Letter 9162

From: Pope Gregory I To: Maurentius, Master of Soldiers Date: ~599 AD Context: Gregory commends Theodosius, abbot of a monastery founded by the late Patrician Liberius The bearer of this letter is Theodosius, who serves as abbot of the monastery founded in earlier times by the late patrician Liberius. The monastery is known to us and its work is valued. I commend Theodosius to your goodwill and ask that you extend to him whatever protection and assistance his mission requires. A monastery is a place of prayer that sustains the spiritual life of the wider church — even military men have an interest in its flourishing, since the prayers of monks are offered for all.

rilius nostcr Thcodosiua* abbas' monaetcrii quod a Libcrio quondam patricio*'* in Campaniac partibue noacitur ease conetructum a nobis precibus speravit, ut eum cum congregatione sua vestrae deberemus' gloriae commendare. Aaserit enim in murorura'' se vigiliia^ ultra virca suaa vehcmenter afRigi. Fetimus ergo gloriam vestram, ut, si- quidem est possibilc, dc eodem per voa onere relevetur*. Sin vero hoc ut ex toto non faciat, eat ummno difficilc, vcl ita illi ex noatra commendatione ipsum lovigantes pondue eollicitudinis temperctis, ut, dum in Dei laudibus liberior vacare voluerit, pro vobis, cuiue' opere, ut levationem aliquara habeat, factum eat, securior Dominum valeat exorare, eed ct nostram sibi apud gloriams vcetram scntiat cpistolam profuisee.