St. Gregory I was a pope in the 6thcentury and was surnamed The Great due to the many innovations he had done in the Church, some of which are still in practice today. To mention one, we have the Gregorian chant or monophonic plainchant, sang especially in monasteries and convents, which make the celebration more solemn. St. Gregory was born into a wealthy family about the year 540. His father served as a senator and Prefect of Rome and held also a distinguished position in the Church. Gregory was well educated in rhetoric, grammar, literature, sciences, history, dialectic, mathematics and music and imperial law and was known to have excelled in all these. He became a Prefect in Rome, like his father at thirty-three years old. On his father’s death, he converted the family villa into a monastery dedicated to St. Andrew the Apostle. It was rededicated to him after his death. Gregory had a great respect for monastic life and the three vows. His three paternal aunts were religious and his mother was herself saintly.
Pope Pelagius II ordained Gregory a deacon. From 579 to 586 Gregory was his representative to the imperial court of Constantinople and Gregory was part of the Roman delegation to ask for help to fight the Lombards, but they failed to employ their help. He returned to Rome and was elected by acclamation to succeed Pope Pelagius on 590, when the latter died of the plague in the city. Pope Gregory opposed the mistaken belief of Eutychius of Constantinople that the risen body of Jesus could no longer be touched. When, Tiberius II of Constantinople took over, he sided with Gregory. Before his death, Eutychius recanted his mistake. As Pope, Gregory longed for the silence and simplicity of monastic life, yet he was faithful to his duties amidst the upheavals and contradictions around him. Pope Gregory is credited with re-organizing the missions in other parts of Europe, particularly England, which afterwards evangelized Germany and the Netherlands. Giving alms to relieve the poor was also one of his administrative projects. The Church was receiving donations from the wealthy people, so he believed that he was the steward of the Church. He required churchmen and the Christians to give their help to the needy. They not only distributed money, but also food. Gregory also performed many other good and charitable deeds. All these won the hearts of the Romans and ignored the attractive poise of the rival Constantinople. From the time of Gregory the Great to the rise of the Italian nationalism, the papacy was the most influential presence in Italy. A certain deacon, wrote that this pope made a general revision of the liturgy of the “ “Tredentine Mass”, the Traditional Latin Mass, removing, changing and adding what were necessary. Pope Gregory also transferred the praying of the “Our Father” immediately after the Roman Canon and immediately before the Fraction of the consecrated Bread, which is still the practice till our present time. He also established the praying of the Kyries at the beginning of the Mass. He reduced the role of deacons in the Roman Liturgy, giving more precedence to the priests. He was the first to make extensive use of the term “Servant of the Servants of God,” as papal title. He wrote books, sermons and letters and commentaries on the Bible. It is impossible to write about all his works in our limited space. Pope Gregory died in Rome on March 12, 604 at the age of 60. He was declared a saint immediately after his death by popular acclamation. He is the patron of musicians, students and teachers. His feast day is September 3.
