(Short Version)
September 3: Saint Gregory the Great, Pope and Doctor—Memorial
c. 540–604
Patron Saint of choir boys, educators, masons, musicians, popes, students, and singers
Invoked against gout and the plague
Pre-Congregation canonization
Declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1295
Gregory was born in Rome into an aristocratic family whose members filled political and religious offices. Gregory’s father, a senator, became the Prefect of Rome; his mother, Silvia, was canonized as a saint, as were two aunts. Gregory’s influential, wealthy, and saintly family provided him with a stellar education and nurtured him in the Catholic faith. Until he was fourteen, Gregory witnessed disease and war between the Ostrogoths and the Eastern Roman Emperor ravage Rome. Gregory’s family might have fled for a time. In 554, people returned to Rome to rebuild and reestablish order.
Gregory followed his father in civil leadership roles and was elected as Prefect of Rome in 573. When his father died, Gregory resigned as Prefect, turned his family home into a monastery, and took monastic vows. Gregory spent four years immersed in prayer and study before Pope Pelagius II ordained him as one of Rome’s seven deacons and sent him to Constantinople as his papal ambassador. There, Deacon Gregory maintained his monastic life while fulfilling his imperial court duties. He also began writing his commentary on the Book of Job, providing teachings on God’s nature, the problem of evil, the Christian understanding of suffering, and the virtue of patience.
Six years later, Deacon Gregory returned to Rome as abbot of his monastery. When Pope Pelagius II died in 590, the people of Rome chose Gregory as his successor. He reluctantly accepted and was the first monk to be elected pope. Over the next fourteen years, despite constant ill health, Pope Gregory I became one of the most consequential popes in history. Administratively, he implemented strict guidelines to ensure the responsible use of Church property and finances, put measures in place to prevent abuses, increased transparency, and expanded charitable works, nearly emptying the papal treasury. He also forged strategic military and political alliances that strengthened the papacy.
Pope Gregory standardized the liturgy with clear guidelines and rubrics. He instituted prayers, the flow of the Mass, and the liturgical year. The liturgical chant he developed became known as “Gregorian Chant.” In the missionary spirit, he began the conversion of England’s Anglo-Saxons.
In addition to Scripture commentaries, Pope Gregory authored the “Pastoral Rule,” a guide for bishops and other church leaders, outlining their pastoral responsibilities and the conduct expected in their personal and public lives. His “Dialogues” are a collection of inspiring visions, miracles, and the lives of the saints, including an early biography of St. Benedict. Pope Gregory’s approximately 800 letters offer a valuable insight into t
