Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 505

Gregory to Fantinus the defender. The lady abbess of the monastery of Saint Stephen, which is established in the territory of Agrigentum, having intimated to us, we have learned that many of the Jews, the divine grace inspiring them, wish to be converted to the Christian faith; but that it is necessary that someone should go there by our mandate. Accordingly, by the tenor of this our authority we command you that, all excuse being set aside, you hasten to proceed to the aforesaid place, and, God being propitious, to aid their desire by your exhortations. Yet to these (Gratian, de consecratione, distinction 4, canon

98)—if it seems to them long or grievous to await the Paschal solemnity, and you perceive that they now hasten to baptism, lest—which God forbid—a long delay should turn their minds backward, speak with our brother the bishop of that same place, so that, after a penance and abstinence of forty days has been enjoined, he may baptize them, the mercy of Almighty God protecting them, either on the Lord's Day, or if perchance some most solemn festival should occur; for the quality of the time, on account of the disaster which threatens it, urges that their desires ought to be deferred by no delay.

But whomsoever of them you know to be poor and unable to procure clothing for themselves, we wish you to provide and furnish them the garment which they may have for baptism, in which matter you should know that the price you shall have given is to be imputed to your accounts. But if they should choose to await holy Easter, speak again with the bishop, that they may now indeed become catechumens, and that he approach them frequently, and exercise solicitude, and kindle their minds by the admonition of his exhortation; so that, the more the awaited festival is prolonged, the more they ought to prepare themselves and to await it with fervent desire.

Moreover, let it be with all zeal and diligence your endeavour to search out whether the aforesaid monastery, over which the aforesaid lady presides, is sufficient for itself, or suffers any need. And whatever you shall in truth have learned, or what shall have been done concerning those who desire to be baptized, hasten to indicate to us subtly. In the month of June, in the first indiction. (Cf. John the Deacon, book II, no. 49.)