Gregory the great dialogues. Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Book 4. pp. 177 2022-10-25
Gregory the great dialogues
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Gregory the Great, also known as Saint Gregory I, was a Pope of the Roman Catholic Church who lived in the 6th century. He is known for his influential writings, including the Dialogues, which are a collection of four books containing stories and teachings about the lives of saints and other religious figures.
The Dialogues were written in Latin and are considered one of the most important works of hagiography, or the study of the lives of saints. They are structured as conversations between Gregory and various figures, including Saint Benedict, Saint Jerome, and Saint Augustine. Through these dialogues, Gregory presents the lives and teachings of the saints as examples of how to live a holy and virtuous life.
One of the most famous stories in the Dialogues is the story of Saint Benedict, the founder of Western monasticism. In the dialogue, Gregory presents Benedict as a model of humility and discipline, and tells the story of how he founded the Benedictine Order and established monasteries throughout Italy. The story of Saint Benedict has had a lasting influence on the development of monasticism and the Catholic Church, and is still revered by many today.
In addition to the stories of the saints, the Dialogues also contain teachings and reflections on a wide range of topics, including salvation, the nature of God, and the role of the Church in society. Gregory's writing is characterized by his strong faith and his desire to help others understand and live out the teachings of the Church.
Overall, the Dialogues of Gregory the Great are an important and influential work that has had a lasting impact on the Catholic Church and its teachings. They offer valuable insights into the lives and teachings of the saints, and provide a rich source of inspiration and guidance for those seeking to live a virtuous and holy life.
The Dialogues of St. Gregory the Great by Pope Gregory I
Word in all haste was carried to Equitius, desiring him quickly to visit the afflicted woman, and to help her with his prayers: who so soon as he came into the garden, the devil that was entered began by her tongue, as it were, to excuse himself, saying: "What have I done? You tell me of a marvellous strange thing, and greatly to be admired. . Not many days after, God's servant travelled far off to preach unto the people in the country; after whose departure it fell out that, in the monastery of virgins which was under his charge, one of them, which in respect of her corruptible carcase seemed beautiful, fell into an ague, to be afflicted with sore fits, and not so much to speak as pitifully to cry out in this manner: "I shall die forthwith, unless Basilius come unto me, and by his skill in physic restore me to my health. There be, Peter, two kinds of martyrdoms, the one secret, the other open: for if a man hath a burning zeal in his mind to suffer death for Christ, although he endureth not any external persecution, yet hath he in secret the merit of martyrdom. At such time as he led a shepherd's life, there was an holy man that dwelt in the mountain of Argentario: whose religious conversation and inward virtue was answerable to the habit of a monk, which outwardly he did wear.
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Gregory I, Dialogi
The holy man, not acquainted with so strange a miracle, was much afraid, to hear her make such a request, and willing to have got away, yet seeing no means how to effect his desire, greatly did he doubt what was best to be done. See Hodgkin, Italy and her Invaders, V. Then was he very sorry, bewailing yet more the malice of the monks than the death of his bear; whom the reverent man Euthicius sent for, and did comfort him what he might; but the holy man Florentius, wonderfully grieved in mind, did in his presence curse them, saying: "I trust in almighty God, that they shall in this life, and in the sight of the world, receive the reward of their malice, that have thus killed my bear which did 130 them no harm"; whose words God's vengeance did straight follow, for the four monks that killed the poor beast were straight so stricken with a leprosy, that their limbs did rot away, and so they died miserably: whereat the man of God, Florentius, was greatly afraid, and much grieved, that he had so cursed the monks; and all his life after he wept, for that his prayer was heard, crying out that himself was cruel, and that he had murdered those men. Tuscania, more properly Tuscia, is, of course, the modern Tuscany. By the relation also of the same monks, his disciples, I understood how two noble men that were brethren, and very well learned in humanity, the one called Speciosus, the other Gregory, entered into religion, there to live virtuously under the direction of his rule: whom the venerable father placed in a Monastery of his, hard by the city of Teracina.
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Gregory the Great Dialogues : Medieval Text Manuscripts
Greek text is rendered using the Scholars Press SPIonic font, free from. For those servants of his, which do retire themselves from worldly affairs, avoid idle words, labour not to lose their devotion, nor to defile their soul with talking, do especially obtain to be heard of him, to whom, after a certain manner, and as they may, they be like in purity and simplicity of heart. For he said that upon a certain day, as he was, according to his manner, visiting of his diocese, he came to the church of the blessed martyr Euthicius: and when it was night he would needs be lodged nigh to the sepulchre of the martyr, where after his travel he reposed himself. It is as you say: but I much wonder at the singular providence of God's mercy, which he sheweth to us unworthy wretches, in that he doth so moderate and temper the cruelty of the Lombards, that he suffereth not their wicked priests to persecute the faith of Christians: when as they see themselves, as it were, the conquerors and rulers of Christian people. A miraculous thing, and yet known to many old men: they did as perfectly afterward speak in defence of true religion, as they did before, when they had their tongues safe and sound.
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Dialogues (Pope Gregory I)
The primary scribe, Johannes, signed his name at the conclusion of his stint f. Dante speaks of the legend of Trajan and St. The Defenders of the various Churches were ecclesiastical lawyers, clerics appointed to look after the interests of the Church. Of which blow he fell down, and was taken up half dead, and being carried away the next day, as the man of God had before said, he departed this life; wherein, Peter, we have to consider how holy men are with fear to be reverenced: for they no question be the temples of God, and when an holy man is enforced to anger, who is then moved but he that dwelleth in that temple? Yet that which we say concerning the elect servants of God, is not to be holden for a general rule in all. They pray for their enemies at such time as their hearts may be turned to fruitful penance, and so be saved: for what purpose else do we pray for our enemies, but, as the Apostle saith, that God may give them repentance to know the truth, and recover themselves from the devil, of whom they are held captive at his will? Acta Sanctorum, Aprilis Tom II.
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Gregory the Great
When they were come to the place, they buried his body, and, according to his commandment, returned to their ship with all speed: and they were no sooner aboard, than there entered into the church, where the Bishop was buried, a most cruel captain of the Lombards called Gunmar. What you say pleaseth me very well. And not to have his former oratory utterly destitute, he left the reverent man Florentius to keep the same; who dwelt there all alone, and upon a day, being at his prayers, he besought almighty God to vouchsafe him of some comfort in that place; and having ended his devotions, he went forth, where he found a bear standing before the door, which by the bowing down of his head to the ground, and shewing in the gesture of his body no sign or cruelty, gave the man of God to understand that He was come thither to do him service, and himself likewise did forthwith perceive it. It was written in 593, by St. And if at any time he understood that others had committed any great sin, he would never spare them, but with true love to their souls reprehend them for their faults.
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Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Book 3. pp. 105
Another miracle concerning the same man I heard of Venantius, Bishop of Luna, and it was this. Of whom his monks do report that by his tears he raised up one that was dead: for he was a man of such simplicity and compunction, that no doubt but those tears, coming from his humble and simple soul, were of force to obtain many things of almighty God. After he had used this a long time, upon a day, as his master and he were in secret talk together, Paulinus spake unto him in this manner: "Consider, my Lord, what is your best course, and how the kingdom of the Vandals shall be disposed of, for the king is to die shortly": which news, because he was in special grace with the king, he gave him to understand, adding that his gardener, who was a passing wise man, had told him so much. In the meantime it so fell out, that a Jew was travelling from Campania to Rome, who drawing nigh to the city of Funda, was so overtaken with night, that he knew not where to lodge, and therefore, not finding any better commodity, he retired himself into a temple of the god Apollo, which was not far off, meaning there to repose himself: but much afraid he was, to lie in so wicked and sacrilegious a place: for which cause, though he believed not what we teach of the cross, yet he thought good to arm himself with that sign. For when the foresaid monk came to die, and carefully desired to be commended to the devotions of his brethren, and yet none of them did either visit him, or so much as speak to him: his brother Copiosus told him for what cause they had all given him over: at which words he straightways sighed for his sin, and in that sorrow gave up the ghost.
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Gregory the Great, Dialogues (1911) Introduction. childhealthpolicy.vumc.org
Then the Jew replied and told him, that he had cast his eyes wickedly upon such a one of God's servants; but the Bishop would not acknowledge that there was any such thing. Odo John Zimmermann, Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press 2002. And our Saviour himself teacheth us, how that servant, which did owe ten thousand talents, by penance obtained of his Lord the forgiveness of that debt: but yet because he would not forgive his fellow-servant an hundred pence, which were due to him, that was again exacted at his hands, which before was pardoned. Then I began to marvel at myself, and to think in what case I was before, and how I felt myself now: and when I thought upon my former sickness, I found none of those pangs with which before I was troubled: and when my mind was busied about the affairs of the Abbey, my sickness was quite out of my memory; yea, and as I said, if I did think thereof, yet feeling myself so well and strong, I began to doubt whether I had eaten or no. For there was one Theodorus which story I remember that in mine Homilies to the people I have also spoken of who was a very unruly lad, and, more upon necessity than of his own good will, in the company of his brother entered into my Monastery: and so little pleasure he took in spiritual talk, that it was death to him to hear anything tending to the good of his own soul, for he was so far from doing any good work, that he could not endure to hear thereof: and he would openly protest, sometimes by swearing, sometimes in anger, and sometimes in scoffing sort, that he never meant to take upon him the habit of a religious life. Paulinus was ever a prisoner in Africa. For this purpose I earnestly need the help of your charity, that you should briefly inform me of all those which come back to your memory, or which you have happened yourself to know.
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The Dialogues of Saint Gregory the Great
See therefore, Peter, how God doth preserve and keep them, who in this life do contemn themselves, and how they are secretly honoured of the citizens in heaven, who are not ashamed outwardly to be little esteemed in this world; and on the contrary, in the sight of God they be of no account, who in the eyes of their own friends and neighbours do swell through desire of vain glory. Lawrence in Damaso 42 so called of him that built it and quickly to bring word what was become of Tiburtius the Priest. The Bishop was brought forth, and a terrible bear provided, that might in cruel manner tear his body in pieces, so to satisfy the mind of that bloody king. So it is, for the nearer that this present world draweth towards an end, so much the more the world to come is at hand, and sheweth itself by more plain and evident tokens. That which I intend now to tell you, I learned by the relation of one of my 24 fellow Bishops, who lived in a monk's weed many years in the city of Ancona, and led there a good and religious life. The next morning, very early, the Arian Bishop came thither with many in his company: meaning by force to break open the doors. After whose death, 157 Recharedus the king, not following the steps of his wicked father, but his brother the martyr, utterly renounced Arianism: and laboured so earnestly for the restoring of religion, that he brought the whole nation of the Visigoths to the true faith of Christ, and would not suffer any that was an heretic in his country to bear arms and serve in the wars.
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