To Fortunatus, Bishop of Naples, on Slaves of Jews Who Wish to Become Christians

Gregory to Fortunatus, bishop of Naples. [a]

We have written to your fraternity before now that if any slaves, by the inspiration of God, wish to come from Jewish superstition to the Christian faith, their masters are not free to sell them, but from the time they declare their wish they have a full claim to freedom. But we have learned that the Jewish masters, weighing neither our wish nor the ordinances of the law with any fine care, think they are not bound by this condition in the case of pagan slaves. Your fraternity ought to attend to such cases. If any one of their slaves, whether he is a Jew or a pagan, wishes to become a Christian, then after his wish has been openly declared, let no one of the Jews have power to sell him under cover of any device or argument whatever; but let the one who wishes to be converted to the Christian faith be supported by you in every way in his claim to freedom.

However, so that those who are to lose slaves of this kind may not think their interests are unreasonably harmed, it is fitting that you observe this rule with careful consideration. If pagans who have been brought out of foreign parts to be traded should happen to flee to the church and say that they wish to become Christians, or should announce this wish even outside the church, then the Jewish owners may receive their price, that is, from a Christian buyer, up to the end of three months, during which a buyer may be looked for to sell them to. But if any one of these slaves declares his wish and desire to become a Christian after those three months, let no one dare to buy him afterwards, and let not his master dare to sell him under color of any occasion whatever; but let him freely obtain the benefit of freedom, since in that case the master is understood to have acquired him not for sale but for his own service. Let your fraternity, then, observe all these things so watchfully that neither anyone’s pleading nor regard for any person may avail to lead you astray.