Letter 9003: The most distinguished lady Nereida has complained to us that your Fraternity does not blush to exact from her a hundred solidi for the burial of her daughter, and would bring upon her the additional vexation of expense over and above her groans of sorrow. Now, if the truth is so, it being a very serious thing and far from a priest's office to r...

Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Cagliari. The distinguished lady Nereida has complained to us that your Brotherhood is demanding a hundred solidi from her for the burial of her daughter -- piling expense on top of grief. If this is true, it is a very serious matter, utterly unbecoming a priest: demanding payment for earth given over to decay and seeking profit from another's sorrow. Drop this demand and stop troubling her, especially since she tells us that Hortulanus, to whom she says she bore this daughter, had formerly been quite generous to your church. As for this abuse in general: when I myself acceded to the episcopal office, I forbade it entirely in our Church. Remember that when Abraham sought a burial place for Sarah from Ephron son of Zohar, Ephron refused to accept payment, lest he appear to profit from a corpse. If a pagan showed such consideration, how much more should we who are called priests refrain from it? I urge you: let this abuse, born of greed, never be attempted again -- not even with strangers. If you allow someone to be buried in your church and the family of the deceased voluntarily offers something for lights, that may be accepted. But to ask for or demand payment is absolutely forbidden, lest the Church come to be called corrupt, or you appear to take joy in the deaths of others.

Book IX, Letter 3 To Januarius, Bishop of Caralis (Cagliari). Gregory to Januarius, etc. The most distinguished lady Nereida has complained to us that your Fraternity does not blush to exact from her a hundred solidi for the burial of her daughter, and would bring upon her the additional vexation of expense over and above her groans of sorrow. Now, if the truth is so, it being a very serious thing and far from a priest's office to require a price for earth that is granted to rottenness, and to wish to make profit out of another's grief, let your Fraternity refrain from this demand, and be no more troublesome to her, especially as she tells us that Hortulanus, to whom she asserts she bore this daughter, had formerly been munificent to your Church in no small degree. Now as to this abuse, we ourselves, after we had by God's permission acceded to the dignity of the episcopate, forbade it entirely in our Church, and by no means permitted the evil custom to be taken up anew, remembering that, when Abraham demanded for a price a sepulchre for the burial of his wife's body from the sons of Emor, that is from Ephron the son of Seor, the latter refused to accept a price, lest he should appear to have made profit out of a corpse Genesis 23. If then a man that was a pagan showed such great consideration, how much more ought we, who are called priests, not to do this thing? Wherefore I admonish you that this abuse, which comes of avarice, be not ventured on any more, even in the case of strangers. But, if at any time you allow any one to be buried in your Church, and the parents, relations, or heirs of such person should of their own accord wish to offer something for lights, we do not forbid it to be accepted. But we altogether forbid anything to be asked for or exacted, this being a very irreligious proceeding, lest (which God forbid) the Church should haply be spoken of as venal, or you should seem to take joy in men's deaths, if you endeavour in any way whatever to seek profit out of their corpses. With regard to other cases included in the petition of the aforesaid Nereida, we exhort you, if possible, to settle them by an amicable arrangement, or certainly not to omit sending an instructed person to the court, deputed by us, for which purpose we have sent to your parts Redemptus our guardian (defensorem), the bearer of these presents, that he may compel the parties to appear for trial, and carry out with summary execution what may be adjudged.