Letter 1124

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: All bishops of Numidia Date: ~591 AD Context: Gregory, reversing his earlier position, concedes out of respect for ancient custom that the senior bishop by ordination date should preside — without needing a formal primatial election. Gregory to all bishops of Numidia [the North African province, modern Algeria]. In a previous communication I expressed reservations about a particular aspect of the practice by which your churches are governed. Having reflected further on the matter and having given due weight to the antiquity of the custom in your province, I now concede the point. Out of respect for ancient custom [the longstanding African practice], I grant that the bishop who was ordained earliest — the senior bishop by date of ordination — should preside in your councils and have the place of precedence, without requiring the formal election or appointment of a primate as I had previously suggested. I make this concession not because I believe the custom is ideal in all circumstances, but because I recognize that stable customs rooted in long practice should not be disturbed without compelling reason. The compelling reason I thought existed, I now judge to be insufficient. Act according to your ancient custom. I am content. Gregory

AD UNIVERSOS EPISCOPOS NUMIDVIE. Quod prius nolebat, jam ex antiqui moris reverentia concedit, geniorem episxcopum eo ipso in primatem eligi. Donatistam excipit. Numidas antistites hor- latur ad pacem, ad Kcelesie deſensionem,, ad 80lli- citudinem de prorimorum animabus. Gregorius universis episcopis Numidiz. Si quando, charissimi in Christo ſratres', inter vi- rentes $eg-tes zizaniorum quzedam $e infert impor- tuna commistio, hanc radicitus necesse est cnltoris manus adimat, ne futurus ſ-cunde 8egetis ſructus possit intercipi. Et nos ergo, qui, licet indigni, do- miniei agri culturam 8nscepimus, ab omni zizaniorum ritis approbabit. Quzzso ergo, vosmetipsos invicem alterna pace diligtte in Christo, et hereticis vel ini- micis Ecelesiz uno. cordis intuitu obviate. De proxi- morum animabus estote $olliciti: ad fidem quos va- letis priedicatione charitatis, prztenso eliam terrore futuri judicij , $8uadete , quoniam pastores conslituti eslis, et Dominus gregum ab iis quibus commisit pas- toribus ſructum multiplicati gregis exspectat, Oui $i proprii gregis augmentaw, adhibito studio diligen- tiori, prospexerit, multiplicibus profeeto vos ccales- tis regni muneribus decorabit, Perzolvens preterea ſfraternz dilectionis alloquium , oro Dominum, qui vos animarum pastores, quos elegit, ante se dignos eſſiciat, et hic actus nostros auos in ſutura vita digne scandalo ingenuam reddere segetem ſestinemns , BR suscipiat, ipse disponat. quatenus ager Domini reditu abundantiori ructificet. Peliistis etenim per Hilarum * chartularium nostrum Suffici4t autem illis commissa'$ibi plebis tantummodo curam gerere, non antem etiam illos antistites quos catholica fides in Ecclesis sinn SG9 et edocuit ct genuit ad oblinendi cnlmen primatus anteire. Vos ergo, ſratres charissimi , admonitiones nostras zelo Ccharitatis dominice prevenite, scientes quod distric- tus judex ad exeminandum deducturus est cuncta quz gerimus , et unnmquemque nostrum non ex Hilarium hic atque in aliis epist. septem, Chartula- rium; in allis vero decem, alternis quasi vicibus, no-- farium appellat. Idem fuit in Romana Ecclesia Char- tularii et Notarii officium. bd Romani pontiſices emnium Ecclesiarum privile- gia illibata servare profitentur. Sic Leo M., epist. $4, ad Marcianum : Priviſegia Ecelesiarum, gancto- rum Patrum Canonibus inslituta et vencrabilis Synodi fixa decretis, nulla porsut improbitate convetli.... In quo opere, auriliante Christo, fide iter exsequendo ne- cease ext me persereruntem habrre ſamulatum. Evisr. LXXVIN (Af. 76). — * Insula maris Tyr- rheni notvssima, Grace Cyrnus dicta, inter Liguria ad Aquifenem et Sardiniam ad Austrum, a qua fr-to Viclb, pas8hn disjungitoy. Snvest nunc doMiviv reipublice Genuens!s. UUSSANV. | Ita Onsueverat Romanus episcopus in provinciis $1hi vt metropolitano snbdit's, ex quibus Corsica. Sed et nonnunquam exterarom nationum Leclesiis dele- abyt vititatorem. Joannes I FEeelesize Regens] in allia visitatorem dari przcepit, epist. 4, 5, 6. Ut de--