Lives of Saints - Hierarch Gregory the Dialogist, Pope of Rome Christianity - Books
You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery;'                but I tell you that everyone who gazes at a woman to lust after her has committed adultery with her already in his heart.                If your right eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.                If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.                'It was also said, 'Whoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorce,'                but I tell you that whoever puts away his wife, except for the cause of sexual immorality, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries her when she is put away commits adultery.                'Again you have heard that it was said to them of old time, 'You shall not make false vows, but shall perform to the Lord your vows,'                but I tell you, don't swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is the throne of God;                nor by the earth, for it is the footstool of his feet; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.                Neither shall you swear by your head, for you can't make one hair white or black.                But let your 'Yes' be 'Yes' and your 'No' be 'No.' Whatever is more than these is of the evil one.                'You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.'*                But I tell you, don't resist him who is evil; but whoever strikes you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.                If anyone sues you to take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.                Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.                Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.                'You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor,* and hate your enemy.*'                But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,                that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven.               
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Hierarch Gregory the Dialogist, Pope of Rome
   

St. Gregory was born in Rome about the year 540. His grandfather was Pope Felix; his mother Silvia and his aunts, Tarsilla and Emiliana, were also numbered among the choir of the saints by the Roman Church. Having received a brilliant secular education, he attained high state offices. Leading a God-pleasing life, he aspired to monasticism with all his soul. After the death of his father, St. Gregory spent all his fortune on the building of six monasteries. In Rome, he founded a monastery in the name of the Holy Apostle Andrew the First-Called and there, having exchanged his palaces for a narrow cell, received the monastic tonsure. Then, on a commission from Pope Pelagius II, St. Gregory lived a long time in Byzantium. There he wrote his "Commentary on the Book of Job. " After the death of Pope Pelagius, St. Gregory was elected to the Roman cathedra. Considering himself unworthy, for seven months the saint would not bring himself to accept such a responsible ministry, and only in yielding to the entreaties of the clergy and the flock did he accept consecration.

Wisely governing the Church, Hierarch Gregory tirelessly planted the Word of God. St. Gregory compiled the order of the Liturgy of the Pre-sanctified Gifts in the Latin tongue, which before him had been known only in oral tradition. Confirmed by the Sixth Ecumenical Council, this order was accepted by the whole Orthodox Church.

He zealously struggled with the heresy of the Donatists [Supporters of a movement that arose in North Africa at the beginning of the fourth century, during the period of Diocletian's persecutions of Christians, when the hierarchy of the Church treated with lenience those who had apostasized from the faith during persecution. The Donatists required purity from the Church, holiness from all its members and the rebaptism of apostates], and converted to the true faith the pagan inhabitants of Britain and the Goths who had been adherents of the Arian heresy.[Arianism arose at the beginning of the fourth century and was named after its founder, the Alexandrian priest, Arius. According to his teaching, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, Christ the Logos, even though the most perfect creation of God, is still a creature, and as such, He is the Son of God "not by essence, but by grace." Arianism was condemned at the First Ecumenical Council].

Hierarch Gregory left behind him numerous works. After the appearance of his book, "Conversations or Dialogues on the Life and Miracles of the Italian Fathers," the hierarch began to be called the "Dialogist," that is to say, "one conducting a dialogue, a collocutor." His "Pastoral Rule" (or "On Pastoral Ministry") enjoys special renown. In this work, Hierarch Gregory thoroughly describes the image of the true pastor. Also, 848 of his letters of moral content have come down to us.

Hierarch Gregory headed the Roman Church for the course of thirteen years, taking care of all the needs of his flock. He was distinguished by an unusual love for the poor, for which he was vouchsafed a vision of the Lord Himself.

The Hierarch died in the year 604. His relics rest in the Cathedral of the Holy Apostle Peter in the Vatican.

Source: http://www.fatheralexander.org

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