Letter 9019: I would have you know that we have arranged for you to be put under the care of our guardian (defensoris). And accordingly we order you to obey him without any reluctance in what he may see fit to do, and enjoin on you to be done, for the advantage of the Church. We have given him such power as to enable him to inflict strict punishment on those...
Gregory to the tenant farmers [coloni] of the Syracusan patrimony.
I want you to know that I have placed you under the care of our defensor [church legal officer, Romanus]. Obey him without resistance in whatever he sees fit to do or instructs you to do for the benefit of the Church. I have given him sufficient authority to impose strict punishment on anyone who proves disobedient or defiant.
I have also charged him to act promptly in recovering to the Church's jurisdiction any slaves who have gone into hiding outside their assigned areas, and to address any boundary violations. But know this as well: he has been warned, under penalty, that he must never presume to commit any wrong or seizure against what belongs to others, under any excuse whatsoever.
Human translation - New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
Gregorius colonis patrimonii Syracusani.
Cognoscatis volo quia ad sollicitudinem vos de-
ſensoris noslri dispositio nostra pertinere conslituit,
Et ideo precipimus ut ea que vobis peragenda pro
ulilitatibus ecclesiasticis Þ previderit et injunxerit,
Sine aliqua debealis diſlicultale obedire. Cui talem
dedimus poteslatem, ut eos qui inobedientes vel at-
tentaverint - contumaces exislere districta vultione
corripiat. Pariterque illi demandavimus ut mancipia
quz foris latitant, vel a quoquam aliqui fines invasi
Sunt, s0llicitudinis suz inslantia jure ecclesiaslico
revocare non diſlerat. Noveritis etenim cum periculo
su0 ſuisse commonitum , ut nullam aliquando vio-
lentiam rebus alienis vel raptum qualibet excusa-
tione facere presumat.
«
Revision history
- 2026-05-27v2.2.34-import
Initial corpus import from New Advent / NPNF.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/360209019.htm
Related Letters
The most distinguished lady Nereida has complained to us that your Fraternity does not blush to exact from her a hundred solidi for the burial of her daughter, and would bring upon her the additional vexation of expense over and above her groans of sorrow. Now, if the truth is so, it being a very serious thing and far from a priest's office to r...
Gregory to Jovinus, prefect of Illyricum.
How your Excellency has laboured earnestly and kindly, as is your wont, for the conclusion of peace we have learned from the report of our son, the abbot Probus. Nor indeed was it otherwise to be expected of your Christianity than that you would in all ways skew your assiduity and goodness in the cause of peace. Wherefore we give thanks to Almig...
The question has arisen about the schedule on which the bishops of Sicily are to make their visits to Rome.
Glory to God in the highest who, according as it is written, changes times, and transfers kingdoms, seeing that He has made apparent to all what He vouchsafed to speak by His prophet, That the most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomsoever he will Daniel 4:17. For in the incomprehensible dispensation of Almighty God there are ...