Festal Letters — Letter 45

One of the Easter letters the Pope of Alexandria sent each year to the churches of Egypt, announcing the date of the Fast and of Pascha.

Source: Translated by R. Payne-Smith. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series , Vol. 4. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. ( Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1892. ) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/2806045.htm>.

Opening

I notice that you've provided a heading "(For 373.)" but no actual paragraph text to rewrite. Could you please provide the paragraph you'd like me to rewrite in clear, modern English? Once you share the text, I'll be happy to simplify it while preserving all the theological precision and transliterated Greek technical terms as you've requested.

(For 373.)

Let us all bring our sacrifices, giving to the poor, and enter into the holy place, as it is written: 'where also our forerunner Jesus has entered for us, having obtained eternal redemption.' And this is strong evidence that though we were strangers, we are now called friends. From being aliens, we have become fellow citizens with the saints and are called children of the Jerusalem which is above, of which the one Solomon built was a type. For if Moses made all things according to the pattern shown him on the mountain, it is clear that the service performed in the tabernacle was a type of the heavenly mysteries. The Lord, wanting us to enter these mysteries, prepared for us the new and lasting way. And just as all the old things were a type of the new, so the festival we celebrate now is a type of the joy which is above. Coming to this with psalms and spiritual songs, let us begin the fasts.

Let us all take up our sacrifices, observing distribution to the poor, and enter into the holy place, as it is written; 'whither also our forerunner Jesus is entered for us, having obtained eternal redemption. '…( From the same:)…And this is a great proof that, whereas we were strangers, we are called friends; from being formerly aliens, we have become fellow citizens with the saints, and are called children of the Jerusalem which is above, whereof that which Solomon built was a type. For if Moses made all things according to the pattern showed him in the mount, it is clear that the service performed in the tabernacle was a type of the heavenly mysteries, whereto the Lord, desirous that we should enter, prepared for us the new and abiding way. And as all the old things were a type of the new, so the festival that now is, is a type of the joy which is above, to which coming with psalms and spiritual songs, let us begin the fasts.


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