Letter 11041

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Romanus, defender [in Sicily] Date: ~601 AD Context: Gregory writes about the unjust encroachment on the borders of Faustus's property. Gregory to Romanus, defender. The borders of Faustus's property have been unjustly encroached on. This needs to be corrected. Property boundaries are fundamental to economic security. When they are violated, the victim loses not only the land in question but the certainty of any property rights at all. The church's defense of those who are subject to this kind of injustice is part of its pastoral responsibility. Investigate the encroachment. Determine what the boundaries actually are. And ensure they are restored and respected going forward. Gregory

AD ROMANUM DEFENSOREM. De possessionum Fausti finibus injusle pervasis. Gregorius Romano deſensori Gloriosissimus filius noster Faustus epistola di- recta nos petiit, as8erens ab actionariis Syracusanze 'Ecclesiz 112% lines poxs:ssion's suz illic intra Siciliam positos nuper violenter abla'os. Unde quia omnino credimus aliennm , eum videre le volumus. Et si quidem res nuper, ut asserilur, a possidente $4- blata est, et hoc apud te maniſesta satisfactione cla- ruerit, ejus cui subtracta est dominio *® reſormetur. Et tune si quid actores przdictz Ecclesiz rationabili- ter $ibj in finibus svis credunt posse competere, ele- ctorum $ubeant sine dilatione judicium , ut cujus sit proprietas judicantium $Senteutia decernatur ; quate- nus per hoc episcopalis de illicita que prztenditur invasione auſeratur invidia, et causa legali valeat ordine finiri.