Letter 13020

From: Pope Gregory I To: The Clergy, Order, and People Residing at Tauriana, Turris, and Consentia Date: ~603 AD Context: Gregory writes to the communities about receiving their visitor Bishop Venerius Brothers, I have appointed Bishop Venerius as visitor to your communities, and I write to ask you to receive him with the obedience and cooperation that his mandate from this see requires. A visitor comes not to judge but to support — to ensure that the life of the church in your communities is properly ordered, that the sacraments are celebrated, and that the faithful receive the pastoral care they need. Give him full access to what he requires, answer his questions honestly, and follow his directives in good conscience. His visit is a sign of this see's continued concern for your welfare, not a mark of suspicion.

TAURIANIS, TURRIS ET CONSENTIAS. Yestri antistitis obitum cognoscentes, curae nobis fuit destitutae ecclesiae visi- tationem fratri et coepiscopo nostro Venerio* soUemniter delcgare**. Cui dedimus in XIII, 19 in titulo: sub a66r. q1 — Kaveuuatifl Bl; Raveunati q1. H* 1; Kavenuae q*.q3. *) suae om. Q*l. capitulare q*.qS. ex 8ad corr. q1; »i at Bl; ad {ovi. si) q* 1. ipsud H t. inter in peragendis q1. fueraut in fueruut corr. Bl. ^) et add. B 1. 1) protectionibus Bl. XIII, 20 in titulo: et om. H* l. ») Benerio Hl. »>) deligaro R1.q*1 — hic add.: et reliqua ut superius ad panormitauam ecclam H* 1 el cet. om. 1) Cuius ecdesiae episcopus fuerit, }%€Scio. 2) SciHcet episcopum Bavemiatem, de quo cf. ep. V, 51 n. 5. 3) Cuius ecdeaiae episcopus fuerit, nescio. 4) De his causis cf. f, Diumi 10. 11 et ep. praeced. etc. 5) Idem verhum oraculum ooct*rrit in f. Diumi 32 et apud Paxd. diac. IV, 46. 47. 48. Cf. EwaM in N. A. VII, 595. XIII, 20 scripta est secundum formulam, de r/ua cf. ep. II, 40 n. Cf. ep. sequentem, in qua episcopus Consentinus omissus est; Consentiae episcopus fuerat Palumbus, de quo cf. ep. VIII, 3 n. 3. mandatis, ut nihil de provectionibus clericorum, reditu, ornatu ministeriisque a*' quoquam usurpari^^patiatur. Cui vos adsiduis adhortationibus convenit oboedire : et remoto strepitu uno eodemque consensu talem vobis praeficiendum expetite sacerdotem, qui et a^* venerandis canonibus nulla discrepet ratione et tanto ministerio dignus valeat repperiri; qui, dum fuerit postulatus, cum sollemnitate decreti omnium subscriptionibus® roborati et visitatoris pagina prosequente ad nos veniat ordinandus: provisuri ante omnia, ne cuiuslibet vitae vel meriti' laicam personam praesumatis eligere. Et non solum ille ad episcopatus apicem nulla ratione provehatur^, verum etiam vos nullis intercessionibus veniam promereri posse cognoscite, sed omnes quos ex vobis de laica persona adspirasse constiterit, ab officio et a communione alienos faciendos procul dubio** noveritis.