To Castorius the Notary, on the Pallium in the Litanies of Ravenna

Gregory to Castorius, our notary at Ravenna. When Florentinus, deacon of the church of Ravenna, dealt with us on behalf of our most reverend brother and fellow bishop Marinianus about the use of the pallium, we asked him what the ancient custom was, and he replied that the bishop of the church of Ravenna used the pallium in all the litanies. But we learned from others that this was not so, and it was plain from the letters of the former bishop John, which we showed him. He, however, said what he had been told to say. For at the time when you forbade this same John to presume to use the pallium irregularly and without due thought, he wrote to us that the ancient custom had been this: that the bishop of that city should use the pallium in the solemn litanies. We are sending you copies of his letters for your information. And when Adeodatus, a deacon of that same church, was here, he too pressed us hard about this use of the pallium. Wanting to make sure of the truth, we likewise had him questioned about what the custom was. To persuade us to believe him, and to succeed in getting what he was asking for, he testified under oath that it had been the ancient custom for the bishop of his city to use the pallium in four or five solemn litanies. [a]

So let your experience look into the matter diligently, and inquire with all care how many solemn litanies there have been from ancient times. Take care, too, to make the inquiry calling them not “the solemn” but “the greater” litanies. Then, when it appears how many of these solemn litanies there were, from what the deacon Adeodatus testified to us and what the letter of bishop John admits, we may know how often the pallium used to be worn in the litanies and may most willingly grant the privilege. But do not make this inquiry of people put forward by the clergy, but of others whom you know to be impartial. And whatever you find out after careful investigation, report it to us accurately, so that, having made sure of the truth, as we have said, we may set the mind of our brother and fellow bishop, the most reverend Marinianus, at rest.