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ER 2240

In two almost identical letters, Gregory the Great orders the clergy and nobility from the churches of Aleria and Saona (both in Corsica) to accept the visitations of the bishops sent by him. These bishops will have, for the time being, the full control of the churchs` resources and the power to ordain presbyters in the cities and their parishes. Gregory the Great, Letter 1.79, AD 591.

Letter 1.79 to the clergy and nobility of Corsica (August 591)

Gregorius clero nobilibus Corsicae a pari duas

Etsi uos multo iam tempore sine pontifice esse Dei ecclesiam non doletis, nos tamen de eius regimine cogitare et suscepti cura compellit officii et uestrae quamplurimum caritas dilectionis astringit, scientes quod in eius gubernationibus animarum uestrarum simul consistat utilitas. Nam si gregi pastoris cura defuerit, facile laqueos insidiatoris incurrit. Ea de re quoniam ecclesia (Alarensis) Saonensis sacerdotis diu est auxilio destituta, necessario duximus (Martinum fratrem et coepiscopum nostrum ibidem cardinalem consistere sacerdotem) Leoni fratri et coepiscopo nostro eius operam uisitationis iniungere. Cui etiam in ea parroechiisque ipsius presbyteros atque diacones concessimus ordinandi licentiam, eumque rebus eius, quousque illic fuerit, ut proprium pontificem uti permisimus. Ideoque scriptis praesentibus admonemus uti praefatum uisitatorem caritas uestra cum omni deuotione suscipiat, cuique oboedientiam in his quae rationi conueniunt sicut ecclesiae decet filios exhibete, quatenus omnia quae ad utilitatem superscriptae pertinere cognoscitis ecclesiae uestra ualeat deuotione suffultus implere.

(ed. Norberg 1982: 86-87)

Letter 1.79 to the clergy and nobility of Corsica (August 591)

Gregory to the clergy and nobility of Corsica two equal letter

Although you yourselves are not upset that a church of God has been without a pontiff for a very long time now, yet the care of the office we have accepted compels us to think about its governing and, even more so, the affection which binds us to your Beloved. We know that the well-being of your souls depends also on the [proper] rule of this church. For if the flock lacks a shepherd's care, it easily falls into the snares of the one lying in wait. On that matter, since the church of (Aleria) Saona has long been destitute of the help of the priest, we have thought it necessary (that our brother and fellow-bishop Martin be appointed principal priest [sacerdos cardinalis]) to charge for brother and fellow-bishop Leo with the task of visitation. We also grant him the license to ordain presbyters and deacons in the church itself and in its parishes, and we permit him to use its resources, as long as he is there, as if he were its proper bishop. Therefore, we urge your Beloved with the present writing to receive the aforementioned visitor with your full devotion. Show him the obedience in the matters that arise for him to resolve, as is proper for sons of the Church, so that, supported by your devotion, he will be able to tackle all the matters which, as you know, affect the well-being of the abovementioned church.

(trans. Martyn 2004: 191, altered by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

The text in the brackets represents the second version of the letter, sent to Aleria, as oppose to the first variant sent to Saona.

Place of event:

Region

Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia

City

Saona
Aleria

About the source:

Author: Gregory the Great
Title: Letters, Epistulae, Epistolae, Registrum epistularum, Registrum epistolarum
Origin: Rome (Rome)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian

Gregory, later called the Great (Gregorius Magnus), was born ca 540 to an influential Roman family with some connection to the ancient gens Anicia. His great-great-grandfather was Felix III, who served as the bishop of Rome from 526 to 530. Possibly, Agapetus I, pope between 535 and 536, was his relative as well. Little is known about his early career, but in 573 Gregory ascended to the high office of city prefect. Shortly afterwards, however, he resigned from his post and adopted the monastic way of life. He founded a monastery dedicated to St. Andrew within his family estate on Coelian Hill, next to the library established by Agapetus and Cassiodorus. Six other monasteries were founded in the estates his family owned in Sicily. Soon after his monastic conversion, he started to be given various tasks by Popes Benedict I (575–578) and Pelagius II (578–590). At that time, he was ordained a deacon. Between 579 and 585/6, Gregory acted as Pelagius` envoy in Constantinople. In 590, he was elected Pelagius` successor to the bishopric of Rome. The registry of his letters contained copies of Gregory`s papal correspondence up to his death in 604. The scope of Gregory`s original registry is still the subject of scholarly speculation. There are 854 extant letters gathered in fourteen volumes, most of them (686 letters) originating from the collection compiled at the time of Pope Hadrian I (772–795).

It is worth remembering that the majority of Gregory’s correspondence was jointly produced by the pope and his subordinates, see Pollard 2013.

Edition:

D. Norberg ed., S. Gregorii Magni Registrum Epistularum, Corpus Christianorum: Series Latina 140, 140A, Turnhout 1982.

Translation:

The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. J.R.C. Martyn, Mediaeval Sources in Translation 40, Toronto 2004.

Bibliography:

R.M. Pollard, A Cooperative Correspondence: The Letters of Gregory the Great, in: M. Dal Santo, B. Neil (eds.), A Companion to Gregory the Great, Leiden-Boston 2013, pp. 291–312.

Categories:

Functions within the Church - Parish presbyter

Functions within the Church - Rural presbyter

Functions within the Church - Urban presbyter

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Shortage of clergy

Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER2240, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2240