E06402: A letter of Pope Gregory the Great (Register 9.173) of 599, to Fantinus, defensor of the papal patrimony in Sicily, concerns the recovery of property of the abbot of two monasteries, one dedicated to the Archangel (presumably *Michael, S00181), the other to *Erasmus (bishop of Antioch and martyr of Formia, S00867), *Maximus (probably the bishop of Naples, ob. c. 361, S02171) and *Juliana (martyr of Nicomedia, buried at Pozzuoli/Cumae, S01162); both monasteries presumably in Naples (southern Italy). Written in Latin in Rome.

Pope Gregory the Great, Register of Letters 9.173


From the opening of a letter that seeks to recover this lost property:

Fuscus abbas monasteriorum sancti Archangeli, quod Macharis dicitur, atque sanctorum Maximi, Erasmi et Iulianae asseruit constantium cellae suae presbyterum ob temporis qualitatem se in Sicilia transmigrasse et codices monasterii sui atque uela se cum pariter deportasse.

‘Fuscus, abbot of the monastery of the holy Archangel, which is called Macharis, and of Saints Maximus, Erasmus and Juliana, has asserted that Constantius, a priest of his monastery, due to the nature of the times, had removed himself to Sicily and had taken away with him some manuscripts from his monastery and clothing likewise.’


Text: Norberg 1982, vol. 2, 730-1. Translation: Martyn 2004, vol. 2, 651, modified.