Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 446

Gregory to Eulogius, bishop of Alexandria. Charity, the mother and guardian of all good things, which by uniting binds together the hearts of many, does not reckon as absent him whom it holds present to the eyes of the mind. Since therefore, most dear brother, we are held fast in the root of this charity, no bodily absence, no remoteness of regions, shall be able to claim anything of us; for indeed we who are one are not far from one another. And we ever wish this charity to be common to us with the rest of the brethren. Yet there is something that binds us to the Church of Alexandria by a certain special bond, and by a kind of special law compels us to be more inclined in its love.

For as it is clear to all that the blessed evangelist Mark was sent to Alexandria by his master, the holy Apostle Peter, so we are bound together by the unity of this master and disciple, so that I seem to preside over the see of the disciple on account of the master, and you over the see of the master on account of the disciple. And to this unity of hearts we are bound also by the merits of your Holiness, whom we recognize to follow wholesomely the ordinances of its author, and we feel that it devotes itself with all devotion ever to the bosom of its master, from whom there arose in that place the preaching of salvation.

And so, having received the letters of your Holiness, as much as our heart rejoiced at the fraternal visitation, so much is it pressed with sadness at the burdens of which you have signified, and in fraternal compassion we groan with you over what you grieve. But because concussion everywhere extends itself in diverse ways, in a common necessity there is the less to grieve over one's own, but rather we must strive so to conquer by patiently enduring what we cannot altogether avoid. But how great are the things we suffer from the swords of the Lombards in the daily plundering, mutilation, and destruction of our citizens, we decline to relate, lest, while we speak of our own sorrows, out of the compassion which you afford us, we should increase yours.

Moreover, some time ago we sent our letters to our common son Sabinianus the deacon, who acts as our representative (responsalis) of the Church in the royal city, which he ought to have directed to your fraternity. If you have received them, we wonder why you have by no means replied to us concerning them. And therefore, because we must beware lest the pride of anyone introduce scandal into the Churches, it is necessary that, re-reading those same writings carefully, you preserve with all diligence and sure intention the things that pertain to your honour and to the peace of the Church.

May almighty God, who by the grace of His loving-kindness has bestowed upon you a priestly mind and charity, protect them in His service, and guard them from all adversity within and without, and mercifully grant that by your preaching the souls of the erring may be converted to Himself. And we have received the bearer of this letter, Isidore the deacon, our common son, with the charity that was fitting, as he brought to us the blessing of Saint Mark the evangelist. And you indeed, resplendent with the memorial of a good life, have sent us fragrant wood, such as is near to Paradise.

But we, because indeed we are sinners, have sent you from the West wood which, fit for the building of ships, signifies the tumult of our mind, ever tossed upon the waves of the sea; and indeed we wished to send larger, but this narrow ship did not receive it. In the month of August, in the fourteenth indiction.