To the Emperor Maurice, on the Choice of Cyriacus

Gregory to Maurice Augustus. Almighty God, who has made your piety the guardian of the church’s peace, preserves you by the same faith that you preserve through unity among priests. And when you humbly submit your heart to the yoke of heaven’s loving-kindness, heavenly grace brings it about that you tread your enemies under the foot of courage. For it cannot be of small benefit that, when John of holy memory had departed this life, your piety hesitated a long time and put off the decision for a while, seeking counsel in the fear of Almighty God, so that the cause of God might be settled, as it should be, with great fear. From this, too, I think that my brother and fellow priest Cyriacus is shown to be exceedingly fit for pastoral rule, since it was the long deliberation of your piety that raised him to this rank. And we all know how diligent and how practiced he has long been in managing the church’s affairs. So I do not doubt that it has been brought about by God’s ordering that one who had managed the least things well should rightly take up the greater, and should pass from the charge of business to the government of souls. That is why in all our prayers we beg Almighty God to repay this good work to the Serenity of our lords and to their devout children, both in the present world and with an everlasting recompense. And we beg him to grant to my brother and fellow priest named above, who has been set over the Lord’s flock, to show himself fully careful in the care of souls. So may he be able, beyond reproach, both to correct what is wrong in those under him and to nurture what is right to further growth, so that your piety’s judgment about him may be approved not only before men but also before the eyes of the Majesty on high. [a]

As for the venerable men George the presbyter and Theodore the deacon, I have not allowed them to be delayed in this city, in view of my lords’ command and the approach of the winter season. [c]