What made him great?

Ultimately, what made Pope St. Gregory the first great was the grace of God: the graces given to him by God through his natural talents and his upbringing, the supernatural graces God gave him throughout his life, the graces he cultivated through a strong life of prayer and his devotion even in the midst of personal suffering.

He is known as one of the great teachers or Doctors of the Church. His writings were extensive and varied and full of the greatest insights.

He reformed the liturgy, especially liturgical music (it is from him that we get the name Gregorian Chant). He promoted monasticism, drawing heavily upon the wisdom of St. Benedict (who had died only a few years after Gregory’s birth).

He initiated great missionary efforts, particularly the mission of his fellow monks to England (a mission that he himself had once tried himself).

He set a new standard for being a bishop, by his example as well as by his book Liber Pastoralis Curae (Book of Pastoral Care).

He did not ignore the physical needs of the people. Since there was no functioning secular authority in the city, Gregory himself successfully rescued the people of the city from starvation, reestablished government services, led processions and prayers credited with ending a plague, reconstituted military defenses, and negotiated peace treaties.

He established efficient systems for administering Church property and finances while emptying Church coffers for the care of the poor. He asserted and conscientiously carried out his responsibilities regarding other dioceses in Western Europe, even in the face of local resistance and geopolitical opposition. He also sought to establish a good equilibrium in Church-state relations (i.e., with the emperor at Constantinople).

He was personally prayerful, austere, and generous. Miracles happened through him.

Gregory served as Pope for 14 years, much of them in sickness and pain. He died on March 12 in the year 604. He was immediately acclaimed as a saint.