Pope St. Gregory the Great and His Impact on the Early Church

Pope St. Gregory the Great was a man of great virtue and love of Scripture. He is honored as a not only a "Great" but also a doctor of the Church. 

Gregory lived from the year 540 A.D. till his death on March 12, 604. He was born to a wealthy family which owned estates on the Island of Sicily.[1] As a child, him and his family lived through several times of great trial. The Plague of Justinian hit in 542, the Ostrogoths sacked Rome in 546 and the Franks invaded in 554.[2] Despite all these troubling events, Gregory was well educated and excelled at all of his studies. At the age of 33, he became the Prefect of Rome, following in his father's footsteps. 

Gregory had a deep love for the monastic life. As a deacon he served as Pope Pelagius II's ambassador to the Imperial Court in Constantinople from 579-886 A.D. [3] After he returned, when the family estate had been left to him, he converted it into the monastery of St. Andrew where he served as the Abbot. This time of his monasticism he described as the most joyful time of his life. 

Much to Gregory's dismay, he was proclaimed Pope in 590 A.D. after Pope Pelagius II passed away from the plague. Despite his reluctance to accept the role of Pope, he did so wholeheartedly and is regarded as one of the Greatest Popes the Catholic Church has ever seen. 

Pope Gregory I is known for many things but especially for his care of the poor and his various writings which impacted the Church. As Pope he focused on missionary work including his goal to reach peaceable relations with the troublesome Lombards, this in contrast to the way the Eastern Church had tried to deal with non-Catholic tribes.[4] The Pope's personal focus on humility showed in the way he served the poor and in his self-proclaimed title "servant of God," a title which is still bestowed upon the pope today. Pope Gregory I even used the Church's treasury to help the people, something uncommon in the leadership of previous popes. 

In addition to his care for the poor, St. Gregory the Great is known for "his reform of the liturgy, and for strengthening respect for doctrine."[5] Much of this he accomplished in his well renowned writings. The Pope loved Scripture, he lived it and taught it, writing many commentaries on different books of the Bible and always incorporating the Word of God into his speech and written word. Among these writings are Gregory's Dialogues which "are our only source of historical evidence regarding the life of St. Benedict."[6] This work also includes the lives of several other Italian Saints, as well as a teaching on the immorality of the human soul. 

The Rule for Pastors, another famous writing, was written in response to his wary acceptance of the title of Pope. In this work he writes of, 1) the significant challenges of the role of bishop and the character needed for governance in this role. 2) The exterior and interior disciplines required of a Pastor. 3) The importance of adaptation to the variety of persons in a Pastor's flock. And finally, 4) the admonition to humility.[7] This Rule is still used today especially in Religious Orders.

As far as his contributions to the reform of, and changes to the liturgy, Pope Gregory the I changed the place of the Our Father during Mass, established the more assertive role of the diaconate, is believed to have had a hand in the introduction of Gregorian chant and more.[8] Beyond this, his clear love and respect for the true presence in the Mass and the truth of doctrine helped to inspire the faithful to see and believe the same.

Pope St. Gregory the Great is remembered today for his impact on the Catholic Church through his writings, example, love of Scripture and servitude of the poor. He is remembered as "St. Gregory the Dialogist" and is the patron saint of musicians, singers, students, and teachers.[9] His life was spent seeking to encounter God and loving others. He worthily holds the title "Great" as it "distinguishes his life as a pastor and Doctor of the Church."[10]

Pope St. Gregory the Great, Pray for us!

[1] "St. Gregory the Great," at www.franciscanmedia.org.

[2] "Pope Saint Gregory the Great," at www.catholic.org. 

[3] "Pope Saint Gregory the Great," at www.catholic.org.

[4] Benedict XVI, "General Audience: St. Gregory the Great," (2008) at www.newliturgicalmovement.org by Shawn Tribe (2009). 

[5] "St. Gregory the Great," at www.franciscanmedia.org.

[6]  Gregory J. Polan, "Pope St. Gregory the Great: Pastor, Abbot, and Exegete," The Bible Today (2009), 320.

[7] Polan, "Pope St. Gregory the Great," 319.

[8] "Pope Saint Gregory the Great," at www.catholic.org. 

[9] "Pope Saint Gregory the Great," at www.catholic.org. 

[10] Polan, "Pope St. Gregory the Great," 316.