Wearing The Pallium

Letter 3,54 - to John, bishop of Ravenna. July 593

"Try not to deviate from the rule of humility in any way. I do not mean on your own, but through the command of others or of your predecessors.
For to sum up briefly what I said above, I advise you, unless you show that these were attributed to you through privilege by the munificence of my predecessors, do not presume to wear the pallium in the streets any longer, in case you begin not to wear at masses that which you wear audaciously in the streets.
But concerning the vestry, because your Fraternity made and allowed yourself to sit down with a pallium, and to admit the sons of the Church, for a while now we have made no complaint.For we follow the opinion of the synods and refuse to punish minor faults which are denied. We accept that this has been done once or twice, but we prohibit it being done any longer. But let your Fraternity be extremely concerned in case what is still allowed under the presumption that it is just beginning may be punished more severely for continuing.
You have complained furthermore, that some men from the priestly order of the city of Ravenna, threatened by their transgressions, have become involved in serious crimes. We want you either to discuss their case there, or to send them over here to discuss the same matters, that is if the difficulties of proof are an impediment, due to the great distance of the two places."

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 272.