To Cyriacus, Bishop of Constantinople, Asking Him to Give Up the Proud Title

Gregory to Cyriacus, bishop of Constantinople. We have received the letters of your blessedness, which speak to us in words not of the tongue but of the soul. For they open your mind to me, though it was not closed to me, since I keep in myself the experience of the same sweetness. That is why I continually give thanks to Almighty God: since, if love, the mother of the virtues, abides in your heart toward us, you will never lose the branches of good works, seeing that you keep the very root of goodness. You ought, then, to show the beauty of this love to me and to all your brothers first of all by this good work: by hurrying to give up that word of pride by which grave offense is caused in the churches. So you will fulfill in every way what is written, “Being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4, verse 3), and again, “Give the adversary no occasion to speak reproachfully” (First Timothy 5, verse 14). For true love will be shown if there is no schism among us through an example of pride. For my part, I call Jesus to witness in my soul that I do not wish to give occasion of offense to anyone among men, from the highest to the lowest. I want all to be great and honored, but in such a way that their honor does not take away from the honor of Almighty God. For whoever longs to be honored against God is not honorable to me. But so that you may learn what good will I have toward your blessedness, I have sent my son the deacon Anatolius to the feet of our most pious lords, to satisfy their piety and your fraternity that I desire to injure no one in this matter, but to keep the humility that pleases God and the harmony of the holy church. And because the Antichrist, the enemy of God, is near at hand, I earnestly desire that he may find nothing belonging to himself, not only in the conduct but even in the titles of priests. Let what has been brought in after a new fashion, then, be removed in the same way it was brought in, and peace in the Lord will remain unbroken among us. For what pleasantness, what love, will there be among us if we cheer ourselves with words while we are galled by facts? So let your holiness act in such a way that we may feel in our inmost hearts the good things you speak of. Then, with the hearts of priests in agreement, when we pray for the life of our most pious lords, we may be counted worthy to be heard all the more, as peace lights up your prayers before the eyes of God and no stain of discord darkens them. [a]