Keys of Saint Peter

Quote from Letter 4,41 to Boniface, a magnificent man, of Africa. August 594.

But for your sake, come and present yourself to the abode of Saint Peter, the prince of the apostles. And, unless I demonstrate all that I wrote, through a reading, depart with whatever disputation you want. However, I exhort you, while a stretch of life remains, not to allow your soul to be found divided from the Church of the same Saint Peter, to whom the keys of the heavenly kingdom have been entrusted, and the power of bin,ding and releasing has been attributed. Otherwise, if his benefit is despised here, he may close the gateway to life there.

Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 320