Presbyters Uniwersytet Warszawski
ID
ER 2297
Gregory the Great asks Bishop Maximianus of Syracuse (Sicily) to send to him an anonymous presbyter from his province who is worthy of episcopate. Gregory the Great, Letter 2.21, AD 592.
Letter 2.21 to Bishop Maximianus of Syracuse (March 592)
 
Gregorius Maximiano episcopo Syracusano
 
Felix uir clarissimus praesentium lator edocuit nos esse quendam in illis partibus presbyterum, qui ad episcopatus ordinem prouehi probatae uitae merito dignus appareat. Hunc ergo fraternitas tua coram se deduci faciat, eumque sicut certus sum propter animae periculum diligenter examinet. Quem si ad hunc prouehi gradum dignum esse perspexerit, ad nos studeat destinare, ut eum, Domino disponente, loco cui praeuiderimus possimus ordinare pastorem.
Praesentium uero latorem Felicem uirum clarissimum cartularium salua fraternitati tuae iustitia commendamus, quatenus in his quae iuste poposcerit paternum inuenire possit affectum.
 
(ed. Norberg 1982: 108)
Letter 2.21 to Bishop Maximianus of Syracuse (March 592)
 
Gregory to Maximianus, bishop of Syracuse
 
Felix, a most distinguished man, who bears this letter, has informed us that there is a presbyter in those parts who appears worthy of promotion to the rank of bishop, due to merit of his upright live. Therefore let your Fraternity arrange for him to be brought before you, and examine him diligently over the danger to his soul, of which I am certain. If you perceive that he deserves to be promoted to this rank, take care to send him to us, so that we can consecrate him bishop over a place that we shall provide for him, with the Lord's disposition.
We recommend the bearer of this letter, Felix, a most distinguished man and my private secretary, to your Fraternity, with justice observed, so that he can find your paternal good-will in that he will justly demand.
 
(trans. Martyn 2004: 206, slightly altered by J. Szafranowski)

Discussion:

"In those parts" (in illis partibus) may indicate Syracuse, but it can also apply to the whole of Sicily, since Maximianus was granted authority over all Sicilian clergy (letter 2.5).

Place of event:

Region
  • Italy south of Rome and Sicily
  • Rome
City
  • Syracuse
  • Rome

About the source:

Author: Gregory the Great
Title: Letters, Epistulae, Epistolae, Registrum epistularum, Registrum epistolarum
Origin: Rome (Rome)
Denomination: Catholic/Nicene/Chalcedonian
Gregory, later called the Great (Gregorius Magnus), was born ca 540 to an influential Roman family with some connection to the ancient gens Anicia. His great-great-grandfather was Felix III, who served as the bishop of Rome from 526 to 530. Possibly, Agapetus I, pope between 535 and 536, was his relative as well. Little is known about his early career, but in 573 Gregory ascended to the high office of city prefect. Shortly afterwards, however, he resigned from his post and adopted the monastic way of life. He founded a monastery dedicated to St. Andrew within his family estate on Coelian Hill, next to the library established by Agapetus and Cassiodorus. Six other monasteries were founded in the estates his family owned in Sicily. Soon after his monastic conversion, he started to be given various tasks by Popes Benedict I (575–578) and Pelagius II (578–590). At that time, he was ordained a deacon. Between 579 and 585/6, Gregory acted as Pelagius` envoy in Constantinople. In 590, he was elected Pelagius` successor to the bishopric of Rome. The registry of his letters contained copies of Gregory`s papal correspondence up to his death in 604. The scope of Gregory`s original registry is still the subject of scholarly speculation. There are 854 extant letters gathered in fourteen volumes, most of them (686 letters) originating from the collection compiled at the time of Pope Hadrian I (772–795).
 
It is worth remembering that the majority of Gregory’s correspondence was jointly produced by the pope and his subordinates, see Pollard 2013.
Edition:
D. Norberg ed., S. Gregorii Magni Registrum Epistularum, Corpus Christianorum: Series Latina 140, 140A, Turnhout 1982.
 
Translation:
The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. J.R.C. Martyn, Mediaeval Sources in Translation 40, Toronto 2004.
Bibliography:
R.M. Pollard, A Cooperative Correspondence: The Letters of Gregory the Great, in: M. Dal Santo, B. Neil (eds.), A Companion to Gregory the Great, Leiden-Boston 2013, pp. 291–312.

Categories:

Ecclesiastical transfer
Further ecclesiastical career - Bishop
Described by a title - Presbyter/πρεσβύτερος
Reverenced by
Relation with - Bishop/Monastic superior
Shortage of clergy
Please quote this record referring to its author, database name, number, and, if possible, stable URL: J. Szafranowski, Presbyters in the Late Antique West, ER2297, http://presbytersproject.ihuw.pl/index.php?id=6&SourceID=2297