To Maximus of Salona, a Second Summons and a Ban on Saying Mass

Gregory to Maximus, intruder in the church of Salona. [a]

While you look for one excuse or another and put off obeying our letters, and while you put off coming to us so that the truth may be established after being warned so often, you make what is alleged against you all the more believable. Even if there had been nothing else to tell against you and harm you, your delay alone would make you guilty and accuse you. Humble yourself at last, submit to obedience, and make haste to come to us without any excuses, so that, once the truth has been looked into and established in the fear of God, whatever is fair and in keeping with the canons may be decided. For be assured that we will keep justice and the rules of the canons toward you, and by the revelation of God, who is the Author of truth, we will bring your case to an end in keeping with justice. As for your demand that we send someone to your city, in whose presence the things alleged might be proved, this would be excusable to some degree if reason ever laid the burden of proof on the accused. But since this burden lies not on you but on your accusers, do not hesitate to come to us, as we said before, and put it off no longer. Then either your accuser will be present without delay to support with fitting proof what has been alleged about the heresy of simony or other things, or else, as far as a sound settlement of this business goes, it will certainly be dealt with justly, through the intervention of Peter, prince of the apostles. In this way no guilt for looking the other way may put us to shame before God, now that these things have come to our knowledge. As for your claim that our most serene lords have ordered the matter to be heard in your city, we for our part have received no other commands of theirs on the subject except that you were to come to us. But perhaps, busy as they are with many thoughts and anxieties for the good of the state granted to them by the divine bounty, this was suggested to them and a command was obtained from them by stealth. Even so, since we and everyone know how our most pious lords love discipline, respect ranks, revere the canons and keep from involving themselves in the cases of priests, we will still carry out urgently what is for the good both of their souls and of the state, and what we are driven to by regard for the terrible and dreadful judgment. [b]

So stop making excuses and do not delay to appear here, so that, strengthened by an inquiry into the truth, we may at last bring your case to an end. We have been told that you are very much afraid, and quite in a panic, that we will punish you for the known fact that you forced your way irregularly into the order of the priesthood without our consent. This was indeed an intolerable offense. But in keeping with the commands of our most serene lord the emperor, we forgive you this, provided that you no longer persist in any way in the error of your defiance, and we are not at all moved against you on this account. But other things that have been reported to us we cannot let pass without inquiry.

Long ago we sent you a letter warning you on no account to dare to celebrate the solemn rites of mass until we had learned the will of our most serene lord. You cunningly arranged for that letter not to come into your hands, though you knew in one way or another what it said, and you refused to obey it. We therefore confirm what was sent to you in writing before: you must not dare to celebrate the solemn rites of mass until everything alleged against you has been thoroughly inquired into and sifted. And if, with perverse daring, you presume to celebrate, know that you are not free of the earlier threat of being barred from communion. For even if there were no other transgressions, we deprive you of the communion of the body and blood of the Lord for this sin of pride alone. So, showing the obedience that becomes you, make haste, as we have said, with all diligence to come to us. You are to have thirty days to prepare for your journey; and then, laying aside all excuses, do not put off your appearance here.

Moreover, if some reason for hindering your journey has arisen from the judges, or the soldiers, or the people, we recognize the skill with which such things are arranged. See for yourself, then, what account of this obligation you can give, either to men here or to Almighty God at the judgment to come, when by your contempt you have provoked a strict sentence against yourself.

Furthermore, it has come to my knowledge that my brother and fellow bishop Paulinus, and Honoratus, archdeacon of the church of Salona, are suffering grievous harassment at your hands for refusing to give their consent to your presumption. They have even been forced to give guarantors, so that they are not free to leave the city or their own houses. If this is so, then on receiving this letter return at last, though late, to a sound mind, and stop harassing either of them, so that they may be free to come to me if they wish, or to go anywhere else for their own good. [c]