Letter 6054: Gregory to Desiderius of Vienna (Vienne), and Syagrius of Augustodunum (Autun), Bishops of Gaul. A paribus. Having regard to your sincere charity we are well assured that out of love for Peter, the Prince of the apostles, you will devotedly afford your succour to our men; especially since the nature of the case requires you to give assistance ev...

Pope Gregory the GreatDesiderius|c. 595 AD|gregory great
property economics

Gregory to Desiderius of Vienne and Syagrius of Autun, Bishops of Gaul.

Given the sincerity of your charity, we are fully confident that out of love for the Apostle Peter, Prince of the Apostles, you will devoutly provide your assistance to our men — especially since the nature of the matter demands that you give help even on your own initiative, and all the more when you see them laboring. We therefore inform your Holiness that, at the Lord's direction, we have sent Augustine the servant of God, the bearer of these presents, whose zeal and dedication are well known to us, together with other servants of God, for the sake of souls in those regions. When you have heard from him in full what has been entrusted to him, let your Fraternity provide him with support in all the ways the situation may require, so that you may be able, as is right and proper, to be fellow workers in a good work. Let your Fraternity therefore show such dedication to this matter that your actions may confirm for us the truth of the good report we have received of you.

We commend in every respect to you our most beloved common son, the priest Candidus, to whom we have entrusted the care of our Church's patrimony situated in those parts.

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

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