To Adrian, Notary of Palermo, on a Husband Who Became a Monk

Gregory to Adrian, notary of Palermo. [b]

Agathosa, who brings you this letter, complains that her husband has been converted to the monastic life in the monastery of the abbot Urbicus against her will. Since this undoubtedly touches the good name and reputation of that abbot, we order your experience to look into the matter by careful inquiry, to see whether perhaps the man’s conversion was with her consent, or whether she herself had promised to change her state of life. If it is found to be so, see that he remains in the monastery, and compel her to change her state of life, as she had promised. If, however, neither of these is the case, and you do not find that the woman has committed any offense of sexual immorality for which a man is allowed to leave his wife, then, so that his conversion may not perhaps become an occasion of perdition to the wife left behind in the world, we wish you, allowing no excuse whatever, to restore her husband to her, even if he has already been tonsured. For although worldly law declares that a marriage may be dissolved for the sake of conversion even against the will of one of the parties, divine law does not allow this to be done. For except for the cause of sexual immorality, a man is on no account allowed to put away his wife, since once husband and wife have been made one body by the sexual union of marriage, that body cannot be partly converted and partly remain in the world.