Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 297

Gregory to the clergy of the church of Salona. On reading again the writings of your Charity, we have learned that you have made your election in favor of your honorable archdeacon; and know that it has been altogether pleasing to us that you have chosen for the rank of the episcopate a man long proven and grave in character. Whose person we too approve, since he has long been well known to us, and we have willed that he be ordained your priest according to your desire. On which account we exhort you to persist in his election without any ambiguity.

Nor ought any matter to turn you aside from his person; for just as this present election is now proved praiseworthy, so if—which God forbid—anyone should seduce your Charity to swerve away from him, it will bring both a burden upon your souls and a stain of unfaithfulness upon your reputation. But those who dissent from the unity of your desired election, that they may be able to be of one mind with you, we have caused to be admonished by Antoninus, our subdeacon. To whom we have also already enjoined what ought to be done concerning the person of Malchus, our brother and fellow bishop. But since we have written to him himself as well, we believe that he will without delay cease from disturbing you.

But if perchance he should in any way neglect to obey, his obstinacy shall by all means be punished with the severity of canonical vengeance.