Letter 3002: Although it has distressed us in no slight degree to hear of the injury that you have suffered, yet we have matter of consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit, in that, so far as the account sent to us has disclosed the facts, you have suffered in the cause of uprightness and equity. Wherefore, that it may redound to the greater...
Book III, Letter 2
To Paulus, Bishop.
Gregory to Paulus, etc.
Although it has distressed us in no slight degree to hear of the injury that you have suffered, yet we have matter of consolation in learning that the affair is to your credit, in that, so far as the account sent to us has disclosed the facts, you have suffered in the cause of uprightness and equity. Wherefore, that it may redound to the greater glory of your Fraternity, this occurrence ought neither to shake your constancy nor turn you aside from the way of truth. For it is to the greater reward of priests if they continue in the path of truth even after injuries. But, lest the madness of such great impiety should remain unpunished, and pernicious insubordination break out to a worse degree, we have enjoined the magnificent Scholasticus, judge of Campania, who is at present here, that he should avenge what has been done with the repression it deserves. But, inasmuch as your men have requested us to commission some one to represent ourselves, know that we have for this reason sent to Naples the subdeacon Epiphanius, who may be able, with the judge above named, to investigate and ascertain the truth, to the end that by his instancy he may cause worthy vengeance to be executed on those who may be shown to have instigated or perpetrated so great a crime.
About this page
Source. Translated by James Barmby. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360203002.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.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
Related Letters
If we administer safely the priestly office which we have received, without doubt both Divine assistance and the affection of our spiritual sons will not be wanting to us. Wherefore let your Fraternity take care to show yourself in all things such that the testimony which the clergy, the nobility, and all the people together, of the city of Napl...
The one who neither transgresses himself nor leads others to transgress has achieved a double crown.
We have chosen you for this task because you combine energy with good judgment -- a rare combination and one that...
Virtue must be practiced with all one's strength — not merely admired from a distance.
Gregory to the gentry and commonalty (ordini et plebi) residing at Naples. The communication you have addressed to us has made manifest what your opinion is of our brother and fellow bishop Paulus : and we congratulate you in that your experience of him for a few days has been such that you desire to have him as your cardinal bishop. But, since ...