THE LIFE OF ST. GREGORY
Pope Gregory I, also known as Saint Gregory the Great, was known for
instituting the first recorded large-scale mission from Rome, the Gregorian mission,
to convert the then largely pagan Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. Gregory
is also well known for his writings, which were more prolific than
those of any of his predecessors as pope. As a Roman senator's son, and
serving as the prefect of Rome at 30, Gregory lived in a monastery he
established on his family estate before becoming a papal ambassador and
then assuming the office of pope. Although he was the first pope from a
monastic background, his prior political experiences may have helped him
to be a talented administrator. During his papacy, his administration
greatly surpassed that of the emperors in improving the welfare of the
people of Rome, and he challenged the theological views of Eutychius of
Constantinople before the emperor Tiberius II. Gregory regained papal
authority in Spain and France and sent missionaries to England,
including Augustine of Canterbury and Paulinus of York. His life if
retold here by the French Monk, Otto the Abbot, some five centuries
after his death.
Released: Nov. 1, 2016, ISBN: 9781088292532