Opening
ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA
ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA
To the Italians and Gauls.
To the Italians and Gauls.
To our righteous, godly, and holy brothers who are serving as bishops in Italy and Gaul, those of like mind with us—we, Meletius, Eusebius, Basil, Bassus, Gregory, Pelagius, Paul, Anthimus, Theodotus, Bithus, Abraamius, Jobinus, Zeno, Theodoretus, Marcianus, Barachus, Abraamius, Libanius, Thalassius, Joseph, Boethus, Iatrius, Theodotus, Eustathius, Barsumas, John, Chosroes, Iosaces, Narses, Maris, Gregory, and Daphnus—send greetings in the Lord. People in anguish find some comfort in sending sigh after sigh from the depths of their hearts, and even shedding a tear lessens the burden of suffering. But sighs and tears give us less comfort than the chance to share our troubles with your love. We are further encouraged by the better hope that perhaps, if we tell you our troubles, we may move you to give us the help we have long hoped you would give to the Churches in the East, but which we have not yet received. God, who in His wisdom arranges all things, must have decided according to the hidden judgments of His righteousness that we should be tested for a longer time in these trials. News of our situation has spread to the ends of the earth, and you are aware of it. Nor do you lack sympathy for brothers who share your mind, for you are disciples of the apostle who teaches us that love for our neighbor fulfills the law. But, as we have said, the just judgment of God, which has decreed that the suffering due to our sins must be completed, has held you back. However, when you have learned everything, especially what has not yet reached your ears, from our reverend brother the deacon Sabinus, who will be able to tell you in person what is left out of our letter, we earnestly ask you to be stirred both to zeal for the truth and to sympathy for us. We beg you to put on compassionate hearts, to set aside all hesitation, and to take up the work of love, without counting the distance, your own concerns, or any other human matters.
1. To our right godly and holy brethren who are ministering in Italy and Gaul, bishops of like mind with us, we, Meletius, Eusebius, Basil, Bassus, Gregory, Pelagius, Paul, Anthimus, Theodotus, Bithus, Abraamius, Jobinus, Zeno, Theodoretus, Marcianus, Barachus, Abraamius, Libanius, Thalassius, Joseph, Boethus, Iatrius, Theodotus, Eustathius, Barsumas, John, Chosroes, Iosaces, Narses, Maris, Gregory, and Daphnus, send greeting in the Lord. Souls in anguish find some consolation in sending sigh after sigh from the bottom of the heart, and even a tear shed breaks the force of affliction. But sighs and tears give us less consolation than the opportunity of telling our troubles to your love. We are moreover cheered by the better hope that, perhaps, if we announce our troubles to you, we may move you to give us that succour which we have long hoped you would give the Churches in the East, but which we have not yet received; God, Who in His wisdom arranges all things, must have ordained according to the hidden judgments of His righteousness, that we should be tried for a longer time in these temptations. The fame of our condition has travelled to the ends of the earth, and you are not ignorant of it; nor are you without sympathy with brethren of like mind with yourselves, for you are disciples of the apostle, who teaches us that love for our neighbour is the fulfilling of the law. But, as we have said, the just judgment of God, which has ordained that the affliction due to our sins must be fulfilled, has held you back. But when you have learned all, specially what has not hitherto reached your ears, from our reverend brother the deacon Sabinus, who will be able to narrate in person what is omitted in our letter, we do beseech you to be roused both to zeal for the truth and sympathy for us. We implore you to put on bowels of mercy, to lay aside all hesitation, and to undertake the labour of love, without counting length of way, your own occupations, or any other human interests.
This crisis affects not just one church, or two or three, but the destructive force of this heresy has spread almost from the borders of Illyricum to the Thebaid. The evil seeds were first planted by the notorious Arius. They then took deep root through the efforts of many who energetically promoted this impiety between his time and ours. Now they have produced their deadly fruit. The teachings of true religion are being destroyed. The laws of the Church are thrown into disorder. The ambition of men who have no fear of God drives them toward high positions, and elevated office is now openly known as the reward for impiety. The result is that the more a man blasphemes, the more suitable people think he is to be a bishop. The dignity of the clergy is a thing of the past. There is a complete absence of men shepherding the Lord's flock with knowledge. Ambitious men constantly waste resources meant for the poor on their own pleasure and on giving gifts. There is no accurate understanding of the canons. Sin goes completely unpunished, because when men have been appointed to office through human favoritism, they are obliged to return the favor by continually showing leniency to offenders. Just judgment has disappeared, and everyone follows his own desires. Evil knows no limits. The people recognize no restraint. Those in authority are afraid to speak, because those who have gained power through human connections are enslaved to those who helped them advance. Now even the defense of orthodoxy is viewed in some circles as an excuse for mutual attacks, and men hide their private grudges while pretending their hostility is entirely for the sake of truth. Others, fearing exposure of their shameful crimes, whip the people into fratricidal quarrels so that their own actions will go unnoticed in the general chaos. For this reason the conflict allows no truce, since evildoers fear peace as something likely to expose their hidden shame. Meanwhile unbelievers mock, those with weak faith are shaken, faith is uncertain, and souls are saturated with ignorance because those who corrupt the word imitate the truth. The mouths of true believers are silenced while every blasphemous tongue speaks freely. Holy things are trampled underfoot. The better laity avoid the churches as schools of impiety and raise their hands in the wilderness with sighs and tears to their Lord in heaven. You must have heard what is happening in most of our cities—how our people, with wives and children and even the elderly, pour out beyond the city walls and offer their prayers in the open air, enduring all the hardship of the weather with great patience and waiting for help from the Lord.
2. It is not only one Church which is in peril, nor yet two or three which have fallen under this terrible storm. The mischief of this heresy spreads almost from the borders of Illyricum to the Thebaid. Its bad seeds were first sown by the infamous Arius; they then took deep root through the labours of many who vigorously cultivated the impiety between his time and ours. Now they have produced their deadly fruit. The doctrines of true religion are overthrown. The laws of the Church are in confusion. The ambition of men, who have no fear of God, rushes into high posts, and exalted office is now publicly known as the prize of impiety. The result is, that the worse a man blasphemes, the fitter the people think him to be a bishop. Clerical dignity is a thing of the past. There is a complete lack of men shepherding the Lord's flock with knowledge. Ambitious men are constantly throwing away the provision for the poor on their own enjoyment and the distribution of gifts. There is no precise knowledge of canons. There is complete immunity in sinning; for when men have been placed in office by the favour of men, they are obliged to return the favour by continually showing indulgence to offenders. Just judgment is a thing of the past; and everyone walks according to his heart's desire. Vice knows no bounds; the people know no restraint. Men in authority are afraid to speak, for those who have reached power by human interest are the slaves of those to whom they owe their advancement. And now the very vindication of orthodoxy is looked upon in some quarters as an opportunity for mutual attack; and men conceal their private ill-will and pretend that their hostility is all for the sake of the truth. Others, afraid of being convicted of disgraceful crimes, madden the people into fratricidal quarrels, that their own doings may be unnoticed in the general distress. Hence the war admits of no truce, for the doers of ill deeds are afraid of a peace, as being likely to lift the veil from their secret infamy. All the while unbelievers laugh; men of weak faith are shaken; faith is uncertain; souls are drenched in ignorance, because adulterators of the word imitate the truth. The mouths of true believers are dumb, while every blasphemous tongue wags free; holy things are trodden under foot; the better laity shun the churches as schools of impiety; and lift their hands in the deserts with sighs and tears to their Lord in heaven. Even you must have heard what is going on in most of our cities, how our people with wives and children and even our old men stream out before the walls, and offer their prayers in the open air, putting up with all the inconvenience of the weather with great patience, and waiting for help from the Lord.
What lament could match these sufferings? What fountains of tears would be enough for them? So while some men still seem to be standing, while a trace of the old order of things still remains, before complete shipwreck overtakes the Churches, hurry to us, hurry to us now, true brothers, we beg you. On our knees we beg you, extend a helping hand. May your brotherly compassion be stirred toward us; may tears of sympathy flow. Do not stand by unmoved while half the empire is swallowed up by error. Do not let the light of the faith be extinguished in the place where it first shone.
3. What lamentation can match these woes? What springs of tears are sufficient for them? While, then, some men do seem to stand, while yet a trace of the old state of things is left, before utter shipwreck comes upon the Churches, hasten to us, hasten to us now, true brothers, we implore you; on our knees we implore you, hold out a helping hand. May your brotherly bowels be moved toward us; may tears of sympathy flow; do not see, unmoved, half the empire swallowed up by error; do not let the light of the faith be put out in the place where it shone first.
You do not need us to tell you what action you can take to help or how to show sympathy for those who are suffering; the Holy Spirit will guide you. But clearly, if those who remain are to be saved, prompt action is needed, along with the arrival of a significant number of brothers. Those who visit us must complete the required number for the synod so that they will have authority to bring about reform—not only because of the dignity of those who sent them, but also because of their own numbers. In this way they can restore the creed our fathers drew up at Nicaea, condemn the heresy, and by bringing together all who are of one mind, speak peace to the Churches. The saddest part of all this is that those who hold sound doctrine are divided among themselves, and the troubles we suffer are like those that once struck Jerusalem when Vespasian was besieging it. The Jews at that time were attacked by enemies from outside while also being destroyed by internal conflict among their own people. In our situation too, in addition to the open assault of the heretics, the Churches are brought to complete helplessness by the war raging among those who are supposed to be orthodox. For all these reasons we truly need your help, so that in the future all who confess the apostolic faith may put an end to the schisms they have unfortunately created and submit once again to the authority of the Church. In this way, the body of Christ may be made complete once more, restored to wholeness with all its members. Then we will not only praise the blessings others enjoy, which is all we can do now, but we will see our own Churches restored to their original glory of orthodoxy. For truly, the gift the Lord has given you is worthy of the highest praise: your ability to distinguish between what is false and what is genuine and pure, and your preaching of the faith of the Fathers without any pretense. We have received that faith; we recognize that faith as bearing the marks of the Apostles; we agree with that faith, as well as with everything that was canonically and lawfully set forth in the Synodical Letter.
By what action you can then help matters, and how you are to show sympathy for the afflicted, you do not want to be told by us; the Holy Ghost will suggest to you. But unquestionably, if the survivors are to be saved, there is need of prompt action, and of the arrival of a considerable number of brethren, that those who visit us may complete the number of the synod, in order that they may have weight in effecting a reform, not merely from the dignity of those whose emissaries they are, but also from their own number: thus they will restore the creed drawn up by our fathers at Nicæa, proscribe the heresy, and, by bringing into agreement all who are of one mind, speak peace to the Churches. For the saddest thing about it all is that the sound part is divided against itself, and the troubles we are suffering are like those which once befell Jerusalem when Vespasian was besieging it. The Jews of that time were at once beset by foes without and consumed by the internal sedition of their own people. In our case, too, in addition to the open attack of the heretics, the Churches are reduced to utter helplessness by the war raging among those who are supposed to be orthodox. For all these reasons we do indeed desire your help, that, for the future all who confess the apostolic faith may put an end to the schisms which they have unhappily devised, and be reduced for the future to the authority of the Church; that so, once more, the body of Christ may be complete, restored to integrity with all its members. Thus we shall not only praise the blessings of others, which is all we can do now, but see our own Churches once more restored to their pristine boast of orthodoxy. For, truly, the boon given you by the Lord is fit subject for the highest congratulation, your power of discernment between the spurious and the genuine and pure, and your preaching the faith of the Fathers without any dissimulation. That faith we have received; that faith we know is stamped with the marks of the Apostles; to that faith we assent, as well as to all that was canonically and lawfully promulgated in the Synodical Letter.