Letter 13041: Gregory to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria. A conversation having arisen one day between me and my familiar friends about the customs of churches, one who had studied the art of medicine in the great city of Alexandria told us that he had a fellow-student attending the same lectures, a boy of extreme depravity, who, he said, had been suddenly ord...
Pope Gregory the Great→Eulogius, of Alexandria|c. 603 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
Gregory to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria.
A conversation arose one day among me and my close associates about the customs of various churches, and someone who had studied medicine in the great city of Alexandria told us that he had a fellow student attending the same lectures -- a young man of extreme moral corruption -- who, he said, had been suddenly ordained a deacon. He added that the man had obtained his ordination through bribes and gifts, and he acknowledged that this practice had become established in the holy church of Alexandria.
On hearing this I was stunned and deeply troubled. The tongue of the most holy and blessed lord Eulogius, which calls so many heretics back to the Catholic faith -- how is it that it has not eradicated simoniacal heresy from the holy church of Alexandria? And if his great and admirable teaching leaves this evil uncorrected, whose exhortation or correction will ever be able to amend it?
Therefore, for the absolution of your soul, for the increase of your reward, and so that your works may be perfect in every respect before the eyes of the fearsome Judge, you must make haste to root out and utterly destroy simoniacal heresy -- which was the first heresy to arise in the Church -- from your most holy See, which is also ours.
For this is how the holiness of ecclesiastical orders deteriorates in so many places: men are promoted not for their life and character but for their money. If, on the other hand, merit rather than bribes were sought, unworthy men would not come to ordination. And the more good men who are promoted to sacred orders and devote themselves to winning souls, the greater will be the reward that accrues to you.
Book XIII, Letter 41
To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria.
Gregory to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria.
A conversation having arisen one day between me and my familiar friends about the customs of churches, one who had studied the art of medicine in the great city of Alexandria told us that he had a fellow-student attending the same lectures, a boy of extreme depravity, who, he said, had been suddenly ordained a deacon. And he added that he had procured ordination by bribes and gifts; for he acknowledged that this custom had prevailed in the holy Alexandrine Church. On hearing this I was amazed, and exceedingly surprised that the tongue of the most holy and blessed man the lord Eulogius, which recalls so many heretics to the Catholic faith, has not extirpated simoniacal heresy from the holy Alexandrine Church. And who will there be whose exhortation or correction will be able to amend this, if his great and admirable teaching shall have left it without amendment?
Wherefore, for the absolution of your soul, for the increase of your reward, that your works may be in all respects perfect before the eyes of the tremendous Judge, you ought to make haste utterly to pull up and eradicate simoniacal heresy, which was the first to arise in the Church, from your most holy See, which is ours .
For on this account it comes to pass that the holiness of ecclesiastical orders falls away from very many, because persons are promoted to these orders, not for their life and deeds, but for bribes. But if meritorious character, and not bribes, be sought after, unworthy persons will not come to ordination. And by so much the more will reward begin to accrue to you as any good men who have been promoted to sacred orders shall have devoted themselves to the care of winning souls.
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Gregory to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria.
A conversation arose one day among me and my close associates about the customs of various churches, and someone who had studied medicine in the great city of Alexandria told us that he had a fellow student attending the same lectures -- a young man of extreme moral corruption -- who, he said, had been suddenly ordained a deacon. He added that the man had obtained his ordination through bribes and gifts, and he acknowledged that this practice had become established in the holy church of Alexandria.
On hearing this I was stunned and deeply troubled. The tongue of the most holy and blessed lord Eulogius, which calls so many heretics back to the Catholic faith -- how is it that it has not eradicated simoniacal heresy from the holy church of Alexandria? And if his great and admirable teaching leaves this evil uncorrected, whose exhortation or correction will ever be able to amend it?
Therefore, for the absolution of your soul, for the increase of your reward, and so that your works may be perfect in every respect before the eyes of the fearsome Judge, you must make haste to root out and utterly destroy simoniacal heresy -- which was the first heresy to arise in the Church -- from your most holy See, which is also ours.
For this is how the holiness of ecclesiastical orders deteriorates in so many places: men are promoted not for their life and character but for their money. If, on the other hand, merit rather than bribes were sought, unworthy men would not come to ordination. And the more good men who are promoted to sacred orders and devote themselves to winning souls, the greater will be the reward that accrues to you.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)