Letter 3002: Although it has distressed us in no slight degree to hear of the injury that you have suffered, yet we have matter of consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit, in that, so far as the account sent to us has disclosed the facts, you have suffered in the cause of uprightness and equity. Wherefore, that it may redound to the greater...

Gregory to Paul, Bishop. Although it has distressed us considerably to hear of the injury you have suffered, we find consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit: so far as the account sent to us discloses the facts, you suffered in the cause of what is right and just. This should not shake your constancy or turn you aside from the way of truth, since it will redound to the greater glory of Your Brotherhood. For the reward of priests is all the greater when they remain on the path of truth even after suffering injury. But lest the madness of such great wickedness go unpunished, and dangerous insubordination escalate further, we have charged the distinguished Scholasticus, judge of Campania, who is currently here, with avenging what has been done with the severity it deserves. Since your people have also asked us to send someone to represent us personally, we have dispatched the subdeacon Epiphanius to Naples. Together with the aforementioned judge, he can investigate and establish the truth, and through his diligence see to it that worthy punishment is carried out against anyone shown to have instigated or committed so great a crime.

Book III, Letter 2 To Paulus, Bishop. Gregory to Paulus, etc. Although it has distressed us in no slight degree to hear of the injury that you have suffered, yet we have matter of consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit, in that, so far as the account sent to us has disclosed the facts, you have suffered in the cause of uprightness and equity. Wherefore, that it may redound to the greater glory of your Fraternity, this occurrence ought neither to shake your constancy nor turn you aside from the way of truth. For it is to the greater reward of priests if they continue in the path of truth even after injuries. But, lest the madness of such great impiety should remain unpunished, and pernicious insubordination break out to a worse degree, we have enjoined the magnificent Scholasticus, judge of Campania, who is at present here, that he should avenge what has been done with the repression it deserves. But, inasmuch as your men have requested us to commission some one to represent ourselves, know that we have for this reason sent to Naples the subdeacon Epiphanius, who may be able, with the judge above named, to investigate and ascertain the truth, to the end that by his instancy he may cause worthy vengeance to be executed on those who may be shown to have instigated or perpetrated so great a crime. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360203002.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.