Gregory the Great (Wisigothic) → destinatário desconhecido
Tradução moderna em inglês
Gregory to the clergy, order, and people of Crotone [a city in Calabria].
Your church has been without settled episcopal leadership, and I have appointed the bishop John to serve as your visitor [a bishop delegated to oversee a church during a vacancy]. I direct you to obey him in the exercise of this function.
At the same time, I direct you to turn your attention to the selection of a suitable permanent bishop for your church. The visitor arrangement is temporary; what your community needs is a permanent, properly elected and ordained bishop who can give his full attention to your church's governance.
Begin the process of identifying and evaluating candidates. The man you choose should be of blameless life, sound faith, and the pastoral ability your church requires. Bring your recommendation to me in due course, and we will proceed from there.
Obey the visitor in the meantime. And take the episcopal election seriously. Gregory
Texto latino / grego
AD CLERUM, ORDINEM, ET PLEBEM CROTONE. Ut Joanni episcopo visitatori obediant , atque idoneum sibi postulent sacerdotem. Gregorius * clero, ordini et plebi consistenti Þ Cro- tonze. Vestri antistitis obitum cognoscentes, curz nobis ſuit destitutze Ecclesiz visitationem ſfratri et coepi- SCoP0 Nnos1iro © Joanni solemniter delegare. Cui de- dimus in mandatis ut nibil de provectionibus cleri- g corum, reditu, ornatu, ministeriisque a quoquam vsurpari patiatur. Cujus vos assiduis adhortationibus - obedire convenit , © quatenus in ecclesiastico officio Sacerdos exquiratur qui et a venerandis. canonibus nulla discrepet *© ratione. f Qui dum ſuerit postula- tus, cum $0lemaitate decreti omnium subscriptioni- bus roborati, et visitatoris pagina prosequente, ad nos veniat ordinandus, provisuri anle omnia ne cu- juslibet vitze vel meriti laicam personam presumatis eligere. Nam non $8olum talem ad episcopatus apicem GON nulla ratione provehendum, verum etiam 5 vos nullis intercessionibus veniam promereri posse. cog- noscite; sed omnes quos ex - vobis de laica persona a$pirasse constiterit, ab officio et a communione alie- nos ſaciendos procul dubio noveritis. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. m, c. 22.)