Letter 2061: Not much time has passed since certain matters concerning your brotherhood were reported to us, about which, as we...

Gregory to John, Bishop of Ravenna. Not much time has passed since certain matters concerning your brotherhood were reported to us, about which, as we recall, we gave detailed notice through Castorius, notary of the Holy Church over which, by God's authority, we preside. For it had come to our attention that certain things were being done in your church contrary to custom and the path of humility — which, as you well know, is the very foundation of the priestly office. If your wisdom had received these matters gently and with proper episcopal concern, you should not have been angered by them, but rather ought to have corrected these same things with an attitude of gratitude. For it is contrary to ecclesiastical custom if what comes to us is not borne with the greatest patience — and, God forbid, even an unjust correction. Yet your brotherhood has been greatly disturbed, and with a swelling heart, as if making excuses, you wrote to us that you are accustomed to use the pallium [a liturgical vestment symbolizing metropolitan authority, conferred by the pope] only after the people have been dismissed from the secretarium [the sacristy or private chamber of the church], and during the time of Mass, and at solemn litanies — confessing in the clearest truth that you have taken upon yourself something contrary to the custom of the universal Church. For how can it be that you do lawfully in the streets, amid the noise of the crowds, during a time of ashes and sackcloth, what you yourself excused as virtually unlawful to do in the assembly of the poor and the nobles, and in the secretarium of the church? Nevertheless, dearest brother, we do not think it unknown to you that it has been heard of almost no metropolitan in any part of the world who has claimed for himself the use of the pallium outside the time of Mass. And that you well know this custom of the universal Church, you have made most clearly known to us in your own letters, in which you transmitted to us the decree of our predecessor of blessed memory, Pope John [Pope John III, r. 561–574], attached as a supplement, stating that all customs granted to you and your church by privilege of our predecessors ought to be preserved. You therefore acknowledge that the custom of the universal Church is one thing, since what you practice you claim for yourselves by special privilege. Therefore, as we see it, no uncertainty can remain for us in this matter. For either the practice of all metropolitans must be observed by your brotherhood as well, or if you say that something has been specially granted to your church, the decree from the earlier pontiffs of the city of Rome, by which these things were granted to the Church of Ravenna, must be shown by you. If this cannot be shown, it follows — since you claim what you have done neither by universal custom nor by privilege — that you prove yourself to have usurped what you did. And what shall we say to the future Judge, dearest brother, if we do not defend even that heavy yoke and bond of our neck — I will not say for an ecclesiastical dignity, but even for some worldly honor — judging ourselves burdened if we lack so great a weight even for a small space of time? We wish to be adorned with the pallium, perhaps while being unadorned in our conduct, when nothing shines more splendidly on an episcopal neck than humility. Therefore, your brotherhood ought, if you have resolved with firm purpose to defend your honors by whatever arguments, either to follow the universal custom based on unwritten tradition, or to protect yourself by written privileges. Or if, in the end, neither of these exists, we do not wish you to set an example of such presumption for other metropolitans. But lest you perhaps think that we, in writing these things to you, have neglected what pertains to brotherly love, know that a careful search has been made in our archives regarding the privileges of your church. And indeed, certain things were found that could in every way counter the claims of your brotherhood, but nothing by which your church's position on such matters could be strengthened. For concerning that very custom of yours which you assert for your church — about which we previously wrote asking that proof be provided from your side — know that we have already exercised sufficient care, inquiring of our sons Peter the deacon, Gaudiosus the primicerius [chief notary], and also Michael the defensor [legal advocate] of our see, and others who were sent to Ravenna by our predecessors on various business, and they most strictly denied that you had done this in their presence. It is therefore apparent that what was usurped unlawfully could not have been done openly. Hence, what was secretly introduced ought to have no lasting validity. Therefore, correct with a spirit of charity and with brotherly goodwill whatever has been superfluously presumed by you or by your predecessors. By no means — I do not say through your own example, but through the precedent of others or of your predecessors — allow yourself to depart from the path of humility.

AD JOANNEM EPISCOPUM. |, Ne in plateis pillium ulterius feral, nisi a Romanis pontificibus id sibi conce-zum ostenderil. Ne in 8e- cretario ips0, cum pallio deinceps z2edeat. In quos- dam e cleriris suis inquiral ; contumacibus interdi- cat sacro ministerio. Primis duniazat Ravennatis E:cclesie dincon|bus mappularum usum concedit. Gregorius Joanni episcopo Ravennali. | Non multum temporis intervallum est ( Grat. dist. 100, c. 7) quod quzdam nobis de tua fraternitate ſuerant nunt:aia, de quibus vobis, veniente illuc Cas- torio, nolario SAnctlz Cui, Deo auctore, presideinus Ecclesiz, Subtiliter nos indicasse meminimus. Per- venerat namque ad nos quedam in Ecclesia vestra contra consuetudines a'que humilitatis tramitem geri, que $vla, ut bene nostis, est officii sacerdotalis erectio. Que 5si sapientia vesira manSuete vel cum episcopali suscepissel $Studio, non de illis accendi D debuerat, sed oportuerat te hxc eadem cum gratia- Sancli Thome Cantuar. Eeisr. LIV Fl. 66]. — * Ita quatuor Valic., Norm., eic., ubi Editi : non afſectus. Consule Au- gustinum, lib. 1v Conless., ubi hanc velerum philo- sophorum sententiam (ustiori s(ylo explicat. 2 In Vulgatis additur, Data indict. 11. EeisT. LV [Al. 55]. — * Agatho vel Agathus Lipa- rensis episcopus uh crimina depositus est ex hac epist. Ex Ep $tvla autem 16 et 20, iad. 10, Pautinus Taurianensts Ecclesize episcopus ei suſſectus est. Novi antistitis Liparitani meminit 8anctus Gregorius, epist. 22 lib. v1, Cypriano diacono. GussANv. SANCTI GRECORII MAGNI rum actione corrigere. Contra worem quippe eccle- A lum cervicis nostr#e, non dico pro ecclesjaslica , sed siaslicum esl (Grat. dis!, 10V c. 8), $i non paltientis- ine loleralur, GG quod a nvbis absit, etjam inju- $la Capreclio, Myula autem njmis est vestra ſraternitas, atque cum tuwmgre cordis quasi salisſaciens , scripsit nobis pal- lis 18 non nisi post dimiss0s de * Secretario liog Ecelesiz , et Þ missarum tempore, alque in litaniis uti soletgnnibus, verbis aliquid te usurpasse Contra generalis Ecclesiz consuctudiuem apertissima veri- tate profſessus. Quomodo enim fieri potest ut illud cineris atque Cjlicii lewpore per plateas iuter popu- Jorum $trepitus agas licite, quod te agere © in con- ventu pauperum, Bobilium, etl iu secretario Eccle- Sa yelut illiciiug excusas1i? I'lud tamen (Grat, pro quadam $#culari nobis dignitate deſendimus; gr3 + vari nos judicantes, si tanto pondere yel parvi tewpo- ris Spalio careamus ? Decorari pallio yolumus , ſor+ San moribus indecori, dum njhil in episcopali cer» vice 8p!endidius ſulget quam bumilitas, Oportet igitur ſralernitalem tuam $i honores $u0s $ibi quibuslibet argumeutis stabili proposuit ments defſeudere, * aut generalitalis uzum ex non $criplo Sequi, & aut ex $cripto privilegiis 8c lweri. Vel &i postremo pibil horum est, aliis Metropolitis bujus- modi te prebere nojumus prxsumpliouis exemplum, Sed ne lorle pules nos, bzc vobis scribentes, que pro ſraterna sunt charitate neglexisse, Þ scitole ig nostro scrinio de privilegio Ecclesie GJ tuc Sub» ibid.), ſrater charissime, libi non pulamus ignotum , B lililer perquisilum, Et quidem quzedam invenla sunt quod pene de nullo metropctita in quibusubet qgz omnino possint fraternitalis juz intentionibus mundi partibus sit auditum extra missarum temp usum 8ibi pallii vindicasse. Et quod bene hanc cone sSueludinem generalis Ecclesize noveritis, veslris no- bis maniſestis+ ime significastis epistolis, quibus prae- eeptum beate memorize decessoris nos{ri Joannis papz nobis in subditis transmisistis annexum , con- linens omnes consuetudines ex privilegio praedeces- sorum no-(rorum concessas Yobis Ecclesizeque vesire debere servari. Conlitemini igitur aliam esse gene- ralis Ecclesiz consuetudinem, postquam ea que vos gerilis vobis ex privilegio vendicalis. 4 Nulla ergo nobis in hac re ut arbitramur, poterit remanere du- bietas. Aut enim mos omnium melropolitarum obviare, nihil autem in quo de hujuscemodi capitus lis pars veslre possit Ecclesiz roborari. Nam et de ipsa consueludine {uz quam opponis Ecclesiaz, que vobis olim, + ut a partibus vestris probaretur, scri- pSimus, jam $Satlis nos sollicitudinem gessisse cogio- scile, inquireutes filios nostros Peirum diaconum, atque Gaud osum primicerium, necnon et Michaes lium defensorem s8edis nostre, vel alios, qui pro di- versis responsis Ravennam a nostris decessoribus sunt transmissi , et hac te in pregentia Sua egisse districlissime negaverunt. Apparel igitur Secrelo non potuisse geri, nisi quod usurpabatur illicite. Uade quod latenter subintroductum est, nulla debet sta- etiam a tua esl ſraternitzte servandus, -aut $i tuz C bilitate persistere. Quz ergo superſlue a te vel a tuis Ecelesiz aliquid specialiter dicis esse concessum , * preceptum a prioribus Romanz urbis pontificibus, quo hzc Ravennali Feclesie sunt concessa, a vobis -oportet ostendi. (uod si hoc non ostenditur, restat postquam talia agere neque consuetudine generali , neque privilegio vindicas, ut usurpasse te compro- bes quod ſecisti. Et quid dicturi sumus futuro judici, ſfrater dilectissime, si illud grave jugum atque vincu- Eersr. LVI [Al. 54]. — * Lege epist, 19 lib. 1. | lum incarnationis ejus gesiare non audet, zed ab hume- ris sublatum diacono 1r:dit, qui illud dexira complica- lum lenel ipsi ponlifici astans et 8acra dona precedens, GUSSANV. : : Conjecturam nos(ram accipe. Post episcopum consta- bat Keciesia clericis et laicis. Clericos dicit Ecclesie milites, lib. 11, epis!, 31, atyue alibi passim. Laicos hic yocat Ecclesiz filios, e quibus houoratiores ap- pellire 8olet ordinem, ceteros plebemn ; lib, 1, epist. UW; lib. 11, epist. 8; lib. hujus ep 8. 13. Ve episcopo eligendq inscribit, clero, ordini et plebi ; quos passim ordinis, hic nobilium litulo ; quos vero plebis, paupe- deces80ribus sunt praesumpta, cum Ccharitalis intuitu, Atque cum fracerna stude benignitate corrigere. Nul- latenus, non dico per te, $sed per aliorum vel deces- Sorum -Luorum normam ab humilitatis tentes regula deviare. Ut enim ea quz superius dixi breviter col- ligam, admoneo quatenus nisi decess0rum meorum munilicentia tibi hc per privilegium altributa do- cueris, * uti in plateis pallio ulterius non prazsumas; rum ſorsan nomine dislinguit. 4 Excusi, si veleres excipias, nulla ergo vobis; contradicentibus Mss, Aet in Reg. lezitur : 4 in plateis pallium ullerius non presumas, Excusi addiderunt ferre, scilicel : pat- lium ulterius ferre non presumas. | Caterum de pallio alibi s2pe , maxime 14 commentariis de $ancl Gregorii vita, quos, indice duce, consulere licet. EPISTOLARUM LIB, IN. — INDICT. XI. — EPIST. LVIL. ue non babere et ad miggas incipias quod andacter A tale aliquid cum $ua conscientia mregumpeigee, nec et in plo\eis udurpas. De gecrelario autem, quod fralernilas tua resedisse cum pallio, et filios Eecle- Si2 $USCCpisse &t ſecit et excusavit, nune interim nihil querimur, quia Syncdorum +ententi2m Sequen= tes, Mminores culpas que negantur ulcisci recusamus. Hoc tlamen quia 8emel et iterum sit factum cogno- vimus, Sed lieri ulterius probibemus. Fraternitas autem tua 8it omuino sollicita, ne hoc quod pra- $ymptioni inchoanti adhuc ceditur, in proficiente deterius Vindicelr. | Couquesli preterea estis quod quidam de sarerdo- lali ordine Ravenualis civitatis, peceatis imminen- tibus, gravibus 8int criminibus involuti. Quorum causam vel iilic le disewmere volumus , vel hnc eos, - 668 venerint, owae pondus discussionis hvjus in C luz animz redundare periculum ; sciens nullam di- lectiouew veslrain excucationem aped futurum judi- cem habituram, $i nog excessus cleri lui cum summa cauouici rigoris Severilale correxeris, et hos quibus lhzc fueriat approbala, sacros ulterius-ordines teme- rare periniseris. lllud autem (Grat. dis. 93, c. 22) quod pro uten- dis a clero yestro ® mappulis scripsislis, a uostris est clericis forliter obvialum, dicentibus nulli hoc un- quam alii cvilibet Keclesizz concessum fuisse, nee Ravennates clericos vel illic vel in Romana civitate Ll Hoc se telo Patres Aſricani, adversus Zozimi commonitorium defendebant. Gussavv. Lyran., quibus consentiunt vet. Excusi. In Yatic. A, respondere vel noluerint, :vel nequiverint, In quatuor Angliv., Michael. et Sag., respondere presumpserint. Recentiores Editi, respondere noluerint. » Jure communi epixeepus omnis de clericorum SLOTUMN Causis judicai. Non ergo verbis islis delega- tur a $Uumno pontifice Ravenuas episcopus, qui de clericis Suis viee alierius cognoscat ; Sed ilfji tantum anwus additur, ut causam de qua desperabat fiden- (er aggrediatur, certus Romanum pontificem allabo- ralurum, ut qu juxla canones forent delinita, exse- cuitoni mandarentur. AUGET. __ ® Duravit mappulie s8:ve 8ndarii linei usus, donec Vas, $e4 ad orvatum Sulfectus e-t circa s:xculum de- cmnun, Mapoularum menin»ere none s:rc lo Alciinus el Amaiarius. Vide Card. Bona, de rebus Liturgicis, $i tentafum esset ex ſurtiva usurpatione $ibi preju- dicium generari. Sed etiamsi in - qualibet Ecclesia hoe presumplum fuerit, asserunt emendandurm, quod non concessione Romani pontiſicis, $sed sola surre- ptione pr:xSumitur. Sed nos servantes honorew. ſra- ternitati tuz, licet contra voluntalem ante dicti cleri nostri, tamen primis diaconibus vestris, quos nobis quidam testificati sunt etiam ante eis u80s ſuisge, in obsequio duntaxat tuo mappulis uti permiltimus, alio 3utem tempore vel alias pers0nas hoc agere vebemen- tissime prohibemus. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. 1v, c.2.)