To Queen Brunhild, on Simony and Christian Slaves Held by Jews

Gregory to Brunhild, and so on. [a]

Your excellency’s royal care is praiseworthy in every matter of government. For the increase of your glory, then, you ought to show yourself all the more watchful, and take care not to let those whom you rule outwardly with counsel perish inwardly among themselves. So, through the fruit of your devoted care, after holding this highest place of an earthly kingdom, may you reach under God kingdoms and joys that are eternal. And we trust you will be able to achieve this in the following way: if, among your other good deeds, you pay attention to the ordination of priests. Their office, as we have learned, has become in your region so much an object of ambition that priests are ordained all at once from being laymen. This is a very serious matter. For what can those men accomplish, what good can they do the people, who want to be made bishops not to do good but for distinction? These men, then, who have not yet learned what they have to teach—what do they bring about, except that the unlawful promotion of a few becomes the ruin of many, and the observance of church government is thrown into confusion, since no regular order is kept? For when someone comes to the control of it rashly and in haste, with what admonition can he build up those placed under him, when his example has taught them not reason but error? It is a shame, truly, it is a shame, for someone to command others to keep what he does not know how to keep himself.

Nor do we pass over that other thing which likewise needs correcting; rather, we abhor it as utterly detestable and a most serious matter: that in your region sacred orders are conferred through the simoniac heresy, which was the first to arise against the church and was condemned with a severe curse. As a result, the dignity of the priesthood falls into contempt, and holy honor comes under condemnation. And so reverence perishes and discipline is destroyed, since the one who ought to have corrected faults has committed them; and through wicked ambition the honorable priesthood is brought under censure and disparagement. For who will any longer revere what is sold, or not think worthless what is bought? So I am greatly distressed, and I grieve with that land. For while they scorn to have as a divine gift, and get instead by bribes, the Holy Spirit, whom Almighty God deigns to give to people through the laying on of hands, I do not think the priesthood can last long there. For where the gifts of heavenly grace are sold, life is not sought for God’s service; rather, money is revered in opposition to God. Since, then, so great a wickedness is not only a danger to them but also does no small harm to your kingdom, we greet your excellency with fatherly affection and beg you to make God propitious to you by correcting this outrage. And so that there may be no further opportunity of committing it, let a synod be held by your order. At it, in the presence of our most beloved son, the abbot Cyriacus, let it be strictly forbidden under pain of anathema that anyone should dare to pass suddenly from the lay state to the rank of bishop, or that anyone at all should dare to give or receive anything for orders in the church. In this way our Lord and Redeemer may deal with what is yours as he sees you devoted, with pious care, to what is his. But we have taken special care to entrust the charge and management of this synod, which we have decided should be held, to our brother and fellow bishop Syagrius, whom we know to be very much your own. We beg you to be pleased both to listen willingly to his petition and to support him with your help, so that what will add to your reward, namely a devout and God-pleasing ordination of priests, with the infection of this evil removed, may take effect throughout all the bounds of your rule. [d]

To this brother of ours, because he has shown himself very devoted toward the mission that has been sent, under God, to the nation of the Angles, we have sent a pallium to be used at the solemn celebrations of mass, so that, having given help in spiritual things, he may find himself advanced in the spiritual order itself by the favor of the prince of the apostles. [e]

Furthermore, we have been altogether amazed that in your kingdom you allow Jews to own Christian slaves. For what are all Christians but members of Christ? And we all know that you sincerely honor the Head of these members. But let your excellency consider how inconsistent it is to honor the Head and to allow the members to be trampled on by his enemies. So we beg that your excellency’s decree may remove the harm of this wrong from your kingdom, so that you may prove yourself all the more a worthy worshiper of Almighty God by setting his faithful free from his enemies.