Resultados25 letters/passages
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.02
Gregory to the Emperor Mauricius. Our most devout and God-appointed sovereign, among his many pressing cares, also watches over the preservation of peace among the clergy with genuine spiritual concern -- rightly and wisely recognizing that no one can govern earthly affairs well unless he knows how to handle the things …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.02
… e that he alone is a bishop and all the rest are nothing. I ask, then, that the imperial power prohibit this presumption, so that I may not be compelled to take measures that would sadden both me and the Church. Let the matter be resolved through Your Piety's wisdom, so that the peace of the clergy -- and through it, t …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.02
Was it not the case -- as you well know -- that the prelates of this Apostolic See, which by God's providence I now serve, were offered the title of "universal" by the venerable Council of Chalcedon? Yet not one of them ever accepted it or claimed this ill-advised name, lest by seizing the glory of singularity by virtu …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.02
Guard against the wicked suggestions of evil men. Flee from every instigation to give offense. Offenses must come, to be sure, but woe to the one through whom they come. Because of this abominable title of pride, the Church is torn apart and the hearts of all the brothers are provoked to offense. Has it escaped your me …
gregory_great · c. 595 · score 0.02
Gregory to the Emperor Mauricius. In you, most Christian of rulers, the uncorrupted soundness of faith shines like a beam from heaven. All know that Your Serenity embraces with fervor and wholehearted devotion the pure profession of faith in which, by God's favor, you are strong. I have therefore thought it essential t …
gregory_great · c. 599 · score 0.02
… eror's disposition is favorable -- my deacon, who represented our Church at the imperial court, reports that the Emperor fully supports this. Many good reports of our brother Syagrius have reached us, from your testimony and others', and especially from John the Regionarius [a papal regional officer] on his return to u …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
Gregory to Eulogius, Bishop of Alexandria, and Anastasius, Bishop of Antioch. When the great preacher says, "As long as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I will honor my ministry," and then says elsewhere, "We became like little children among you," he clearly sets an example for those who follow: we should preserve hu …
gregory_great · c. 599 · score 0.01
Gregory to Castorius, Notary. The more I trust you and assign you to handle cases as they arise, the more energy and care I expect you to show. Here is the procedure for Maximus of Salona: if he takes an oath affirming that he is not guilty of simoniacal heresy [buying or selling church offices], and if, when questione …
gregory_great · c. 595 · score 0.01
Gregory to Castorius, our notary at Ravenna. The distinguished lord Andreas presses me continually about restoring the use of the pallium in the Church of Ravenna according to ancient custom. You know that Bishop John wrote to me that it had been the custom for the bishops of that church to wear the pallium in the sole …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
… of that abominable title of pride, and he forbade his archdeacon -- sent to the imperial court according to custom -- from celebrating Mass with you. After Pelagius's death, when I, unworthy as I am, succeeded to the governance of the Church, I addressed your Fraternity through my representatives and through our mutual …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
We must therefore pray earnestly and implore Almighty God with constant supplications to remove this error from that man's soul and to deliver the Church's unity and humility from this plague of pride and disorder. With the Lord's favor we must act together and apply all our powers to prevent the living members of Chri …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
The one who said: "I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of heaven; I will sit upon the mount of the testament, in the sides of the North; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High." For what are all your brother bishops of the universal Church but stars of …
gregory_great · c. 595 · score 0.01
See that you act without negligence, and that no one corrupts your faithfulness and devotion in this matter — your zeal I know. Be thorough, but do it in such a way that the aforesaid church is not diminished contrary to justice, but retains the usage that existed before the time of Bishop John. Moreover, to reach a sa …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
Our Creator descended from the heights of his glory to give honor to the human race, and we -- created from dust -- set our faces toward heaven, pass our tongues over the earth, and feel no shame or fear at being lifted up. Even we, who are corruption, and sons of men who are worms. Let us remember, dearest brother, wh …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
Far be it -- far be it from any Christian mind -- that anyone should try to seize for himself something that would diminish, even in the slightest degree, the honor of his brothers. Since we ourselves are unwilling to accept this honor even when it is offered, consider how disgraceful it is that someone should try to u …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
All that was foretold has come to pass. The king of pride draws near, and -- terrible to say -- an army of priests is being marshaled for him, since those appointed as leaders in humility have enlisted under the banner of pride. But in this matter, even if I said nothing at all, the power of Him who personally and uniq …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
I say this with tears and deep grief in my heart, and I attribute it to my own sins that this brother of mine -- appointed to the episcopal rank for the very purpose of leading souls back to humility -- has himself proved incapable of returning to humility, and though he teaches truth to others, refuses to teach it to …
gregory_great · c. 596 · score 0.01
And you in turn, always give me back my love, and guard what belongs to peace and kindness — so that, remaining of one mind and allowing no discord to come between us, we may from the very unity of our hearts be the better able to obtain from the Lord what we ask. Furthermore, I commend to your Holiness John, priest of …
gregory_great · c. 592 · score 0.01
Book III, Letter 10 To Savinus, Subdeacon [Gregory's representative]. Gregory to Savinus. Wicked men have gone out and disturbed your minds, claiming what they do not understand and asserting what they cannot prove. They pretend that the faith itself is in danger, when in truth they are only seeking to cause division. …
gregory_great · c. 599 · score 0.01
Gregory to Marinianus, Bishop of Ravenna. You have already learned from our previous letters what is to be done in the case of Maximus. But since we have now been informed by the report of our secretary Castorius, the bearer of this letter, of Your Fraternity's wishes -- or rather, your request -- in this matter, here …
gregory_great · c. 602 · score 0.01
Gregory to Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. The bearers of this letter, arriving in Sicily, were converted from the error of the Monophysites [who held that Christ has only one nature, divine, rather than two] and united themselves to the holy universal Church. Having come to the church of the blessed Peter, Prince o …
gregory_great · c. 593 · score 0.01
Gregory to Queen Theodelinda of the Lombards. We have learned from certain reports that Your Glory has been led by some bishops to the point of suspending yourself from communion with the Catholic Church. The more sincerely we love you, the more seriously this distresses us -- that you believe unskilled and foolish men …
gregory_great · c. 593 · score 0.01
Gregory to Theodelinda, Queen of the Lombards. We have learned from certain reports that Your Glory has been led by some bishops into such offense against holy Church as to withdraw yourself from Catholic communion. The more sincerely we love you, the more deeply this distresses us — that you believe unskilled and fool …
gregory_great · c. 590 · score 0.01
When I try to examine these requirements one by one, I feel the weight of every single one. [Gregory here summarizes passages from his own Pastoral Rule on the duties of a bishop — covering the need for purity of thought, leadership by example, wisdom about when to speak and when to stay silent, and the delicate balanc …
gregory_great · c. 590 · score 0.01
Book I, Letter 25 To John, Bishop of Constantinople, and the Other Patriarchs [the five senior bishops of the Christian world]. Gregory to John of Constantinople, Eulogius of Alexandria, Gregory of Antioch, John of Jerusalem, and Anastasius, ex-Patriarch of Antioch. An identical letter to each. When I reflect on how I …