Register of the Epistles of St. Gregory the Great.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XVI.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLIV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle L.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Epistle LXXII.

 Epistle LXXIV.

 Epistle LXXV.

 Epistle LXXVII.

 Epistle LXXVIII.

 Epistle LXXIX.

 Epistle LXXX.

 Book II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LI.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LIV.

 Book III.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XLV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LI.

 Epistle LIII.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Book IV.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Book V.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LIII.

 Epistle LIV.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Book VI.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIV.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVI.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLIV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle L.

 Epistle LI.

 Epistle LII.

 Epistle LIII.

 Epistle LIV.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Book VII.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Book VIII.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XIV.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XX.

 Epistle XXI.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Book IX.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle III.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XI.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XVII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle XLIII.

 Epistle XLIX.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Epistle LXVIII.

 Epistle LXXVIII.

 Epistle LXXIX.

 Epistle LXXX.

 Epistle LXXXI.

 Epistle LXXXII.

 Epistle XCI.

 Epistle XCIII.

 Epistle XCIV.

 Epistle XCVIII.

 Epistle CV.

 Epistle CVI.

 Epistle CVII.

 Epistle CVIII.

 Epistle CIX.

 Epistle CX.

 Epistle CXI.

 Epistle CXIV.

 Epistle CXV.

 Epistle CXVI.

 Epistle CXVII.

 Epistle CXX.

 Epistle CXXI.

 Epistle CXXII.

 Epistle CXXIII.

 Epistle CXXV.

 Epistle CXXVII.

 Book X.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XV.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XIX.

 Epistle XXIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XLII.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Book XI.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle XXXIII.

 Epistle XXXV.

 Epistle XXXVI.

 Epistle XXXVII.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLIV.

 Epistle XLV.

 Epistle XLVI.

 Epistle XLVII.

 Epistle L.

 Epistle LIV.

 Epistle LV.

 Epistle LVI.

 Epistle LVII.

 Epistle LVIII.

 Epistle LIX.

 Epistle LX.

 Epistle LXI.

 Epistle LXII.

 Epistle LXIII.

 Epistle LXIV.

 Epistle LXV.

 Epistle LXVI.

 Epistle LXVII.

 Epistle LXVIII.

 Epistle LXIX.

 Epistle LXXVI.

 Epistle LXXVII.

 Epistle LXXVIII.

 Book XII.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle XXIV.

 Epistle XXV.

 Epistle XXVIII.

 Epistle XXIX.

 Epistle XXXII.

 Epistle L.

 Book XIII.

 Epistle I.

 Epistle V.

 Epistle VI.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle IX.

 Epistle X.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XVIII.

 Epistle XXII.

 Epistle XXVI.

 Epistle XXVII.

 Epistle XXXI.

 Epistle XXXIV.

 Epistle XXXVIII.

 Epistle XXXIX.

 Epistle XL.

 Epistle XLI.

 Epistle XLII.

 Book XIV.

 Epistle II.

 Epistle IV.

 Epistle VII.

 Epistle VIII.

 Epistle XII.

 Epistle XIII.

 Epistle XVI.

 Epistle XVII.

Epistle XLVII.

To Virgilius, Bishop of Arelate (Arles) and Theodorus, Bishop of Massilia (Marseilles).

Gregory to Virgilius, Bishop of Arelate, and Theodorus, Bishop of Massilia, in Gaul.

Though the opportunity of a suitable time and suitable persons has failed me so far for writing to your Fraternity and duly returning your salutation, the result has been that I can now at one and the same time acquit myself of what is due to love and fraternal relationship, and also touch on the complaint of certain persons which has reached us, with respect to the way in which the souls of the erring should be saved. Very many, though indeed of the Jewish religion, resident in this province, and from time to time travelling for various matters of business to the regions of Massilia, have apprized us, that many of the Jews settled in those parts have been brought to the font of baptism more by force than by preaching. Now, I consider the intention in such cases to be worthy of praise, and allow that it proceeds from the love of our Lord. But I fear lest this same intention, unless adequate enforcement from Holy Scripture accompany it, should either have no profitable result, or even (which God forbid) the loss of the souls which we wish to save should further ensue. For, when any one is brought to the font of baptism, not by the sweetness of preaching, but by compulsion, he returns to his former superstition, and dies the worse from having been born again. Let, therefore, your Fraternity stir up such men by frequent preaching, to the end that through the sweetness of their teacher they may desire the more to change their old life. For so our purpose is rightly accomplished, and the mind of the convert returns not again to his former vomit. Wherefore discourse must be addressed to them, such as may burn up the thorns of error in them, and illuminate what is dark in them by preaching, so that your Fraternity may through your frequent admonition receive a reward for them, and lead them, so far as God may grant it, to the regeneration of a new life.