This Monday marks the day Pope Gregory the First is commemorated in the Eastern Catholic Church and Orthodox church. Saint Gregory was a pope from September 3, 590 until his death, March 12, 604. Though the term “Gregorian chant” was coined in his honor, Gregory had been dead for two hundred years when Gregorian chants were incorporated into the Mass, so scholars now believe that Gregory had reasonably little to do with their characteristics or development.

But who needs more than the slightest reminder to investigate the web’s vast Gregorian Chant resources (which can even assist you in your search for a Gregorian ringtone). Here’s a nice disc of Old Roman chants (perhaps closest to the general period we’re discussing here). And here’s a sweet amateurishly made film of chants in France from YouTube.com that will place you in a fine Gregorian chant mood.

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