Letter 6061: The magnificent lord Andreas presses me continually about restoring the use of the pallium in the Church of Ravenna according to ancient custom. And you know that the bishop John wrote to me that it had been the custom for the bishops of the said Church to use the pallium in solemn litanies. Adeodatus, deacon of that church, when he besought me ...

Gregory to Castorius, our notary at Ravenna. The distinguished lord Andreas presses me continually about restoring the use of the pallium in the Church of Ravenna according to ancient custom. You know that Bishop John wrote to me that it had been the custom for the bishops of that church to wear the pallium in the solemn litanies. When the deacon Adeodatus of that church urgently pressed me on the same matter, he satisfied me by oath that the bishops of that place were accustomed to wear the pallium in litanies four times a year. But the aforesaid lord Andreas says in his letters that the Bishop of Ravenna was in the habit of wearing the pallium in litanies at all times except in Lent — and these litanies, which he does not hesitate to call daily, he claims are solemn ones. I have been entirely astonished at this. Let your Experience therefore look past no man's face and no man's words; keep only the fear of God and rectitude before your eyes, and make inquiry of the senior persons and the archdeacon of that same church — who would not, I think, perjure himself for the sake of another's honor — and of others of longer standing who had been in holy orders before the time of Bishop John, or if there are any others of greater age not in holy orders. Let them come before the body of Saint Apollinaris and, touching his tomb, swear what the custom had been before the time of Bishop John — since, as you know, he was a man who presumed greatly and in his pride endeavored to arrogate many things to himself. And whatever may be sworn to by trustworthy and serious men, according to the formula attached below, we desire to be retained in that church. See that you act without negligence, and that no one corrupts your faithfulness and devotion in this matter — your zeal I know. Be thorough, but do it in such a way that the aforesaid church is not diminished contrary to justice, but retains the usage that existed before the time of Bishop John. Moreover, to reach a satisfactory conclusion, do not inquire of only two or three persons, but of as many as you can find of long standing and serious character — so that we may neither deny to that church what has been of ancient custom, nor grant it what has been newly coveted and attempted. Do all of this with kindness and gentleness, so that your action may be firm and your words gentle. The sword that was left at Ravenna, as we have already written, bring with you when you come; and attend carefully to what our son Boniface the deacon and the distinguished Maurentius the records-keeper have written to tell you. [Form of oath to be used:] I swear by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — the inseparable Trinity of Divine Power — and by this body of the blessed martyr Apollinaris, that out of favor to no person and with no personal advantage to myself, I give my testimony. This I know and am personally witness to: that before the time of the late Bishop John, the Bishop of Ravenna, in the presence of such-and-such an envoy of the Apostolic See, on such-and-such days, had the custom of wearing the pallium, and I am not aware that in this he ever acted covertly or in the absence of the envoy.

Book VI, Letter 61 To Castorius, Notary. Gregory to Castorius, etc. The magnificent lord Andreas presses me continually about restoring the use of the pallium in the Church of Ravenna according to ancient custom. And you know that the bishop John wrote to me that it had been the custom for the bishops of the said Church to use the pallium in solemn litanies. Adeodatus, deacon of that church, when he besought me earnestly on the same subject, satisfied me by oath that the bishops of the said place were accustomed to use the pallium in litanies four times in the year. But the aforesaid lord Andreas says in his letters that the bishop of Ravenna was in the habit of using the pallium in litanies at all times except in Lent. And these litanies, which he does not blush to say were daily, he asserts to be solemn ones. Whence I have been altogether astonished. But let your Experience regard no man's person, no man's words; keep the fear of God and rectitude only before your eyes, and enquire of senior persons, and of the Archdeacon of that same Church, who would not, I think, perjure himself for the honour of another, and of others of older standing who had been in sacred orders before the times of bishop John, or if there are any others of riper age not in holy orders; and let them come before the body of Saint Apollinaris, and touching his sepulchre swear what had been the custom before the times of bishop John; since, as you know, he was a man who presumed greatly and endeavoured in his pride to arrogate many things to himself. And whatever may be sworn to by faithful and grave men, according to the subjoined form, we desire to be retained in the same Church. But see that thou act not negligently, and that no one corrupt your faithfulness and devotion in this matter; for your zeal I know. Act assiduously, yet so that the aforesaid Church be not lowered in a way contrary to justice, but that it retain the usage that existed before the times of bishop John. Moreover, for satisfying yourself, do not enquire of two or three persons, but of as many as you can find of old standing and grave character, that so we may neither deny to that Church what has been of ancient custom, nor concede to it what has been coveted and attempted newly. But do all kindly and sweetly, so that both your action may be strict and your tongue gentle. The sword which has been left at Ravenna, as we have already written, bring hither with you; and carefully attend to what our son Boniface the deacon and the magnificent Maurentius the chartularius have written to you about. I swear by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, the inseparable Trinity of Divine Power, and by this body of the blessed martyr Apollinaris, that out of favour to no person, and without any advantage to myself intervening, I give my testimony. But this I know, and am personally cognizant of, that, before the times of the late bishop John, the Bishop of Ravenna, in the presence of this or that apocrisiarius of the Apostolic See, on such and such days, had the custom of using the pallium, and I am not aware that he had herein usurped latently, or in the absence of the apocrisiarius. 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/360206061.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.