Letter 4004: Gregory to Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards. It has come to our knowledge by the report of certain persons that your Glory has been led on by some bishops even to such an offense against holy Church as to withdraw yourself from the communion of Catholic unanimity. Now the more we sincerely love you, the more seriously are we distressed about y...

Gregory to Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards. We have learned from certain reports that Your Glory has been led by some bishops into such offense against holy Church as to withdraw yourself from Catholic communion. The more sincerely we love you, the more deeply this distresses us — that you believe unskilled and foolish men who not only do not understand what they are talking about, but can barely grasp what they have been told. They claim that during the reign of the late Emperor Justinian, certain decisions were made contrary to the Council of Chalcedon. But they neither read the documents themselves nor believe those who have, and so they remain trapped in the error they have invented for themselves regarding us. With our conscience as our witness, we declare plainly: nothing was altered, nothing was violated, with respect to the faith of the holy Council of Chalcedon. Whatever was done in Justinian's time was done in such a way that the faith of Chalcedon was not disturbed in any respect. Furthermore, if anyone presumes to speak or think anything contrary to the faith of that council, we condemn his position under anathema. Since you now know the integrity of our faith, attested by our own conscience, there is no reason for you ever to separate yourself from communion with the Catholic Church. Otherwise, all those tears of yours, all your good works, may come to nothing if they are found to be separated from the true faith. It is therefore incumbent upon Your Glory to send word with all speed to my most reverend brother and fellow bishop Constantius — of whose faith, and whose life, I have long been confident — and to indicate by letter that you have received his ordination kindly and that you are in no way separated from the communion of his Church.

Book IV, Letter 4 To Queen Theodelinda. Gregory to Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards. It has come to our knowledge by the report of certain persons that your Glory has been led on by some bishops even to such an offense against holy Church as to withdraw yourself from the communion of Catholic unanimity. Now the more we sincerely love you, the more seriously are we distressed about you, that you believe unskilled and foolish men, who not only do not know what they talk about, but can hardly understand what they have heard. For they say that in the times of Justinian of pious memory, some things were ordained contrary to the council of Chalcedon; and, while they neither read themselves nor believe those who do, they remain in the same error which they themselves feigned to themselves concerning us. For we, our conscience bearing witness, declare that nothing was altered, nothing violated, with respect to the faith of this same holy council of Chalcedon; but that whatever was done in the times of the aforesaid Justinian was so done that the faith of the council of Chalcedon should in no respect be disturbed. Further, if any one presumes to speak or think anything contrary to the faith of the said synod, we detest his opinion, with interposition of anathema. Since then you know the integrity of our faith under the attestation of our conscience, it remains that you should never separate yourself from the communion of the Catholic Church, lest all those tears of yours, and all those good works should come to nothing, if they are found alien from the true faith. It therefore becomes your Glory to send a communication with all speed to my most reverend brother and fellow bishop Constantius, of whose faith, as well as his life, I have long been well assured, and to signify by your letters addressed to him how kindly you have accepted his ordination, and that you are in no way separated from the communion of his Church; although I think that what I say on this subject is superfluous: for, though there has been some degree of doubtfulness in your mind, I think that it has been removed from your heart on the arrival of my son John the abbot, and Hippolytus the notary. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360204004.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.