Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 2295
Gregory the Great orders Bishop Castor of Rimini to consecrate a private oratory. No presbyter may be permanently affixed to this church. Every presbyter saying mass in this oratory must be sanctioned by the bishop of Rimini. Gregory the Great, Letter 2.11, AD 592.
Letter 2.11 to Bishop Castor of Rimini (January 592)
 
Gregorius Castorio episcopo Arimino
 
Themotea illustris femina petitorii nobis insinuatione suggessit, quod habetur in subditis, intra ciuitatem Ariminensem in loco iuris sui oratorium se pro sua deuotione fundasse, quod in honore sanctae crucis desiderat consecrari. Et ideo, frater carissime, si in tuae ciuitatis memorata constructio iure consistit, et nullum corpus ibidem constat esse humatum, percepta primitus donatione legitima, id est, totius facultatis eius, excepta familia, mobilem uel immobilem seseque mouentem uncias octo, retento sibi usufructu diebus uitae suae, gestis que municipalibus alligata, praedictum oratorium absque missas publicas sollemniter consecrabis, ita ut in eodem loco nec futuris temporibus baptisterium construatur, nec presbyterum constituas cardinalem. Et si missas sibi fieri forte maluerit, a dilectione tua presbyterum nouerit postulandum, quatenus nihil tale a quolibet alio sacerdote ullatenus praesumatur. Sanctuaria uero suscepta sui cum reuerentia collocabis.
 
(ed. Norberg 1982: 98)
Letter 2.11 to Bishop Castor of Rimini (January 592)
  
Gregory to Castor, bishop of Rimini
 
Themotea, an illustrious lady, has informed us with the notification of a petition (which is appended hereto) that she has founded an oratory within the city of Rimini in place owned by her, for the sake of her own devotion, and she desires it to be consecrated in honor of the holy cross. For that reason, dearest brethren, if the aforesaid construction is consistent with your city's regulations, and it is certain that no corpse has been buried there, you will solemnly consecrate the aforesaid oratory, without public masses. But first receive the legal donation, that is eight twelths of her whole property, except the slaves (excepta familia), all good movable and fixed and self-moving, their usufruct retained by her for all the days of her life, as registered with the municipal administration. Let it be done in such a way that no baptistery is built in the same place at some future date, and no presbyter is permanently ascribed to this place (nec presbyterum constituas cardinalem). And if by chance she would prefer masses to be held for her there, let her know that she must seek a presbyter from your beloved. Under no circumstances should she dare to ask for such a service some other priest (sacerdos, i.e. other bishop?). And you will take up her sacred relics and place them within with due reverence.
 
(trans. Martyn 2004: 199, slightly altered by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

Presbyter cardinalis seems to indicate a presbyter who is permanently affixed to the certain church and receives a stipend ascribed to his position (benefice).

Place of event:

Region
  • Italy north of Rome with Corsica and Sardinia
  • Rome
City
  • Rimini
  • Rome

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:

Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
    Described by a title - Sacerdos/ἱερεύς
      Ritual activity - Eucharist
        Ritual activity - Private mass
          Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
            Livelihood/income
              Functions within the Church - Presbyter in a lay foundation
                Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER2295, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2295