E06425: A letter of Pope Gregory the Great (Register 11.57) of 601, to Petrus, bishop of Otranto, orders the return from Brindisi (southern Italy) of the body of a 'saint Leucius' (perhaps *Lucius, soldier and martyr of Rome, S01396), stolen from a monastery dedicated to the same saint, five miles from Rome. Written in Latin in Rome.

Pope Gregory the Great, Register of Letters 11.57


Full text of the letter:

GREGORIVS PETRO EPISCOPO YDRONTINO
Oportunus abbas monasterii sancti Leucii, quod in quinto Romanae urbis miliario situm est, sanctuaria eiusdem martyris, quae de ecclesia nomini ipsius dicata, ut astruit, furto ablata sunt, sibi denuo postulat debere concedi, ut in loco eodem recondantur. Et ideo, frater carissime, quia eiusdem beatissimi martyris corpus in Brindisii ecclesia, cui uisitationis impendis officium, esse dinoscitur, praefati uiri desideriis ex nostra praeceptione conuenit oboedire, ut in deuotione quam postulat sortiatur effectum.


‘Gregory to Petrus, bishop of Otranto
Oportunus, abbot of the monastery of Saint Leucius, which is situated five miles from the city of Rome, asks that the holy relics of the same martyr that have been stolen from the church of the same name, as he affirms, should be granted to him again, to be buried in the same place. And for that reason, dearest brother, because the body of that blessed martyr is known to be in the church of Brindisi, for which you hold the office of visitor, it is right for you to obey the desires of the aforesaid man, following our injunction, so that he may obtain the outcome that he demands through devotion.’


Text: Norberg 1982, vol. 2, 963. Translation: Martyn 2004, vol. 3, 803-4.