Letter 13037

Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)Unknown|gregory great
From: Pope Gregory I
To: Pantaleon, Notary
Date: ~603 AD
Context: Gregory praises Pantaleon for his work auditing the Syracusan patrimony

You have carried out the audit of the Syracusan portion of our patrimony with a thoroughness and integrity that does you credit. I wanted to tell you so plainly, since I know that conscientious service is often taken for granted rather than acknowledged. The Church's estates must be administered honestly if they are to serve the purposes for which God has entrusted them to us — the support of the poor, the maintenance of the clergy, the redemption of captives. Your work in this audit contributes to all of these ends. Continue in the same spirit, and know that your diligence is recognized and valued by this see.

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