To Felix, Bishop of Messina, Declining His Gifts

Gregory to Felix, and so on.

When customs are found to lay a burden on churches, it is right for us to consider them and put an end to them, so that no one is forced to contribute to the very quarter from which he ought rather to expect contributions. Accordingly, it is your duty to keep the custom of the clergy and others untouched, and to send them every year what has been customary. But from now on we forbid you to send anything to us. And since we take no delight in presents, we received with thanks the Palmatianae that your fraternity sent us, but we had them sold for a fair price, and we have sent that price separately to your fraternity, so that you should not bear the cost. Further, since we have learned that your love wishes to come to us, we urge you by this letter not to take the trouble of coming. Instead, pray for us, so that the farther apart we are by the length of the road, the more closely we may be joined to one another in mind by love, with the help of Christ. In this way, helping each other by our prayers for one another, we may hand back our office unharmed to the Judge who is to come. [c]