Letter 5011: I find that your Fraternity is greatly distressed on account of being forbidden by the censure of reason to wear the pallium in litanies. But through the most excellent Patrician, and through the most eminent Prefect, and through other noble men of your city, you have urgently requested to have this allowed you. Now we, having made careful enqui...

Gregory to John, Bishop of Ravenna. I understand that your Brotherhood is greatly upset about being forbidden to wear the pallium during litanies. Through the most excellent Patrician, the most eminent Prefect, and other leading men of your city, you have pressed urgently to have this permission granted. Now, after careful inquiry with Adeodatus, formerly your Brotherhood's deacon, I have established that your predecessors never had the custom of wearing the pallium during litanies -- except at the feasts of the blessed John the Baptist, the blessed Apostle Peter, and the blessed martyr Apollinaris. But I was not entirely bound to take his word alone, since many of our delegates have visited your city over the years and declare they never saw any such practice. In this matter, the testimony of many outweighs that of one man speaking on behalf of his own church. Still, since I do not wish your Brotherhood to be distressed, and since the petition of my sons should carry some weight with me, I grant the use of the pallium -- until I gain more definitive information -- on the feasts of the blessed John the Baptist, the blessed Apostle Peter, the blessed martyr Apollinaris, and on the anniversary of your ordination. But follow the established custom: after the faithful have been received and dismissed in the sacristy, your Brotherhood may put on the pallium and proceed to the celebration of Mass. Do not presume to take anything more through rash overreach, lest in grasping at outward trappings beyond what is proper, you neglect what could have been done in good order. Given in the month of October, Indiction 13.

Book V, Letter 11 To John, Bishop. Gregory to John, Bishop of Ravenna. I find that your Fraternity is greatly distressed on account of being forbidden by the censure of reason to wear the pallium in litanies. But through the most excellent Patrician, and through the most eminent Prefect, and through other noble men of your city, you have urgently requested to have this allowed you. Now we, having made careful enquiry of Adeodatus, some time your Fraternity's deacon, have ascertained that it was never the custom of your predecessors to use the pallium during litanies, except at the solemnities of the blessed John the Baptist, the blessed Apostle Peter, and the blessed martyr Apollinaris. But we were by no means bound to believe him, since many of our delegates have often been at your Fraternity's city, who declare that they never saw anything of the kind. And in this matter credence is rather to be given to many than to one, who is attesting something in behalf of his own Church. But, since we do not wish your Fraternity to be distressed, or the petition of our sons to be of no avail with us, we concede the use of the pallium, until we shall gain some more accurate knowledge, on the days of the Nativity of the Blessed John the Baptist, of the blessed Apostle Peter, and the blessed martyr Apollinaris, and on the day of the celebration of your ordination. But in the sacristy, according to former custom, after the sons of the Church have been received and dismissed, your Fraternity may put on the pallium, and so proceed to the solemnization of Mass, arrogating to yourself nothing more in the daring of rash presumption; lest, while something is snatched at out of order in exterior habiliment, what might have been done in due order be neglected. Given in the month of October; Indiction 13. 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/360205011.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.