Pope Gregory the Great → Dynamius, Patrician
Tradução moderna em inglês
Book III, Letter 33
To Dynamius, Patrician of Gaul [a high-ranking nobleman in Frankish territory, likely in Provence].
Gregory to Dynamius, Patrician of Gaul.
One who faithfully administers what belongs to another demonstrates how well he would manage his own affairs. Your Glory has shown this clearly through your devoted care for the patrimony of the blessed Apostle Peter [church estates in Gaul] which you have overseen with integrity and dedication.
We are deeply grateful for your faithful stewardship. The revenues from these estates provide essential support for the poor and for the operations of the Church, and your honest management ensures that these funds reach those who need them most.
We commend to your continued protection the bearer of this letter, who has business concerning the patrimony. Please extend to him your customary assistance so that he may carry out his duties effectively.
We also ask that you continue to support the Catholic bishops in your region. The Church in Gaul faces unique challenges [surrounded by Frankish politics, Arian influences, and competition among powerful bishops], and the steady hand of a loyal and influential layman like yourself is invaluable.
May God reward your faithfulness abundantly, both in this life and in the life to come. We send you our blessing and our gratitude.
Texto inglês de origem
Book III, Letter 33 To Dynamius, Patrician. Gregory to Dynamius, Patrician of Gaul. He who administers faithfully what is other's shows how well he dispenses what is his own. And this your Glory makes manifest to us in that, intent on your annual offering, you have rendered the blessed Peter, Prince of the apostles, the fruits of his revenues. In paying him what is his faithfully, you have made these gifts to him your own. For indeed it becomes the glorious people of this earth who think of eternal glory so to act that in virtue of their excelling in temporal power, they may procure for themselves a reward that is not temporal. Accordingly, addressing to you the greeting which we owe, we implore Almighty God both to replenish your life with present good, and to extend it to the lofty joys of eternity. For we have received through our son Hilarus (al Hilarius) of the aforesaid revenues of our Church four hundred Gallican solidi. We now send you as the benediction of the blessed apostle Peter a small cross, wherein are inserted benefits from his chains , which for a time bound his neck: but may they loose yours from sins forever. Moreover in its four parts round about are contained benefits from the gridiron of the blessed Laurence, whereon he was burnt, that it, whereon his body was consumed by fire for the truth's sake, may inflame your soul to the love of the Lord.