E07403: Pope Gregory the Great, in his Book of Responses to Augustine, bishop of Canterbury (south-east Britain), announces that he is sending relics of *Xystus/Sixtus II (bishop and martyr of Rome, S00201) to Britain, in order that they might be venerated, thus replacing a dubious local cult surrounding the body of another *Sixtus (martyr(?) venerated in Britain, S02783). Written in Latin in Rome, c. 601, in reply to a letter sent from Canterbury. Written in Latin in Rome.

Pope Gregory the Great, Libellus responsionum (Obsecratio)


Full text of Augustine's tenth question, and Gregory's tenth answer:

Obsecratio Augustini. Obsecro ut reliquae sancti Sixti martyris nobis transmittantur.

Concessio Gregorii. Fecimus quod petisti, quatenus populus qui in loco quodam sancti Sixti martyris corpus dicitur venerari, quod tuae fraternitati nec verum nec veraciter sanctum videtur, certa sanctissimi et probatissimi martyris beneficia suscipiens, colore incerta non debeat. Mihi tamen videtur, quia, si coprus quod a populo esse cuiusdam martyris creditur nullis illic miraculis coruscat et neque eliqui de antiquioribus existunt, qui se a parentibus passionis eius ordinem audisse fateantur, ita relqiuiae quas petisti seorsum condendae sunt, ut locus in quo praefatum corpus iacet modis omnibus obstruatur nec permittatur populo certum deserere et incerta venerari.


'Augustine: I ask that relics of St Sixtus be sent to us.

Gregory: We have done what you requested, in order that the people, which in some place is reported to venerate the body of St Sixtus the martyr (though it seems to you that it can be neither the true body nor truly a saint), should, by receiving certain benefits of a most holy and authentic martyr, cease to worship what is uncertain. For it seems to me that, if the body which is believed by the people to be that of a martyr does not shine there with miracles, and there are none from among the elders who can say that they heard the narrative of his passion from their forbears, then the relics that you have requested should be enshrined separately, in order that the place where the aforesaid body lies may be blocked off in every possible way. It must not be permitted to the people to desert the certain and venerate the uncertain.'


Text: Ewald and Hartmann, 1881-99, ii. 337. Translation: Sharpe 2002, 124 (format lightly modified).