Letter 6002: Gregory to the clergy and people of the Church of Ravenna. We have been informed that certain men, instigated by the malignant spirit, have wished to corrupt your minds by false speech with regard to the reputation of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus ; saying that this our brother venerates the holy synod of Chalcedon less than becomes h...
Pope Gregory the Great→Januarius|c. 595 AD|gregory great
arianismchristologyproperty economics
Church council
Gregory to the clergy and people of the Church of Ravenna.
I have been informed that certain men, driven by the malicious spirit, have tried to corrupt your minds with false talk about the reputation of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus -- claiming that he venerates the holy Council of Chalcedon less than he should. On this point, he himself will satisfy you in person regarding the integrity of his faith. And I bear full witness that, having been raised from his cradle in the bosom of the holy universal Church, he has held the true preaching of the faith throughout his life.
He venerates the holy Council of Nicaea, in which Arius was condemned; the Council of Constantinople, in which Macedonius was condemned; the first Council of Ephesus, in which Nestorius was condemned; and the holy Council of Chalcedon, in which Dioscorus and Eutyches were condemned. If anyone should ever presume to speak against the faith of these four councils or against the tome and definition of Pope Leo of holy memory, let him be anathema.
Receiving this full assurance, love your pastor with pure hearts and complete charity, so that his prayers poured out to God on your behalf may profit you.
Book VI, Letter 2
To the Clergy and People of Ravenna.
Gregory to the clergy and people of the Church of Ravenna.
We have been informed that certain men, instigated by the malignant spirit, have wished to corrupt your minds by false speech with regard to the reputation of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus ; saying that this our brother venerates the holy synod of Chalcedon less than becomes him. On this head both he himself in person will satisfy you all of the integrity of his faith, and we fully testify that, having been nursed from his cradle in the bosom of the holy Universal Church, he has held the right preaching of the faith with the attestation of his life. For he venerates the holy Nicene synod in which Arius, the Constantinopolitan, in which Macedonius, the first Ephesine, in which Nestorius, and the holy Chalcedonian, in which Dioscorus and Eutyches were condemned. And if any one presumes ever to speak anything against the faith of these four synods and against the tome and definition of pope Leo of holy memory, let him be anathema. Accordingly, receiving the fullest satisfaction, love your pastor in entire charity with a pure heart, that the intercession of the same your pastor, poured out purely before God, may avail to your profit.
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/360206002.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.
◆
Gregory to the clergy and people of the Church of Ravenna.
I have been informed that certain men, driven by the malicious spirit, have tried to corrupt your minds with false talk about the reputation of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus -- claiming that he venerates the holy Council of Chalcedon less than he should. On this point, he himself will satisfy you in person regarding the integrity of his faith. And I bear full witness that, having been raised from his cradle in the bosom of the holy universal Church, he has held the true preaching of the faith throughout his life.
He venerates the holy Council of Nicaea, in which Arius was condemned; the Council of Constantinople, in which Macedonius was condemned; the first Council of Ephesus, in which Nestorius was condemned; and the holy Council of Chalcedon, in which Dioscorus and Eutyches were condemned. If anyone should ever presume to speak against the faith of these four councils or against the tome and definition of Pope Leo of holy memory, let him be anathema.
Receiving this full assurance, love your pastor with pure hearts and complete charity, so that his prayers poured out to God on your behalf may profit you.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.