Letter 1.15 to Balbinus, bishop of Rusellae (January 591)
Gregory to Balbinus, bishop of Rusellae
It has come to our attention that the church of Populonia has been so destitute of the office of priest that neither penance to the dying, nor baptism to infants can be provided there. Disturbed therefore by the fact that such holy and necessary things are in danger, we order your Beloved to go as visitor (uisitator) to the above-mentioned church, strengthened by the authority of this decree. And there you should ordain one principal presbyter (cardinalis presbyter) and two deacons. In the parishes, moreover, of the above-mentioned church you should ordain three presbyters similarly; but only those whom you have seen as worthy of such an office, through the holiness of their life and the seriousness of their morality, and those in no way prevented by the rules of canon law. Thus the holy church may be provided with the worthy safeguard.
(trans. Martyn 2004: 130-131, altered by J. Szafranowski)