Letter 10005

Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)Unknown|gregory great
From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome
To: Savinus, regional subdeacon
Date: ~600 AD
Context: Gregory writes again to Savinus with further administrative instructions.

Gregory to Savinus, regional subdeacon.

The matters I described in my previous letter continue to require your attention. I add the following points:

Act promptly. The time between receiving an instruction and carrying it out should be as short as possible. Administrative delays have real consequences for the people affected by the decisions that are delayed.

Document everything. I cannot oversee what is not recorded, and you cannot defend what you have done if you have not recorded it.

Be fair. The church's administration should be a model of justice, not a source of grievance.

Report back when the matters are resolved.
Gregory

Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.