ABSTRACT

Between the 5th and 8th centuries, the Roman pontiffs exercised a structured control over the Church of Sicily through the actions of Apostolic Vicars, ‘Defensores Ecclesiae’, and administrators of the Patrimony of Saint Peter. The island became a crucial setting for the development of papal representation, integrating vicarial and administrative functions within a context politically dominated by the Byzantine Empire. The pontificate of Gregory the Great exemplifies this governance, as evidenced by over 200 letters addressed to Sicilian recipients. The extensive documentation enables a systematic examination of the roles, status, and prerogatives of these figures, highlighting their pivotal contribution to the formation and consolidation of the medieval papal system of representation and administration.