Quote from Letter 7,7 to Maurice, Patrick, Peter, Domitian and Elpidius, bishops of Greece. October 596
Furthermore, your Fraternity ought to apply yourselves to continual prayers, praying that almighty God may guard in our aforesaid brother and fellowpriest [Cyriacus, patriarch of Constantinople], what he has begun well, and may always lead him on to better things.
This should be your prayer, most holy men, this your constant prayer for the people placed under his care. For the merits of rulers and of common people are so interconnected with each other, that often lives of subjects become worse through the fault of those in charge, and often the life of pastors is blamed because of the fault of the common people. For an evil action by one in charge may greatly harm his subjects, to which the Pharisees bear witness, about whom it is written: ' You close the kingdom of heaven before human beings. For you do not enter yourselves, not do you allow etrance to those trying to enter' (Mt 23:130.
Furthermore, your Fraternity ought to apply yourselves to continual prayers, praying that almighty God may guard in our aforesaid brother and fellowpriest [Cyriacus, patriarch of Constantinople], what he has begun well, and may always lead him on to better things.
This should be your prayer, most holy men, this your constant prayer for the people placed under his care. For the merits of rulers and of common people are so interconnected with each other, that often lives of subjects become worse through the fault of those in charge, and often the life of pastors is blamed because of the fault of the common people. For an evil action by one in charge may greatly harm his subjects, to which the Pharisees bear witness, about whom it is written: ' You close the kingdom of heaven before human beings. For you do not enter yourselves, not do you allow etrance to those trying to enter' (Mt 23:130.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 460
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