Letter 9125: Having received the letters of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus, and Castorius, our chartularius, having also returned, we learn that your Fraternity have made most full satisfaction with regard to the matters about which there had been uncertainty; and we return great thanks to Almighty God that from our inmost heart all rancour of sini...

Gregory to Maximus, Bishop of Salona. Having received the letters of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus, and with our secretary Castorius also having returned, we learn that Your Fraternity has given the fullest satisfaction regarding the matters that were in doubt. We return great thanks to Almighty God that every trace of dark suspicion has been rooted out from our heart. For this reason, I was eager to send our mutual son, your deacon Stephen, back to you with all speed. But my frequent bouts of illness compelled me to keep him with me for a few days. As soon as I began to feel even slightly better, I arranged to send him back to you with joy. Accordingly, we send you, as is customary, the pallium for the sacred celebration of the Mass. We ask you to uphold in every way the meaning this vestment represents. For the dignity of the pallium is humility and justice. Let Your Fraternity strive, then, with your whole heart to show yourself humble in prosperity and, should adversity ever come, upright in justice. Be a friend to the good and an opponent of the perverse. Never silence anyone who speaks the truth. Be tireless in works of mercy according to your means — and even beyond your means, let the desire be there. Share in the sufferings of the weak. Rejoice with those of good will. Regard the sorrows of others as your own and exult in their joys as if they were your own. In correcting vices, be firm; in cultivating virtues, be gentle and encouraging. In anger, maintain judgment without anger; in calm, do not abandon the discipline of your authority. This, dearest brother, is what the pallium signifies. If you live accordingly, you will possess inwardly what you are seen to have received outwardly. Furthermore, I commend to Your Fraternity in all respects our brother and fellow bishop Sabinianus.

Book IX, Letter 125 To Maximus, Bishop of Salona . Gregory to Maximus, etc. Having received the letters of our brother and fellow bishop Marinianus, and Castorius, our chartularius, having also returned, we learn that your Fraternity have made most full satisfaction with regard to the matters about which there had been uncertainty; and we return great thanks to Almighty God that from our inmost heart all rancour of sinister suspicion has been eradicated. On this account I have been desirous of dismissing with the utmost speed our common son, your deacon Stephen. But the frequent pains of my sicknesses have compelled me to retain him with me for a few days. As soon, however, as I have begun to be even slightly better, I have provided for sending him immediately back to you with joy. Accordingly we send to you, according to custom, the pallium for the sacred solemnities of mass; the meaning of which we desire you in all respects to vindicate. For the dignity of this vestment is humility and justice. Let, then, your Fraternity make haste with all your heart to show yourself humble in prosperity, and in adversity, if ever it should ensue; upright in justice; friendly to the good, and opposed to the froward; never discountenancing any one who speaks for the truth; instant in works of mercy according to your means, and yet beyond your means desiring to be instant; sympathizing with the weak; rejoicing with men of good will; regarding the woes of others as your own; exulting for the joys of others as if for your own; in correcting vices severe, in cherishing virtues, soothing the minds of hearers; in anger, retaining judgment without anger, but in calmness not relinquishing the censorship of your severity. This, dearest brother, is the meaning of the pallium which you will receive, which if you act up to, you will have inwardly what you are seen to have received outwardly. Furthermore I commend in all respects to your Fraternity our brother and fellow bishop Sabinianus ; and if there be any matters of dispute between you, let them meanwhile be laid aside. Let charity remain fixed between you, that so, in case of contention ever arising about external things, they may be examined without charity deserting the heart. We commend also our common son Honoratus: concerning whom if it is the case, as we have learned through Castorius our chartularius; that through him three previous archdeacons have been compelled to observe the ecclesiastical custom by retiring at the expiration of five years, we desire indeed that he may experience the charity of your Holiness. For a judgment ought not to be solicited in a case which he himself has judged. If, however, it is not so, then, all swelling of heart being repressed, and all grudge set aside, he ought to be received, and by no means removed from the place which he now occupies. Messianus also, the cleric who had taken refuge with us, we have confidently committed to the charge of our common son Stephen the deacon, being assured that in the case of one whom we ourselves send to your Fraternity, you will not show any grudge, but lend the countenance of your authority. May Almighty God keep you in His protection, and grant us so to act that after the billows of this temporal state we may be able to attain with joy to things eternal. About this page Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 13. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1898.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360209125.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.