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Saint Gregory the Great,
Pope & Doctor of the Church
Memorial
September 3rd

Saint Gregory the Great
Carlo Saraceni - c. 1610
Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome

Saint Gregory the Great, one of the most prominent figures in Church history, was born at Rome in 540 and died March 12, 604. The son of a patrician family, Gregory studied law, and became Prefect of Rome when he was in his early thirties. He entered a monastery in Rome (ca 574) where he spent about three years before he was sent as papal legate to Constantinople. After six years in this post, he returned to his monastery (which apparently followed the Benedictine rule) where he soon became abbot. He was elected pope September 3, 590, the first monk to hold this office.

One of Pope Gregory's most significant actions (especially in the view of English-speaking people) was to send missionaries to Great Britain -- notably Augustine (of Canterbury). His interest, it is said, was prompted by seeing young Anglo-Saxon captives for sale in a Roman slave market. According to the story, the pope asked who these fair-haired slaves were, and was told they were Angles. The pope exclaimed in response, "They are not 'Angles' -- they are angels!"
Pope Gregory is traditionally credited with unifying the Roman Liturgy and compiling the Church's traditional chant tones, known as Gregorian Chant (also "plain chant").

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

September 3, 2007

St. Gregory the Great

(540?-604)

Coming events cast their shadows before: Gregory was the prefect of Rome before he was 30. After five years in office he resigned, founded six monasteries on his Sicilian estate and became a Benedictine monk in his own home at Rome.

Ordained a priest, he became one of the pope's seven deacons, and also served six years in the East as papal nuncio in Constantinople. He was recalled to become abbot, and at the age of 50 was elected pope by the clergy and people of Rome.

He was direct and firm. He removed unworthy priests from office, forbade taking money for many services, emptied the papal treasury to ransom prisoners of the Lombards and to care for persecuted Jews and the victims of plague and famine. He was very concerned about the conversion of England, sending 40 monks from his own monastery. He is known for his reform of the liturgy, for strengthening respect for doctrine. Whether he was largely responsible for the revision of "Gregorian" chant is disputed.

Gregory lived in a time of perpetual strife with invading Lombards and difficult relations with the East. When Rome itself was under attack, it was he who went to interview the Lombard king.

An Anglican historian has written: "It is impossible to conceive what would have been the confusion, the lawlessness, the chaotic state of the Middle Ages without the medieval papacy; and of the medieval papacy, the real father is Gregory the Great."

His book, Pastoral Care, on the duties and qualities of a bishop, was read for centuries after his death. He described bishops mainly as physicians whose main duties were preaching and the enforcement of discipline. In his own down-to-earth preaching, Gregory was skilled at applying the daily gospel to the needs of his listeners. Called "the Great," Gregory has been given a place with Augustine, Ambrose and Jerome as one of the four key doctors of the Western Church.

Comment:

Gregory was content to be a monk, but he willingly served the Church in other ways when asked. He sacrificed his own preferences in many ways, especially when he was called to be Bishop of Rome. Once he was called to public service, Gregory gave his considerable energies completely to this work.

Quote:

"Perhaps it is not after all so difficult for a man to part with his possessions, but it is certainly most difficult for him to part with himself. To renounce what one has is a minor thing; but to renounce what one is, that is asking a lot" (St. Gregory, Homilies on the Gospels).