To Fantinus the Defensor, on Jews Who Wish to Be Baptized

The Pastoral Rule and Letters

Letters, Book 8

To Fantinus the Defensor, on Jews Who Wish to Be Baptized

Gregory to Fantinus, and so on. We learn from the report of the lady abbess of the monastery of Saint Stephen in the territory of Agrigento that many of the Jews, inspired by divine grace, wish to be converted to the Christian faith, but that someone needs to go there by our order. So by the authority hereby given you, we instruct you to set aside every excuse and hurry to that place, and with God’s favor help their desire by your encouragement. If, however, it seems a long and dreary wait for them to look forward to the paschal festival, and you find them eager for baptism now, then, in case a long delay might change their minds, which God forbid, speak with our brother the bishop of that place. Let penitence and abstinence be laid on them for forty days, and then let him baptize them, under the protection of the mercy of Almighty God, on a Lord’s day or on any very notable festival that happens to come. For the nature of the present time too, because of the disaster that threatens, urges us not to put off fulfilling their desires by any delay.

Further, whichever of them you find to be poor and without enough means to buy garments for themselves, we want you to supply with garments for their baptism; and know that what you pay for them is to be entered in your accounts. But if they choose to wait for the holy season of Easter, speak again with the bishop, so that they may become catechumens for the present, and so that he may visit them often, attend to them carefully, and kindle their minds by his encouragement. Then the further off the expected festival is, the more they may prepare themselves and look forward to it with eager longing.

Furthermore, take care to find out with all zeal and diligence whether the monastery over which the lady we mentioned presides has enough means, or whether it is in any need. And whatever you truly find out, as well as what is done for those who wish to be baptized, hurry to report to us in full. The month of June, in the first indiction.