Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 153

Gregory to bishops Bacauda and Agnellus. The Jews dwelling at Terracina have petitioned us, that they might have license by our authority also to hold the place which they have hitherto had for a synagogue. But since it has reached us that this place was so near the church that even the voice of those chanting the psalms reached to it, we wrote to our brother and fellow-bishop Peter, that if it were so that the voice from that place resounded in the church, it should be deprived of the celebrations of the Jews. Therefore let your fraternity, together with the aforesaid brother and our fellow-bishop, diligently inspect the place itself;

and if it is so that anything shall have been seen to have harmed the church, provide another place within the same fortified town, where the aforesaid Jews may gather, so that they can celebrate their ceremonies without hindrance. But let your fraternity so provide such a place that no complaint may thereafter arise in the future. Yet we forbid the aforesaid Jews to be burdened or afflicted contrary to the order of reason; but, just as they are permitted to live by the Roman laws, let them, justice consenting, dispose of their affairs as they know how, with none hindering; still, let it not be lawful for them to have Christian slaves. Gregory to John, bishop of the old city (Orvieto).

Agapitus, abbot of the monastery of Saint George, has informed us that he suffers many grievances from your holiness, and not only in those matters which in time of need could bring some support to the monastery; but also that you forbid Masses to be celebrated in that same monastery, and prohibit the dead to be buried there as well. If this is so, we exhort you to desist from such inhumanity; and permit the dead to be buried there and Masses to be celebrated, with no further contradiction being made, lest the aforesaid venerable man Agapitus be again compelled to lodge a complaint concerning the things that have been said.