Author: Mourad Takla

You owe me a visit as a sick person in need of care, since one of the commandments is to visit the sick. You also owe the Holy Martyrs their yearly honor, which we celebrate in your own Arianzus on the 23rd of the month we call Dathusa. At the same time, there are quite a few church matters that require our joint attention. For all these reasons, I ask you to come right away, because though the effort is great, the reward matches it.

You owe me, even as a sick man, tending, for one of the commandments is the visitation of the sick. And you also owe to the Holy Martyrs their annual honour, which we celebrate in your own Arianzus on the 23rd of the month which we call Dathusa. And at the same time there are ecclesiastical affairs not a few which need our common examination. For all these reasons then, I beg you to come at once: for though the labour is great, the reward is equivalent.

(This was written a little later as a letter of thanks for an Easter gift. Theodore had quite recently been made Archbishop of Tyana.)

(Written a little later, as a letter of thanks for an Easter gift. Theodore had quite recently been made Archbishop of Tyana.)

We rejoice in these tokens of love, especially at such a season and from someone at once so young and so perfect. To greet you with the words of Scripture, you are established in your youth, for this is what Scripture calls someone who is more advanced in wisdom than his years would lead us to expect. The old Fathers prayed for the dew of heaven and fatness of the earth and other such things for their children, though perhaps some may understand these things in a higher sense. But we will give you back all in a spiritual sense. May the Lord fulfill all your requests, and may you be the father of such children (if I may pray for you concisely and intimately) as you yourself have shown yourself to your own parents, so that we, as well as everyone else, may be glorified concerning you.

We rejoice in the tokens of love, and especially at such a season, and from one at once so young a man, and so perfect; and, to greet you with the words of Scripture, established in your youth, for so it calls him who is more advanced in wisdom than his years lead us to expect. The old Fathers prayed for the dew of heaven and fatness of the earth Genesis 27:28 and other such things for their children, though perhaps some may understand these things in a higher sense; but we will give you back all in a spiritual sense. The Lord fulfil all your requests, and may thou be the father of such children (if I may pray for you concisely and intimately) as you yourself have shown yourself to your own parents, so that we, as well as every one else, may be glorified concerning you.

(Sent around Easter AD 382 with a copy of the Philocalia, or selected anthology of Origen's works edited by himself and Saint Basil.)

(Sent about Easter a.d. 382 with a copy of the Philocalia, or Chrestomathy of Origen's works edited by himself and S. Basil.)

You look forward to the Festival and the letters, and even better, you anticipate the actual occasion through your enthusiasm, and you provide us with a festival in advance. This is what Your Reverence gives us. In return, we give you the greatest thing we have: our prayers. But so that you may have some small token to remember us by, we send you the volume of the Philocalia of Origen, containing a selection of passages useful to students of literature. Please accept this, and give us proof of its usefulness by being helped through diligence and the Spirit.

You anticipate the Festival, and the letters, and, which is better still, the time by your eagerness, and you bestow on us a preliminary festival. Such is what Your Reverence gives us. And we in return give you the greatest thing we have, our prayers. But that you may have some small thing to remember us by, we send you the volume of the Philocalia of Origen, containing a selection of passages useful to students of literature. Deign to accept this, and give us a proof of its usefulness, being aided by diligence and the Spirit.

Here is another person presenting you with a letter, which, if truth be told, you have brought on yourself, since you provoke them by the honor you show them. Here too is another petitioner before you, a prisoner of fear, our kinsman Eustratius, who with us and through us begs your goodness, because he cannot bear to remain in perpetual rebellion against your authority, even though a justified terror has frightened him, nor does he choose to appeal to you through anyone else but me, so that he may make your mercy toward him more evident through his use of such intercessors, whom you yourself make important by accepting their appeal in this way. I will say one thing, and that briefly. All the other favors you granted to me, but this one you will grant to your own judgment, since you once intended to comfort our old age and sickness with such honors. And I will add that you are continually making God more favorable to you.

Here is another laying before you a letter, of which, if the truth may be said, you are the cause yourself, for you provoke them by the honour you do them. Here too is another petitioner for you, a prisoner of fear, our kinsman Eustratius, who with us and by us entreats your goodness, inasmuch as he cannot endure to be in perpetual rebellion against your government, even though a just terror has frightened him, nor does he choose to entreat you by anyone else than me, that he may make your mercy to him more conspicuous through his use of such intercessors, whom at all events you yourself make great by thus accepting their appeal. I will say one thing, and that briefly. All the other favours you conferred upon me; but this you will confer upon your own judgment, since once you purposed to comfort our age and infirmity with such honours. And I will add that you are continually rendering God more propitious to you.

Time is moving quickly, the struggle is great, and my illness is more severe, reducing me almost to the point where I cannot move. What is left but to pray to God and to appeal to your kindness—praying to the one that He will turn your mind toward gentler decisions, and appealing to the other that you will not harshly reject our appeal, but will receive kindly the wretched Paulus, whom justice has brought into your hands, perhaps so that it may make you more distinguished by the greatness of your kindness, and may commend our prayers (such as they are) to your mercy.

The time is swift, the struggle great, and my sickness severer, reducing me almost to immovability. What is left but to pray to God, and to supplicate your kindness, the one, that He will incline your mind to gentler counsels, the other that you will not roughly dismiss our intercession, but will receive kindly the wretched Paulus, whom justice has brought under your hands, perhaps in order that it may make you more illustrious by the greatness of your kindness, and may commend our prayers (such as they are) to your mercy.

(Olympius was Prefect of Cappadocia Secunda in 382. One letter to him against the Apollinarians has already been given. The remaining letters that follow are mainly recommendations of various people to his patronage.)

(Olympius was Prefect of Cappadocia Secunda in 382. One letter to him against the Apollinarians, has already been given; the rest, which are to follow are mainly recommendations of various persons to his patronage.)

All the other favors I have received I know are due to your kindness, and may God reward you for them with His own mercies. May one of these be that you discharge your office of prefect with good reputation and distinction from beginning to end. In what I now ask, I come more to give than to receive, if it is not arrogant to say so. I personally introduce poor Philumena to you, to appeal to your justice and to move you with the tears that afflict my soul. She herself will explain to you what wrongs she has suffered and by whom, for it would not be right for me to bring accusations against anyone. But this much I must say: widowhood and orphanhood have a right to the assistance of all right-minded men, and especially of those who have wives and children—those great pledges of pity—since we, being only men ourselves, are appointed to judge men. Pardon me for pleading with you for these matters by letter, since it is ill health that prevents me from seeing a ruler so kind and so distinguished for virtue that even the beginning of your administration is more precious than the good reputation of others at the end of their term.

All The Other favours which I have received I know to be due to your kindness; and may God reward you for them with His own mercies; and may one of these be, that you may discharge your office of prefect with good fame and splendour from beginning to end. In what I now ask I come rather to give than to receive, if it is not arrogant to say so. I personally introduce poor Philumena to you, to entreat your justice, and to move you to the tears with which she afflicts my soul. She herself will explain to you in what and by whom she has been wronged, for it would not be right for me to bring accusations against any one. But this much it is necessary for me to say, that widowhood and orphanhood have a right to the assistance of all right-minded men, and especially of those who have wife and children, those great pledges of pity, since we — ourselves only men — are set to judge men. Pardon me that I plead with you for these by letter, since it is by ill health that I am deprived of seeing a ruler so kind and so conspicuous for virtue that even the prelude of your administration is more precious than the good fame of others even at the end of their term.

(Written soon after Gregory's resignation of the Archbishopric.)

(Written soon after Gregory's resignation of the Archbishopric.)

Our withdrawal into privacy and peace has something very pleasant about it for me. But the fact that it separates me from your friendship and company is not beneficial—in fact, quite the opposite. Others get to enjoy your Excellence, while for me it would be a tremendous blessing just to have that shadow of conversation that comes through a letter. Will I see you again? Will I once more embrace the one I am so proud of, and will this be granted to what remains of my life? If so, I give full thanks to God. If not, then the best part of my life is already over. Please remember your friend Gregory and pray for him.

Our retreat and leisure and quiet have about them something very agreeable to me; but the fact that they cut me off from your friendship and society is not so advantageous but rather the other way. Others enjoy your Perfection, to me it would be really a great boon if I might have just that shadow of conversation which comes in a letter. Shall I see you again? Shall I embrace again him of whom I am so proud, and shall this be granted to the remnant of my life? If so, all thanks to God: if not, the best part of my life is over. Pray remember your friend Gregory and pray for him.

(A letter of no great importance, except as showing the friendly feelings which Gregory continued to maintain towards his successor.)

(A letter of no great importance, except as showing the friendly feelings which Gregory continued to maintain towards his successor.)

Affairs with us are going as usual: we are at peace, without conflicts and arguments, since we value the reward of silence (which carries no risk) above everything else. And we have gained some benefit from this rest, having by God's mercy recovered fairly well from our illness. May you ride on and reign, as holy David says, and may God, who has honored you with the Priesthood, be with you throughout and set it above all slander for you. And so that we may give each other proof of our courage, and so that we may not suffer any human misfortune as we stand before God, I send this message to you, and I ask you to agree to it promptly. There are many reasons that make me very concerned about our very dear Pancratius. Please be good enough to receive him kindly and to recommend him to the best of your friends, so that he may achieve his goal. His goal is to obtain relief from public office through some kind of military service, though there is no single kind of life that is free from the slanders of worthless men, as you very well know.

Affairs with us go on as usual: we are quiet without strifes and disputes, valuing as we do the reward (which has no risk attaching to it) of silence, beyond everything. And we have derived some profit from this rest, having by God's mercy fairly recovered from our illness. Do you ride on and reign, as holy David says, and may God, Who has honoured you with Priesthood, accompany you throughout, and set it for you above all slander. And that we may give each other a proof of our courage, and may not suffer any human calamity as we stand before God, I send this message to you, and do you promptly assent to it. There are many reasons which make me very anxious about our very dear Pancratius. Be good enough to receive him kindly, and to commend him to the best of your friends, that he may attain his object. His object is through some kind of military service to obtain relief from public office, though there is no single kind of life that is unexposed to the slanders of worthless men, as you very well know.

(Gregory, having failed to persuade the Council of 381 to end the schism at Antioch by recognizing Paulinus as successor to Meletius, thought it best for the sake of peace to resign the Archbishopric. The Council elected in his place Nectarius, a catechumen at the time, who was Praetor of Constantinople, and he was consecrated and enthroned June 9, 381. Gregory always maintained cordial relations with him, and the following letter was written in answer to the formal announcement of his election.)

(Gregory, having failed to persuade the Council of a.d. 381 to end the schism at Antioch by recognizing Paulinus as successor to Meletius, thought it best for the sake of peace to resign the Archbishopric. The Council elected in his place Nectarius, a catechumen at the time, who was Prætor of Constantinople, and he was consecrated and enthroned June 9, 381. Gregory always maintained cordial relations with him; and the following letter was written in answer to the formal announcement of his election.)

The Royal City needed to be adorned by the Royal Image. For this reason it wears you on its chest, as was appropriate, with the virtues and eloquence and other beautiful qualities with which Divine Favor has clearly enriched you. It has treated us with complete contempt and thrown us away like garbage and chaff or a wave of the sea. But since friends share a common interest in each other's affairs, I claim a share in your well-being and feel myself a participant in your glory and the rest of your good fortune. You too, as is fitting, should share in the anxieties and setbacks of your exiles, and not only (as the tragic playwrights say) cling to happy circumstances, but also take your part with your friend in troubles, so that you may be perfectly just, living justly and equally with respect to friendship and your friends. May good fortune remain with you for a long time, so that you may do even more good; yes, may it be with you irrevocably and eternally, after your prosperity here, until your passage to that other world.

It was needful that the Royal Image should adorn the Royal City. For this reason it wears you upon its bosom, as was fitting, with the virtues and the eloquence, and the other beauties with which the Divine Favour has conspicuously enriched you. Us it has treated with utter contempt, and has cast away like refuse and chaff or a wave of the sea. But since friends have a common interest in each other's affairs, I claim a share in your welfare, and feel myself a partaker in your glory and the rest of your prosperity. Do you also, as is fitting, partake of the anxieties and reverses of your exiles, and not only (as the tragedians say) hold and stick to happy circumstances, but also take your part with your friend in troubles; that you may be perfectly just, living justly and equally in respect of friendship and of your friends. May good fortune abide with you long, that you may do yet more good; yes, may it be with you irrevocably and eternally, after your prosperity here, unto the passage to that other world.

You are distressed by your travels and think of yourself as unsteady, like a stick carried along by a stream. But, my dear friend, you must not let yourself feel this way at all. For the travels of the stick are involuntary, but your course is ordained by God, and your stability lies in doing good to others, even though you are not fixed to a place. Unless, of course, one ought to find fault with the sun for going about the world scattering its rays and giving life to all things on which it shines, or, while praising the fixed stars, one should criticize the planets, whose very wandering is harmonious.

You are distressed by your travels, and think yourself unsteady, like a stick carried along by a stream. But, my dear friend, you must not let yourself feel so at all. For the travels of the stick are involuntary, but your course is ordained by God, and your stability is in doing good to others, even though you are not fixed to a place; unless indeed one ought to find fault with the sun, for going about the world scattering his rays, and giving life to all things on which he shines; or, while praising the fixed stars, one should revile the planets, whose very wandering is harmonious.