Resultados25 letters/passages
gregory_great · c. 590 · score 0.02
Book I, Letter 17 To all the Bishops of Italy. Gregory to all. The detestable Authari [king of the Lombards, the Germanic people who had invaded and occupied much of Italy] during this recently completed Easter season forbade the children of Lombards from being baptized in the Catholic faith. For this sin, God struck h …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.02
Whatever it was my duty to do in humility, I have not neglected. But if I am disregarded in my reproof, I will have no choice but to bring the matter before the Church. May Almighty God show you, brother, how great a love for you constrains me in saying these things, and how deeply I grieve in this matter -- not agains …
gregory_great · c. 591 · score 0.02
Book II, Letter 30 To Maurilius and Vitalianus [senior military commanders]. Gregory to Maurilius and Vitalianus, Magistri Militum. We have communicated with Your Glory through our son Vitalianus, both by word and by letter, urging you to coordinate with him. On the eleventh day of January, Ariulph [the Lombard Duke of …
gregory_great · c. 593 · score 0.02
Gregory to Victor and Columbus, Bishops of Africa. We know from our own experience in this life how a disease, if neglected at its onset, gains strength. If it were met by skilled physicians at the start, it would be stopped before the far greater harm that comes from attending to it too late. Reason compels us, then, …
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
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. 596 · score 0.01
Take heed therefore, and quickly wipe away the ground of offense from your heart, so that Almighty God may be able to receive the sacrifice of your offering as acceptable. Furthermore, while you have truly and accurately professed the right faith, we find that among those whom you have held to be condemned by the most …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
But since, with his grace at the helm, we must ensure that no external wave throws us into confusion, so too we must pray with all our hearts, dearest brothers, that by his providential hand he may drain the bilge water accumulating within us. For our adversary the devil, raging against the humble, "prowls around like …
gregory_great · c. 595 · score 0.01
Gregory to Anthemius, our subdeacon at Naples. How great our grief is, and how deeply afflicted our heart by what has taken place in the regions of Campania, we cannot express — but you may judge it yourself from the magnitude of the disaster. In view of these circumstances, we are sending you by the distinguished Step …
gregory_great · c. 600 · score 0.01
Gregory to Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage. We have already learned of the devastating plague that has struck Africa, and since Italy is not free from the same affliction, our sorrows are doubled. Amid these evils and countless other calamities, dearest brother, our hearts would fail from sheer despair -- if the Lord's v …
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. 598 · score 0.01
Gregory to Maurentius, magister militum [military commander]. My beloved son Cyprian the deacon has returned to me -- though I would have been happier if all of him had come back. As it is, with your Glory remaining in Sicily, I know perfectly well that Cyprian returned in body but left his heart behind with you. Still …
gregory_great · c. 590 · score 0.01
Book I, Letter 72 To Peter, Subdeacon [Gregory's delegate in Sicily]. Gregory to Peter. You learned from a previous letter that we wanted our brother bishops in Sicily to assemble here for the feast of the blessed Apostle Peter. However, their legal dispute with the distinguished Justin, the ex-praetor [former governor …
gregory_great · c. 590 · score 0.01
Book I, Letter 18 To Peter the Subdeacon [Gregory's delegate in Sicily]. Gregory to Peter. We have been informed that Marcellus of the church of Baruta, who was assigned penance in the monastery of Saint Adrian in Palermo, is not only lacking food but also suffering from a shortage of clothing. We therefore order you t …
gregory_great · c. 602 · score 0.01
Gregory to John, Subdeacon of Ravenna. Some monks from the monastery of the late Abbot Claudius have petitioned me to appoint the monk Constantius as their abbot. I was firmly against their request, because they appeared thoroughly worldly in wanting such a worldly man to lead them. Here is what I have learned about Co …
gregory_great · c. 593 · score 0.01
Gregory to Januarius, Bishop of Cagliari. It has come to our attention that in the place within the province of Sardinia called Phausiana, it was once customary to have an ordained bishop, but that through difficult circumstances this practice has long fallen into disuse. Since we are aware that the scarcity of priests …
gregory_great · c. 596 · score 0.01
I too, unworthy as I am, having come to a place of rule, had at times determined to seek some retreat. But seeing the divine counsels opposed to me, I submitted the neck of my heart to my Maker's yoke — reflecting especially that no hiding place can save the soul without God's grace, as we observe when even saints some …
gregory_great · c. 596 · score 0.01
Furthermore, in your letters I find you seeking with great longing for serenity of mind, and panting for tranquillity of thought free from disturbance. But I do not know how your Fraternity can attain to this. For one who has undertaken the pilotage of a ship must watch all the more as he moves further from shore — for …
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. 602 · score 0.01
Gregory to all the bishops of the Council of Byzacium [a province in North Africa]. As it is praiseworthy and wise to show proper reverence and honor to superiors, so it is a matter of integrity and the fear of God not to overlook their faults through indulgence -- lest the disease spread from the head to the whole bod …
gregory_great · c. 601 · score 0.01
Gregory to Augustine, Bishop of the English. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will" -- because a grain of wheat, falling into the earth, has died so that it might not reign in heaven alone. He by whose death we live, by whose weakness we are made strong, by whose suffering we are rescued …
gregory_great · c. 601 · score 0.01
Gregory to Ethelbert, King of the English. Almighty God raises good people to the governance of nations so that through them he may bestow the gifts of his loving-kindness on all who are placed under their care. This we have found to be the case with the nation of the English, over which your Glory has been set so that …
gregory_great · c. 594 · score 0.01
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. 596 · score 0.01
Gregory to the Patrician Theoctista. That your Excellency, despite being immersed in such a tumult of worldly affairs, remains fruitful in sacred learning and ceaselessly yearns for eternal joy -- for this I give great thanks to Almighty God. In you I see fulfilled what is written of the chosen: "The children of Israel …
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 …