Letter 14015: **From:** Gregory I, Bishop of Rome

TO ANTHEMIUS THE SUBDEACON. [Summary heading:] He admonishes the Exarch, who speaks rashly, and [...] all [...] the evils of the Romans [...]. Gregory to Anthemius the subdeacon. Because I hear that your Glory stands firm and very steadfast in his own ways, I am greatly gladdened, and so I speak to you of the things that displease me as confidently as to a special son. For the most excellent Exarch says certain things which are able to provoke all who love him to enmity against him. Concerning this matter I have dictated, to be read over by the bearer of these present letters, the things in an excerpt that seemed good to me; and these, if it pleases, let them also be read over to you, so that you may know what you ought to write to him concerning the same matter. [...] [Here a portion is taken up with the relation of our present envoy, and you can recognize it from the letters of my brother and fellow-bishop Marinianus.] Whence it befits your Glory to consider zealously that we have great confidence in the almighty Lord regarding your wisdom, and that where you are, there we believe in no way that the cause is neglected. Do therefore in such a way that our confidence may not be found foreign to its own certainty. May the grace from on high guard you, and grant that you may carry out all things prosperously. LETTER XVI. OF FELIX, BISHOP OF MESSINA, TO SAINT GREGORY. [Summary heading:] He inquires about the degrees of consanguinity within which it is permitted to marry; about the harassment of bishops by their subjects; and about churches whose dedications are doubtful. To the most blessed lord and honorable holy Father Gregory the Pope, Felix, a lover of your salvation and sanctity. The rights of the salvation and sanctity of your Blessedness are manifest in the sight of God. While indeed by the apostolic preachings and by the teachings of the true faith the whole earth has been filled with cultivation, nevertheless through the instruction of the divine utterances, with your exhortatory admonition instructing, the orthodox Church of Christ is built up, founded upon apostolic institution and most firmly strengthened by the faithful fathers. To which Church all the most blessed apostles, foreordained in an equal partnership of honor and power, gathering together the throngs of the peoples, piously and holily led men foreknown by the grace of divine predestination from darkness to light, from the fall to the true faith, from death to life, by saving precepts and warnings. Following the merits of these holy apostles, your honorable Fatherhood, and more perfectly fulfilling their examples, adorns the Church of God by the probity of its conduct and the holiness of its deeds, and, flourishing in holy faith and in Christian morals, unceasingly works and accomplishes by pontifical zeal the things which it bids to be done pleasing to God, keeping the precepts of the divine law, because not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, as the Apostle relates, but the doers of the law shall be justified (Rom. 2, 13). While we were meditating on these things, it was reported to us by certain persons coming from Rome that you had written to Augustine, our fellow-servant, afterward ordained bishop to the people of the English through your venerable Holiness and directed thither, and to the English, whom we have learned were formerly converted to the faith through you, that those joined in a fourth generation should not be separated. Which custom, formerly in those parts or in these, when I was nourished and instructed together with you from infancy, did not exist, nor did I read it in any decrees of your predecessors or in the institutes of the remaining Fathers, generally or specifically; nor have I learned that it has hitherto been granted by any wise men. But I have found that always, up to the seventh degree of one's origin, this ought to be observed by your holy predecessors and by the other holy Fathers, both in the Council of Nicaea and in the other holy councils gathered together, and I have come to know that it is zealously provided for by men living rightly and fearing the Lord. While these things were being considered among us, there came up also other matters concerning which it seems necessary to us to consult your authority. For there came to us both the aforesaid Bishop of the Church of Syracuse, and also other brothers of ours, bishops indeed, weeping and saying that they were exceedingly troubled by secular men and laymen and afflicted in spirit over their immoderate acts, on account of which some unjust things were also being charged against them. There are also certain churches in our province about whose consecrations there is doubt, and, both on account of their antiquity and on account of the negligence of their custodians, it is not known whether they were dedicated by bishops or not. Concerning all which things we beg to be instructed by your Holiness and by the authority of your holy see; and whether those things which, as we said before, we heard that you had written to our aforesaid fellow-servant Augustine, bishop, and to the people of the English, were written specifically for them or generally for all, we beg to be informed by your writings, and concerning this matter, or concerning other prescribed matters, we desire to be more fully informed. For we [seek that the things which we read...] and from the report of our present envoy, and from the letters of my brother and fellow-bishop Marinianus, you are able to recognize. Whence it befits your Glory zealously to consider that we have great confidence in the almighty Lord regarding your wisdom, and that where you are, there we believe in no way that the cause is neglected, and that your reputation, which has always been good and best, may not be torn by detractions, nor undermined, nor that your name, which God forbid, may be blasphemed by men in times to come. For we, keeping with a humble heart the things that are right, God being their author, bound to you by the one bond of charity, defending your religion in all things as faithful foster-children, seek from you the things that are right; for we know that, just as the prelates of the holy see have always done, first the apostles, then their successors, you bear the care of the universal Church, and especially of the bishops, who are called the eyes of the Lord on account of their contemplation and watching, and that you assiduously meditate on our religion and law, as it is written: Blessed is he who shall meditate in the law of the Lord day and night (Ps. 1, 2). Which meditation is recognized not by the reading of the mere shape of letters beheld, but by the abounding grace of Christ in you, immovably implanted in your conscience. The sacrosanct law of Christ the Lord in no way receding from your heart, as the Prophet says in the Psalms: The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgment; the law of his God is in his heart (Ps. 36, 30-31), inscribed in your inner depths not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not therefore on tablets of stone, but on the tablets of the heart. Let there be extinguished, we pray, by your most wise responses and aids, all the gloom of darkness, so that the morning star may shine again for us through you, most holy Father, and a dogmatic definition gladdening all everywhere, because the glorious Fathers of the holy Church are known to have proclaimed their own most pious dogmas as the firm inheritance of eternal life. And the subscription: May the Lord guard you safe and pleasing to God, holy Father of fathers, praying for us, unto the age. Amen.

AD ANTHEMIUM SUBDIACONUM. Exarchum lemere loqueniem moneat, et ipse 7= tolam Romanorum malis 8peratum Ss 6 vamen. Gregorius * Anthemio subdiacono. Quia gloriam vestram fixam valde atque $tabilem in suvis esse moribus audio, multum letificor, et sic vobis que mihi displicent sicut speciali filio fiducia- liter loquor. Excellenlissimus enim exarchus aliqua - Joquitur quz omnes qui illum amant ad inimicitias illius valeant provocare. De qua re ei per latorem presentium in excepto que mibhi visa sunt relegen- da dictavi ; quz, i placet, et vobis relegantur, ut sCiatis quid ei de re eadem s8cribere debeatis. Hic « Tbid., Corneli tezselata, atque Corneliano. ©* Nibil hic necesse est notam adjungere, qua Voca- bulorum istorum ficatus aperiatur. Sulficit indi- care lib. m, Dig. tit. 7, qui inscribitur de instructs vel instrumento” 0, ubi omnia recensentur quibus ſundus vel domus possunt instrui, discrimenque $1a- witur inter ea quz $unt instructi, gue sunt instru- mentum, quz $unt instrumenti. Sanctus Gregorius, in bac donatione nihil non comprehendit, res, ju- menla, homines. Gussanv. © Vatic. B, inter fines. bd Excusi, positas, id es! juxia eamdem, Legendum Sane ibidem aut itidem, ui in Reg. et in Vaticanis. In labula marmorea legitur idem, ſorle compendiose, gant, et prezentis responsalis nostri relalione, et ex epistolis ſrairis et coepiscopi mei Mariniani poteslis agnoscere. Unde gloriam vestram decet studiose cogi- | tare, quia nos de sapientia vestra magnam in omni- potente Domino fiduciam habemus, et ubi yos estis, illic causam negligi nullo modo credimus. lta ergo facite, ut conhdentia nostra a $sua certitudine non iaveniatur aliena. Gratia vos Superna custodiat , et prospere agere omniz concedat. EPISTOLA XVI. - FELICIS MESSANENSIS EPISCOPI AD 8. GREGORIUM. Querit de consanguinitatis gradibus in quibus nubere licet; de episcoporum vexatione a 8ubditis, ac de ecclesiis quarum dedicationes sunt dubic. Domino bealissimo et honorabili, sancto Pairi Gregorio pap:e, Felix vestre salutis ac sanciitatis amator. | Beatissime vesirx salutis ac sanctitatis jura penes Deum $unt manifesta. Dum predicationibus scilicet apostolicis et doctrinis vere fidei cultura universa replela sit terra, per divinorum tamen eruditionem eloquiorum, vesira instruente admonitione exhorla- toria, Superzdificatur orthodoxa Christi Ecclesia apo- Stolica inslitutione ſundala, et a (idelibus patribus fir- missime roborata. Ad quam beatissimi omnes apo- stoli pari honoris et potestatis consortio predili, 1275 populorum agmina converientes, pie sancte- que de tenebris ad lumen, de lapsu ad veram fidem, de morte ad vitam, homines divine predestinationis gratia prescitos , Salutaribus preceptis ac monilis perduxerunt. Quorum $sapctorum apostolorum vestra paternitas honoranda gequens merita, et perfectius implens exempla, Ecclesiam Dei morum probitate el actuum sanctitate condecorat, et fide sacra Christia- nisque moribus vigens, quz fieri Deo placita precipil 8tudiis pontificalibus indesinenter operatur et perficit, 8ervans divinz legis precepla, quia non auditores le- gis justi sunt apud Deum, Sicut narrat-Apostolus, ed ſactores legis juslificabuntur (Rom. 1, 15). Hezc quidem meditantes, ad nos perlatum est 2 quibusdam Roma venientibus vos Augustino cons0- dali nostro, per venerabilem sanctitatem vesiram postmodum episcopo Anglorum genti ordinato el illuc directo, atque Anglis 8cripsisse, quos olim ad fidem convers0s per vos cognovimus , ut quaria progenie pro ibidem. : : 1 In tabula marmorea post restituat subditur : Bene vale. Dat. viu Kalend. Februarias, imp. dn. n. Phoca PP. unno secundo, et consulatus ejus anno prims, indict. 7. | Eeisr. XV [Al. 28]. — © Falsum es8e bunc. tv? lum liquet ex bis verbis, gloriam vestram. El alia quz nou adapltantur ad clericos. GUSSAaNV. Eersr. XI. — * Epistolam hanc hactenus non Cx- cusam reperimus in Corbeieusi, Pratel., Gemet. ac Sagiensi, qui Codices vix una in voce discrepant. CY WOooRCOLP mo Gaoy roo wn— oo ma © is C0> ww 1321 EPISTOLARUM LIB. XIV. — INDICT. VII. — EPIST. XVII. conjuncti non separentur. Quz -consuetudo dudum A neat, rumorque vester, qui semper bonus et oplimus in illis aut in istis partibus, quando una yobiscum ab juſantia nutritus atque edoctus ſui, non erat, nec in ullis przdecessorum vestrorum decrelis vel reliquo- rum generaliter vel specialiter Patrum jnstitutis legi, aut hactenus ab ullis sapientibus esse conces- zum didici. Sed semper usque ad seplimum originis uz gradum hec'a sanclis antecess0ribus vestris et exteris sancitis Patribus, tam in Niczna 8yvodo, quam et in aliis Sanctis conciliis congregalis, ser- yari debere reperi, et a recte viventibus ac Dominum timentibus hominibus studiose previderi cognovi. Pum hec nobiscum versabantur, supervenere et alia de quibus necessarium nobis videtur vestram COnsu- Jere auctoritatem. Venerunt quippe ad nos tam Þ Be- fuit, detractionibus laceretur, vel subregetur, aut u0- men vestrum, quod absit, supervenientibus tempori- bus blaspbeinetur. Nos evim quz recia $unt auctore Deo humili corde servantes, uno vinculo charitatis yobis constricti, veztram religionem in omnibus, ut flideles alumni deſeudentes, a vobis quz recia Suut quzrimus; 8cimus enim ut semper sanciz sedis presules primo apostoli, deinde successores eorum ſecerunt, vos universalis Ecclesiaz, et maxime epis- coporum, qui oculi propter contemplationem et spe- culationem vocantur Domini, curam gerere, ac de religione et lege noslra assidue cogitafe, sicut scrip- tum est : Beatus qui medilabitur in lege Domini die .ac nocle (Pal. 1, 2). Que meditatio nou lectione per aedictus, Syracusang Ecclesiz episcopus, quam et B ſiguram liuerarum tantum conspecta, sed exuberante alii ſratres nos(ri equidem episcopi lacrymanles, ac dicentes per szculares et laicos nimis 8e esse turba- tos atque animo aſflictos super imnggderatis actibus eorum, pro quibus et aliqua injusla cis impinge- bantur. Sunt etiam quadam eccle:iz in nostra provincia guper quarum consecrationibus. dubitatur, et tam propter auliquitatem, quam et propler earum custo- dum jncuriam, nescitur utrum dedicalz ab episcopis ſuerint, necne. Super quibus omnibus nos a vesira 8anctitate ac vesirz sanclz sedis auctorilate instrui precamur; <t utrum ea que, Sicut praediximus, vos preſalo consodali nostro Augustino episcupo et An- glorum genti scripsisse audivimus, specialiter eis in vobis Christi gratia, in vestra cognoscitur con- Scientia immobiliter insita. Nullatenusde vestro corde recedente lege Christi Domini sacrosancia , sicut in Psalmis dicit Propheta : Os justi meditabitur sapien- . tiam, et lingua ejus loquetur judicium ; lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius (Pal, xxxv1, 30), non atramento ed Spiritu Dei vivi vesiris in arcanis conscripta; non igitur in tabulis lapideis, 8ed in tabulis cordis. Exs- linguatur, oramus , veslris 82pientissimis responsis el auxiliis omnis tenebrarum caligo, ut lucifer uobis resplendeat per vos, sauctissime Pater, et dogunatica delinitio omnes ubique lztificans, quia gloriosi sanc- iz Ecclesiz Patres propria et piissima dogmata in mier- nz vite firmam hxreditalem praedicasse noscuntur. aut generaliter omnibus scripta sint scriptis vestrisim- G Et 8ubscriptio : Incolumem vos et Deo placitum, bui quezrimus, etde hacsivedealiis prescriptis rebus pleniter inſormari cupimus. Nos enim ea quz legimus, Eeclesiam. Eetsr. XVII [Al. 32]. — * In Corb., Vatic. D, Rhem. et Gemet., legitur pro titulo, Rescriptum zancli Gregorii ad eumdem Felicem episc., quod $upponit aliam epistolam Felicis. Nonnulli dubita- runt hanc epistolam ess8e sancti Gregorii ; verum ab © scriplam evincit testimonium Joannis Diaconi, qui gjus pariem retulit lib. 1, c. 37, Sed et Hinemarus Spe de ea mentionem ſacit, ejusque tertiam fere partem exscribit, tum epist. 37 et 59, tum in tract. de divortio Lotarii et Thetberge, interrogat. 5, et uzst. 7, sed ſusius interrogal. 12, versus finem. _ etiam, abbas Prumiensis, qui florebat an, 900, in prima appendice ad librum de Ec- elesiasticis disciplinis, c. 30, et alii qui subsecuti 8unt canonislze, plura ex ea retulerunt. Reperitur tliam hecepistola in muliis Codd. mss., Tell., Carn., Bigot., Germ., Vail., Anglic. Verum quam sit cor- Tupla et deſormata, clarum est ex multis interpola- PaTRoL. LXXVYII. sancte Paler pairum, orantem pro nobis Dominus custodial in zvum. Amen.