To Dominicus, Bishop of Carthage, on the Synod Against the Heretics

Gregory to Dominicus, bishop of Carthage. Prosper, your delegate, who brings this letter, has been with us. After other expressions of your love, he handed us your second letter, together with a citation of the imperial orders and a paper giving an account of the synod that has been held among you. Having read it all, we rejoiced at your pastoral zeal, and that our most pious lords had paid no attention to the slanders brought against you, on the pretext of religion, by people who can be bought. Above all we rejoiced that your fraternity has taken such pains to protect the African province that you in no way neglect to restrain the crooked sects of the heretics with a priest’s fervor. On quieting them we remember having laid down the rule so fully, even before we consulted the letters of your love, that we do not believe anything needs to be said to you about them again in reply. But although this is so, and although we wish all heretics always to be held down with vigor and reason by catholic priests, yet on looking thoroughly into what has been done among you, we are in fact afraid that offense may be given by it to the primates of other councils, which may the Lord prevent. For at the end of your proceedings you issued a sentence in which, while ordering that those heretics be searched out, you also laid down that those who neglect this duty are to be punished by the loss of their possessions and their offices. It is therefore best, most dear brother, that while we deal with matters outside ourselves that need correcting, love among ourselves should be kept first, and that we should be submissive in mind even to those below us in rank, as I judge is especially fitting for your gravity. For you will meet the errors of the heretics to better effect with all your powers united when, as befits your priesthood, you take care to keep the church’s harmony among yourselves. [a]