elligent among his disciples, but demonstrating the divine precepts by his actions for those of harder hearts and ruder minds (Benedict 160).
             The Abbot was the central authority figure of the monastery and a most honorable man chosen to lead his followers.
             Just as the Abbot was chosen to be the leader of the monastery, the Pope was chosen by his brethren to be the leader of the Church throughout the world. The Pope derived his power from St. Peter, to whom God had given great power.
             To him (Peter), if you are of the Lord's flock, you have been committed for your pasture, since Christ said to him: "Peter, feed my sheep," and again: "To thee are given the keys of Heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven" (Pope Gregory VII 581).
             God made St. Peter the leader of all Christian men, giving him the responsibility of formulating good Christians. As the bishop of Rome, Pope Gregory VII felt he must assume these duties and serve as the leader to both ecclesiastic and non-ecclesiastic men of the Church.
             In comparing St. Benedict's ideals for an Abbot and the Pope, it is apparent that each of the positions requires the respective man to look at all his followers equally. The Abbot was not to treat one man living in the monastery with more or less respect than another. "Let him make no distinction of persons in the monastery. Let him not love one more than another, unless it be one whom he finds better in good works or in obedience" (Benedict 160). Pope Gregory VII maintained it was essential that he persecute King Henry IV as he would any other
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