Letter 13017

From: Pope Gregory I To: Various Bishops of Sicily Date: ~603 AD Context: Gregory commends Hadrian, rector of the patrimony; warns bishops about confirming children at baptism vs. episcopal confirmation I want to commend to your collective attention Hadrian, who serves as rector of the Sicilian patrimony. He is a man of integrity and diligence, and I ask you to give him your cooperation in the management of the church's estates in your region. On a pastoral matter: I need to clarify the distinction between the water-baptism that priests may administer to infants and the confirmation that is reserved for the bishop. These are different sacramental acts with different ministers, and they must not be confused or conflated. The practice of episcopal confirmation is to be maintained correctly, and I ask you to ensure that your clergy understand and follow this correctly.

AD QUOSDAMN SICILLE EPISCOPOS Adrianum patrimonii rectorem commendal!. Episcopos admonet ne, cum ad infanies consignandos egrediun- tur, subjectos 8108 ultra modum gravent. Gregorius Leoni, Secundino, Joanni, Dono, Lu- eido, Trajano, episcopis Siciliz. | Sicut nos nobis invicem * gpiritalia per apostolo- rum orationem admonemur impertirisuffragia, }2Z1] ila in bis quz necessitate injuncti regiminis pro dis- pensatione rerum pauperum Deo per nos ſuerint au- ctore disposita sacerdotalia dignum est 8olatia non deesse. Latorem siquidem prxsentium Adrianum, chartularium nostrum, ad regendum Ecclesiz nosire patrimonium, Syracusanarum videlicet partium, di- rigentes , ſraternitati vestraz necessario duximus commendandum, ut, in quo usus exegerit, Þ vestra ei solatia conſeratis, quatenvs dumget ad agendum per vos corporalibus, et ad facilitatem explendi que ceperit spiritalibus orationum fuerit fultus auxiliis, prospere ea quz a nobis ei injuncta sunt Deo quoque - raleat cooperante perſicere. Vosmetipsos aulem ita ante cohspectum omnipotentis Dei in bonis operibus debetis exhibere, ut inveniri in vestra actione ne- queat quod vel Deo judice perculi, vel quolibet ho- mine insidiante valeat accusari. Nam eidem prafato chartulario nostro injunxzimus ut si qua de reveren- dissimis ſratribus nostris episcopis inordinale acta cognoverit, prius quidem secreta ac modesta ailhor- latione ipse corripiat : quz $i ita emendala non ſue- rint, nobis celeriter innotescat. Przterea relatum egst nobis (Grat., caus. 10, g. 5, c, 9), sanclz memorize decessoris mei temporibus per Servumdei diaconum, qui jam tunc ecclesia- Sci patrimonii curam gessit, ſuisse dispositum © ut mcerdotes per diversas vestras diceceses conslituti, quoties ad consignandos infantes egrediminj, ultra modum gravari minime debuissent. Summa enim prefixa ſuerat, vobis, ut audio, consentientibus, que ab. eisdem sacerdolibus pro labore clericorum dari dehuisset. Atque hoc quod tune placuit, nune, sicut dicitur, minime custoditur. Unde fraternitalem ve- Sram admoneo ut subj=clis vestris graves non $stu- deatis existere, sed si qua sunt gravamina temperetis, Eeisr, XVII [Al. 22]. — * Excusi, reluctaniibus D Ks. Anglic., Norm., Vatic., specialia. Adriani solius hbic fit mentio. © Vulgati, per universas. Ceterum nomine $acer- dotum hoc loco presbyteros intelligit sive parochos per diceceses constitutos. Non enim vox illa tam ſuit epixcoporum propria, ut presbyteris non fuerit ali- quando tributa, quod criticis nonnullis placuit. In- noe. 1], epist. ad Victricium, c. 6 et 9, sacerdolis nomine comprehendit presbyteros. Idem videre est in gusdem epist. ad Exuperium, cap. 1. Sic in epist. ad ntium Eugub. dixerat: Nam presbylteri licet sint iacerdotes, elc. Sic ad Himerium Siricius. Vide in epist. 15 lib. m._ Eersr. XIX (Al. 23]. — * Jta omnes Norm., Va- te., Colbert., Reg. et plerique Mss, ac potiores. Io —_— =_ debuistis. Etenim in futura et in praesenti vobis vita prospicilis, si eos qui yobis commigsi sunt siue gravamine conservalis. $