Letter 3059: Gregory to Secundinus, Bishop of Tauromenium. [In Sicily.] Some time ago we ordered that the baptistery should be removed from the monastery of Saint Andrew, which is above Mascalæ, because of inconvenience to the monks, and that an altar should be erected in the place where the fonts now are. But the carrying out of this order has been put off...

Pope Gregory the GreatSecundinus|c. 592 AD|gregory great
monasticism
Miracles & relics

Gregory to Secundinus, Bishop of Tauromenium.

Some time ago we ordered that the baptistery be removed from the Monastery of Saint Andrew, which is above Mascalae, because it was causing inconvenience to the monks. We directed that an altar be erected in the place where the baptismal font now stands. But this order has gone unfulfilled.

We therefore instruct your Fraternity to impose no further delay after receiving this letter. Have the font filled in and an altar erected there at once for the celebration of the sacred mysteries, so that the monks may carry out the work of God in greater security — and so that we are not provoked against your Fraternity for negligence.

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

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