Letter 9218

Gregory the Great (Wisigothic)Unknown|gregory great
From: Pope Gregory I
To: Bishops Syagrius of Augustodunum, Etherius of Lugdunum, Virgilius of Arles, and Desiderius of Vienna
Date: ~599 AD
Context: Gregory writes a circular to leading bishops of Gaul on a matter of joint concern

Brothers, I write to you together because the matter I must address is one that touches all your churches collectively and requires a coordinated response. The faith and the institutions of the Church in Gaul have faced significant challenges in recent decades, and what has been preserved has been preserved in large part through the persistence of bishops like yourselves. I am asking you to act in concert on the issue I describe, to share this communication with any other bishops whose cooperation is needed, and to report back to this see jointly. The unity of your response will carry more weight than any single bishop's action.

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