Gregory the Great
Publisher: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, published under the direction of the Tract Committee
Published: 1879
Place of publication: London, England
Language: eng
Table of contents: title: CONTENTS.; title: CHAPTER I.; title: Gregory and his Age — Ascendency of the Church — Results of Controversies — Imperial Domination — The Roman See — Effects of Barbarian Invasions — Justinian — Pope Vigilius — The Three Chapters — Spread of Christianity — Jurisdiction of the Popes — Monasticism — Benedict of Nursia — State of Morals and Religion . . . page 9; title: CHAPTER II.; title: Gregory's Parentage, Education, Early Life — He becomes a Monk — Ordination and Residence at Constantinople — Return to Monastic Life — Asceticism — Distressed state of Italy — Election to the Topedom — Reluctance to accept — Gregory as Pope — Habits of Life — Istrian Bishops — Deference to the Emperor — African Donatists — Sanction of Persecution — Tolerance towards Jews (540-591) . . . page 29; title: CHAPTER III.; title: Correction of Monastic Abuses — Separation of Monks and Clergy — Exemption of Monasteries from Episcopal Control — Case of Venantius — Nunneries — Sanctity of Marriage — Endowments — Election of Bishops — Confirmation — Use of the Pall — Respect for Episcopal Rights — Januarius of Cagliari — Natalis of Salona — Correction of Clerks — Sanctuary — Privileges of Clergy — Celibacy — Administration of the Patrimony — Charities . . . page 52; title: CHAPTER IV.; title: The Church in Spain — Letters to Leander and Reccared — Appeal of two Spanish Bishops to Rome — Correspondence with Irish Bishops — St. Columban's Letters — Eastern Illyricum — Hadrianus — Natalis — Maximus — Remonstrance with the Emperor — Letter to the Empress — Final settlement — Claim to authority over the Eastern Church — Letter to John the Faster — Lombard Invasion — Gregory's Sermons — Patriotic activity — Thwarted by the Exarch — Letters to the Emperor and Empress — Truce with the Lombards — John the Faster calls himself Universal Bishop — Gregory's view of the question — His remonstrances — His sarcastic vein — He addresses the Patriarchs of Antioch and Alexandria — Cyriacus succeeds John the Faster — Gregory's renewed remonstrance — Correspondence with the Patriarchs — His view of St. Peter's Primacy being shared by Antioch and Alexandria — Renewed Lombard invasions — Gregory's activity — Results of his efforts (591-596) . . . page 71; title: CHAPTER V.; title: The Mission to England — Story of the Slaves in the Roman Forum — State of the Church in France — Correspondence with Brunehild — Pall sent to Virgilius — Reforms urged — Candid us sent — Cyriacus — A General Synod desired — Failure to obtain one — Eventual results — Augustine despatched to England — His success — His alleged Miracles — His questions and the replies to them — Scheme for the English Church — Letter to Mellitus — Letters to Bertha and Ethelbert — The British Christians — The Lombards — Theodelinda — Conversion of Agilulph (596-601) . . . page 104; title: CHAPTER VI.; title: Accession of Phocas — His Character — His treatment of Mauricius and the Imperial family — Gregory's letters to him — To Leontia — Consideration of Gregory's conduct on this occasion — Its result — Former letters in praise of Mauricius — Palliations — Suffering from gout — Last letter to Theodelinda — Death and burial — Conduct of the mob after his death — Archdeacon Peter — Personal appearance of Gregory — His costume — Ecclesiastical Vestments in his day — Relics of him preserved at Rome (601-606) . . . page 130; title: CHAPTER VII.; title: Gregory's writings — His letters — Extracts from them : To the Subdeacon Peter — To Marinianus of Ravenna — To Dominicus of Centumcellae — To Maximus of Salona — To the ex-Prefect Libertinus — To Gregoria, a lady at Court — To the Emperor's sister, Theoctista — Another letter to the same lady — Liber Pastoralis Curse — Its renown — Its plan — Summary of its contents — The Book of Dialogues — Occasion of its composition — Its contents — References to Benedict of Nursia — the fourth book about the state of the soul after death — Its effects on Christian thought — Commentary on Job — Milman's account of it — Specimens of its style — Homilies — On Ezekiel — On the Gospels — Extracts — Sacramentary, Antiphonary Hymns — The Lord's Prayer in the Eucharistic Office — Genuineness and style of the Hymns — Gregorian and Ambrosian music . . . page 144; title: CHAPTER VIII.; title: Gregory's character — His talents — His attainments — His doctrinal views — On the authority of the Church — Augustinianism — Baptism — The Eucharist — Purgatory — Intercession of Saints — Relics — Pictures and Images — Slavery — Authority of the Roman See — Results of his policy page . . . page 191