Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 336

Gregory to the empress Constantina. Your Serenity, conspicuous for piety, for zeal of religion, and for love of holiness, commanded me by your orders that I ought to send the head of that same holy Paul, or something else of his body, for the church which is being built in the palace in honour of the holy apostle Paul. And while I longed that such things be commanded me, in which, showing the readiest obedience, I might have been able the more to call forth your grace toward me, a greater sadness took hold of me, because you command things which I can neither do nor dare. For the bodies of the holy apostles Peter and Paul shine with such miracles and terrors in their churches that one cannot even approach there to pray without great fear.

In short, when my predecessor of blessed memory wished to change the silver which was above the most sacred body of the blessed apostle Peter—though it was far from that body, nearly fifteen feet—a sign of no small terror appeared to him. But I too wished likewise to improve something at the most sacred body of the holy apostle Paul; and because it was necessary to dig deeper near his tomb, the overseer of that place found certain bones not indeed joined to that same tomb. Because he presumed to lift them and to transfer them to another place, with certain mournful signs appearing, he died a sudden death.

Besides these things, moreover, my predecessor of holy memory, likewise desiring to improve something at the body of the holy martyr Laurence, while it was not known where the venerable body was placed, dug in searching, and suddenly the tomb itself was opened unknowingly; and those who were present and were labouring, monks and keepers, who saw the body of that same martyr—which indeed they by no means presumed to touch—all died within ten days, so that none could survive in life who had seen that holy body of his.

But let the most tranquil lady know that among the Romans it is not the custom, when they give relics of the saints, to presume to touch anything of the body; but only a brandeum is put into a small box and placed near the most sacred bodies of the saints. When this is lifted, it is deposited with due veneration in the church which is to be dedicated, and through it such powers occur there as if their bodies were specially brought thither. Whence it happened that, in the times of Pope Leo of blessed memory, as is handed down by our elders, while certain Greeks doubted concerning such relics, the aforesaid pontiff, calling for scissors, cut this same brandeum, and from that very incision blood flowed forth.

For among the Romans and in the regions of the whole West, it is altogether intolerable and sacrilegious if anyone should perhaps wish to touch the bodies of the saints. And if he should presume to do so, it is certain that this rashness will in no way remain unpunished. For which reason we greatly marvel at the custom of the Greeks, who assert that they lift the bones of the saints, and we scarcely believe it. For certain Greek monks, coming here two years ago, in the silence of the night beside the church of holy Paul were digging up the bodies of the dead lying in the fields, and were hiding away their bones, keeping them for themselves until they should depart.

When they had been seized and diligently examined why they did this, they confessed that they intended to carry those bones to Greece as though they were relics of the saints. From their example, as has been said before, a greater doubt has arisen among us, whether it be true that they are truly said to lift the bones of the saints. But concerning the bodies of the blessed apostles, what shall I say, since it is established that at the time when they suffered, faithful men came from the East who sought back their bodies as those of their own citizens? These, having been carried to the second milestone of the city, were placed in the spot which is called Catacumbas.

But when their whole multitude, gathering together, strove to lift them thence, the force of thunder and lightning so terrified and scattered them with exceeding fear that they by no means presumed to attempt such a thing again. Then the Romans, going out, lifted their bodies—those who merited this from the Lord's mercy—and placed them in the spots where they are now laid. Who therefore, most serene lady, could be so rash as, knowing these things, to presume not to touch the bodies of the apostles—I do not say that—but even in any way to gaze upon them? Since therefore such things have been commanded me by you, of which I could in no way comply, so far as I find, it is not from you; but certain men have wished to stir up your Piety against me,

so that—which God forbid—they might withdraw from me the grace of your goodwill, and for that reason they sought a chapter concerning which I might be found, as it were, disobedient to you. But I trust in the almighty Lord that it is in no way stolen away from your most benign goodwill, and that you will always have the power of the holy apostles, whom you love with all your heart and mind, not from bodily presence but from their protection. But the sudarium which you likewise ordered to be sent is with his body, which can no more be touched than his body can be approached.

But because the most serene lady's so religious desire ought not to be void, I will hasten to send you some part of the chains which the holy apostle Paul himself bore on his neck and on his hands, by which many miracles are shown among the people—if only I shall have the power to remove this by filing; for since many who frequently come from these same chains ask for a blessing, that they may receive a little from the filings, a priest stands by with a file, and for some who ask, something is so speedily struck off from the chains themselves that there is no delay. But for certain others who ask, the file is drawn along those same chains for a long time, and yet it is not obtained that anything should come off from them.