E06439: A letter of Pope Gregory the Great (Register 14.6) of 603, to Marinianus, bishop of Ravenna, asks him to investigate a dispute within a monastery dedicated to *Laurence (deacon and martyr of Rome, S01229) and *Zeno (bishop of Verona, ob. 371, S01558) in the fortress of Cesena (northern Italy). Written in Latin in Rome.

Pope Gregory the Great, Register of Letters 14.6


Extract from a letter dealing with this dispute:

Fortunatus itaque lator praesentium in monasterio sanctorum Laurentii atque Zenonis, quod in Caesinati castro est constitutum, a Natale quondam episcopo officium sibi abbatis asserens esse commissum, nunc se a successore eius Concordio nulla exsistente culpa exinde remotum atque alium in loco suo queritur ordinatum.

‘Even so, Fortunatus, the bearer of this letter, asserts that the office of abbot was bestowed on him by the late Bishop Natalis, in the monastery of Saints Laurence and Zeno, established in the castle of Cesena, and now he complains that he has been removed from that office by Natalus’ successor, Concordius, not due to any fault, and another monk has been ordained in his place.’


Text: Norberg 1982, vol. 2, 1073. Translation: Martyn 2004, vol. 3, 872.