Quote from Letter 8.35 to Januarius, bishop of Sardinia. August 598
We remembered that, when Abraham was asking the sons of Ephron, that is the son of Soor, for a grave, at a price, to bury his wife's body, he refused to accept a payment, so as not to appear to have made a profit from a corpse. If a pagan, therefore, showed such consideration, how much more ought we not to do this, we who are called priests?
Wherefore, I warn you not to presume to try this vice of avarice once again, not even for foreigners.
But if you ever allow someone to be buried in your church, if indeed parents, relatives of heirs want to offer something, of their own accord, for the lighting, we do not forbid you from accepting it. But we totally prohibit anything being sought or charged, in case, and it is extremely irreligious, either the church is said to be for sale (Heaven forbid!), or you appear to be rejoicing over peoples' deaths, if you are keen to make a profit in any way from their dead bodies.
We remembered that, when Abraham was asking the sons of Ephron, that is the son of Soor, for a grave, at a price, to bury his wife's body, he refused to accept a payment, so as not to appear to have made a profit from a corpse. If a pagan, therefore, showed such consideration, how much more ought we not to do this, we who are called priests?
Wherefore, I warn you not to presume to try this vice of avarice once again, not even for foreigners.
But if you ever allow someone to be buried in your church, if indeed parents, relatives of heirs want to offer something, of their own accord, for the lighting, we do not forbid you from accepting it. But we totally prohibit anything being sought or charged, in case, and it is extremely irreligious, either the church is said to be for sale (Heaven forbid!), or you appear to be rejoicing over peoples' deaths, if you are keen to make a profit in any way from their dead bodies.
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), II, 530
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