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ER 2302

Gregory the Great sends Bishop Felix of Agropoli (Campania) to visit three dioceses in his vicinity which have presently no bishop. He is to ensure that the clergy of these churches behave properly and ordain new presbyters if needed. Gregory the Great, Letter 2.35, AD 592.

Letter 2.35 to Bishop Felix of Agropoli in Campania (July 592)

Gregorius Felici episcopo de Acropolim uisitatori prouinciae Lucaniae

Quoniam Velina, Buxentina et Blandana ecclesiae, quae tibi in uicino sunt constitutae, sacerdotis noscuntur uacare regimine, propterea fraternitati tuae earum sollemniter operam uisitationis iniungimus, illud prae omnibus commonentes ut, ubicumque praefatarum ecclesiarum siue dioceseos earum uel diacones siue religiosae personae inuentae fuerint, districte ac canonice ut uiuant modis omnibus studebis. Nec passim eis in qualibet re sit excedendi licentia. Sed tuo moderamine atque prouisione inculpabiliter in qua sunt conuersatione uel habitu perseuerent, sciturus quia, si quid secus accesserit, tuo neglectui modis omnibus imputari.

Presbiteros quoque uel diacones, si in aliquibus ecclesiis praeuideris ordinandos, si tales personae fuerint qui canonicis regulis uel uitae qualitate nullomodo reprobentur, habebis per omnia ordinandi licentiam. Ministeria uero earundem ecclesiarum ubi sint recondita, sollicita indagatione perquire. Quibus repertis ad nostram notionem perducere festinato, ut cognoscentes, quid fiendum sit adiutore Domino disponamus.

(ed. Norberg 1982: 120)

Letter 2.35 to Bishop Felix of Agropoli in Campania (July 592)

Gregory to Felix, bishop of Agropoli, visitor of the province of Lucania

Since the churches of Velia, Buxentum and Blanda, which are situated in your neighborhood, are known to be without the control of a bishop, for that reason we solemnly enjoin your Fraternity to take on the task of visiting them. We warn you of this before all else, that wherever in the above-mentioned churches or in their dioceses [or parishes: dioceses], either deacons or other religious persons are found, you will take care that they are living strictly and according to canon law in every way. They are not to have the freedom to transgress indiscriminately in any matter. But let them through your control and forethought, persevere in their religious way of life and condition (habitus), and know that, if anything is undertaken badly by them, it must be charged totally to your neglect.

And if you see that some presbyters or deacons should be ordained in some of the churches, you will have the full freedom to ordain them, provided they are persons of such a sort as not to be reproved in any way by canon laws or for the quality of their life. But find out with a very careful inquiry where the sacred vessels of the same churches have been hidden. When they have been found, quickly bring it to our notice, so that we may dispose of them, knowing with God's help what should be done.

(trans. Martyn 2004: 213-214, altered by J. Szafranowski)

Place of event:

Region

Italy south of Rome and Sicily
Rome
Italy south of Rome and Sicily
Italy south of Rome and Sicily
Italy south of Rome and Sicily

City

Agropoli
Rome
Velia
Policastro Bussentino
Blanda Iulia

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

Reasons for ordination - Pastoral needs of the Christian community

Ecclesiastical administration - Administering Church property

Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior

Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical

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, ER2302, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2302