教牧守則·對話錄與書信 第 271 章

Gregory to Gratiosus, bishop of Nomentum. After the enemy's impiety, our sins so bringing it to pass, has thus desolated the churches of the various cities, that no hope of restoring them has remained, the people having failed, we are constrained by a yet greater care lest, when their priests are dead, the remnant of the people, no governance of a pastor ruling them, should, God forbid, be snatched away through the trackless ways of faith by the snares of the cunning foe. Being often, therefore, admonished by the solicitude of this matter, this counsel has settled in our heart: that we should commit them to be governed by the neighbouring pontiffs.

And therefore we have foreseen that there should be committed to Your Fraternity the care and governance of the Church of Saint Anthemius, situated in the territory of Cures of the Sabines, which it is necessary to be aggregated and united to your Church, so that you may, with Christ's help, be able rightly to exist as priest of both Churches, and to take care to dispose of whatever things shall have seemed to you, by vigilant and canonical judgement, concerning its patrimony or the ordination and promotion of the clergy; for, as being its proper pontiff, you shall have free licence from this present permission of ours.

Wherefore, most dear brother, mindful of the Lord's commandments, so wholesomely keep watch in the government of the people committed to you and in the winning of souls, that, when you are set before the tribunal of the eternal Judge, you may present to our same Redeemer the fruit of good labour, which may pertain to your reward, in which you may be able to rejoice. In the month of February, in the second indiction. (Compare John the Deacon, book 3, chapter 13.)