Letter 3,37 - to Libertinus, praetor of Sicily. May 593
"But he [the Jew Nasas] is said to have both purchased Christian slaves, and allotted them to his own service and advantage. While he ought therefore to have been punished most severely for such great crimes, the glorious Justin, besmeared with the balm of avarice, as we have been informed, putt off punishing this injury to God.
But let your Glory inquire into all of this with a strict examination, and if you find that there is proof of this sort of crime, you must quickly inflict on this same wicked Jew so strict a corporal punishment, that you may obtain the grace of our God for yourself in this case.
Thus, by these examples you may show yourself to be worthy of imitation by future generations, for the reward you receive. But give their freedom of any of those Christian slaves clearly bought by him, as the law requires, without any ambiguity, so that the Christian religion is not polluted (Heaven forbid!) in subjection to Jews, Therefore correct everything so very carefully and hastily that we may not only give thanks to you for this discipline, but also provide a proof of your goodness wherever it should be necessary."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 260.
Showing posts with label Jews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jews. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Thursday, 3 February 2011
Sounds Of Singing
Letter 2,45 - to Bacauda and Angellus, bishops, with regard to the Jews. September 591 - August 592
"But because it had come to our attention that the place [the synagogue of the Jews] itself there was so close to the church, that even the sounds of those singing psalms reached it, we have written to our brother and fellow bishop, Peter, that if it were so, or a voice from the same place were audible in the entrance to the church, the place should be freed from the Jews' celebrations.
And for that reason let your Fraternity, together with the above-mentioned Peter, our brother and fellow-bishop, inspect the place itself diligently, and if it is so, or you should think that something is detrimental to the church, provide another place within the castle area itself, where the aforesaid Jews can meet together and are able to celebrate their own ceremonies without impediment.
Your Fraternity should provide such a place, if they are later deprived of this one, that no complaint arises from it in future.
However we forbid the above-mentioned Jews from being oppressed or persecuted contrary to the dictates of reason."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 226.
"But because it had come to our attention that the place [the synagogue of the Jews] itself there was so close to the church, that even the sounds of those singing psalms reached it, we have written to our brother and fellow bishop, Peter, that if it were so, or a voice from the same place were audible in the entrance to the church, the place should be freed from the Jews' celebrations.
And for that reason let your Fraternity, together with the above-mentioned Peter, our brother and fellow-bishop, inspect the place itself diligently, and if it is so, or you should think that something is detrimental to the church, provide another place within the castle area itself, where the aforesaid Jews can meet together and are able to celebrate their own ceremonies without impediment.
Your Fraternity should provide such a place, if they are later deprived of this one, that no complaint arises from it in future.
However we forbid the above-mentioned Jews from being oppressed or persecuted contrary to the dictates of reason."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 226.
Sunday, 8 August 2010
About Conversion
Letter 1,45 - to Virgil of Arles, and to Theodore, bishop of Marseilles, in Gaul. June 591.
"(In fact) a lot of the Jewish faith who reside in that province [of Gaul], and often travel in parts of Marseilles on various business, have brought to our notice that many of the Jews living in that district have been brought to the baptismal font more by force than by preaching.
For it is my opinion that the intent of this sort is certainly praiseworthy, and I acknowledge that it derives from a love of our Lord. Yet unless this same intention is accompanied by a suitable display of Holy Scripture, I am afraid that either no reward may come from there, or else losses may follow in terms of some of the souls ('God forbid!'), which we want to be saved.
For when anyone approaches the baptismal font not due to the sweetness of preaching, but under constraint, he returns to his former superstition from where he seemed to be reborn, and dies in a worse state.
Therefore, let your Fraternity call people of this sort to God with frequent preaching, so that they desire to change their old way of life more due to sweetness of their teacher. For thus what we intended is correctly accomplished, and the soul of the convert does not revert again to its former vomit."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 171.
"(In fact) a lot of the Jewish faith who reside in that province [of Gaul], and often travel in parts of Marseilles on various business, have brought to our notice that many of the Jews living in that district have been brought to the baptismal font more by force than by preaching.
For it is my opinion that the intent of this sort is certainly praiseworthy, and I acknowledge that it derives from a love of our Lord. Yet unless this same intention is accompanied by a suitable display of Holy Scripture, I am afraid that either no reward may come from there, or else losses may follow in terms of some of the souls ('God forbid!'), which we want to be saved.
For when anyone approaches the baptismal font not due to the sweetness of preaching, but under constraint, he returns to his former superstition from where he seemed to be reborn, and dies in a worse state.
Therefore, let your Fraternity call people of this sort to God with frequent preaching, so that they desire to change their old way of life more due to sweetness of their teacher. For thus what we intended is correctly accomplished, and the soul of the convert does not revert again to its former vomit."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 171.
Friday, 11 June 2010
Not By Threats But By Sweetness
Letter 1,34 - to Peter, bishop of Terracina. March 591.
"The Jew, Joseph, bearer of this letter, has informed us, concerning a certain place in which the Jews residing in the castle of Terracina had been accustomed to meet together, to celebrate their holy festivals, that your Fraternity had expelled them from it, and that they had migrated to another place to carry out their religious festivities in a similar manner, with your knowledge also, and with your consent.
And now they complain that they are being expelled once again from the same place.
But if that is so, we want your Fraternity to avoid that sort of complaint, and we want them to be allowed to gather as their custom was, at that place which they obtained for their meeting with your consent, as we said above.
For one must bring those who disagree with the Christian religion to the unity of faith, with clemency and kindness, by making suggestions and being persuasive.
Otherwise, they mau be repelled by threats and terrors, when they could be invited to believe in Christ through the sweetness of preaching and the coming terror of the future judge."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
"The Jew, Joseph, bearer of this letter, has informed us, concerning a certain place in which the Jews residing in the castle of Terracina had been accustomed to meet together, to celebrate their holy festivals, that your Fraternity had expelled them from it, and that they had migrated to another place to carry out their religious festivities in a similar manner, with your knowledge also, and with your consent.
And now they complain that they are being expelled once again from the same place.
But if that is so, we want your Fraternity to avoid that sort of complaint, and we want them to be allowed to gather as their custom was, at that place which they obtained for their meeting with your consent, as we said above.
For one must bring those who disagree with the Christian religion to the unity of faith, with clemency and kindness, by making suggestions and being persuasive.
Otherwise, they mau be repelled by threats and terrors, when they could be invited to believe in Christ through the sweetness of preaching and the coming terror of the future judge."
Cited from: The Letters of Gregory the Great, trans. John R.C. Martyn (Toronto: PIMS, 2004), I: 155.
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