Letter 2043

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Felix, bishop Date: ~592 AD Context: Gregory delegates to Felix the oversight of three vacant churches. Gregory to Felix, bishop. Three churches in your region are currently without bishops, and their oversight needs to be assigned during the vacancy. I delegate this responsibility to your fraternity. You are to exercise the necessary supervisory functions for all three churches — ensuring the continuation of liturgical life, protecting their property, maintaining the regular ministry of the clergy — until permanent bishops are ordained for them. This is a significant responsibility, added to your existing duties. I recognize that. But the churches cannot be left entirely without oversight, and you are the bishop best positioned to provide it. Keep me informed of conditions in all three churches and of any matters that require my attention. Gregory

AD FELICEN EPISCOPUM, Trium vacantium Ecclesiarum visi(ationem injungit, Gregorijus * Felici epigcopo ® de Acropoli. Quoniam © Yelina (Grat. 12, g. 1, c. 14), * Buxen- tina, el © Blandana Eecclesiz, quz tibi in vicino 8unt con$litulz, Sacerdotis pogcuntur vacare regimine; proplerea ſralernilati luz earum golemniter operam visilationis injungimus, illud pre omnibus commo=- nenles, ul ubi praefatarum Ecclesiarum give dicece- $e08 earum, vel diaconi, sive religiosz personz in» vente ſueripl, districte canoniceque ut vivant f mo« dis omnibus studebis. Nec passim eis in qualibet re Sit excedendi licentia, sed tuo moderamine atque pro- visione inculpabiliter in qua sunt conversatlione vel EPISTOLARUM LIB, It, — INDICT, X. — EPIST. XLY. A Officii nostri decet valde propomtum s1djectis ma- gnopere suadere ut rebus debeant QQG $ervare fi- dem © in placitis ; ne dum inconsiderate lucrandt rapiuntur studio, pacificam veriant conventionem in jurgium. Pervevit itaque ad nos ſraternitatis tua 4 clericos, terras Aſricane tenentes Ecelesie, quod nant. Quod gi verum est, et ad fraternitatis tuz hee aunt periata notitiam, tua in hoc desidia eorum cul- pa nutrita est. Ob quam rem scriptis te presentibus admonemus, quatenus ad persolvendam pensionem nulla mora nullaque excusatione eosdem clericos uti permittas. Sed si tidem honestatis eontemplaſione gervare postponunt, tua districtione compulsi, que rationi conveniunt cogantur implere. Nam 8i hujus habitu perseverent ; sciturus, si quid secus accesse- B rei ad nos denuo querela recurrerit, et de te aliam rit, two neglectui modis omnibus imputari. 8 Presby- eros quoque vel diacones, si in aliquibus kecdesiis * previderis ordinandos, si tales persone fuerint que Sint recondita, sollicita indagalione perquire; qui- bus repertis, ad pastram notionem perducere festi- nato, ut cognoscentes quid fiendum sit, adjutore Do- mino, dispPonamus. EPISTOLA XLIY. \_AÞ—LUCILLUM EPISCOPUM- Ut clericos 8u0s ferrarum Aſricgn@ Kcelegin ques tenebant, pensionem absque mora cogal persolvere. Gregorius * Lucillo episcopo Þ de Melita, #x$timationem habere incipiemus, et in illos, ut di. gnum est, vindicabimus.