Natalis of Salona

This is part 12 in a series on Daniel Farlati’s Illyricum Sacrum.

Natalis became Bishop of Salona in 580 AD. He is remembered for a series of letters that Gregory the Great wrote to him. Gregory admonished him for his wordly life style and for unfairly deposing an two individuals, Honoratus and Florentinus.

Thomas the Archdeacon summarized the dispute with Honratus in his 11th century work Historiae Salonitanae. Natalis was a Salonan native who chose feasts and banquets with friends and relatives over service to the church. He also took money from the church treasury to give to friends.

When Honoratus began to oppose Natalis, he devised a plan to have him ordained a presbyter so he could be replaced him with a more favorable archdeacon. Honoratus opposed the plan and appealled in writing to Pope Pelagius II. Pelagius wrote to Natalus requesting him to stop bothering Honoratus any further. Natalis did no relent, Pelagius passed away, and Honoratus was deposed. Honoratus Wrote to Pelagius’ successor, Gregory the Great. His series of letters dealing with the matter are republished by Farlati.

Gregory’s response to Honoratus

Gregory to Honoratus, Deacon of Salona. We regret to acknowledge the contrary writings which you and your Bishop have directed against you, because charity recognizes nothing between you. Nevertheless, we command you to administer in the office of your order: and if there, by the overcoming grace, the causes of your scandal can cease, we believe that your souls have gained much. But the discord between you has armed its parties in such a way that your will must remain in fear of scandal. You should attend our hearing without ceasing, and your Bishop should direct for himself whom he has chosen an educated person, so that, having weighed all things with subtle reason, we should establish what the parties have seen. But we want you to know that we will strictly seek from you everything, if not those which either belong to your own church, or which have been collected from different churches, are not preserved with all solicitude and faith. But if any of them should perish, either through negligence or through the fraud of any one, you will be bound by this debt, who by the order of the archdeaconry are more closely involved in the custody of the same church. In the month of December, ninth Indiction, in the year of the pontificate of Christ I, 590.

Gregory’s letter to Natalis

Gregories first letter to Natalis requests that he restore Honoratus to his place as Archdeacon. He urges that Honoratus should come to Rome to plead his case, and that Natalis should send someone to represent his side.

The deeds which you have sent to us by the Secretary of your Council, in which Archdeacon Honoratus is mentioned, we have learned to be full of the seeds of quarrels, since at one and the same time one person is promoted to the order of Priesthood against his will, who is removed as undeservedly from the office of Diaconate, and just as it is just that no one should be compelled to grow up against his will, so I think it should be considered in the same way, that no innocent person should be unjustly cast down from the ministry of his order. Nevertheless, since discord hostile to God accuses your parties, we advise you to restore his place and administration to Archdeacon Honoratus; and that, in agreement, you render services competent to divine ministries. Let the aforesaid Archdeacon appear at our hearing and question, if there is still a cause of scandal between you, admonished, and your love direct an educated person for his parties: in which presence, by the consolation of the Lord, we may be able to decide, laying aside the interest of persons, which befits a taste of justice. In the month of December. Indiction nine, in the year of the Pontificate of Christ I 590.

Gregory’s follow up letters to Natalis

Natalis, having delayed sending someone to Rome to argue his side, receives a second letter from Gregory urging him again to send someone to Rome and to reinstate honoratus as Archdeacon.

Natalis wrote to Gregory the reasoning behind his feast habits and cited scripture as justification. The letter does not survive, but Gregory’s response does. Natalis cited Genesis 18 and Genesis 27 as two examples of feasts in the old testament. Gregory says these examples were allegorical and were meant to be viewed as spiritual nurishment.

For in defense of feasts your Fraternity mentions the feast of abraham, in which by the testimony of Holy Scripture he is said to have entertained three angels. In view of this example, neither will we blame your Blessedness for feasting, if we come to know that you entertain Angels.

Natalis also pointed to Romans 14:3 The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not. Gregory sees this to mean not to judge those outside of our care.

This precept, then, was given only with reference to persons who go about to judge those who have not been committed to their care. But now that we, by the ordering of God, are one, we should be much in fault were we to pass over in silence what calls for our correction.

Mention of Natalis in Gregory’s other letters

Gregory wrote to the other bishops of Dalmatia informing them of the controversy taking place in Salona. He told them that if Natalis did not restore Honoratus he would revoke the right to his Pallium and prohibit him from communion. In a smilarly worded letter, Gregory wrote to his subdeacon Antonius, asking him to ensure that Honoratus was restored.

According to Gregory in a letter sent to John, bishop of Ravenna, Natalis did correct himself before his death.

I was very saddened about our brother and fellow bishop Natalis, because I had learned certain proud things about him, but because he himself corrected his manners, he consoled my sadness

Deposal of Florentinus, Bishop of Epidaurus

In a second indicent, Gregory wrote to Natalis concerning his unlawful deposal of Florentinus, Bishop of Epidaurus. Natalis had acted without holding a provincial council to discuss the matter with other bishops. Gregory wrote to him around 592 AD ordering him to restore Florentinus and properly investigate the accusations against him. Gregory tells Natalis that he has informed Antonius of his request to see that Florentinus is restored. Gregory’s letter to Antonius follows.

It has reached us that Florentius, Bishop of the city of Epidaurus, has been condemned without a priestly council for certain unapproved crimes, having previously seized his property. And because he should not suffer a canonical punishment, in whose condemnation a canonical sentence has not been pronounced, we command your experience that you should threaten our brother Natal and fellow bishop, to the extent that he has the above-mentioned man expelled from the same place where he is now said to have been driven into exile; and when a council of bishops has been convened, if the things in which he is accused have been canonically approved, we desire that brother Natal and our fellow bishops should retain their own verdict against him; but if he is acquitted by a general judgment, you should not allow him to be subject to any prejudice from now on, and that the matters which have been ruled upon should be restrained by your strict solicitude. It is necessary, therefore, that the more you weigh the weightier the burdens of such matters, the more you should strive to fulfill them with more maturity and vigilance.

Death of Natalis and election of a new Bishop

Natalis died before any of his controversies were fully resolved. Gregory wrote again to Antonius around 593 ordering him to make sure the election of a new bishop was conducted fairly. He was concerned about Malchus, the bishop of Delminium, interfering. Honoratus would be elected Bishop, and Gregory wrote a letter to the clergy of Salona confirming the choice.

However, John the Deacon reports in his Vita Gregorii that Malchus continued to be against Honoratus, and was successful in turning public opinion against him. Honoratus, hoping to avoid a Schism, resigned.