Letter 1072: You have learned from a former letter that we have desired our brethren and fellow bishops dwelling in the island of Sicily to assemble here for the anniversary of the blessed Peter the apostle. But, seeing that their suit with the magnificent Justin the ex-prætor has meanwhile hindered them, and that there is not now sufficient time for comin...

Book I, Letter 72 To Peter, Subdeacon [Gregory's delegate in Sicily]. Gregory to Peter. You learned from a previous letter that we wanted our brother bishops in Sicily to assemble here for the feast of the blessed Apostle Peter. However, their legal dispute with the distinguished Justin, the ex-praetor [former governor], has delayed them, and there is now not enough time for the journey before winter. So we do not want them troubled until after winter. But we absolutely want Gregory of Agrigento, Leo of Catania, and Victor of Palermo to come to us before winter. Further, purchase from outside sources grain from this year's harvest to the value of fifty pounds of gold. Store it in Sicily in places where it will not spoil. We plan to send ships in February to transport this grain to us. But if we are delayed in sending ships, arrange your own and, with the Lord's help, ship this grain to us in February -- in addition to the grain we expect to receive as usual in September or October. Handle this so that no church tenant farmer is harassed in the collection. The harvest here has been so poor that unless grain is gathered from Sicily with God's help, there is a serious prospect of famine. Guard carefully the ships that have always been assigned to the Church's use, as the letters from the distinguished ex-consul Leo also instruct you to do. Many people come here requesting that various church lands or islands be leased to them. We refuse some and grant others. But let your judgment always protect the Church's interests, remembering that you received authority over the patrimony of the blessed Apostle Peter before his most sacred body. Even if letters come from here, allow nothing to be done to the patrimony's disadvantage. We neither recall having given away anything without good reason, nor are we inclined to do so.

Book I, Letter 72 To Peter, Subdeacon. Gregory to Peter, etc. You have learned from a former letter that we have desired our brethren and fellow bishops dwelling in the island of Sicily to assemble here for the anniversary of the blessed Peter the apostle. But, seeing that their suit with the magnificent Justin the ex-prætor has meanwhile hindered them, and that there is not now sufficient time for coming and returning, we do not wish them to be troubled before winter. But Gregory of Agrigento, Leo of Catania, and Victor of Panormus, we by all means desire to come to us before winter. Further, get together from strangers grain of this year's growth to the value of fifty pounds of gold, and lay it up in Sicily in places where it will not rot, that we may send there in the month of February as many ships as we can to convey this grain to us. But, in case of our delaying to send ships, do you yourself provide some, and, with the help of the Lord, transmit this same grain to us in February, with the exception, however, of the grain which we expect to have sent to us now, according to custom, in the months of September or October. Let your Experience, then, so proceed that, without annoyance to any husbandman (colonus) of the Church , the grain may be collected, since there has been here such a scanty crop that, unless by God's help grain be collected from Sicily, there is a serious prospect of famine. But keep guard in all ways over the ships that have always been assigned to the use of Holy Church, as the letters also addressed to you by the glorious ex-consul Leo concur in directing you to do. Moreover, many come hither desiring sundry lands or islands belonging to our Church to be leased to them; and some, indeed, we refuse, but to others we have already granted their request. But let your Experience see to the advantage of Holy Church, remembering that you have before the most sacred body of the blessed apostle Peter received power over his patrimony. And, though letters should reach you from hence, allow nothing to be done in any way to the disadvantage of the patrimony, since we neither remember to have given, nor are disposed to give away, anything without good reason.