Love Your Neighbor

Letter 1,43 - to all the bishops throughout Illyria. May 591.

"You should (therefore) show yourself obedient in this matter, and first of all to the heavenly Prince, and you should consent to the emperor's orders also, that is, you should freely undertake to console the brethren and fellow bishops, who are oppressed also by the difficulties of captivity and of diverse shortages of live, and to have them live with you with Church support.
The dignity of the episcopal throne should certainly not be divided through this communion, but they should be allowed to receive sufficient sustenance from the Church, as far as is possible.
Thus, we are shown to love both our neighbor in God and God in our neighbor. For although we have attributed no authority to them in your churches, yet we encourage you most strongly to support them with your consolation."

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 169.