Letter 4042

From: Gregory the Great, Pope, in Rome To: Sebastianus, bishop Date: ~594 AD Context: Gregory writes to Bishop Sebastianus on a matter of church discipline. Gregory to Sebastianus, bishop. The matter before you requires the kind of episcopal firmness that is sometimes harder to maintain than any other virtue. To be clear and direct when clarity and directness are uncomfortable, to insist on proper procedure when those who benefit from confusion prefer otherwise — this is the work of a bishop who takes his responsibilities seriously. I direct you to proceed exactly as I have described, without being diverted by the arguments or protests of those whose interests lie elsewhere. The canonical procedure is clear. Follow it. If you encounter resistance that you are not able to overcome with your own authority, inform me immediately. Gregory

AD SEBASTIANUM EPISCOPUM. Ad amorem celeslium 8e hujus vite doloribus impelli. Quos patitur recenset. Sebastianum, quod oblate ub Anraxlasio Ecclesie regimen suscipere noluerit, lau- dat. Si ad hoc unquam consentire decreverit, petit ut in amore 8ibi alium non preponat. Gregorius Sebasliano ® episcopo Sirmiensi. Dulcissima atque $8navissima ſraternitatis tuz Scripta Suscepi. Que mibhi, quamvis nunquam desit num rogo, ut 8ua vos dextera protegat, > vobisque D et hic tranquillam vitam, et quando ei placuerit, premia zterna concedat. 770 Sed peto, si illo me amore diligitis, quo presentem semper amastis, ut pro me enixius exorelis, qualenus omnipotens Deus Feist. xL1 | AL. 35]. — * In Excusis, episcopo Rhi- Siniensi. In Collect, Pauli et in Vatic. D. episcopo Ri- miers. Quem exbibemus titulum suppeditarunt nobis Pa Stium insidias sollicitum vigilare, contra ducum fal- lacias a:que malitias Suspectum Semper exislere, cujus Jaboris, cujus doloris sit, vesira ſralernitas tanto verius penset, quanto me qui hc patior purius amat. (Cf. Joan. Diac. |. mi, n. 49.) Przx:erea debitum $alutationis alloquium solvens, indico quod ad we Bonifacio deſensore reſerente pervenerit, quia vir sanclissimus ſraler noster dom- nus 4 Anaslasius palriarcha in una Suarum civita- tum regendam vobis Ecclesiam commiltcre voluit, et consentire noluistis. Quem $ensum, ac $apien- tiam vesiram valde ego libenter amplexus sum, lau- davi vehementer, et vos ſelices, me infelicem esse deputavi, qui hoc tali tempore regimen Ecclesia SuSCipere Cconsensi. Si tamen animus vester ſortasse fratribus condescenudendo, et misericordiez operibus intentus ad hoc unquam consentire dec:everit, pelo ut amori meo alium mivime pro*ponatis. Sunt enim in Sicilia insula Ecclesizz vacautes episcopis, el si vobis placet auctore Deo Ecclesiam regere, juxta beati Petri aposloli liminua, cum ejus adjulorio me- lius potestis. Siu vero non placel, ſeliciter state, ut is!a in vobis inter.tio permaneal, et pro nobis inſeli- cibus exorate. Omnipolens autem Deus in quocunque vos esse loco voluerit, sua protectione custodiat, et ad culestia vos dona perducat. (Cf. Joan. Diac. l. m, n. 413.)