Letter 1015

From: Pope Gregory I To: Balbinus, Bishop of Roselle Date: ~591 AD Context: Gregory orders Balbinus to visit the church of Populonia and ordain clergy there The church of Populonia has been left destitute of priestly ministry — there is no one there to give penance to the dying, no one to baptize the newly born. This state of affairs must be remedied immediately. I am therefore directing you to visit Populonia, assess the condition of the community, and ordain whatever priests and deacons are needed to serve the faithful there. Do not delay this errand because of the difficulties of travel or the press of your own diocese's affairs. A church without clergy is a community abandoned, and no bishop near enough to help can in good conscience turn away from such a situation.

AD BALBINUM EPISCOPUM ROSELLANUM, Ut Populonensem Ecclegiam visitet, ac preabyteros diaconosque ordinel, precipit. Gregorius Balbino episcopo * Rosellang. Pervenit ad nos quod Þ Populonensis Eeclesia ita - Sit $acerdotis officio destituta, © ut $@QJ nec penis - tentia decedentibus ibidem, nec baptisma possit C pr:rstari inſantibus. Hujus igitur lam piz rei tamque necessarize mole permoti, jubemus dilectiani tux, ut, hujus praceptionis auctorilate cCommonilus, memo- auri, ſormarum, riparum, dispositionum, matrone rum, morum, horreorum, thesaurorum, Palatiuus. Comitum originem reſert Spartianus ad Adrianum imper., qui cum Senatum in aulam $wam transtulis- Set, receplis $enatorun oplimatibus 1n amicorum cobortem, ita domesiicum quemdam $senatum has bere cepit, qui cemilatus Ce8aris appellatus es, et Senatores ipsl, comites. Eorum autem consiliis atque ope in bello et pace Augusli utebantur :; inde ſrequens ille comitum numerus, de quibus Supra, later quos eliam idem Sparliaaus in Adriano numerat comilem Sparthariorum , quem Greci TpwrooraIapay Nuns cupant, custoduw corporis regli prefectum. GUSSANY. © Palatinos hic intelligimus inferioris ordinis comm les, qui a comitibus priwi ordivis in provincias dirt gi svlebant. Ne wirisque tilulus est in utroque Codi- ce. De illis scholiastes Juliani Ante. essoris, cap. 82, Palutini dicuntur qui pertinent ad comilem rerum pris valarum , vel ad camitem gacrarum largiltionum. Hou rum etiam Palativorum mewinit Gregurius M., lib. 10, ep. 9, 26, 52, et lib. xi, epish. 20. Sidonius, lib. 1v, epist. 24. - - Eexsr. XIV. — * Hie poslea ob gravia crimina des positus est, ex Ep. 6. lib. u. | Eeist, XY. — * Roselle. vel Rugella, urbs olim Etrurizz episcopalis, eversa pridem, cujus rudera koiie Rosclie vulgo Gicla , duabys Circiter williarh bus a Ko-euo civiiale eplscopali dislans, Senas ver- SUS. GUSSANVY. Eiruriz, ubi hodie Populonia dewruite, in ora wart EPISTOLARUM LIN. LE — INDICT. IX. — EPIST. XVII. ralze Ecelesiz 4 visitator accedas, ut unum © cardi- A alind quod per seientiam perpetrator. Et nos $i qui- nalem illic presbyterum, et duos debeas diacoues ordinare. In parochiis vero pr:efat;ie Eccle>iaz tres similiter presÞyieros, quos lamen-dignos ad tale of- ficium vYeneralione vitre et morum gravitate pratvi- deris, et quibus in nullo obvient conslitula canonicze discipline, ut Sanclz cum digna cautela pravidealur Ecclesiz.