0722-12-01- SS Gregorius II - Gregory Invests Boniface with Episcopal Authority

Gregory Invests Boniface with Episcopal Authority (1 December 722

Gregory! the servant of the servants of Go"! to the clergy an" people #of $huringia%! greeting in the &or"'
Acce"ing without "elay to your praiseworthy "esire! we have raise" our colleague Boniface to the episcopal
"ignity' (e have comman"e" him not to or"ain a man who has been marrie" twice or one who has marrie" a
woman not a virgin! or one who is not fully instructe"! or a man suffering from a physical "efect! or who is
notorious for a crime whether civil or ecclesiastical! or who is )nown to be sub*ect to some liability' If he fin"s
such persons in office he shall not a"vance them' +n"er no circumstance whatsoever shoul" he accept Africans
who "are to apply for a"mission to ecclesiastical or"ers! because some of them are ,anichaeans an" others are
)nown to have receive" Baptism several times' -e #7.% shall en"eavour not to "iminish but rather to increase the
services an" a"ornments of the churches an" whatsoever en"owments they possess' -e is to "ivi"e the revenue
an" the offerings of the faithful into four parts/ one for himself! another to the clergy for their ministrations! a
thir" to the poor an" pilgrims! an" a fourth for the fabric of the churches! for all of which he must ren"er an
account at the *u"gment seat of Go"' $he or"ination of priests an" "eacons is to ta)e place only at the 0uarter
tenses of April! 1uly an" 2ctober an" at the beginning of &ent' Baptism must be conferre" only at Easter an"
(hitsunti"e! e3cept in the case of those who are in "anger of "eath! for otherwise they might perish eternally'
As long as he continues to carry out the in*unctions of this our see you are to show him un0uestioning obe"ience!
that the bo"y of the 4hurch may be without blame an" in perfect peace! through 1esus 4hrist our &or"! who
liveth an" reigneth with Almighty Go" an" the -oly 5pirit for ever an" ever'
,ay Go" preserve you from all harm! belove" sons'
Given on the )alen"s of December in the seventh year of the reign of our august &or"! &eo! by the grace of Go"
crowne" emperor! in the fourth year of his son 4onstantine the Great! the si3th in"iction'
1