Letter 4012
Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)→Unknown|gregory great
From: Pope Gregory I
To: Peter, Bishop
Date: ~594 AD
Context: Gregory writes to Bishop Peter on a pastoral matter
Brother Peter, I have received the report regarding the situation in your diocese and I want to address it directly. The matters you have been dealing with are not simple, and I do not wish to judge from a distance what I would assess differently if I could observe it in person. What I can offer is this: proceed carefully, consult with those you trust, and do not act unilaterally on anything significant without first consulting this see. The apostolic see exists precisely to help bishops navigate situations that exceed the resources of a single diocese.
AD PETRUM EPISCOPUNM.
Agrigenline Ecclesie redituum quariam partem in vi-
8ilationis s[1pendium assignal.
Gregorius Petro episcopo * Trecalitano.
Quoniam Agrigentina Eeclesia a nobis ſratervitatis
uz visilationis eurzx commissa e$t, laboribus tuis
aliquid ex ea ut le prospeximus consulendum. Prop-
erea Maximiano fratri et coepiscopo no-tro <Cripsi-
pus, Þ ut quarta, quam ejusdem Ecelesia: episcopun
yportebat accipere, a die visitationis lux, vel quons-
que illic eam sollicitudinem gesseris, tibi debeat ap-
plicari.. Unde ſraternitatem tyam necesse est mente
tollicita cogilare, nt enjus fructus Ecciesiz percipit,
era $tudeat solerier impendere , alque ad Denin
lic animas congregare, Pravos ab ini-juitate compes-
:ere, et incipientes hona opera , verbo exhiortationis
nutrire, memor quod de Ecclesia universali scriptum
est : Panem otiosa non comedit (Prov. xxx1, 27).
indietum process10nes non raro litaniz appellantur
2pud antiquos avctores ; quod in pro essionibus ill:s
lianie Seu Preces ac Suppheationes conrinerentur.
Lib. xxx Cod. Theodos., de hareticis. Arcadtius Aus
gu-tns interdicit iis omnibus ad lilaniam * ſaciendam
tulra civitatl-m, nociu rel interdiu proſanis coire con-
venſibus. Alque, ul cxteros taceam, Gregorio ipsi
processio dicitur lifania Sermon. de morialilate :
Li:aria, inquit, clericorum, id est clericorum ccetus
ad $fationem procedens, exeat, etc. Vide lib. vi,
epist. 54 et (1.
Cum dies anniversarins noslr@ ordinationis exoritur,
tunc marime /:onor hujus officii tanquam prino impo-
na/ur, attenditur.
4 In nullis mss. id legi:vns. In Turon. S. Gat.
data dicitur, Mense Norembri, indict. 13.
Eersr. XW. — * Sic legitur in quatuor Valic. et in
Cort., pro Tricaliiano, quod haben Vulgati recent.
In Gemet. accurrit Trecasino. In Corb. , consentien-
libus veteribus Ed., Troecali:ano. Tricala seu Trio-
cla urbs ohm episcopalis Sicilire, in ora australi,
Agrigentum inter et Mazarum. Nuvc jacet in ruinis,
ejusque locns dicitur Sancla Maria dt monte virgine.
Pariim ex Gussanv.
—_
◆
From: Pope Gregory I
To: Peter, Bishop
Date: ~594 AD
Context: Gregory writes to Bishop Peter on a pastoral matter
Brother Peter, I have received the report regarding the situation in your diocese and I want to address it directly. The matters you have been dealing with are not simple, and I do not wish to judge from a distance what I would assess differently if I could observe it in person. What I can offer is this: proceed carefully, consult with those you trust, and do not act unilaterally on anything significant without first consulting this see. The apostolic see exists precisely to help bishops navigate situations that exceed the resources of a single diocese.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.