GREGORY I., (POPE), styled the Great, was born about 550, of a noble Roman family. He distinguished himself for his learning, and was made prefect of Rome in 573. His ascetic turn of mind made him give up that office and retire to a monastery, from which he was recalled by Pope Pelagius II., who sent him on an embassy to Constan tinople to requeat assistance against the Longobards. Ou his return to Rome, after the death of Pelagius, in 590, the clergy and people elected him as his successor. Gregory earnestly wished to decline that dignity; he wrote to the emperor Maurice entreating him not to con firm his election, and he even coocealcd himself; but all was in vain, and he was obliged at last to fill the pontifical chair.' He showed great zeal for the reformation of the abuses and corruptions which had crept Into the church, as well as for the propagation of Christianity. lie siodsted Theodolinda, queen of the Longobards, In converting that people to the Catholic faith. He likewise sent misiloneries into dinia, and sralonely supported the mission to England, where the king of Kent and many of the Anglo-Saxons had embraced Christianity. It was previous to his exaltation to the pontifical chair, that seeing one day in the slave-market at Rome some Anglo-Saxon children exposed for sale, and being struck by their comely appearance, he Is said to have exclaimed: "They would be indeed not Angli but Angels, if they were Christians," and from that time he engaged his predecessor, Pelagiuo, to send missionaries to England. John the Abstinent., arch bishop of Constantinople, having assumed the title of (Ecumenic, or Universal Patriarch, Gregory wrote to him in 595 to induce him to relinquish a title which gave offence to his brethren. "You know that the council of Chaloedon," says he in his letter, "offered the title of (Ecumenic to the bishop of Rome, but that all my prede cessors have refused an asiumption full of pride and inconsistent with the ancient discipline." Gregory himself adopted the denomination
of Servue Servornm Domini,' ('servant of the servants of the Lord;) meaning the bishops, an appellation which the popes have retained, over since their assumption of universal supremacy. Gregory exercised the jurisdiction of primate of Italy, and gave advice to the other bishops, but not commands. He lived in the most frugal and simple style, although ho had at his disposal the largo wealth of the !tomes see, which he distributed to the poor. He was averse from persecuting heretics and Jews : he considered mildness and persuasion as the only means to bring them to Christianity.
Ile has been reproached with having written to the usurper Phocas, who had murdered the emperor Mauritius and had seized on his crown, a letter in a flattering strain, apparently with a view of securing the protection of the Eastern Empire In favour of Rome, then threatened by the Longobards. Another charge against Gregory is, that he destroyed some classical manuscripts, the remains of the Imperial library at Rome; but this charge was made many centuries after, and does not seem to rest upon clear evidence. Gregory manifested however an aversion to the works of the heathen writers, especially those which treated of mythology, and forbade their perusal. He wrote uumerous works, which have been collected and published by the Benedictines of St. Maur, 4 vols. fol., Paris, 1707. The most important are : 1 'Meridiem, libri xxxiv.'; 2 'De Cure Sacerdotal': being a pastoral instruction on the duties of the parochial clergy ; 3, his ' Letters,' in 12 books, which contain some interesting particulars on contemporary history ; 4, his 'Dialogues,' which contain many accounts of miracles, a matter on which Gregory shows himself rather credulous. Gregory died at Rome in 604, and was succeeded by Sabinianus of Volaterra.