Letter 9038: I want to remind you that I have already addressed this matter with Bishop Victor directly: the synagogues of...

Some time ago we wrote to our brother and fellow bishop Victor, because certain Jews had petitioned us complaining that their synagogues in the city of Panormus, together with their guesthouses, had been unreasonably seized by him. We directed him to suspend the consecration of these buildings until the case could be examined and it could be determined whether his action was justified. Indeed, respect for his priesthood does not readily allow us to believe that our aforesaid brother acted improperly. But since our notary Salerius, who was subsequently present there, has reported to us that no legitimate grounds existed for the seizure and that the synagogues were consecrated rashly and without due consideration, we therefore direct you as follows: since what has once been consecrated cannot be restored to the Jews, the synagogues themselves — together with whatever guesthouses are attached to them or adjoin their walls, and the gardens connected to them — are to be appraised by the sons of the glorious patrician Venantius and by Urbicus the abbot. You are to ensure that our aforesaid brother and fellow bishop pays this price, so that what he caused to be seized may lawfully remain in the possession of his church, while the Jews may in no way appear to have been oppressed or to have suffered any injustice. As for the books and ornaments that were likewise taken, let them be sought out; if it is established that they were manifestly seized, we wish them to be restored without any hesitation. For just as the Jews should not be permitted to do anything in their synagogues beyond what the law allows — as we ourselves have previously written — so neither should any prejudice or loss be inflicted upon them contrary to justice and the order of equity.

Ante aliquantum tempus Yictori fratri et coepiscopo nostro scripsimus', ut, quo- niam quidam' ludaeorum data nobis petitione questi fuerunt synagogas in civitate Pa- normitana positas cum hospitiis suis fuisse ab eo inratioaabiliter occupatas'', quousque causa, utrum^ iuste factum esset*', potuisset agnoaci, ab eamm se consecratione* suspen- deret, ne forte in eomm soia voluntate versari praeiudicium' videretur. Et quidem nos praedictum fratrem nostrum incongnie' aliquid egisse sacerdotii eius respectus facile credere non penniBit. Sed quia Salerio" notario nostro^, qui postea illic praesens in- ventuB eat, renuntiaate comperimuB nullam extitiase causam, pro qua potuisaent ratio- nabiliter occupari, atque eas esse inconaulte ac temere conaecrataa, idcirco experiendae tuae praecipimus, ut, quia quod semeP consecratum est ludaeis non valet ultro reatitui, quantum a fiiiis glorioso Venantio patricio' et Urbico^ abbate*, synagogae ipsae cum bia' bospitiis quae sub ipais sunt" vel earum pariedbuB" cohaerent atque hortiB ibi coniunctis aestimatae fuerint, studJi tui sit, ut praefatus frater et coepiecopus □OBter dare pretium debeat, quatenus et quod° occupari fecit, in iure» eccleeiae ipsius valflat pennanere'' et illi opprimi' aut aliquam pati miuBtitiam nullo modo videantur. Codices vero vel omamenta pariter ablata quaemntur; si manifeste tulta' sunt, et ipsa* sine aliqua volumus ambiguitate reslitui, quia", sicut illis quicquam in aynagogie suia facere et, ut ipsi prius scripBimuB, ultra, quam lege decretum est, non debet esae > liceotia, ita eis contra iustitiam et aequitatis ordinem nec praeiudicium nec aliquod* debet inferri" dispendium. *•) lUi om., td ruppl. m. 3. C. 3. «) opere C 1. 2. IX, 38. ■) qni iun C 1.2.3; haec nerba om. tl hie adi.: sicut qneiti fuarnnt (om. dftta — rDeruntJ C4. <>) occopftMu Cl.3.3; Kgnovunus add. C4. ») mn Va^. A. <<) f. eese Cl.2.3: ritctu OMet C4. ') congregatione codd. n. ^) iadioiam Vat. A. 8) in congregKUone C4. '■) solerio C3. '} lemel <m. Vat.A. k) Urbicio Cl.a.S. >) ipue cuiua C1.2. n)BunttHn. C 1.2.8; nit C4. ■>) pdrentibiia C. ») hoc Vat.A. P) iui Val. A. •*) ita Cl.4; pervenlre C'2,- proTeoire Val A. ') optimi Cl.2.8, ttd eorr. C3 m. 2; illi o. «ut om. C4. •) ilulU C3. *) ipao C3. ") qui Cl. ») «liquo Cl. 3, ") iDferre C 1. 2. 3. IX, 38. Hatc et tequentai tpistulat una eerte nari, ned per direnm latore* Wansmiimat mnt. — De Frmtino, rectote patrimonii Panormitani, ef. ep. III, 55 n. IV, 43 n. 1) Ep. Vllt, 25. 2) lie Saierio tf. ep. IX, 21 n. L 3) De Yenantio cf. I, 33 n. VI, 40 n. 4) De Urbieo cf. ep. IX, 20 n. ,GoogIe Gregoritis I. sentium latricem, Codd. C: cap. Edd. M: lAb. GK lanuaria pr Bonifatio •■ contra rimos annos assei eos sc eccleeiasti se revocet eosqu contra Bupraacript ot, qunc inter co voro eoB differre ot oam contra ra (iri-g&riua I. fhm>re.m, ut Tatm Ktt, chiroyraphum (liiild. (!: cap. WW. M: JAh. Indicavit ! uliaN ('undiduni d tTcditii iiuum ilcil Holum iipuil No pr MtippliciiMtl luduni oKpnriHiiLiiiK tuiii rniipiirnrit'', dinlr tii)iiiiiii pniiuliirLl llllC d(l CUUMIt l|U<! ■•J lllll tll. •1 •Ii.Imi rmU. ti. ') IIIB ""> imli-lH ■M '• ■'/ niii.ili.li /y. 1,1 ll> lllH. VU: 1 •M» 'IHI ■) f-ld. "y ' 1 ri ', ., /,V. .■III. , l'l , /v, 4'l , r/ , '/■ ' ■I' is. ,GoogIe iX, 41. Gregorius I. papa Felicem in Sicilia de suis ad lohannem, episcopum Syracttsanum, litteris erudit monetgue, ne consiituendo iudicio de possessionibtts ei, ut gueritur, iniuste a &fracu3anis actoribm ablaiia difficuitates afferat. 598, Oct. Codd. R et ^: Indic^ I. II. eap. 46; C: cap. 99. Edd. M: 1*6. JX ep. 14; O: Ub. VII md. II ep. lOi. — laffe Reg. IB6B (sm). GREGORIUS PELICI SICILIAE. ^usceptis magnitudinie Testrae epistolis contriststi sumua, quod ab actoribus* ec- clesiae Syracusanae *" quasdam " pOBseeeiones ', quas tos tenuisse dicitlB, occupatas ^ in- rationabiliter indicastis*. Sed credimus, quia hoc ad fratris et coepiscopi nostri lo- hannnis" Dotitiam non pervenlt^; nam abeolute poterat cognita veritate, si quid inlicite factum flBt, emendare. Et ideo quia'' legali provisione decretum est tam momenti" quam proprietatis caasam^ in uno eodemque iudicio debere' cogDosci nec nos contra inauditam partem*" aliqnid posBumue definire, praedicto Iratri nostro Bcripsimus, ut acto- res" ecclesiae auae depatare debeat, qui vobiscum sine mora electomm possinf* subire iudicium, ne aut vos res vestraa sine cognitione, sicut querellam facitis, amittere» aut parB altera videatur praeiudicium ^ susdnere. Oloria ei^o vestra nullas' in eligendos* iudiceB* difficultates" interBerat aut differat* ad causam sccedere. Nam omnino de auprascripti* fratris et coepiscopi nostri' moribus certi sumuB, quia facere, quicquid rationia ordo exegerit, non recuset.