A letter from Gregory I, pope (June 22, 601)

Translated letter:

Gregory to Brunhild queen of the Franks As it is written: “Justice raises the nation up, sin makes the people miserable” [cf.Prov.14:34], so a kingdom is considered stable when a known fault is swiftly corrected. It has come to us by the report of many, what we can not say without deepest affliction of the heart, that certain priests in those parts live wickedly and without shame, which is shameful for us to hear and lamentable to tell. To prevent, therefore, the sense of this wickedness extending so far that foreign perversion strikes our soul or your kingdom with the dart of sin, we must rise ardently to punish, so the crime of a few can not become the perdition of many. For the evils of priests are the cause of a people’s ruin. For who could offer himself as intercessor for the sins of the people if the priest, who ought to pray commits more serious [sins]? But since sollicitude does not stir them to ask nor zeal to punish, whose place it is to pursue these, let your writings speak to us and we will send, if you order it, a person who with the consent of your authority may subtlely seek out these things together with other priests and correct them according to God. For what we say should not be concealed, since one who can correct but fails to do so makes himself a participant in the crime, without any doubt. Look therefore to your soul, look to your grandsons, whom you wish to reign happily, look to the provinces and, before our creator moves his hand to strike, think zealously about correcting this crime, lest he strike more sharply afterward the longer he now waits mercifully. Know however that you offer great sacrifice of expiation to our God if you cut out the disease of the crime swiftly from your territories. Given on the tenth kalend of July, 4th indiction.

Original letter:

Gregorius Brunigildae reginae Francorum. Cum scriptum sit: “Iustitia elevat gentem, miseros autem facit populos peccatum,” tunc regnum stabile creditur, cum culpa quae cognoscitur citius emendatur. Multorum igitur ad non relatione pervenit, quod dicere sine afflictione cordis nimia non valemus, ita quondam sacerdotes in illis partibus impudice ac nequiter conversari, ut et audire nobis opprobrium et lamentabile sit referre. Ne ergo, postquam huius nequitiae huc usque se tetendit opinio, aliena pravitas aut nostrum animam aut regnum vestrum peccati sui iaculo feriat, ardenter ad haec debemus ulciscenda consurgere, ne paucorum facinus multorum possit esse perditio. Nam causa sunt ruinae populi sacerdotes mali. Quis enim pro populi se peccatis intercessor obiciat, si sacerdos, qui exorare debuerat, graviora committat? Sed quoniam eos quorum haec locus est insequi nec sollicitudo ad requisitionem nec zelus excitat ad vindictam, scripta ad nos vestra discurrant, et personam, si praecipitis, cum vestrae auctoritatis assensu transmittimus, quae una cum aliis sacerdotibus haec et suptiliter quaerere et secundum Deum debeat emendare. Nec enim sunt dissimulanda quae dicimus, quia qui emendare potest et neglegit, participem se procul dubio delicti constituit. Providete ergo animae vestrae, providete nepotibus, quos cupitis regnare feliciter, providete provinciis et, priusquam creator noster manum suam ad feriendum excutiat, de correctione huius sceleris studiosissime cogitate, ne tanto postmodum acrius feriat, quanto modo diutius et clementer expectat. Scitote autem, quia magnum Deo nostro sacrificium placationis offertis, si tanti labem facinoris de vestris citius finibus amputatis. Data die X. kalendarum Iuliarum — indictione IIII.

Historical context:

Gregory asks the queen to allow him to send priests to correct those in Gaul who are living in sin and constituting a danger to their flocks and to the kingdom.

Printed source:

MGH, Gregorii Pape Registrum Epistolarum, ep.11.46, 2.318-19, HGF4 ep.35 p.32-33

Date:

June 22, 601