Letter 3063: The monastery of the abbess Gratiosa is to be consecrated, and I direct you to perform the consecration.

To Fortunatus the bishop. On the consecration of the monastery of the abbess Gratiosa. Gregory to Fortunatus, bishop of Naples. It is fitting that effect be given without difficulty to religious desires. And therefore Gratiosa the abbess, together with her congregation, having presented a petition, as is the duty of those subject to us, has requested the following: that Rustica, of patrician memory, by the final disposition of her will, willed that a monastery of the handmaids of God be built in the city of Naples, in her own house, in the Herculensian district, in the street that is called Lampadi, in which she appointed the aforesaid Gratiosa to preside as abbess; and likewise she is known to have erected an oratory, to which, according to her vow, she indicated that she had bequeathed four ounces [a third part] of her whole estate, and which she desired to be consecrated in honor of the blessed Mary, ever Virgin, the mother of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, most dear brother, by the present injunction we have thought it right to exhort your affection that, the testament having first been examined, if it stands valid in law, and if you find that those same four ounces have been most truly conferred upon that same monastery, you go to the aforesaid place without reluctance when they shall request it, performing the solemnities of the venerable dedication; so that, as often as it shall be necessary, the venerable sacrifices of the masses may be celebrated by the priests of the Church serving in the above-written place; in such a way that in that same monastery neither your fraternity nor the priests, beyond the diligence of discipline, [...] what trouble it may bring; or if anything has accrued out of the devotion of various persons for [the monastery's] benefit, let him reckon it to be claimed for himself. Whether gold, whether silver, whether an estate, whether a garment, let the aforesaid foundation possess it in every way, since whatever shall happen to be offered there ought to profit, together with the handmaids of God serving in that same place.

AD FORTUNA TUM EPISCOPUN. De monasterio Gratiose abbatizs@ consecrando. Gregorius ®* Fortunato episcopo Neapolitano. Religiosis dexideriis sine diflicultate prestari decet effectum. Aique ideo Gratioga abbatissa una cum congregatione $ua, oblata pelitione, > quz tenetur in 8ubditis, postulavit quod patlriciz recordationis Ru- SLlica per ultimum voluntatis sv# arbitrium in civi- tale Neapolitana, in domo propria, in regione Her- ei.lensi, © in vieo qui appellatar Lampadi, monaste- rium construi veluerit ancillarum Dei, in quo prefa- lam Gratiosam abbatissaw przesse disposuit; simul- que et oratorium exstruxi:zse dignoscitur, cui et pro voto suo 4 qualuor uncias totius substanlie $uz di- misisse suggesSit, quodque in honorem beatz Marie Semper Virginis , genitricisque Dei et Domini n6stri Jesu Christi desideravit consecrari. Et ideo, ſrater charissime , prasenti preceptione dilectionem tuam duximus adhortandam , ut inspecto primitus lesta- ment», $i jure $ubsistat, et easdem quatuor uncias verissime eidem monasterio collatas esse compere- ris, ad predietum locum cum postulaverint, ingra- vanter accedas, venuerandz $0leinnia dedicationis impendens, ut © quoties necesse fuerit, a presbyie- ris Ecclesie in $uprascripto loco deservientibus G74 celebrentur sacrificia veneranda missarum ; ita ut in eodem monasterio neque fraternitas tua, neque presbyleri preter diligentiam diseipline ali- cerni, nec altingi, nec comprehendi posse, ct oporlere per angelos divinam s8ibi benevolentiam conciliare. Ne vero culilum angelorum om:em ab Apostolo ami- quisve Patribus damnatum cogites , audi nounullos, Angelos venerari, inqunit Eusebins Demonstr. Evang. lb. m, p. 107, pro ratione graduqne dignitatis edocti Sumus, wt s0ls Dev, qui Rex est univ rai, adorationis honorem i(ribuamus. Obserrandos angelos asseril Ambros. lib. de Viduis. [{lorum enim intercessione, immat Hilarins, m ps. cxxrx, eget infirmiias nostra. EersT. LXIH [At. 56]. — © Post depositionem De- metrii episcopi Neapoliiant , cum Paulus Nepesinus eji>copus, et postea Florentius ejns Subdiaconns ele- ctionem de se factam renuissent, consentiente Sancto Greg-rio electus est Fortunatns ann. 595, qui sub- $Cripsit concilio Romano ann. 595. De Florentic vi de, Supra, episto/aui 15. Gussanv. © Ita Vatic. B et D, Norm. owmnes, Corb. et vet. D Ed. In Yatic. A et C legitur : in rico quondam Lam- padi. Ja recent. Vulgatis : in vico in quo Lampadius monaslerium ancillarum Dei conslitnit. sepel retur, in quo. lizc unde desuinpia £in!, nos latel, nec minus uvbscurum ext quis his verbis Sensus sit alliugendus. 4 Seu tertiam bonorum suorum pariem. © In monasteriis piures olim dirs caruisse liturgia prohbat ex velerum monachorum- regulis card. Bona de Rebus liturgicis lib. 1, ce. 18, num, Þ., bs prefat. ad 11 sxc. Bened., & 4, observat Mabillonius gundum quoti:tianam miss# frequentationem ita sacerdolbus in more posiiam fuisse s:rculo Seplimo, ut Singult in dies ad atlare sacra ceiebratwri accederent, kx lib. iv bÞialog., cap. 56, Cassius Narviensis episcopes quulicdianum ofjerre consueverat Deo sacrificium. Alivs nouuulivs laudat ibidem Mabill. qui per s&eculun Sep uu rem Sacram quotidie frequentarunt : id quod Inquit, anterioribus s&culis non tam obviuin videlur 661 EPISTOLARUY LIB. WW. — iNDICT. XL. — EPIST. LXV. 662 quid molestiarum inferat ; * aut si quid pro divers0- A nullo eis vel sacri canones, vel ecelesiasticz regulze rum devotione commodilatis accesserit , $ibi zslimet vindicandum. Sive aurum, sive argentuin, ive pre- dium, sive veslimentum, omnibus modis construclio przeſata possideat, cum ancillis Dei in eodem loco deservientibus debeat proſicere quidquid offerri ibi- dem conligerit.