To Queen Theodelinda, on Communion with Constantius

Gregory to Theodelinda, queen of the Lombards. [a] We have learned from the report of certain persons that some bishops have led your glory so far into offense against holy church as to withdraw yourself from the communion of catholic unity. Now the more sincerely we love you, the more seriously we are troubled about you, that you believe unskilled and foolish men, who not only do not know what they are talking about, but can hardly understand what they have heard.

For they say that in the times of Justinian of pious memory some things were decreed against the Council of Chalcedon. And since they neither read for themselves nor believe those who do, they stay in the same error they invented for themselves about us. For we, with our conscience bearing witness, declare that nothing was altered and nothing violated in the faith of that same holy Council of Chalcedon, but that whatever was done in the times of Justinian was done in such a way that the faith of the Council of Chalcedon would not be disturbed in any respect. Further, if anyone presumes to say or think anything against the faith of that synod, we detest his opinion and pronounce anathema on it. Since, then, you know the soundness of our faith, with our conscience as its witness, it remains for you never to separate yourself from the communion of the catholic church, so that all those tears of yours and all those good works may not come to nothing, as they would if they were found to be strangers to the true faith. So it is fitting for your glory to send word with all speed to my most reverend brother and fellow bishop Constantius, of whose faith as well as his life I have long been well assured. Tell him in your letters how gladly you have accepted his ordination, and that you are in no way separated from the communion of his church. Yet I think that what I say on this point is unnecessary. For though there was some degree of doubt in your mind, I think it was removed from your heart when my son John the abbot and Hippolytus the notary arrived. [c]