To Castorius the Notary, on the Pallium at Ravenna

Gregory to Castorius, and so on. [a]

The magnificent lord Andrew keeps pressing me to restore the use of the pallium in the church of Ravenna according to ancient custom. And you know that Bishop John wrote to me that it had been the custom for the bishops of that church to use the pallium in the solemn litanies. Adeodatus, a deacon of that church, when he earnestly begged me about the same matter, satisfied me on oath that the bishops of that place had been accustomed to use the pallium in the litanies four times a year. But the lord Andrew I spoke of says in his letters that the bishop of Ravenna used to wear the pallium in the litanies at all times except in Lent. And he claims that these litanies, which he does not blush to say were daily, were solemn ones. This has utterly astonished me. [b]

But let your experience respect no man’s person and no man’s words; keep only the fear of God and uprightness before your eyes. Inquire of the older people, and of the archdeacon of that same church, who would not, I think, perjure himself for another man’s honor, and of others of long standing who were in sacred orders before the time of Bishop John, or of any others of riper age who are not in holy orders. Let them come before the body of Saint Apollinaris and, touching his tomb, swear what the custom was before the time of Bishop John. For, as you know, he was a man who presumed a great deal, and in his pride tried to claim many things for himself. And whatever is sworn to by faithful and serious men, in the form set out below, we wish to be kept in that church. But see that you do not act carelessly, and that no one corrupts your faithfulness and devotion in this matter, for I know your zeal. Act diligently, but in such a way that the church is not brought down against justice, and keeps the usage that existed before the time of Bishop John. Moreover, to satisfy yourself, do not inquire of two or three people, but of as many as you can find who are of long standing and serious character. In this way we will neither deny that church what has been its ancient custom nor grant it what has lately been coveted and attempted. But do everything kindly and gently, so that your action may be strict and your tongue mild.

Bring the sword that was left at Ravenna here with you, as we have already written. And attend carefully to what our son Boniface the deacon and the magnificent Maurentius the chartularius have written to you about.

I swear by the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the inseparable Trinity of divine power, and by this body of the blessed martyr Apollinaris, that I give my testimony out of favor to no person and with no advantage to myself coming into it. But this I know, and know of my own knowledge: that before the time of the late Bishop John, the bishop of Ravenna had the custom of using the pallium in the presence of this or that apocrisiarius of the Apostolic See, on such and such days; and I am not aware that he took this on himself secretly, or in the apocrisiarius’s absence. [e]