Letter 7033: The provident piety of my lords, lest perchance any scandal might be engendered in the unity of Holy Church by the dissension of priests, has once and again deigned to admonish me to receive kindly the representatives of my brother and fellow priest Cyriacus, and to give them liberty to return soon. And although, most pious lord, all your injunc...

Gregory to Mauricius Augustus [Emperor Maurice]. Most pious lord, your thoughtful concern for the unity of the holy Church -- lest any scandal arise from disagreements among bishops -- has repeatedly led you to urge me to receive the representatives of my brother and fellow bishop Cyriacus kindly, and to let them return promptly. Your instructions are entirely appropriate and well-considered. Yet I must say that this particular admonition suggests you consider me indiscreet, and that stings. But even though I have been deeply wounded by that proud and profane title [the "Ecumenical Patriarch" claim], could I really be so lacking in judgment as to forget what I owe to the unity of the faith and the harmony of the Church? Could I refuse to receive my brother's representatives and his synodical letter over personal bitterness? God forbid. That would not be wisdom -- it would be folly. What we owe to preserving unity of faith is one thing; what we owe to restraining arrogance is another. The two must be distinguished, so that nothing about my new brother's position is needlessly disrupted. And so I received his representatives with genuine warmth. I showed them every kindness I owed, honored them beyond what custom required, and had them celebrate the solemnities of the Mass with me. My reasoning was this: just as my deacon should not serve at the sacred mysteries alongside someone who has committed or tolerated the sin of pride, so it was right for Cyriacus's ministers to serve at Mass with me, since by God's grace I have not fallen into that error. I have, however, firmly urged my brother and fellow bishop that if he wants peace and harmony with everyone, he must give up that foolish title. On this point, I will not relent -- but neither will I let it break the bond between our churches.

Book VII, Letter 33 To Mauricius Augustus. Gregory to Mauricius Augustus. The provident piety of my lords, lest perchance any scandal might be engendered in the unity of Holy Church by the dissension of priests, has once and again deigned to admonish me to receive kindly the representatives of my brother and fellow priest Cyriacus, and to give them liberty to return soon. And although, most pious lord, all your injunctions are suitable and provident, yet I find that by such an admonition I am reproved as being in your judgment indiscreet. But, even though my mind has been wounded in no slight degree by a proud and profane title, could I possibly be guilty of so great indiscretion as not to know what I owed to the unity of the faith and to ecclesiastical concord, and to refuse to receive the representatives and the synodical letter of my brother on account of bitterness from whatever cause intervening? Far be this from me. Such wisdom had been unwisdom. For what is due from us for conserving unity of faith is one thing; what is due for restraining elation is another. Times therefore were to be distinguished, lest the newness of my aforesaid brother might in any point be disturbed. Whence also I received his representatives with great affection. Whatever charity I owed to them I displayed, and honoured them more than it had been the ancient custom to do, and caused them to celebrate the sacred solemnities of mass with me; since, even as my deacon ought not to serve, for exhibition of the sacred mysteries, him who has either committed the sin of elation or corrects it not himself when committed by others, so it was right that his ministers should attend, in the celebration of mass, on me, who, under the keeping of God, have not fallen into the error of pride. I have however taken care to admonish earnestly the same my brother and fellow bishop that, if he desires to have peace and concord with all, he must refrain from the appellation of a foolish title. As to this, the piety of my lords has charged me in their orders, saying that offense ought not to be engendered among us for the appellation of a frivolous name. But I beseech your imperial Piety to consider that some frivolous things are very harmless, and others exceedingly harmful. Is it not the case that, when Antichrist comes and calls himself God, it will be very frivolous, and yet exceedingly pernicious? If we regard the quantity of the language used, there are but a few syllables; but if the weight of the wrong, there is universal disaster. Now I confidently say that whosoever calls himself, or desires to be called, Universal Priest, is in his elation the precursor of Antichrist, because he proudly puts himself above all others. Nor is it by dissimilar pride that he is led into error; for, as that perverse one wishes to appear as above all men, so whosoever this one is who covets being called sole priest, he extols himself above all other priests. But, since the Truth says, Every one that exalts himself shall be humbled Luke 14:11; 18:14, I know that every kind of elation is the sooner burst as it is the more inflated. Let then your Piety charge those who have fallen into an example of pride not to generate any offense by the appellation of a frivolous name. For I, a sinner, who by the help of God retain humility, need not to be admonished to humility. Now may Almighty God long guard the life of our most serene Lord for the peace of holy Church and the advantage of the Roman republic. For we are sure, that if you live who fear the Lord of heaven, you will allow no proud doings to prevail against the truth. 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/360207033.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.