Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 221

Gregory to all the bishops established throughout Dalmatia. Although we desire frequently to visit your fraternity by letters passing to and fro, yet moreover, when the matter requires it, we wish to discharge both concerns on the single occasion of one letter, so that we may both relieve your fraternal minds by our visitation, and may more subtly explain those things which arise, lest, being unknown, they be able to confound the mind. Our brother Natalis, then, bishop of the city of Salona, when he wished to promote Honoratus, the archdeacon of his see, to the order of the presbyterate, and thereafter declined that he should rise to a higher grade, the said Honoratus had, by a supplication sent to my predecessor of holy memory, requested that he not be advanced unwillingly to this order.

For he declared that this was being done to him not for the sake of promoting him, but on account of ingratitude. On which matter our predecessor of holy memory had then already directed writings to Natalis, our brother and fellow-bishop, forbidding him to promote the aforesaid archdeacon Honoratus unwillingly, nor to retain in his heart the grief of the ingratitude he had conceived. And when these things had been most strictly forbidden both by us and to him, not only neglecting the commands of God, but also despising our writings, he attempted cunningly to degrade the aforesaid archdeacon, as is said, contrary to custom, as though promoting him to a stronger honour. Whence it came about that, this man having been removed from the place of the archdiaconate, he summoned another who might minister in the place of the deposed archdeacon.

Which Honoratus we judge could have displeased his prelate for this reason, namely, that he forbade him to give the sacred vessels to his kinsfolk. This cause both then my predecessor of holy memory, and now I, wished to examine by subtle investigation; but he himself, conscious to himself, forbore to send a person to the judgement, lest the truth of his deeds, once examined, might be able to appear. We therefore, having so often admonished him by writings, and finding him hitherto pertinaciously obstinate, have taken care, by writings again directed through the bearer of this letter, to admonish him, that he should receive back the archdeacon Honoratus into his former place, the bearer of this letter at once joining him.

But if, his heart being still hardened, he should perhaps put off obstinately to recall him to the same grade, we command that he be deprived of the use of the pallium, which was granted from this see, on account of the contumacy so many times committed. And if indeed, even the pallium being lost, he shall still persevere in the same obstinacy, that he be removed also from participation in the Lord's Body and Blood. For it is just that he should find harsh in matters of justice those whom, though set toward him in charity, he despises. We therefore not even now depart from the path of that justice which the aforesaid prelate has scorned;

but, that man having been restored to his place, whose fault was in no way manifest to us, we command bishop Natalis to send to us an instructed person, who may by his allegations be able to demonstrate to us that his intention is right. For we have also caused this same archdeacon to come, so that, the assertions of the parties being known, we may decree whatever is just, whatever is pleasing to Almighty God. For we defend no one out of personal affection, but, God being our author, we keep the norm of justice, all respect of any person whatever being set aside.