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| To Romanus, Patrician, and Exarch of Italy.
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Epistle XXXIII.
To Romanus, Patrician, and Exarch of Italy.
Gregory to Romanus, &c.
Even though there were no immediate cause for
writing to your Excellency, yet we ought to shew solicitude for your
health and safety so as to learn through frequent intercommunication
what we desire to hear about you. Besides, it has come to our
knowledge that Blandus, bishop of the city of Hortanum1329
| 1329 Al. Orta, in
Tuscia. | , has been detained now for a long time
by your Excellency in the city of Ravenna. And the result is that
the Church decays, being without a ruler, and the people as being
without a shepherd; and infants there, for their sins, die without
baptism1330
| 1330 This alleged
consequence of the bishop’s absence from his See does not imply
that he alone could administer baptism, but only that his authorization
was required for its administration. See Bingham, Bk. II. ch.
iii. Sect. 3, 4, and references there given: e.g. Ignat. Ep.
ad Smyrn. n. viii., “It is not lawful either to baptize or
celebrate the Eucharist without the bishop; but that which he allows is
well-pleasing to God:” Hieron. Dialog. c. Lucifer,
p. 139, “Thence it comes that, without the order of the bishop
neither presbyter nor deacon has the right of baptizing;” Can.
Apost. c. xxxviii., “Let the presbyters and deacons execute
no office without the knowledge of the bishop; for it is to him that
the Lord’s people are committed, and he must give an account of
their souls.” It was usual in episcopal cities to have only
one baptistery, connected with the bishop’s church; and these all
would be baptized, if not by the bishop himself (who was accounted the
chief minister of baptism), yet under his direction and
superintendence. Cf. Bingham, Bk. VIII., ch. vii., Sect. 6; Bk.
XI., ch. vii., Sect. 12, 13. | . And
again, since we do not believe that your Excellency has detained him
except on the ground of some probable transgression, it is proper that
a synod should be held to bring to light any crime that is charged
against him. And, if such fault is found in him as to lead to his
degradation from the priesthood, it is necessary that we should look
out for another to be ordained, lest the Church of God should remain untended, and destitute in what the
Christian religion does not allow it to be without. But, if your
Excellency should perceive that the case is otherwise with him than it
is said to be, allow him, I pray you, to return to his church, that he
may fulfil his duty to the souls committed to his charge.
The month of March; the ninth Indiction.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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