To Antoninus the Subdeacon, on Bishop Florentius

Gregory to Antoninus, and so on. [a]

It has come to our ears that Florentius, bishop of the city of Epidaurus, first had his property seized and was then condemned, without a council of priests, for certain crimes that were not proved. Since he ought not to suffer the punishment of the canons when no sentence according to the canons has been pronounced to condemn him, we charge your experience to press our brother and fellow bishop Natalis to have this man recalled from the banishment into which he is said to have been driven. Then let a council of bishops be assembled. If the charges brought against him are proved according to the canons, we wish the sentence of our brother and fellow bishop Natalis to take effect against him. But if he is acquitted by a common judgment, you must not let anyone do him harm, and you must carefully and firmly insist that his property be restored to him. So the heavier you feel the burden of such business to be, the more mature and watchful you must take care to be in carrying it out. [b]