c. 540–March 12, 604

Saint Gregory the Great reigned as pope from 590 to 604. A pre­eminent figure in the history of Christianity, Gregory left a lasting legacy for the Catholic Church and Western society more broadly, through his astute ecclesial reforms and political administrations, prolific spiritual and sacramental writings, and his zealous missionary work.

“One of the greatest Fathers in the history of the Church,” in the words of Pope Benedict XVI, Gregory was a “Gregory the Great shows us the true sources of peace, from which true hope comes. Thus, he becomes a guide also for us today.”