Letter 11032: When the bearer of these presents, Candidus the abbot, came hither to ask for relics (which have also been granted), as much as I rejoiced in your Fraternity's nursing aid, your Fraternity's care for me being therein apparent, so much was I distressed that I could not enjoy his presence as I wished to do, seeing that he found me sick, and, when ...
Gregory to Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna.
When the bearer of this letter, Candidus the abbot, came here to request relics -- which I have granted -- I rejoiced as much in your Fraternity's care for me, which was evident in sending him, as I was distressed that I could not enjoy his company as I wished. He found me sick when he arrived and left me still in the grip of weakness.
It has now been a long time since I have been able to rise from bed. At one time, the pain of gout torments me. At another, a fire of unknown origin spreads through my entire body with agonizing pain. And usually both afflictions strike at once -- burning pain racks me while body and mind alike fail. I have other grave symptoms besides, which I cannot begin to enumerate.
This much I can say briefly: a noxious infection so drains me that simply being alive is painful, and I look anxiously toward death as the only thing that can relieve my suffering.
Most holy brother, beg the compassion of divine mercy on my behalf -- that God might ease his blows against me, and grant me the patience to endure, so that my heart does not, God forbid, break into impatience from sheer exhaustion. Let the guilt that might have been healed through suffering not be compounded by resentment.
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
Gregorius Mariniano episcopo Ravenne.
« Veniente quodam Ravennale homine, gravissimo
maerore percussus Sum, quia fraternitatem tuam de
yomilu Sanguinis retulit zgrotare. Ex qua re sollicite
et Sing:llalim eos quos hic doctos lectione novimus,
medicos fecimus inquiri, et quid singuli senserint, ;;
quidre dictaverint sanctitati veslrz scriplum trans-
misimus. Qui tamen quietem et sjilentum pre omni-
bus dictant, quam si tua ſralernilas in sua Ecclesia
possit habere, valde sum dubius. Et ideo videtur
mil-ji ut ordinata illic Ecclesia, vel qui missaru:n s0-
| lemnia explere valeant, vel qui Þ episcopii curam
gerere, © hospitalitatemque et suscepiiones possint
exhibere, quive monasteriis custodiendis 4 praesse,
tua ſraternitas ad me ante #shvum tempus debeat
venire, ut 2gritudinis luz ego Specialiter, in quan-
tum valeo, curam geram, quietem luam custodiam,
quia huic #egritudini 2stivum tempus medici vehe-
menler dicunt periculosum. Et valde periimesco ne
8 curas aliquas cum adversitate lemporis babueris,
amplius ex eadem moleslia pericliteris. Ego etiam
Revision history
- 2026-05-27v2.2.34-import
Initial corpus import from New Advent / NPNF.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360211032.htm
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