Letter 2.9 to Bishop Paul of Naples (December 591)
Bishop Demetrius of Naples was demoted due to his suspicious business operations (see letter 2.3). Bishop Paul of Nepi (app. 40 km north of Rome) is brought to tend to episcopal duties until a new bishop of Naples is elected. In the preceding letter (2.8) sent along with the one below, Gregory informs the clergy and people of Naples that he is glad they approve of Paul, and that they want him to be instated as their permanent bishop. He advises, however, that they be patient and get to know him better.
Gregory to Paul, bishop of Naples
If we administer the priestly office undertaken by us fearlessly, we shall without doubt receive both the help of God and the love of our spiritual sons. On account of this, let your fraternity be keen to reveal yourself in all affairs, in such a way that the opinion which the clergy of the city of Naples has of you, like that of the nobility and the people, may be reinforced by an increase in your goodness. And so you ought to restrict your occupation to an assiduous encouragement of the aforesaid people. Thus the divine farmer may collect in his granaries the fruit of your word, which you have harvested from them. But as far as we may determine, with the revelation of our Lord, with regard to those things which our aforesaid sons ask us to do for them, we allow you to ordain clerics from the laity, and also to celebrate manumissions in your see with due solemnity, in the same church. But we want you to settle without delay the usual offerings (consuetudines) for clerics of the above-mentioned church, and the donatives (presbyterium). Pay careful attention also in instructing the clergy, so that they abstain from all things unsuitable or illegal and, with your encouragement also, that they are constant in their service of our God, in their due ministry of obedience.
(trans. Martyn 2004: 198-199, slightly altered and summarised by J. Szafranowski)