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AMBROSIAN AND GREGORIAN CHANT. 303
followed, can only be imagined; but scarcely had a calm been re-established, when, at a period when the reforms and inventions of St. Ambrose had not been vitiated or lost, the great reformer of church music arose, and re-instated the art upon a firmer pedestal than ever.
Gregory, the Great, born about A. i>. 540, and pope from September 3, 590, to March 12, 604, was of an illustrious Eoman family. His father Gordianus, was a senator, and Felix in., one of the early pontiffs, was among his ancestors. He was one of the most remarkable, zealous, and intelligent of the fathers of the church.
We have here only to follow his musical work, but in every branch of work connected with his church, he was most eminent. He founded six monasteries in Sicily alone. He voluntarily resigned an honorable office, to leave the world, and seek retirement in the monastery of St. Andrew, which he himself had founded at Home. On this occasion he gave to the poor all his wealth, and declining the abbacy of his own convent, began with the ordinary monastic life, about 575.
He wished to attempt the conversion of the Brit-ians, (moved thereto by the well known incident of seeing some beautiful Anglo-Saxon youths exposed for sale in the Eoman market place), but was prevented by the clamor of the populace who refused to lose him. Like St. Ambrose, he was called to office entirely against his will, and, on being made pontiff, he seems to have excelled in every department of his administration; thus |
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