Letter 2050

Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)Unknown|gregory great
From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome
To: Theodore, bishop
Date: ~593 AD
Context: A second letter praising Bishop Theodore for his scrutiny of priests' lives.

Gregory to Theodore, bishop.

The report of your continued diligence in examining the lives of your clergy has reached me, and I continue to commend you for it. This kind of sustained attention — not a single inspection but an ongoing practice of oversight — is what genuine episcopal governance looks like.

Keep at it. The quality of the priesthood is worth the effort it takes to maintain.
Gregory

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