n
his death-bed. St. Gregory forbade the community to attend and pray by
his bedside, according to custom; but could not refuse him the
assistance of a priest, which the council of Nice ordained that no one
should be deprived of at the hour of death. Justus died in great
sentiments of compunction; yet, in compliance with what the monastic
discipline enjoins in such cases, in imitation of what St. Macarius had
prescribed on the like occasion, he ordered his corpse to be buried
under the dunghill, and the three pieces of money to be thrown into the
grave with it. Nevertheless, as he died penitent, he ordered mass to be
daily offered up for him during thirty days.[9] St. Gregory says,[10]
that after the mass of the thirtieth day, Justus, appearing to his
brother Copiosus, assured him that he had been in torments, but was then
released. Pope Pelagius II. dying in the beginning of the great
pestilence, in January, 590, the clergy, senate, and Roman people
unanimously agreed to choose St. Gregory for their bishop, although he
opposed his election with all his power. It was then the custom at the
election of a pope to consult the emperor as the head of the senate and
people. Our saint, trusting to his friendship with Mauritius, to whose
son he stood godfather, wrote to him privately to conjure him not to
approve of this choice. He wrote also with great earnestness to John,
patriarch of Constantinople, and to other powerful friends in that city,
begging them to employ their interest with the emperor for that purpose:
but complains in several letters afterwards that they had all refused to
serve him. The governor of Rome intercepted his letters to the emperor,
and sent others to him, in the name of the senate and people, to the
contrary effect. In the mean time, the plague continued to rage at Rome
with great violence; and, while the people waited for the emperor's
answer, St. Gregory took occasion from their calamities to exhort them
to repentance. Having made them a pathetic sermon on that subject,[11]
he appointed a solemn litany, or procession, in seven companies, with a
{572} priest at the head of each, who were to march from different
churches, and all to meet in that of St. Mary Major; singing Kyrie
Eleison as they went along the streets. During this procession there
died in one hour's time fourscore of those who assisted at it. But St.
Gregory did not forbear to exhort the people, and to pray till such time
as the distemp