Letter 7019: Gregory to Marinianus, Archbishop of Ravenna. Your Fraternity has been long aware after what manner the Church of Ariminum has been hitherto deprived of pastoral government by reason of the known bodily affliction of the priest who was ordained by us. Now we, moved by the prayers of the inhabitants of that place, having frequently exhorted him t...
Pope Gregory the Great→Marinianus|c. 596 AD|Pope Gregory the Great|Human translated
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Gregory to Marinianus, Archbishop of Ravenna.
Your Fraternity has long been aware of how the Church of Rimini has until now been without pastoral governance because of the known bodily ailment of the priest we ordained. Having often urged him, in response to the prayers of that city's inhabitants, to return with the Lord's help to his Church if he should feel relieved of the head ailment that was preventing him, he has now been awaited for four years since the leave of absence was granted. When the clergy and citizens who came from there pressed us urgently with their entreaties and we urged him to return with them, if he was able with the Lord's help, he addressed to us a written supplication asking that, since his ailment is such that he cannot in any way rise to the governance of that Church or to the duties he had undertaken, we should ordain a bishop for that Church.
Since therefore the charge laid upon us of caring for all the churches constrains us to ensure that the flock of the faithful is no longer without pastoral protection, and being compelled both by their entreaties and by his own resignation on grounds of incapacity, we have decided that a bishop should be ordained for this same Church of Rimini. Having issued our instruction in the customary manner, we have duly admonished the clergy and people of that church to come together with one accord to choose a bishop.
We therefore urge your Fraternity that the person whom all shall choose with one consent — as they have themselves also requested leave to do — you cause to be summoned before you, and test him by cautious inquiry on all sides. And if, by the Lord's grace, none of the offenses punishable by death in the text of the Heptateuch are found in him, and if his manner of life commends itself to you through the testimony of trustworthy persons, send him to us with written confirmation of his election, adding your own letter of attestation — so that, under the Lord's direction, a bishop may be consecrated by us for this church.
Book VII, Letter 19
To Marinianus, Archbishop.
Gregory to Marinianus, Archbishop of Ravenna.
Your Fraternity has been long aware after what manner the Church of Ariminum has been hitherto deprived of pastoral government by reason of the known bodily affliction of the priest who was ordained by us. Now we, moved by the prayers of the inhabitants of that place, having frequently exhorted him to return with the help of the Lord to his Church, if he should feel himself relieved from this affliction of the head whereby he was kept away, he has been expected now for four years since the leave of absence given him. And, when at the instance of clergy and citizens who have come from thence and urged us with entreaties, we urgently exhorted him to return with them, the Lord helping him, if able to do so, he begged of us by a supplication in writing , that, inasmuch as by reason of this affliction wherewith he is held he can in no wise rise to the government of the same Church, or to the office undertaken by him, we should ordain a bishop to this same Church. Hence, seeing that the charge laid upon us of caring for all the Churches constrains us to see that pastoral guardianship be no longer wanting to the flock of the faithful, and being compelled by their entreaties, and by his renunciation on the ground of his own inability, we have resolved that a bishop should be ordained to this same Church of Ariminum: and, having issued our precept according to custom, we have not failed to admonish the clergy and people of the same Church, to the end that they may concur with concordant provision to choose for themselves a prelate. We therefore exhort your Fraternity that him whom all with one consent shall choose (as they themselves also have requested leave to do) you cause to be summoned before you; and test him by cautious enquiry on all sides. And if, by favour of the Lord, none of the things that are punished with death in the text of the Heptateuch are found in him, and if, on the report of trustworthy persons, his life should approve itself to you, send him to us with the certification of his election, adding your own letter of testification, to the end that a prelate of this same Church may, under the ordering of the Lord, be by us consecrated.
Your Fraternity has long been aware of how the Church of Rimini has until now been without pastoral governance because of the known bodily ailment of the priest we ordained. Having often urged him, in response to the prayers of that city's inhabitants, to return with the Lord's help to his Church if he should feel relieved of the head ailment that was preventing him, he has now been awaited for four years since the leave of absence was granted. When the clergy and citizens who came from there pressed us urgently with their entreaties and we urged him to return with them, if he was able with the Lord's help, he addressed to us a written supplication asking that, since his ailment is such that he cannot in any way rise to the governance of that Church or to the duties he had undertaken, we should ordain a bishop for that Church.
Since therefore the charge laid upon us of caring for all the churches constrains us to ensure that the flock of the faithful is no longer without pastoral protection, and being compelled both by their entreaties and by his own resignation on grounds of incapacity, we have decided that a bishop should be ordained for this same Church of Rimini. Having issued our instruction in the customary manner, we have duly admonished the clergy and people of that church to come together with one accord to choose a bishop.
We therefore urge your Fraternity that the person whom all shall choose with one consent — as they have themselves also requested leave to do — you cause to be summoned before you, and test him by cautious inquiry on all sides. And if, by the Lord's grace, none of the offenses punishable by death in the text of the Heptateuch are found in him, and if his manner of life commends itself to you through the testimony of trustworthy persons, send him to us with written confirmation of his election, adding your own letter of attestation — so that, under the Lord's direction, a bishop may be consecrated by us for this church.
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
MARINIANUM ARCHIEPISCOPUM.,
Deprecante onus episcopale ob infirmitatem Castorto, alium Ariminensibus erdinandum ep scopum. Hunc a clero et plebe eliqi, a Ravennate episcopo exami- nari, atque, ut consecretur, Romam millt jubel.
Gregorins Mariniano archiepiscopo Ravennze.
Qualiter (Grat. 7, q. 1, c. 15) ordinati a nobis sa- cerdutis, * corporis qua notum est impediente mole- stia, Ariminensis Ecclesia pastorali hactenus sil re- gimine destituia dudum ſraternitas veslra cognovit.” Quem dum, habitatornm loci illius precibus permoti, 8epius horlaremur ut si de eadem capitis, qua deti- nebatur molestia melioratum se esse ssentiret, ad Ssuam, auxiliante Domino, reverteretur Ecclesiam, datis induciis in hoc quadriennio exspectatus est. Quem dum monitu cleri civiumque illinc venien- lium, nosque Þ precibus urgentiuw, instantius horta- remur ut si valeret cum eis auxilianle Domino re- mearet, data scriptis supplicatione, nos petiit ut, quia ad ejusdem Ecclesize regimen vel susceptum oſficium pro eadem qua detnetur moestia assurgere nullatenus posset, Ecclesiz ipsi ordinare episcopum deberemus. Unde quia cunctarum Ecclesiarum in-
| Juncla nos sollicitudinis cura constringit, ne diutius
gregi ſidelium desit cuslodia pastoralis, illorum pre- cibus hnjusque ex sui imposs:bilitale renunliatione compulsis, visum nobis est eidem Ariminensi Eccle- 8i2 debere episcopum ordinari; et dalis ex more przceptis, clerum plebemque ejusdem Ecclesizz non destitimus admonere, quatenus ad eligendum sibi antistitem concordi provisione concurrant. Hlorta- mur igitur ut ſraternitas vesira eum quem uno con- 8ensu omnes elegerint, sicut et ipsi a nobis popo-
,
fuisse constat. Unde et etiamnum in judiciis adhibe- tar. Concil. Agath., c. 5, ait presbyterum infamatum cum seplem 80ciis 8ui ordinis. Ilerdense, c. 10, cum
lem coll-gis se expurgare debere; caus. 2, q. 4, c. 12et13. Similiter Hildebertus Caznoman., epist. 69, dit decanum Suspectum debere purgari, et in septima manu ordinis sui 8uam jurejurando declarare innocen- tam. ldem legilur in epist. 3U Hinemari, ubi pres- byter inſamatus debet se per septem lestes purgare. Ex decreto Luci: It, cap. Ex twarum , de purgatione canonica, presbyter inſamatus debet cum s-ptima aut quinia manu 8ui ordinis per purgyarionem canonicam mnocentiam suam ostendere. Tilulo b legis Alemann. legitur in sexta manu jurare. In lege Frisionum in de- cma s8ecunda manu, De purgatione canonica vide que diximus ad epist. 25 lib. 1, indict, 10. Gussaxv.