A letter from Gregory I, pope (09/0593)

Translated letter:

Gregory to Theodelind, queen of the Lombards. The report of certain people has reached us that your glory was led to this offense against the holy church by certain bishops, so that you might be suspended from the communion of catholic unanimity. The more purely we love you, the more strongly we grieve for you that you believe ignorant and foolish men who not only do not know what they say, but can scarcely understand what they hear. For they say that in the time of Justinian of pious memory some things were established against the synod of Chalcedon. Who, since they do not read or do not believe what they read, remain in that error which they themselves had made up about us. For we confessed, with conscience as witness, that nothing has been changed, nothing violated from the faith of the holy council of Chalcedon. But whatever was done in the time of the foresaid Justinian is so done that the faith of the Chalcedon council is disturbed in no thing. If anyone presumed to say or know something against the faith of that synod, we would denounce his sense under the imposition of anathema. Since, therefore, you know our integrity by the testimony of our conscience, you must never separate from the communion of the catholic church, lest your many tears and good works perish, if they be found alien to the true faith. It is fitting therefore that your glory send with all speed and indicate by letter to that most reverend brother and my co-bishop Constantine, whose faith and life have long been known to me, that you accept his ordination favorably and that you will in no way be separated from the communion of his church. Although I think it is superfluous for me to say this to you, since there was some doubt in your spirit, now with my son John the abbot and the notary Hippolytus come, I think it has been removed from your heart.

Original letter:

Gregorius Theodelindae Reginae Langobardorum. Quorundam ad nos relatione pervenit, ab aliquibus episcopis gloriam vestram usque ad hoc scandalum contra sanctam ecclesiam fuisse perductam, ut sese a catholicae unanimitatis communione suspenderet. Quod quantum vos pure diligimus tantum de vobis fortius dolemus, quia vos imperitis stultisque hominibua creditis, qui non solum ea quae loquuntur nesciunt, sed vix ea percipere quae audierint possunt. Dicunt enim piae memoriae Iustiniani temporibus aliqua contra Chalcedonensem synodum fuisse constituta. Qui dum neque legunt neque legentibus credunt in ipso errore manent, quem sibi de nobis ipsi finxerunt. Nos enim teste conscientia fatemur, de fide eiusdem sancti Chalcedonensis concilii nihil motum, nihil esse violatum. Sed quicquid praedicti Iustiniani temporibus actum est ita actum est, ut fides Chalcedonensis concilii in nullo vexaretur. Si quis autem contra eiusdem synodi fidem aliquid loqui praesumit vel sapere, nos eius sensum sub interpositione anathematis detestamur. Cum ergo integritatem nostram ex conscientiae nostrae adtestatione cognoscitis superest, ut vos numquam a catholicae ecclesiae communione separetis, ne tot vestrae lacrimae, tantaque bona opera pereant, si a fide vera inveniuntur aliena. Decet ergo gloriam vestram ad reverentissimum fratrem et coepiscopum meum Constantium, cuius et fides et vita olim mihi bene est adprobata, sub omni celeritate transmittere, eique directis epistolis indicare, ordinationem eius quam benigne suscepistis, et quia ab eius ecclesiae communione in nullo separamini. Quamvis in hae me vobis dicere superfiue arbitror, quia etsi quid in vestro animo dubietatis fuit, iam veniente filio meo Iohanne abbate atque Yppolito notario ex corde vestro arbitror fuisse sublatum.

Historical context:

The pope warns the queen not to believe bishops who say the doctrine established by the council of Chalcedon has been modified.

Printed source:

MGH Greg I Reg, 4.4, 1.236, dated September 593.

Date:

09/0593