Letter 5012
Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)→Unknown|gregory great
From: Pope Gregory I
To: Peter, Bishop
Date: ~595 AD
Context: Gregory writes to Peter on a pastoral matter requiring his attention
Brother Peter, I write with a matter that requires your personal attention and your careful judgment. The details have been communicated to you separately, but I want to add the weight of this letter to whatever instructions accompany it. Whatever has been going on in the situation described must be addressed firmly and clearly — not with the kind of cautious half-measures that leave problems unresolved. A bishop who acts decisively when action is required serves his people better than one who waits indefinitely for a more convenient moment.
AD PETRUM EPISCOPUNM.
Agrigenline Ecclesie redituum quariam partem in vi-
8ilationis s[1pendium assignal.
Gregorius Petro episcopo * Trecalitano.
Quoniam Agrigentina Eeclesia a nobis ſratervitatis
uz visilationis eurzx commissa e$t, laboribus tuis
aliquid ex ea ut le prospeximus consulendum. Prop-
erea Maximiano fratri et coepiscopo no-tro <Cripsi-
pus, Þ ut quarta, quam ejusdem Ecelesia: episcopun
yportebat accipere, a die visitationis lux, vel quons-
que illic eam sollicitudinem gesseris, tibi debeat ap-
plicari.. Unde ſraternitatem tyam necesse est mente
tollicita cogilare, nt enjus fructus Ecciesiz percipit,
era $tudeat solerier impendere , alque ad Denin
lic animas congregare, Pravos ab ini-juitate compes-
:ere, et incipientes hona opera , verbo exhiortationis
nutrire, memor quod de Ecclesia universali scriptum
est : Panem otiosa non comedit (Prov. xxx1, 27).
indietum process10nes non raro litaniz appellantur
2pud antiquos avctores ; quod in pro essionibus ill:s
lianie Seu Preces ac Suppheationes conrinerentur.
Lib. xxx Cod. Theodos., de hareticis. Arcadtius Aus
gu-tns interdicit iis omnibus ad lilaniam * ſaciendam
tulra civitatl-m, nociu rel interdiu proſanis coire con-
venſibus. Alque, ul cxteros taceam, Gregorio ipsi
processio dicitur lifania Sermon. de morialilate :
Li:aria, inquit, clericorum, id est clericorum ccetus
ad $fationem procedens, exeat, etc. Vide lib. vi,
epist. 54 et (1.
Cum dies anniversarins noslr@ ordinationis exoritur,
tunc marime /:onor hujus officii tanquam prino impo-
na/ur, attenditur.
4 In nullis mss. id legi:vns. In Turon. S. Gat.
data dicitur, Mense Norembri, indict. 13.
Eersr. XW. — * Sic legitur in quatuor Valic. et in
Cort., pro Tricaliiano, quod haben Vulgati recent.
In Gemet. accurrit Trecasino. In Corb. , consentien-
libus veteribus Ed., Troecali:ano. Tricala seu Trio-
cla urbs ohm episcopalis Sicilire, in ora australi,
Agrigentum inter et Mazarum. Nuvc jacet in ruinis,
ejusque locns dicitur Sancla Maria dt monte virgine.
Pariim ex Gussanv.
—_
◆
From: Pope Gregory I
To: Peter, Bishop
Date: ~595 AD
Context: Gregory writes to Peter on a pastoral matter requiring his attention
Brother Peter, I write with a matter that requires your personal attention and your careful judgment. The details have been communicated to you separately, but I want to add the weight of this letter to whatever instructions accompany it. Whatever has been going on in the situation described must be addressed firmly and clearly — not with the kind of cautious half-measures that leave problems unresolved. A bishop who acts decisively when action is required serves his people better than one who waits indefinitely for a more convenient moment.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.