Pastoral Rule, Dialogues & Letters 666

Gregory to Domitian, metropolitan bishop. How great is the sincerity of charity in your mind, the very matter also testifies, in that you cease not to preserve toward the absent the affection of love which you exhibit toward those placed before you. Hence the testimony of your letters has greatly provoked us to love our common son the glorious Leontius, because, while you indicated him to be joined to your holiness in friendship, it is shown what kind of man he now is, namely because none but a good man could please a good man. And therefore not undeservedly is he to be loved, who is found to be familiarly joined to you. But the same glorious man has kept himself in Sicily, and has not yet come to the city of Rome.

Nevertheless, in those things which have been enjoined upon him for the public utility by the command of our most serene lords, insofar as reason permits, we have by no means deferred to give support. For we have zealously taken care to exhort the glorious Gregorius, ex-prefect, and others who resided in the ecclesiastical enclosures, that they ought to go out and set forth their accounts. Who, going out, together with Marcus the magnificent man, the Scribo, who had come for their production, having received the word, are prepared to go to Sicily.

Besides, concerning the substance of Bishop Theodore, which you wrote to have been subjected to the right of your Church, there was nothing further or other that could be done, than that we should commit the hearing of this business to the aforementioned most glorious Leontius, concerning whom you testify so much, and to whom you also assert the case itself to have been entrusted, and to John our brother and fellow bishop, of whose holiness and solicitude we are certain; exhorting them both to strive to investigate the truth with all subtlety, and so, according to justice, to impose the sooner an end to the contentions of the parties, that neither may a long delay be able to retain there the men of your holy fraternity, nor may the other party, unheard, complain that it suffers prejudice.

For whatever shall have been decreed for the one party in this matter, be assured that it will be fulfilled without delay. For just as we do not wish anyone to be condemned without judgment, so what shall have been defined, we suffer to be deferred by no excuse. But may Almighty God cover you round about with His protection and propitiation, and preserve your steps in the path of His fear, and rouse you to pray for me, that both by your intercessions my endeavors may be directed into the way of life.