E05963: In the Whitby Life of *Gregory the Great, (bishop of Rome, ob. 604, S00838), the author reports that the saint extinguished the light (at the tomb?) of the pope (presumably *Siricius, bishop of Rome, ob. 399, S00527) who had banished *Jerome (Church Father, ob. S00267); and that he later caused the death of his successor (Pope Sabinianus, ob. 606) for denigrating his own memory. Written in Latin by a monk or nun of Whitby (north-east Britain), 685/714, perhaps 704/14.

The Whitby Life of Gregory the Great (BHL 3637)

For an overview of this work, see $E05872.

Chapter 28
... Tale quid etiam celestis eius sensit in eo papa animus quod horret dicere, qui candelabri, non solum Romanorum sed etiam totius mundi, lucerna Romę quę urbium caput est orbisque domina, sancti Hieronimi lugubri ex ea emigrando infidelitate lectionis, quę Dei lampadem singulari ab eo lumine accensum, quantum in se fuit extinguens, suam idcirco merito a sancto Gregorio meruit obscurari lampadem. Nec inmerito; quia in eo lectionis quoque divine lampas hoc lucissime agendum dilucidavit.

Necnon et aliud simile huic testatur horribile de illo, qui fuit ipsius successor. Qui cum presul post eum Romę constituitur, famę illius quia laudem habere nequivit ei invidisse ita pronuntiatus. Cum enim sanctus vir Gregorius Christi sic caritate constringitur ut plures e populo post suam conversos susceperat doctrinamque suorum, eorum non facile iste ab eo secundus portavit multitudinem, dicens, "Licet Gregorius omnem potuisset excipere populum, non tamen nos omnes possumus cybare sustinereque," quod certum tertio ob prefatum maxime invidiam, dixisse narratur. Totidem quoque vicibus quibus hec illis dicebat, qui eum frequentius pulsabant pro necessitatibus predictorum a sancto Gregorio adsumptorum ei apparuisse, non leniter adlocutus dicitur cur ista de se sic iudicasset in eo quod tantum pro Domino faciebat. Cumque eius non adquievit sermonibus, tertia vice eum adloquens, pede suo percussit in caput. Cuius dolore percussionis in paucis diebus defunctus est.


'... Something of the same sort his heavenly spirit perceived in the matter of a certain Pope, a story which is dreadful to tell. Jerome was a light upon the lampstand in Rome, not only for the Romans but for the whole world; for Rome is the chief of cities and mistress of the world. So when St Jerome left Rome through the wretched faithlessness of the Pope's judgement, that same Pope, so far as he was able, extinguished the lamp which God had lit with a lamp of surpassing brilliance. Therefore the Pope rightly merited that his own light should be put out by St Gregory and not undeservedly, because the light of divine judgement which burned in Gregory made it crystal clear that it was his duty to do this.

Another terrifying story similar to this is told of the Pope who was Gregory's successor, for when he was consecrated to the papacy after Gregory at Rome, he is said to have been jealous of Gregory's fame because he could not win the praise that his predecessor had won. For the latter was so constrained by the love of Christ that he made provision for many of the populace who had been converted by his teaching and by that of his people; but his successor was not ready to provide for such a multitude and said, "Even though Gregory could take care of all these people, yet we cannot feed and keep them all," and is said to have made this statement on at least three occasions, mostly out of envy. Each time he said it to those who very frequently urged upon him their need of such provisions as they had received from St Gregory, the saint appeared to him and is said to have asked him in far from gentle tones why he had judged his motives so wrongly when he had done it for the Lord's sake alone. Since Gregory was unable to silence him by his words, on the third occasion he kicked the man on the head. His successor died in a few days from the pain of the blow.'

Text and translation: Colgrave, 1968, 124-7.