But how much the aforesaid Firminus, our brother and fellow bishop, suffered from that same instigation, you will be able to learn there more fully and more truly, from close at hand. Therefore, your excellency's commands having been dispatched, order more strictly those who are known to hold your place in the parts of Istria, God being the author, that they both ought to defend our oft-mentioned brother from the annoyances brought upon him, and by all means to procure his quiet, which will be profitable to many for imitation; so that this provision of yours may be both the longed-for security of the converted, and an occasion arisen for those who follow. (Book XIII, Letter 35.)
Finally Severus, because he did not merit to return to the unity of the holy universal Church, by his own madness incited the Roman pontiff even to rend the unity of his own diocese, so far that from the very time of his death the diocese of Aquileia was divided into two metropolitans — namely of the catholics and of the schismatics — nor could it afterwards, although all generally have returned from the schism to unity, be reformed up to this present time to the union of its former conjunction. 39. Just as Gregory diminished for none of the clergy the allowances of a quarter on account of bodily infirmity, so he taught that no pontiff ought to be succeeded on account of any sickness whatsoever.
Whence, writing back to Anatolius, subdeacon of Constantinople, he says: Your dearness wrote to me that our most pious lord commands that my most reverend brother, bishop of Prima Justiniana, be succeeded on account of the affliction of the head which he suffers, lest perhaps, while that city does not have the rights of a bishop, it perish — which God forbid — from the enemy. And these things indeed the canons nowhere command, that on account of the sickness of a bishop, a bishop should be succeeded; and it is altogether unjust that, if a bodily trouble rush upon him, the sick man be deprived of his honour. And therefore this can in no way be done by us, lest a sin come upon my soul from his deposition.
But it is to be suggested that, if he who is in office falls sick, such a steward be sought for him as can undertake his whole care, and fill his place in the governance of the church — he himself not being deposed — and in the guardianship of the city, so that neither may almighty God be offended, nor the city be found to be neglected. But if the same most reverend John should perchance, on account of his trouble, petition that he ought to be released from the honour of the episcopate, he himself giving the petition in writing, it is to be granted. But otherwise we are by no means able, out of the fear of almighty God, to do this. But if he should be unwilling to petition that which pleases the most pious emperor, whatever the emperor commands to be done is in his power: as he knows, let him himself provide;
only let him not cause us to be mixed up in the deposition of an innocent man. But whatever he himself shall do, if it is canonical, we follow; but if it is not canonical, in so far as we are able without sin on our part, we bear it. (Book XI, Letter 47.) To pontiffs voluntarily renouncing their sees, Gregory in no way denied successors, and he judged that they should afterwards be sufficiently maintained from the revenues of the church they had left. Whence, signifying to Marinianus, bishop of Ravenna, he says: How the church of Rimini has hitherto been destitute of pastoral governance — the bodily trouble, as is known, of the priest ordained by us being the impediment — your fraternity has long since known.
And when, moved by the prayers of the inhabitants of that place, we more often exhorted him that, if he should feel himself improved from the same affliction of the head by which he was held, he should return to his church, the Lord assisting, a respite being given, he was awaited during these four years. And when we more urgently exhorted him — the clergy and citizens coming thence and pressing us with their prayers — that, if he were able, he should, the Lord assisting, return with them, a supplication having been given in writing, he petitioned us that, because on account of the same trouble by which he was held he could in no way rise up to the governance of that church or to the office he had undertaken, we ought to ordain a bishop for that church itself.
Whence, because the enjoined care of solicitude for all the churches constrains us, lest the flock of the faithful should longer lack pastoral guardianship, compelled by their prayers and by this man's renunciation arising from his own incapacity, it seemed good to us that a bishop ought to be ordained for the same church of Rimini; and the customary directives being given, we did not cease to admonish the clergy and people of that church that they should concur with harmonious provision in electing a prelate for themselves. (Book III, Letter 19.) Likewise to Bishop Etherius:
Although what we speak of is very sad to us, and fraternal compassion rather urges us than permits us to define anything concerning the things we have heard, yet the solicitude of the governance we have undertaken strikes our heart with an insistent goad, that we should with great care look out for the churches, and, before their usefulness can perish, dispose, God being the author, what ought to be done. It has come to us, then, that a certain bishop has so incurred an affliction of the head that whatever he is wont to do with a mind alienated, it is a thing of groans and weeping to hear. Lest therefore, the shepherd languishing, the flock — which God forbid — be exposed to be torn by the teeth of the ambusher, or the usefulness of that same church perish, it is necessary for us to treat the matter with cautious provision.
And therefore, because — the bishop being alive, whom not a crime but the necessity of infirmity withdraws from his office — no reason allows another to be ordained in his place while he refuses, if he is accustomed to have intervals of the sickness, let him himself, a petition being given, confess that he can no longer rise up to this ministry — namely, the intellectual offices — infirmity overthrowing him, and let him seek another to be ordained in his place. Which done, by the solemn election of all, let another who shall be worthy be consecrated bishop; yet so that, as long as life shall hold that same bishop in this world, the sustenance due to him be ministered from the same church.
But indeed, if at no time he returns to the function of a sound mind, a person is to be chosen who is faithful and of approvable life, who can prove suitable for the governance of the church, and can think upon the usefulness of souls, restrain the unquiet under the correction of discipline, bear the care of ecclesiastical affairs, and show himself mature and effective in all things; who also, if he shall have outlived the bishop who now is sick, ought to be consecrated in his place. (Book XIII, Letter 5.) 40. Gregory ordered that a violated virgin should either receive her ravisher as a husband, or that her ravisher, chastised with beatings, should be assigned to a monastery. Whence he writes to Felix, bishop of Siponto, saying:
We were expecting your fraternity to convert some to God by its preaching, and to recall the evildoers to rectitude. On which account we are exceedingly saddened, because on the contrary your fault has been manifestly shown in the depravity of your nephew Felix, in that you nourished such a one. It has come to us, therefore, that the above-written Felix deceived the daughter of your deacon Evangelus by rape.
Which, if it is true, although by the law he ought to be punished with a grave penalty, we nevertheless, somewhat softening the harshness of the law by disposing in this manner, command that either he have as wife her whom he violated, or else, if he shall think fit to refuse, that he, strictly and bodily chastised, and excommunicated, be shut away in a monastery in which he may perform penance, from which let there be for him no license of departing without our command. (Book III, Letter 43.) 41. A man converted without the will of his own wife, even if he had already been tonsured, Gregory ordered to be restored to his wife. Wherefore, writing to Hadrian, notary of Palermo, he says:
Agathosa, the bearer of the present letter, has complained that her husband has been converted, against her will, in the monastery of Abbot Urbicus. Which, because there is no doubt that it pertains to the fault and blame of that same abbot, we command your experience that you discuss it with diligent inquiry, lest perhaps he was converted with her will, or she herself promised to change her state; and if you shall find this to be so, both provide that he remain in the monastery, and compel her, as she promised, to change her state.
But if none of these things is so, and you shall have learned that the aforesaid woman committed no crime of fornication — on account of which it is lawful for a man to leave his wife — lest his conversion become for the wife left behind in the world an occasion of perdition, we will that you ought to restore her husband to her, even if he has already been tonsured, every excuse ceasing: because, although worldly law commands that, for the sake of conversion, the marriage can be dissolved with either party unwilling, divine law does not permit it to be done.
For, the cause of fornication excepted, it by no reason concedes that a man leave his wife, because after by the union of marriage of man and woman one body is made, it cannot in part be converted and in part remain in the world. (Book XI, Letter 50.) 42. Gregory strove to shake off the perfidy of the Jews by reasonings rather than by violences. Wherefore, writing to Virgilius and Theodore, bishops of the Gauls, after some other matters, he says:
Very many men of the Jewish religion dwelling in this province, and continually travelling about the parts of Marseilles for various business, have brought to our notice that many of the Jews settled in those parts have been led to the font of baptism by force rather than by preaching. Now such an intent I indeed judge to be worthy of praise, and I profess that it proceeds from love of our Lord; but this same intent, unless a fitting effect of Holy Scripture accompany it, I fear lest either the work of reward not proceed therefrom, or, according to something, losses of the souls which we wish to snatch away — which God forbid — should follow.
For when anyone comes to the font of baptism not by the sweetness of preaching but by necessity, returning to his former superstition, he dies the worse from that whence he seemed to have been reborn. Let your fraternity therefore provoke men of this kind by frequent preaching, so that they may desire to change their old life rather from the sweetness of the teacher. For thus both your intent is rightly accomplished, and the mind of the convert is not again turned back to its former vomit.
There is therefore to be applied to them a discourse which both ought to burn away the thorns of errors in them, and by preaching may illumine what grows dark in them, so that for these things your fraternity may receive a reward by frequent admonition, and may lead as many of them as God shall have granted to the regeneration of a new life. (Book I, Letter 47.) Likewise to Victor, bishop of Palermo: Just as the Jews ought not to have license to presume anything in their synagogues beyond what is permitted by law, so in those things which have been conceded to them they ought to sustain no prejudice. (Book VIII, Letter 25.) 43. Just as Gregory denied that the Jews should be baptized by force, so he in no way permitted Christians to be subjected to them in any manner whatsoever.
Whence, writing to Libertinus, praetor of Sicily, he says: It is reported that Nasas, a certain most wicked man among the Jews, under the name of the blessed Elijah has constructed an altar with a rashness deserving punishment, and has there deceived many of the Christians by sacrilegious seduction to adore it; but he has also, as is said, purchased Christian slaves, and assigned them to his own services and profits. Whereas, therefore, most severely against him should vengeance have been taken for such great crimes, the glorious Justinus, soothed — as has been written to us — by the medicine of avarice, has deferred to avenge the injury of God.
But let your glory investigate all these things with strict examination, and if it shall find such a thing to be manifest, let it hasten so most strictly and bodily to take vengeance upon that same wicked Jew, that from this cause it may both win for itself the grace of our God, and show itself by examples worthy of imitation to those who come after, for its own reward. But whatsoever Christian slaves it shall be evident that he purchased, lead them to liberty according to the precepts of the laws without any ambiguity, lest — which God forbid — the Christian religion be defiled, being in any way subjected to the Jews. (Book III, Letter 38.) Likewise to Venantius, bishop of Luni:
It has come to us by the report of many that Christian slaves are held in servitude by the Jews dwelling in the city of Luni. Which matter has seemed to us the more harsh in proportion as it is the more laborious through the patience of your fraternity. For it behoved you, out of respect for your place and with regard to the Christian religion, to leave no occasion to Jewish superstition, lest simple souls should serve, in a certain manner, not so much by persuasions as by a kind of right of power. Wherefore we exhort your fraternity that, according to the track of the most pious laws, it be lawful for no Jew to retain a Christian slave in his ownership; but if any are found in their possession, let liberty be preserved to them, by the help of protection, from the sanction of the laws. (Book IV, Letter 21.)
44. If Gregory could not, on account of the length of the journey through the provinces, free any Christians from the servitude of the Hebrews by legal force, he judged that they ought to be redeemed at his own expense. Whence, writing to the presbyter Candidus throughout the Gauls: Dominicus, he says, the bearer of the present letter, has with tears made known to us that four of his brothers, redeemed from captivity by the Jews, are then held at Narbonne in the servitude of those same Jews. And because it is altogether grievous and execrable that Christians be in the servitude of the Jews, we exhort your dearness by this present writing, that you strive with all subtlety and solicitude to investigate;
and if it is truly so, and it shall be established to you by manifest truth that neither do they themselves have wherewith to redeem themselves, nor does the above-written bearer have it, let it be of your zeal to redeem them, knowing that whatever you shall give for them will without doubt be reckoned to your account. (Book VII, Letter 24.) 45. Slaves of the Jews once having fled to the Church, he ordered never to be returned by any persuasions whatsoever. Whence, writing among other things to Januarius, bishop of Cagliari, he says: It has come to us that male and female slaves of the Jews, fleeing to the Church for the cause of the faith, are either restored to their unbelieving masters, or their price is given, lest they be restored.
We therefore urge you by no means to permit so wicked a custom to remain, but that when any slave of the Jews takes refuge in venerable places for the sake of the faith, you should in no way allow him to suffer prejudice; rather, whether he was formerly a Christian or is now to be baptized, let him by every means be defended into liberty by the devout patronage of ecclesiastical piety, without any loss to the poor Christians. (Book IV, letter 9.) 46. Gregory not only lawfully recalled Christian slaves to their former liberty, but also in no way permitted pagans who wished to come to the faith to be sold. Whence, writing among other things to Fortunatus, bishop of Naples, he says:
It behooves your Fraternity to be watchful, so that if from among the Jews' body of slaves not only a Jew but even any of the pagans should wish to become a Christian, then, after his will has been made manifest, there be no power granted to any of the Jews to sell him under any device or pretext whatsoever; but let him who desires to be converted to the Christian faith be by every means vindicated into liberty by your defense. As for those who must in this manner lose their slaves, lest perhaps they reckon their own interests to be unreasonably hindered, it is fitting that you observe this with careful consideration:
namely, that if pagans whom they have bought for the sake of trade from foreign parts should happen, within three months while a buyer is being found to whom they ought to be sold, to flee to the Church, and should say that they wish to become Christians, or should have declared such a will even outside the Church, then their price shall be received from the Christian buyer. But if, after the aforesaid three months, any such slave of the Jews declares his will and wishes to become a Christian, let no one thereafter dare to buy him, nor let his master under any color of occasion dare to sell him, but let him without doubt be led to the rewards of liberty, because his master is understood to have kept him back not for selling but for serving himself. (Book VI, letter [32].)
47. He in no way recalled into their servitude pagan slaves who had gone before their Jewish masters, that is, to the faith, even if the masters themselves afterward followed them into Christianity. Whence, to John, bishop of Syracuse: Felix, he says, the bearer of these presents, has complained to us that, though he was born of Christian parents, he was given as a gift by a certain Christian to a Samaritan — which is a crime to tell; and while neither the reason of law nor the reverence of religion permits men of this superstition to possess Christian slaves in any manner whatsoever, he nevertheless asserts that he remained in his service for eighteen years.
But when your predecessor of holy memory, Maximian, came to know this, being stirred, as was fitting, with priestly zeal, he freed him from the wicked servitude of the Samaritan. But because the same Samaritan's son is said to have become a Christian after five years, and certain men are striving to reduce the aforesaid Felix back into his service, as far as he himself says, let your Holiness diligently inquire into these matters of which we have been informed; and if it be established to be so, let it take care to protect him, and permit him to be burdened by no one under any occasion whatsoever:
for since the laws forbid that slaves of a superstitious sect who precede their masters to the faith be openly reduced back into their service, how much more should this man, born of Christian parents and made a Christian from infancy, in no way have to endure this contention? Especially since he could not even have been his father's slave, seeing that it is clear he can rather suffer from the laws the penalty coming upon a wicked presumption. (Book VIII, letter 21.) 48. Gregory did not even permit any of the pagans to be circumcised. Wherefore, to Leo, bishop of Catania:
A matter, he says, altogether detestable to us and hostile to the laws has come to our notice, which, if it be true, vehemently accuses your Fraternity, since it proves you to be culpable of too little vigilance. For we have learned that Samaritans dwelling in Catania have bought pagan slaves and have presumed, with rash daring, to circumcise them. And therefore it is necessary that you by every means exercise priestly zeal in this cause, and with all liveliness and solicitude take pains to investigate;
and if you find it to be so, vindicate those slaves without delay into liberty by every means, and extend to them ecclesiastical protection, nor suffer their masters to receive anything of the price in any manner whatsoever — masters who are not only to be punished with this loss, but are also to be struck with another penalty from the laws. (Book VI, letter 33.) 49. Truly, because the perfidy of the Jews was accustomed to mock the zeal of Christians by gifts given against it, Gregory not only took absolutely nothing from them, but rather judged their gifts to be execrable. Whence he writes to Reccared, king of the Visigoths, after other matters, saying:
Moreover, he says, I make known that, from your work in the praises of God, there has grown up this which I have learned from the narration of my most beloved son Probinus, the presbyter: that when your Excellency had issued a certain enactment against the perfidy of the Jews, those against whom it had been promulgated endeavored to bend the rectitude of your mind by offering a sum of money, which your Excellency despised, and, seeking to please the judgment of Almighty God, preferred innocence to gold. In which matter the deed of King David comes to my memory, to whom, when the water he longed for from the cistern of Bethlehem — which lay amid the enemy's ranks — had been offered by the soldiers who served him, he straightway said:
Far be it from me, that I should drink the blood of these men (1 Chron. xi, 19). And because he poured it out and would not drink it, it is written: He poured it out as a libation to the Lord (ibid. 18). If therefore the water despised by an armed king was turned into a sacrifice to God, let us weigh what a sacrifice a king offered to Almighty God, who, for love of Him, despised to receive not water but gold. And so, most excellent son, I will confidently say that you poured out gold to the Lord as a libation, in that you would in no way have it against Him. And so forth. (Book IX, letter 122.) 50.
Hence it is that, as it is handed down by our elders, and as we ourselves, even down to our own times, while we were still growing to manhood, beheld with our own eyes, an ancient custom prevailed that all men of that superstition, however exceedingly beautiful the wares they had brought, might never enjoy the pontiff's discourse, never obtain the apostolic gaze, but, sitting outside the veil of a very long portico — not indeed on benches, but on the marble pavement — counted out the prices they had received, evidently lest they should seem to have received anything from the hand of the pontiff.
For Nicholas the pontiff, of reverend memory, so abhorred Arsenius, once bishop of the city of Horta, who was then first endeavoring to introduce Jewish furs, that he wished to take away from him the palatine procession, unless, by abjuring the garments of the superstitious people, he should take pains to proceed in the customary manner with the priestly insignia. 51. Gregory refuted as follows the forerunners of Antichrist who were preaching that the Sabbath ought to be observed: It has reached me that certain men of a perverse spirit have sown among you certain depraved things contrary to the holy faith, so that they forbid any work to be done on the Sabbath day. Whom shall I call other than preachers of Antichrist?
For he, when he comes, will cause the Sabbath day and the Lord's day to be kept from all work. For because he feigns to die and to rise again at the same time, he wishes the Lord's day to be held in veneration; and because he compels the people to Judaize, so as to bring back the outward rite of the Law and subject to himself the perfidy of the Jews, he wishes the Sabbath to be observed. For that which is said by the prophet — Bring no burdens through your gates on the Sabbath day (Jer. xvii, 22) — could be held only so long as it was lawful to observe the Law according to the letter.
But after the grace of our Almighty Lord Jesus Christ appeared, the precepts of the Law which were spoken by way of figure cannot be kept according to the letter. For if anyone says that this concerning the Sabbath must be observed, he must of necessity say that carnal sacrifices are also to be paid; let him say too that the precept concerning circumcision of the body is still to be retained even now. But let him hear the Apostle Paul speaking against him: If you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing (Gal. v, 2). We therefore receive spiritually that which is written concerning the Sabbath, and spiritually retain it. Now the Sabbath is called a rest. But we have as our true Sabbath our very Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ;
and whoever knows the light of faith, if he draws the burdens of sin to his mind through his eyes by lusting, he brings burdens through the gates on the Sabbath day. Therefore we do not bring burdens through the gates on the Sabbath day, if, being established in the grace of our Redeemer, we do not draw the weights of sin to the soul through the bodily senses. For the same Lord and our Redeemer is read to have wrought many things on the Sabbath day, so that He rebuked the Jews, saying: Which of you does not loose his ox or his ass on the Sabbath day, and lead it to water (Luke xiii, 15)? If therefore Truth itself has commanded that the Sabbath be not observed according to the letter, whoever keeps the idleness of the Sabbath according to the letter of the Law, whom else does he contradict but Truth itself?
Something else too has been brought to me, that it has been preached to you by perverse men that no one ought to wash on the Lord's day. And indeed, if anyone desires to wash for the luxury and pleasure of the soul, we do not grant that this be done even on any other day. But if for the necessity of the body, we do not forbid this even on the Lord's day. For it is written: No one ever hates his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it (Eph. v, 29). And again it is written: Make not provision for the flesh in its concupiscences (Rom. xiii, 14). He therefore who forbids provision to be made for the flesh in its concupiscences, surely grants it in its necessities. For if to wash the body on the Lord's day is a sin, then neither ought one to wash even the face on that same day.
But if this is granted for a part of the body, why should it be denied to the whole body when necessity demands it? On the Lord's day, however, one ought to cease from earthly labor and by every means to be intent upon prayers, so that whatever of negligence is committed during the six days may be expiated by prayers on the day of the Lord's resurrection. (Book XIII, letter 1.) 52. So great a grace of compassion overflowed in Gregory toward all, that you might see, if you will, that he bore another's infirmity in his own body. Whence, writing to John, bishop of Ravenna, he says: By the Lord's commandments we are enjoined to love our neighbors as ourselves, and to grieve over their languors as over our own infirmities.