Letter 9030

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Anthemius, subdeacon Date: ~599 AD Context: Gregory instructs Anthemius to restore the estate of Massa Veneris to the monastery of St. Mark. Gregory to Anthemius, subdeacon. The estate of Massa Veneris belongs rightfully to the monastery of St. Mark and is to be restored to it. Take whatever steps are necessary to accomplish this — document the claim, address any competing claims through proper process, and ensure that the monastery receives clear and legally secure title to the property. A religious community's ability to sustain itself depends on its property being secure. When that security is undermined — whether through legal confusion, bad faith, or outright appropriation — the community's life and mission are undermined with it. See that the monastery gets its estate back. Gregory

AD ANTHEMIUM SUBDIACONUM. Monasterio 8ancti Marci Maszam Veneris reslituen- dam curet. Gregorius Anthemio subdiacono Neapolilano. AMquitatis jus exigit ut hoc quod a prdecess0ri- bus nostris cognita veritate est redditum, nostra in- debite denuo Eecclesia tenere non debeat, ne quod Eerist. XXIX [Al. 28]. — * Corruptus fuerat hic locus in precedentibus Editionibus, sed casligatus est ope plurimorum mss. Codicum et antiquiorum Editio- num. Gus8ANnv. | Eersr. XXX. Al. 29. Eersr. XX Xl [Al. 301.—® Editi reluctantibus Mss. Consentius, non vera, sed imaginaria ac magis dolosa fuisse re- Stitutio videatur. Et ideo quoniam Stephanus abbas monaslerii sancti Marci, quod consLl.tutum juxla mu- ros Spoletanz civitatis esse dignoscitur, queslus est nobis Massam Veneris 951 in provincia Campania 8itam, territorio Minturnensi, quam ei beate memo- rize decess0ris nostri Benedicti redditam preceptione cognovimus, ab Ecclesia nostra nunc indebite deti- neri : idcirco hac libi auctoritate precipimus, ut $i Manifesle ab Ecclesiz nostre hominibus detinetur, in jus eam predict: monasterii sine aliqua mora vel altercalione resSliluas. Si vero non a nostris, sed a quibusdam ſorsitan extraneis detinetur, strenua te agere $0llicitudine volumus, ut in jus modis omnibus memorali debeat monaslerii reſormari, quatenus et ipse quod suum es!t, te $olatiante, stve aliqua fatiga- tione recipiat, et alter de dispendio monaslerii injusle lucrum non habeat.