Letter 9157
Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)→Unknown|gregory great
From: Pope Gregory I
To: Desiderius, Bishop of Vienna
Date: ~599 AD
Context: Gregory urges Desiderius not to call back Pancratius the deacon from monastic life
I must ask you directly: do not attempt to recall Pancratius the deacon from the monastic life he has chosen. He bears this letter and has left his previous ministry in order to devote himself more fully to God in the cloister. This is a calling that deserves to be honored, not obstructed. A bishop who pulls a man back from a more perfect life because of the inconvenience caused to his own administration is placing his convenience above the soul's health. Let Pancratius go, and let him go with your blessing rather than your resistance.
I ancratius lator pracscntium, ut asscrit, diaconus apostolorum ac liminibus re-
praesentans a nobis noscitur spcrasse', ut eum frntemitati veatrae debcrcmus specialiter
commcndaro, Intimavit ctiam nobis, quod in clericatus officio vcstrae sit ceclesiae mili-
») iliBpwliia e'J; deHpcctiin e*.3; ilaspectLi «( rn*. q' 2: diniiocm lil. *<) <|uid Bl. =) ot
pilla Jtl. rt) nt om. p" l. «) ,uni q* 1. f) ex subrectirmis eorr, li I. «) ex roquimnt (7(a p»3..W
corr. e' >■ '■) synuJo IIJ. ') er cogilet (Itn Bl. q' 1. 2) corr. g* 1. k) iiiBunaiioiiibus B I.
') fx iiidicsl (ila H I. p* 1.3) eorr. Iiiducikt q' -J. ■") aiit III. ••) cuiiscnsimi B I; coiimiiiiuii p* J,
") ™ nulluni corr. g* I. P) admutico ^•3,-3. 1) qil. nnaaioii. om. p*a.3. ') Ua p*; iudici 11 1.
■) Ua R I. Q* I: prava dcniilorl» q'2. 3. t) exliibcrc (i'2. 3., ") diHcinnia 5*2..?. •) cb quaocumque
(tta Q*3) eorr. q'-J. ") ila codil, n.; quia iiec legitimn Val. D, quaiidrxjiudeni Fnt. K. f, qiiamvla
Val. A aec. ed. it. ») luctuni (om. uil) p* J. r) in fecerit eurr. q*]. «) ai lupraicr. H 1. ») flicut
Q*2.3. *<) iiiccit. Hl. Q*l. c) atudia li I. ^) partem Bl. q'1. ") iudicium Ji 1.
IX, IBT. ») ila MCT. Ew.; aperaus se C.
IX, I.ir. Ife Deniderio, ep. Vieimensi, cf. ep. VI, 53
,GoogIe
tatus. Uqde divini motus'* inspirationc compunctUB gratiam monacbicac <= convcraationis
uppotit illicquc iu codero quo sumpsit dcsidcrans babitu permanere ctiani diaconcni sc
iam ciusdem monastcrii factum esse commemorat. De cuius loci scrvitio avclli nulla
patitur ratione. I4^unc, quantum'' asaerit, fratemitas vestra non quidem impedicntis"
intentu', sed affectu bcnevolentiae in ofEeio eum suae vuit ecclcsiae revocare. Hor-
tamur ergo, ut sic promptae devotioni eius, quam in aanctum' studet babcre'' pro-
positum, minimc vestra sit impedimento fraternitas, magis autera quibus' valetis ud-
hortationibus pastorali ammonitionc '^ succendite, ut fervor huiua in eo desidcrii non
tepescat, ut qui a turbulento curanim saccularium tumultu sc scgreganB quictis desiderio
portum monaaterii' appctit, rursuni iti ccclcaiasticarum curarum non debeat pcrtur-
bationibuB implicari, scd in Dci laudibus permittatur sccure ab his omnibuB, ut postulat,
remancrc.
Grcijofius MnrceUmo, pivcmtstili Dalniatiiu;, rcspo»di:t, sl Maximo (Halonitum)
favere destilerit, ipstxis grattam rccujtcratttrum cssc. 5i)'J, Mai — luu.
(Jvdd. C: eap. 35.
Edd. M: LA. IX. ep. 5; G: hib. Vll iml. II. tjt. 3. - lalfi lUg. m6 (tm).
GUEGOmUH MARCELLINO PROCONSULE DALMATIAE.
EipiBtolam magnitudinia vcstrao suBccpimuB, in qua voa nostram'' incurrissc in-
gratitudincm indicnstis ntque ob hoc pcr direotam '^ sutiBfactionom habcrc nostram velle
T08 gratiani. Et quideni tanta ad nos dc vcstra mugnitudinc purvencrunt, quanta fideli
viro minimo committi dcbucrunt". Vos cnini tanti mali de cauea 5faxtmi ' omncH
astruunt auctorea'' cxiatcre, pcr quos spoliatio'^ illius ccclceiac vel tantarum animanim
pcrdilio atquc inauditae pracaumptionis audacia' sumpsit initinm". Et quidcm quod
noetram grutiam habcre vellc vos'' pctitis, cunvcnit, ut pro liis tulibus rcdomptiiri noHtro
satiBfaccrc totu intentione mcntiB, ut dignum cst, cum lucrimiB dcbcatis, quia, ni illi
satisfactum non fucrit, quid nofltru rclaxatio vcl gratia potcrit ccrtc conferre? Dum
tarocn adhuc in pracsumptorum^.viia" vel erruntium defenaionibus incssc vos ccrnimus',
qualis voi Deo vel hominibuB vestra sit eatiefactio, non videmus. Tunc enim Deo™
omnibus bc satisfacero magnitudo vcstra patcntcr" cvidcntcrquo cognoacat, si" ct dcvia
ad rcctitudtncm ct pracsumptiva ad humilitatis normam studcret rcvocarc. Quod si
factum fucriti*, pcr hoc ct Dei perccpturos "i et hominum gratium ccrtiuB agnoecutis.
*•) div. inuhis corr iii diMmto* C8 w. 2.
iiipedimeiilU C I. 2. *) mlsntum codd n.
JJaranttt; itliMse codd. n ') ttni quibuit C3,
IX, I5lt iit tU.: procoii» Cl; procuiiaulem in prucuiiBulti curr. C2; priicuuHule C3. ■) tiuslrui
eodd. n. ^) directum C'J. <^) in d«busrMit eurr. C3 m. 2. <■) auctore res C I. 2, ted corr. i
■uctorea C 2. •) eipuliatio C I (tl C3 in arg.). f) aiuUciam codd. n. B) initio codd n. '■1 nun C.
') praesumtunim C2.3. **) iln scr. ; v'm rodd. n., eed ruiiiU ntprtuer. ni. ree. C2; ruinii edd, ') cc
iiimur codd. h. ™) verba hnminibiin utque Ueu ovt. C2; de »cr. JUommten. ■>) iia edd.; pati eodd. i
") ittt edd.; ti vm. cotld. n. p) verha nlnderel utquc fuerit unt. CS. 4) praecept. Cl.3.
TX, 158. De MarixOo rel Jtfareeflino cf. g). VIII, 24 n. 8. I) Cf. ep. IX, 154, 155.
' monacbiae C I. <>) quuitani C3. •
>) ila fd, J/;
■ abiB«e tcr.
1 C2.S.
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160 GBEGOBII I. EEGISTRI
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From: Pope Gregory I
To: Desiderius, Bishop of Vienna
Date: ~599 AD
Context: Gregory urges Desiderius not to call back Pancratius the deacon from monastic life
I must ask you directly: do not attempt to recall Pancratius the deacon from the monastic life he has chosen. He bears this letter and has left his previous ministry in order to devote himself more fully to God in the cloister. This is a calling that deserves to be honored, not obstructed. A bishop who pulls a man back from a more perfect life because of the inconvenience caused to his own administration is placing his convenience above the soul's health. Let Pancratius go, and let him go with your blessing rather than your resistance.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.