Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 523

Gregory to Marinianus, bishop of Ravenna. The bearers of these presents, the most illustrious men Vicedominus and Defensor, have come, asserting that in a fortress which is called Novae a certain bishop, Joannes by name, coming from Pannonia, had been appointed, to which fortress their island, which is called Capraia, was joined as it were by diocese. They add, moreover, that, this bishop being violently withdrawn and expelled, another was ordained there. Concerning whom, however, they report that this was resolved: that he should have to dwell not in the aforesaid fortress, but in his own island.

But while he dwelt there with them, he refused to hold himself in the error of schism, and, together with all his people, gave a petition to our most excellent son Callinicus the exarch, that he might be united to the Catholic Church with all who were with him, as we have said before. But he, as they say, persuaded by the schismatics, afterwards returned to his former self; and now all that people who dwell in the aforesaid island is deprived of the protection of a priest, because, while it desires to be united to the holy Church, it can no longer receive him who has returned to the error of the schismatics; and they ask that another ought to be ordained for them.

But since it is necessary for us to search out all things strictly and subtly, we have foreseen that it ought to be ordered thus: that your Fraternity send to the same bishop, and admonish him to return to the unity of the Catholic Church and to his own people. And if, being admonished, he shall have scorned to return, the flock of God ought not to be deceived in the error of its shepherd. And therefore let your Holiness ordain a bishop there, and let it hold that same island in its own diocese, until the Istrian bishops return to the Catholic faith; so that both the rights of each Church of its diocese may be preserved, and to the people destitute of a shepherd there may not be lacking protection and the care of governance.

In all these things, nevertheless, it befits your Fraternity to watch carefully, so that that same people which comes to the Church may be the more zealously admonished, to the end that it may be constantly fixed in its return, lest by wandering thoughts it should slip back again into the pit of error. But let it strive to entreat the most excellent exarch, that he may make these same things known by his suggestions to the most pious ears of the emperors; for although the order which was delivered to him seems to have been surreptitiously obtained, nevertheless in that order he was not commanded not to permit those wishing to return to the Church, but not to compel the unwilling for the time being.

Let therefore our aforesaid son take into his own care the ordering of this cause, so that by his responses he may act to the end that whatever he shall have ordained may not become doubtful. This, moreover, we have also written to our common son Anatolius, that these things may be subtly made known to the most pious princes. From my most excellent son the lord Callinicus the exarch I have received letters assiduously and importunately on behalf of the person of Maximus. Overcome by his importunity, I had nothing which I ought further to do, save to commit the cause of the same Maximus to your Fraternity.

If, therefore, this same Maximus should come to Your Fraternity, let Honoratus, the archdeacon of his church, be brought along also, so that Your Holiness may ascertain whether he was rightly ordained, whether he has not fallen into the simoniacal heresy, whether nothing in the way of bodily crimes stands against him, whether he did not know himself to be excommunicate when he presumed to celebrate Mass; and whatever, in the fear of God, shall seem right to you, decree it, so that we, God being the author, may give our consent to your disposition. But if our aforesaid son should hold Your Fraternity in suspicion, let also our most reverend brother Constantius, bishop of Milan, come to Ravenna, sit together with you, and let you decide this same matter jointly;

and hold it for certain that whatever shall have pleased you both will please me. For just as we ought not to be obstinate toward the humble, so ought we to show ourselves strict toward the proud. Therefore let Your Fraternity, as you have learned from the pages of Holy Scripture, decree in his affair whatever you shall have weighed to be just.