Gregory I, St

Gregory I, St (c.540–604) ( Gregory the Great), Pope from 590. He was Prefect of Rome in 573. He then devoted his wealth to the relief of the poor and monastic foundations, entering one of the monasteries which he had founded. When he became Pope, Italy was in a bad way. He made a separate peace with the Lombards in 592–3, setting aside the authority of the Emperor's representative. He also undertook various initiatives in matters affecting the civil administration and military defence of Italy. He refused to recognize the title of ‘Oecumenical Patriarch’ adopted by the Patr. of Constantinople. One of the achievements of his pontificate was the mission to England, for which he selected St Augustine (later of Canterbury) with monks from his own monastery.

Gregory's Liber Regulae Pastoralis sets out directions for the pastoral life of a bishop. The Dialogues (traditionally and almost certainly correctly ascribed to him) relate the lives and miracles of Italian saints, including St Benedict. He also wrote commentaries on Job and other Books of the OT, and Homilies on the Gospels. 854 letters survive. His theology was dominated by the ideal of the contemplative life, and some of his stories about the fate of souls after death played a part in the development of the doctrine of purgatory. He promoted monasticism, made important changes in the liturgy, fostered the development of liturgical music, and gave the Roman ‘Schola Cantorum’ its definite form. His pontificate did much to establish the idea that the Papacy was the supreme authority in the Church. Feast day in the W., 3 Sept. (formerly 12 Mar., still observed in the E.).