Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 2347
Gregory the Great applauds Bishop Theodore of Lilybaeum for gathering information on wrongdoings of priests. Gregory the Great, Letter 3.49, AD 593.
Letter 3.49 to Bishop Theodore of Lilybaeum (July 593)
 
Gregorius Theodoro episcopo Lillibitano
 
Gregory praises Adeodatus' faith and acknowledges the unity of love and thought between both of them.
 
Gregory is pleased that Bishop Theodore investigates the morals of his fellow priests. Gregory probably means his neighbouring bishops rather than his presbyters as the light cases could be corrected by Theodore himself by simple admonishment, but the more serious ones ought to be taken to papal legate of Sicily, Bishop Maximian of Syracuse.
Gregory also asks Theodore for ensuring that the former Bishop Paul of un unknown see will stay in the monastery where he is doing penance. Theodore should make an inventory of all his possessions and put them in his treasury.
 
Sed clericis eius, si tamen aliqui illic praesentes sunt, a pari aliud facere desusceptum te conuenit, in quo tua fraternitas fateatur, quia desusceptum de eisdem rebus in scrinio nostro emiserit, quatenus dum necesse fuerit competenti personae res omnes possint sine detrimento restitui.
 
(ed. Norberg 1982: 195)
Letter 3.49 to Bishop Theodore of Lilybaeum (July 593)
 
Gregory to Adeodatus, bishop of Lilubaeum
 
Gregory praises Adeodatus' faith and acknowledges the unity of love and thought between both of them.
 
 
Gregory is pleased that Bishop Theodore investigates the morals of his fellow priests. Gregory probably means his neighbouring bishops rather than his presbyters as the light cases could be corrected by Theodore himself by simple admonishment, but the more serious ones ought to be taken to papal legate of Sicily, Bishop Maximian of Syracuse.
Gregory also asks Theodore for ensuring that the former Bishop Paul of un unknown see will stay in the monastery where he is doing penance. Theodore should make an inventory of all his possessions and put them in his treasury.
 
But if some of his clerics are present there, it is right for you to provide another promissory note (desusceptum) equally for them. In it your Fraternity should admit that you have sent a promissory note concerning the same items to our archive (scrinium). Thus they could all be restored without any loss to a suitable person, should it be necessary.
 
(trans. Martyn 2004: 268, altered and summarized by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

It appears that some clergy of an excommunicated bishop accompanied him when he was sent as a penitent to the monastery. They have even taken some of their church possession with them. Perhaps the reason why they have left their city was some Lombard incursion, which also put on hold the election of Bishop Paul's successor (the see seems still vacant).

Place of event:

Region
  • Italy south of Rome and Sicily
  • Rome
City
  • Lilybaeum
  • Syracuse
  • 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 - Clericus
    Ecclesiastical administration - Administering Church property
      Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
        Administration of justice - Ecclesiastical
          Administration of justice - Exile
            Monastic or common life
              Livelihood/income
                Administration of justice - Imprisonment
                  Administration of justice - Penance
                    Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER2347, http://www.presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2347