Nicene/Post-Nicene, Series II, Volume 37

Gregory the Great, 540 - 604 (Part II)

... But they are so impregnated with the taint of error that, giving credence to their own ignorance, they reject the universal Church, and all the four patriarchs ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle XI. Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of the Franks

... as to our custom here of saying the Alleluia, it is said to be derived from the Church of Jerusalem by the tradition of the blessed Jerome in the time of pope Damasus of blessed memory ... .
¶ For as to what they say about the Church of Constantinople, who can doubt that it is subject to the Apostolic See, as both the most pious lord the emperor and our brother the bishop of that city continually acknowledge?
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle XII. Gregory to John, Bishop of Syracuse

Rechared to the holy lord and most blessed pope, the bishop Gregory
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle LXI. Rechared, King of the Goths to the blessed Gregory, Bishop of Rome

... For we learn that, among the cares of the government of those parts which has been committed to you, you are especially anxious to win souls, and that you so take pains to recall the hearts of wanderers to the unity of the Church that, as far as your desire goes, you would have no one there separated from the Apostolic Church; and that so great love of Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, inflames you that you long with all your heart to restore the sheepfold of him to whom the keys were delivered by the Lord the Creator of all....
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle XCIII. Gregory to Gulfaris

... and that the blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, whom you will venerate in us with Christian devotion by granting what we ask, may recompense your Excellency.
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle CXVII. Gregory to Brunichild, Queen of The Franks

... Furthermore we have sent you, with the blessing of the blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, a pallium, to be used only in celebration of Mass.
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle CXXI. Gregory to Leander, Bishop of Spain

... Further, how gladly the blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, has accepted the gifts of your Excellency your very life witnesses evidently to all....
¶ We have sent you a small key from the most sacred body of the blessed apostle Peter to convey his blessing, containing iron from his chains, that what had bound his neck for martyrdom may loose yours from all sins. We have given also to the bearer of these presents, to be offered to you, a cross in which there is some of the wood of the Lord's cross, and hairs of the blessed John the Baptist, from which you may ever have the succour of our Saviour through the intercession of His forerunner.
¶ Moreover we have sent ... a pallium from the See of the blessed Apostle Peter, which we owe both to ancient custom ... .
¶ Furthermore, we have sent you another key from the most sacred body of the blessed apostle Peter ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle CXXII. Gregory to Rechared, King of The Visigoths

... I am pleased to think, O holy pope ... .
¶ ... Nor does it befit our place or rank that anything should be suggested in the way of discussion to thy great authority, and that my Western letters should ridiculously solicit thee, who sittest legitimately on the seat of the apostle and key-bearer Peter ... .
¶ ... may thy Expertness be more honourably excused, if, fearing to subject thyself to the mark of Hermagoric novelty, thou art content with the authority of thy predecessors, and especially of pope Leo....
¶ ... pardon my forwardness, blessed pope, in that I have written so boldly ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book IX, Epistle CXXVII. From S. Columbanus to Pope Gregory

... seeing that things, however small, which are offered from the goods of the blessed Apostle Peter are always to be taken for a great blessing, since he will have power both to bestow on you greater things, and to hold out to you eternal benefits with Almighty God....
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book X, Epistle XXXI. Gregory to Libertinus, Ex-Praetor

... Praise therefore be to Him, to Him be glory in the highest, of whose gift the voice of Mark still cries aloud in the See* of Peter ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book X, Epistle XXXV. Gregory to Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria
{* Alexandria}

... For I know that you, as a minister of the truth, a follower of Peter, and a preacher of Holy Church, would speak what ought to have been heard through the mouth of a teacher from the Apostle Peter's See.
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book X, Epistle XXXIX. Gregory to Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria

Here begins the epistle of the blessed Gregory pope of the city of Rome ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XI, Epistle LXIV. Gregory to Augustine, Bishop of The Angli

For certainly Peter had received power in the heavenly kingdom, so that whatever he should bind or loose on earth should be bound or loosed in heaven; he walked on the sea, he healed the sick with his shadow, be slew sinners with his word, he raised the dead by his prayer. And because by the admonition of the Spirit he had gone in to Cornelius the Gentile, a question was raised against him by the believers as to why he had gone in among Gentiles and eaten with them, and why he had received them in baptism. And yet this first of the apostles, filled with such gifts of grace, supported by such power of miracles, replied to the complaint of the believers, not by power but by reason, and explained the case to them in order ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XI, Epistle LXV. Gregory to Theoctista, Patrician

I have sent you some small presents, which to you will not be small, when received by you as of the benediction of the blessed Apostle Peter....
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XI, Epistle LXVI. Gregory to Edilbert, King of The Angli

... proceeded to the church of the blessed Peter, Prince of the apostles, they requested of me that I should commend them by letter to your Blessedness ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XII, Epistle LXVI. Gregory to Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria

Thy Experience remembers what and what kind of oath thou tookest over the most sacred body of the blessed apostle Peter.... It is, then, incumbent on thee to have thine own good faith and the fear of the same blessed apostle Peter ever before thine eyes ... .
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XIII, Epistle XXXIV. Gregory to Pantaleo, Notary

I ought perhaps to have requested that your Tranquillity should hold as especially commended to you the Church of the blessed apostle Peter ... . to whom it was said, Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it; and to whom it is said, To thee I will give the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shall bind an earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be leased in heaven (Matth. xv. 18).
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XIII, Epistle XXXIX. Gregory to Leontia Augusta, Empress

... retaining in mind and in deed the humility which the very author of peace has taught, we entreat you with befitting charity, that, treading down with the foot of your heart the profane elation which is always hostile to souls, you make haste to remove from the midst of the Church the offence of a perverse and proud title, lest you should possibly be found divided from the society of our peace....
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XIII, Epistle XL. Gregory to Cyriacus, Patriarch of Constantinople

To the most blessed and honourable lord, the holy father Pope Gregory, Felix lover of your Weal and Holiness
Epistles of Saint Gregory the Great, Book XIV, Epistle XVI. From Felix Bishop of Messana to St. Gregory

Ephraim the Syrian, born early 4th century, died 373

... I have not built my doctrine upon the sand: a rock shall be for me the foundation, for on Thy rock have I built my faith; the secret foundation of my trust, shall support my walls. For the walls of Jericho fell, because on the sand she had built her trust. Moses built a wall in the sea, for on a rock his understanding built it. The foundation of Noah was on a rock ... .
The Nisibene Hymns, Hymn I, § 8

14. In the tenth year, let the mount Sinai glorify Him, it which trembled before its Lord. It saw that they took up stones against its Lord; He received stones, Who should build His Church upon a Stone. Blessed be His building!
Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh, Hymn XIII, § 14

19. The Scribes were silenced in envy, the Pharisees in jealousy.--Men of stone cried out and gave praise, who had a heart of stone.--They applauded in presence of the Stone, the rejected that has become the Head.--Stones were made flesh by that Stone, and obtained mouths to speak; stones cried out through that Stone. R.,Blessed be Thy Birth that has caused stones to cry out!
Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ in the Flesh, scroll to Hymn XVII, § 19

14. In the tenth year let Mount Sinai give glory, which melted--before its Lord! It saw against its Lord--stones taken up: but He took stones--to build the Church upon the Rock; blessed be His building!
Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany, Hymn II, § 14

12. By the water that flowed from the rock, the thirst of the People was quenched. Lo! in the fountain of Christ, the thirst of the peoples is quenched.
13. The rod of Moses opened the rock, and the streams flowed forth; and they were refreshed by its draught, who had grown faint with thirst.
14. Lo! from the side of Christ flowed the stream that bestowed life.--The Gentiles drank that were weary, and in it forgot their pains.
Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany, Hymn V, §§ 12 - 14

24. "Come after Me and verily I will make you--fishers of men."--For instead of a draught of that which perishes,--they fished for the draught that is forever.--They who had taken fishes for death,--baptized and gave life to them that were to die.
25. An hundred and fifty fishes were taken--by Simon's net from the water;--but there were taken by his preaching,--out of the bosom of Baptism,--ten thousands and thousands of men,--a draught of the sons of the Kingdom.
26. Lo! our priest as a fisher--over the scanty water is standing;--he has taken thence a great draught--of every shape and of every kind;--he has drawn up the draught to bring it near--to the King of kings, most high.
27. Simon took the fishes and drew them up,--and they were brought near before our Lord:--Our priest has taken from out of the water,--by the Hand which he received from Simon,--virgins and chaste men who are brought near--in the festival of the Lord of feasts.
Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany, Hymn VII, §§ 24 - 27

16. He knows that His treasuries abound:--the keys of His treasuries He has put into our hands.--He has made the Cross our treasurer--to open for us the gates of Paradise,--as Adam opened the gate of Gehenna.
Fifteen Hymns for the Feast of the Epiphany, Hymn X, § 16

2. Shadowed forth in thy beauty is the beauty of the Son, Who clothed Himself with suffering when the nails passed through Him. The awl passed in thee since they handled thee roughly, as they did His hands; and because He suffered He reigned, as by thy sufferings thy beauty increased.
And if they showed no pity upon thee, neither did they love thee: still suffer as thou mightest, thou hast come to reign. I, Simon Peter, showed pity on the Rock; whoso hath smitten it, is himself thereby overcome; it is by reason of Its suffering that Its beauty hath adorned the height and the depth.
The Pearl-Seven Hymns on the Faith, Hymn II, § 2

2. ... The people that had a heart of stone, by a Stone He set at nought, for lo, a stone hears words. Witness its work that has reproved them; and you, ye deaf ones, let the pearl reprove today.
4. ... Thy stone flees from a comparison with the Stone [which is] the Son....
The Pearl-Seven Hymns on the Faith, Hymn IV, §§ 2, 4

... they saw the jewel, even the faith: while they pried into it, it fell and was lost. Of the pearl they made a stone, that they might stumble upon it.
The Pearl-Seven Hymns on the Faith, Hymn VI, § 3

52. Then Mary received her firstborn and went forth. He was outwardly wrapped in swaddling clothes, but secretly He was clothed with prophecy and priesthood. Whatsoever then was handed down from Moses, was received from Simeon, but continued and was possessed by the Lord of both. So then the steward first, and the treasurer lastly, handed over the keys of priesthood and prophecy to Him who has authority over the treasurer of them both. Therefore, His Father gave Him the spirit not by measure, because all measures of the spirit are under his hand. And that our Lord might show that He received the keys from the former stewards, He said to Simeon: To thee I will give the keys of the doors. But how should He have given them to another, had He not received them from another? So, then, the keys which He had received from Simeon the priest, them He gave to another Simeon the Apostle; that even though the People had not hearkened to the former Simeon, the Gentiles might hearken to the latter Simeon.
Three Homilies, Homily I, On Our Lord, § 52

The "Demonstrations" of Aphrahat, written 337 - 345

2. ... And know, my beloved, that in the foundations of the building stones are laid, and so resting upon stones the whole edifice rises until it is perfected. Thus also the true Stone, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the foundation of all our faith. And on Him, on [this] Stone faith is based. And resting on faith all the structure rises until it is completed. For it is the foundation that is the beginning of all the building. For when any one is brought nigh unto faith, it is laid for him upon the Stone, that is our Lord Jesus Christ. And his building cannot be shaken by the waves, nor can it be injured by the winds. By the stormy blasts it does not fall, because its structure is reared upon the rock of the true Stone. And in this that I have called Christ the Stone, I have not spoken, of my own thought, but the Prophets beforehand called Him the Stone....
3. And now hear concerning faith that is based upon the Stone, and concerning the structure that is reared up upon the Stone....
4. ... For first he builds his building on the Stone, which is Christ. On Him, on the Stone, is faith based, and on faith is reared up all the structure.... All these things does the faith demand that is based on the rock of the true Stone, that is Christ....
6. But I must proceed to my former statement that Christ is called the Stone in the Prophets. For in ancient times David said concerning Him:-The stone which the builders rejected has become the head of the building. And how did the builders reject this Stone which is Christ? How else than that they so rejected Him before Pilate and said-This man shall not be King over us.... By these things they rejected the Stone which is Christ. And how did it become the head of the building? How else than that it was set up over the building of the Gentiles and upon it is reared up all their building.... And furthermore Isaiah also prophesied beforehand with regard to this stone. For he said:-Thus saith the Lord, Behold I lay in Zion a chosen stone in the precious corner, the heart of the wall of the foundation. And he said again there:-Every one that believeth on it shall not fear. And whosoever falleth on that stone shall be broken, and every one on whom it shall fall, it will crush....
7. And He shows thus with regard to that stone that it was laid as head of the wall and as foundation. But if that stone was laid as the foundation, how did it also become the head of the wall? How but that when our Lord came, He laid His faith in the earth like a foundation, and it rose above all the heavens like the head of the wall and all the building was finished with the stones, from the bottom to the top....
8. And again Daniel also spoke concerning this stone which is Christ. For he said:-The stone was cut out from the mountain, not by hands, and it smote the image, and the whole earth was filled with it.... And again the Prophet Zechariah also prophesied about that stone which is Christ. For he said:-I saw a chief stone of equably and of love....
9. And definitely did He show concerning this stone:-Lo! on this stone will I open seven eyes. And what then are the seven eyes that were opened on the stone? Clearly the Spirit of God that abode on Christ with seven operations, as Isaiah the Prophet said:-The Spirit of God shall rest and dwell upon Him, (a spirit) of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and of courage, of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. These were the seven eyes that were opened upon the Stone, and these are the seven eyes of the Lord which look upon all the earth.
17. ... And also Simon who was called Cephas because of his faith was called the firm rock ... .
19. ... These then are the works of the faith which is based on the true Stone which is Christ, on Whom the whole building is reared up.
Select Demonstrations, Demonstration I, §§ 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 17, 19

14. And he showed that in the days of those kings, who shall arise in the kingdom, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall not be destroyed and shall not pass away for ever. This is the Kingdom of King Messiah, which is that which shall cause the fourth kingdom to pass away. And above he said:-Thou sawest a stone which was cut out, but not by hands; and it smote the image upon its feet of iron and potter's clay and broke them to pieces.... the stone, which smote the image and brake it, and with which the whole earth was filled, is the kingdom of King Messiah ... .
Select Demonstrations, Demonstration V, § 14

... Let us found our building on the rock, that it may not be shaken by the winds and waves....
¶ ... Whosoever has begun to build a tower, let him count up all the cost thereof. Whosoever builds ought to finish, that he be not a laughing-stock to them that pass by the way. Whosoever sets his building on the rock, let him make its foundations deep ... .
Select Demonstrations, Demonstration VI, § 1

... For He said to Simon Cephas:-Feed My sheep and My lambs and My ewes. So Simon fed His sheep; and he fulfilled his thee (sic?) and handed over the flock to you, and departed....
Select Demonstrations, Demonstration X, § 4
{If someone has the hardcopy of this volume, and can look up this quote and email it to me, I can correct it here. It's an OCR error, and I can't guess what it should say. I no longer have this set in hard cover. Thanks.}

10. ... Moses brought out water from the rock for his people; and Jesus sent Simon Cephas (the rock) to carry His doctrine among the nations....
13. ... David handed over the kingdom to Solomon, and was gathered to his people; and Jesus handed over the keys to Simon, and ascended and returned to Him who sent Him....
Select Demonstrations, Demonstration XXI, §§ 10, 13

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