September 3rd, St. Gregory the Great

St. Gregory the Great

Welcome to the saint of the day. Today, 3rd of September; the Church celebrates the feast of Pope Saint Gregory the Great.

Gregory was descended from Roman nobles with an ardent legacy of Christian faith. He was related to two previous popes, Felix III and Agapitus I,  his aunts were nuns, and his parents joined cloisters in their later years. At the age of 30, he was the chief administrative official of the city, in charge of finances, police, provisioning, and public works. This background, developed his administrative skills and, together with his personal wealth, gave him the opportunity to create six monasteries.

When his father died   in 574, he converted his house into a monastery, and retired to a life of contemplation and prayer. During these years, the happiest in Gregory's life, he began an in-depth study of the Scriptures. Here he also ruined his health with fasting, which was perhaps the reason for his early death.

However, his monastic life, was short lived. He was destined to play a different role in the Universal Church. In 577 Pope Benedict, appointed Gregory one of the seven deacons of Rome, and Pope Pelagius II, sent him to Constantinople in 578 as ambassador to the imperial court subsequently recalled him to serve as his personal adviser.

In 589, a flood, ruined the grain reserves of Rome, triggering, a famine, and then a plague that swept through Rome,  Pope Pelagius, was one of the victims. Gregory was elected to succeed him. Though he had tried to decline the office, once elected, he went to work, with dynamism.

Everyone associates, Pope Gregory, for the Gregorian chant, that is synonymous with his name.

St Gregory was, a prolific writer. The quintessence of, medieval spirituality, can be traced back to, his writing like: The Commentary on Job, The Rule  for pastors, The Dialogues, Homilies on Ezekiel, Forty Homilies,  The Commentary on  1st Kings and many letters.

He gave, a new impetus to the Church’s missionary work among the non-Christian peoples of northern Europe. He is most famous, for sending a mission, often called the Gregorian mission, under Augustine of Canterbury, which was the beginning of the evangelization, of the pagan, Anglo-Saxons of England. It was from England that missionaries later set out for, the Netherlands and Germany.

St. Gregory, died in 604, and lies buried in St.Peter’s  Baslica.  Soon after his death by popular acclaim he was declared a saint.