E06400: A letter of Pope Gregory the Great (Register 9.169) of 599, to Castor, papal notary in Ravenna, mentions a gift to a monastery dedicated to Marcus (bishop of Rome, ob. 336, S00420), Marcellus (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00529) and *Felicula (virgin and martyr of Rome, S02148) in Ravenna (northern Italy). Written in Latin in Rome.

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posted on 2018-09-11, 00:00 authored by frances

Pope Gregory the Great, Register of Letters 9.169

Extract from a letter relating to a donation to this monastery:

Nostro experientiae tuae in praesenti nos recolis praecepisse ut de possessione, quae monasterio sanctorum Marci, Marcellini et Feliculae, quod rauennae situm est, largitatis titulo dicitur esse concessa, quia causam bene nosti, debuisses quod iustum est facere.

‘You recall in this letter that we ordered your Experience to ensure a just outcome in the matter of possession that they say was granted under the title of a gift to the monastery of Saints Marcus, Marcellinus and Felicula, situated in Ravenna.’

Text: Norberg 1982, vol. 2, 727-8. Translation: Martyn 2004, vol. 2, 650.

History

Evidence ID

E06400

Saint Name

Marcus, bishop of Rome, ob. 336 : S00420 Marcellus, bishop and martyr of Rome : S00529 Felicula, virgin and martyr of Rome : S02148

Saint Name in Source

Marcus Marcellus Felicula

Related Saint Records

Type of Evidence

Literary - Letters

Language

Latin

Evidence not before

599

Evidence not after

599

Activity not before

599

Activity not after

599

Place of Evidence - Region

Rome and region

Place of Evidence - City, village, etc

Rome

Place of evidence - City name in other Language(s)

Rome Rome Rome Roma Ῥώμη Rhōmē

Major author/Major anonymous work

Gregory the Great (pope)

Cult activities - Places

Cult building - monastic

Cult activities - Non Liturgical Practices and Customs

Bequests, donations, gifts and offerings

Source

A letter transmitted as part of Gregory the Great’s Register of Letters. This letter collection, organised into fourteen books, is large and contains letters to a variety of recipients, including prominent aristocrats, members of the clergy and royalty. The issues touched on in the letters are equally varied, ranging from theological considerations to mundane administrative matters. This collection of letters, which was possibly curated by Gregory, was originally much larger. The surviving Register comprises several groups of letters which were extracted at several later moments in history, the largest of which took place in the papacy of Hadrian I (772-795).

Discussion

The 9th century author Agnellus of Ravenna also mentions this monastery, founded by John, bishop of Ravenna 578-595 (E05798). From his account we learn that the Saint Marcus of the dedication was Marcus, the 4th century bishop of Rome.

Bibliography

Edition: Norberg, D., S. Gregorii Magni, Registrum epistularum. 2 vols. (Corpus Christianorum Series Latina 140-140A; Turnhout: Brepols, 1982). English translation: Martyn, J.R.C., The Letters of Gregory the Great, 3 vols. (Toronto: Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, 2004). Further Reading: Neil, B., and Dal Santo, M. (eds.), A Companion to Gregory the Great (Leiden: Brill, 2013).