Letter 11084

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: John, Bishop of Palermo [Sicily] Date: ~601 AD Context: Gregory grants John of Palermo the use of the pallium. Gregory to John, bishop of Palermo. I am granting you the use of the pallium [the wool vestment worn across the shoulders that signified metropolitan or special papal favor — a rare and honored grant]. You may wear it on the occasions specified for its use. This grant is an expression of the trust and esteem in which I hold both you personally and your church. It is not merely an honor but a responsibility: the dignity of the pallium calls for the dignity of conduct appropriate to one who wears it. Wear it well. Gregory

AD JOANNEY. PANORMITANUM EPISCOPUN. Pallii usum concedit. Gregorius Joanni episcopo Panormitano. Apostolicz sedis benevolentia provocati, ſraterni- tati luz, quam Panormilanz Ecclesiz ® speculatoris constatl suscepisse officium, pallii usum previdimus concedendum, illis videlicet 1 244 temporibus, at - runt, ipsi quoque 8uadente Izlitia Þ. ad vestra vesli- gia venire ſestinant, qui prius illuc accedere valde timuerant. Sed quia eorum quidam ita senectute sunt debiles, ut laborem ſerre vix possint, quidam vero ecclesiasticis curis vehementer implicantur, et * lator presentium, qui primus omnium defensorum ſuit, bene mihi ex longa as8iduilale compertus est, vita, fide, ac moribus approbatus, hunc aptum pietalis vestre vesligiis esse judicavi. Unde eum, auclore . Deo, diaconum feci, et 8ub celerilate transmiltere studui, qui cuncta que in his partibus aguntur, inven- to opportuno tempore, valeat clementiz veslrz 8ug- gerefe. 4 Cui rogo ut serenilas vestra pias aures in- clinare dignetur, ut tanto nobis valeat celerius mise- que eo ordioe, ut alios quoque insulz Sicilize sacer- B 771 quanto afflictionem nostram verius ex ejus re- doltes vel decessores tuos us0s esse non ambigis. Mud autem admonemus, ut apostolice sedis reve- rentia nullius presumptione turbetur. Tunc enim slatus membrorum integer manet, > si caput fidei nulla pulset injuria, et © canonum maneat incolumis atque intemerala semper aucloritas, ut sicut a nobis hujuscemodi decoris usum ad sacerdotalis officii ho- norem accepisse te gaudes, ita etiam morum atque actuum probitate susceptum adornare contendas of= ficium. Sic elenim alterno eris invicem decore con- spicuus, i ad hujuscemodi corporis habitum mentis quoque tuz bona concordent.