Letter 30: A newly built church had been consecrated without the authority of the supreme pontiff, and Gelasius had accordingly...

[Summary heading: Pope Gelasius to a certain bishop. That, the authority having now been received, he should restore to divine worship a new church which had been consecrated without the authority of the supreme pontiff, and whose Masses he had on that account suspended.] The synodal precepts which were sent out a few months ago from our see to the province both agree with the ancient canons, and we have added those things which are found to be lacking; and it stands established on both points that, without the authority of the supreme pontiff, a church newly founded cannot be dedicated. And we judge it probable that you suspended the Masses on account of this basilica, which was brought into worship in such a manner [...]. But because a devout place ought not to remain long empty of the grace of the mysteries, most dear brother, you shall consecrate it, the order of our authority having been received, in the name of those martyrs whom the report contains: so that the gathering of the peoples, which you have directed eagerly to assemble there, with the ecclesiastical rules and canons preserved, may have its assembly whole, with religion made firm.

Gelasii papae ad quemdam episcopum. ^495^) (/t novam ecclesiam sine summi ponlificis auctoritate consecratam ^ cujus ideo missas snspenderatf suscepta nune auctoritate cuUui divino reddat. Praecepta synodalia, quae ante paucos menses de sede nostra »d provinciam sunt directa, et antiquis canonibus consentiimt, et ea qaae minus esse probantur addidimus; et in utraque parte con- skat, sine*) summi pontificis auctoritate ecclesiam noviter conditam non posse dedicari. Teque ex hac basilica, quae taliter ad cultiun Aalea elegantius diceretur tn vestrum judicium j eo quod scilicct, ut iu epistola tfeqoenti docemur, Crispinus et Sabinus erant delegati. ') Sic corrigendum putamuB, quod male 77* atque actorcy pejus Z atque auctore Oeo. Hoc sibi vult ab auctope, quod initio epistolac superioris domini sui bc" figsliste, 1 W omittlt tibi commendo ut, babet Z. ') lu prima parte epistolae 14 cap. 4 generaliter praecipitur: Basilicas no- ^inttiiitias non petitis ex more praeceptionibus dedicare non audeant; tum iu al- '^cap. 25 additor: de locorum consecratione sanctorttm, quamvis superius strictim '"^ tmprehehtum, nobis quoque patefactum est, quod absque praecepto sedis apo- ^•'^fle nonmdU facias ecclesias vel oratoria sacrare praesumant. Quibus locis inter iBeoIlaiag liquet, Qelasio synonyma esse tria haec: primum epistolae 14 c. 25 ■•fw praeeepto sedis apostolicae , alterum epistolae hujus sine summi pontificis "'^^oriuue, po8tremum praedictae epistolae 14 c. 6 sine summo pontifice. Notanda *^liaec locutio, qua nullum aute Gelasium ad Eomanum autistitem specia- ^ dengnandum usom esse meminimus, quamvis subinde celebris adeo ac ^''^iaris eraserit. Antea enim quosvis episcopos summos pontifues dictos esse (a. 494fuerit processionis^) adducta, suspendisse missas, probabiliter') com- "^ *^ putamus. Sed quia devotus locus non debet a mysteriorum *) gratia diu yacuus permanere^ frater carissime, eonmi martyrum nomine, quos^) relatio continet,auctoritatis nostrae suscepta serie consecra- . bis : ut populorum frequentatio, quam illic avide convenire mandasti, servatis regulis ecclesiasticis et canonibus integrum habeat firmata religione conventum.