Pope Gregory I, the second pope to earn “the Great” epithet, and like our first Great Pope Leo, he had a prolific career before becoming pope, including holding the highest civic office in Rome and serving as an apocrisiarius in Constantinople. But neither of these were jobs he wanted because he much preferred a monastic life, removed from the world. Imagine his disappointment when he is acclaimed as the next pope! In his episode, we discuss Gregory’s efforts to defend the whole of Italy from Lombard aggression through military strategy and co-opting secular authority, the evangelization of Britain through bad dad puns, more miracles than you can shake a stick at, hot grapes and too many eyes.

And thanks to Ben Vanbuskirk of Fukushima Laser Shark for our Gregory Ditty, and Totalus Rankium for Gregory singing!