Gregory

Jerome

Sulpicius Severus

Athanasius

Gregory the Great

Hilarion

These pioneering lives are central sources for the major Christian monastic figures from St. Antony, who died in 356, to St. Benedict (c. 480-c. 547). Shedding light on the men who were the founding fathers of monasticism in both the eastern and western areas of the Roman Empire, these accounts -- Athanasius's Life of Antony; St. Jerome's Life of Paul of Thebes, Life of Hilarion, and Life of Malchus; Sulpicius Severus's Life of Martin of Tours; and Pope Gregory the Great's Life of Benedict -- also illuminate the beliefs and values of their celebrated authors. Full of vivid incidents and astonishing miracles, all these works proved hugely popular and influential, and also inspired much of the visual imagery of the Middle Ages.

Early Christian Lives

Gregory the Great was pope from 590 to 604, a time of great turmoil in Italy and in the western Roman Empire generally because of the barbarian invasions. Gregory’s experience as prefect of the city of Rome and as apocrisarius of Pope Pelagius fitted him admirably for the new challenges of the papacy. The Moral Reflections on the Book of Job were first given to the monks who accompanied Gregory to the embassy in Constantinople. This sixth volume, containing books 28 through 35, provides commentary on five chapters of Job, from 38:1 through 42:17. The present volume contains the Lord’s appearing to Job out of the whirlwind, the Lord’s two lengthy speeches to Job and Job’s responses, and, finally, the Lord’s rebuke to Job’s friends and restoration of Job’s fortunes. Finally, Gregory speaks of his intention in writing this long work and requests that his readers grant him their prayers and tears. Includes comprehensive indexes for volumes 1-6.

Books 28-35

Moral Reflections on the Book of Job, Volume 6

Wyatt North

Pastoral Rule, written around 590 A.D. by Pope Gregory I , outlines the role of the clergy. It was immensely influential, and Byzantine Emperor Maurice ordered that it be translated into Greek and given to every bishop.

Pastoral Rule

Dialogues

Gregory the Great was born at Rome about 540 A. D. He was at an early age made prætor of Rome by Emperor Justin II of Constantinople, but resigned this office and withdrew to one of the seven monasteries he had founded. “He lavished on the poor all his costly robes, his silk, his gold, his jewels, his furniture, and, not even assuming to himself the abbacy of his convent, but beginning with the lowest monastic duties, he devoted himself altogether to God.” It was while here that he one day saw some fair-haired Anglo-Saxon youths in the slave-market. When he was told they were Angles, he said: “Not Angles, but angels,” and was seized with a longing to Christianize their country. He set out, but was asked to return by Pope Benedict on account of the clamor over his departure. Pelagius II, Benedict's successor, sent Gregory to Constantinople as papal nuncio. He remained there for three years, writing his Moralia, and on his return to Rome was unanimously elected to succeed Pelagius, who had died of the plague. He was consecrated pope on Sept. 3, 590, and began an immediate reform in the organization and ritual of the Roman church, which is indebted to him for her complete ritual and chants. He also brought Britain and Spain within the pale of Christianity. He died on March 12, 604.

The Sacred Writings of Gregory the Great

On Pastoral Care

Gregory the Great was pope from 590-604 and left behind a substantial literary heritage. His most ambitious work and one of the most popular works of scriptural exegesis in the middle ages was the Moralia in Iob, commenting the book of Job in 35 books running to over half a million words.Saint Gregory's Commentary on Job was written between 578 and 595, begun when Gregory was at the court of Tiberius II at Constantinople, but finished only after he had already been in Rome for several years.This is Volume 1 of 3 - containing Books 1-10

Gregory the Great

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