], that it should be above the sea, either naturally fortified by its position or at least easily defensible without much effort. That way we can send monks there, so that the island itself, which has until now lacked a monastery, may benefit from having this way of life established on it.
To carry this out, we have given instructions to Horosius, the bearer of this order. You must accompany him around the shores of Corsica, and if a more suitable location is found on anyone's private property, we are prepared to pay a fair price so we can make a secure arrangement.
We have also directed Horosius to proceed to the island of Gorgona [a small island off Tuscany]. Accompany him there as well, and deal so firmly with the problems we have learned have taken root there that through the punishment you impose, the island remains corrected for the future. Let Abbot Horosius set the monasteries of this island in order, then hasten back to us.
Act so that in both matters -- establishing monasteries in Corsica and correcting the monks of Gorgona -- you carry out not our will, but Almighty God's.
We also direct that priests living in Corsica be forbidden from having any contact with women, except a mother, sister, or wife (toward whom chastity must be observed). As for the three persons you wrote about to my son the deacon Boniface, give them whatever you judge sufficient, since they are in dire need. We will credit it to your accounts afterward.
Given in the month of July.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.