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and the holy angels to be enraged with him? or how did the earth, opening its mouth, not immediately swallow up the teacher of falsehood, as it did Dathan and Abiram, the one who shows darkness as light and tries to make Christ fall into self-contradiction? For in every way, whatever the priest suggests, God promises to ratify this, according to the great Dionysius. But nevertheless, having done such a wicked thing and given an example of evil to his subordinates for imitation (which has also happened, and rather even to those holding power and ruling far away, which likewise was also carried out in Lombardy and Gothia and their regions; for not even among the gentiles has such a thing been dared), the wretch is not ashamed, but, as has been said, the unholy one performs sacred rites and is eager to exile those who rightly turn away from him. But the Lord is a helper of those who stand for his commandment, who will exhort the hearts of our pious emperors to carry out the vindication of his church, just as in the case of the adulterer, so that he may be pleased that this man too be cast out from the sacred ministry for the benefit of the most holy patriarch and of the whole catholic church. Therefore, take courage, children and brothers, and do not be afraid, nor be downcast. It is a time for confession, a time for resistance, a time for struggle perhaps and other sufferings, but also for crowns and heavenly glory; for he says, 'But those who glorify me I will glorify, and he who despises me shall be dishonored'; and, 'blessed are those who do not turn aside from his commandments'. therefore rejoice and be glad, because your reward for those who endure is great in heaven. Hold to your works, pray for our emperors, for the high priest, for Joseph to be cast out from the altar, for the peace of the church, walking in a blameless way in his commandments, desiring it greatly, in all good order and canonical living, until you hear something more or we ourselves also make it known. Christ be with you, the Theotokos protecting you, the Forerunner and the Theologian guarding you, all the saints, by the prayer of my father and your father. I greet everyone by name; the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you, beloved children. Amen. 32 {1To Nicholas the chartoularios}1 We had somehow supposed that your great piety, our most desired master, was hostile toward our humility because of some intervening matter; but you have truly shown at the present time that your precious soul is pure of all ill-will, and not only that but also filled with all reverence for God, in that you were quick and fervent to be moved toward union with our most holy patriarch for the sake of the peace of the church of God, immediately from our first exhortation. This is a mark of sincere friendship, this is a characteristic of a God-fearing man, this is a proof of clear zeal for the truth. And so may the Lord repay you, even if nothing should come of it, a full reward of righteousness; for the divine does not usually decree rewards for doers based on the outcome of matters, but on their intention concerning them, whether praiseworthy or not. You have gained, therefore, in a single moment of time not gold and silver, but inexhaustible treasures of heavenly recompense. Furthermore, we exhort and beseech you to hasten in such a matter, so that you yourself may gain a rich treasure, and we, the humble, may obtain that which unites us to the high priest, or rather that the church of God, being awarded through your mediation, might weave for you many crowns of praise. and it is not necessary to say anything more. But since you ordered us to indicate what the reason of our humility is, we now truthfully make known to your greatest excellency, as in the presence of the Lord, the knower of secrets, that we have no hesitation in any way concerning communion with the high priest except because of the oikonomos, inasmuch as he has been deposed by the divine canons. and whenever he might be removed from the sacred ministry, just as the

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καὶ συνοργισθῆναι τοὺς ἁγίους ἀγγέλους; ἢ πῶς οὐ παραυτίκα, ὡς τὸν ∆αθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρών, ὑπέλαβεν ἡ γῆ χάνασα τὸν ὑφηγητὴν τοῦ ψεύδους καὶ δεικνύντα τὸ σκότος φῶς καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν εἰς ἐναντιολογίαν ἑαυτῷ περιπίπτειν πειρώμενον; πάντως γάρ, ὅσα ὁ ἱερεὺς ὑποφαίνει, ταῦτα καὶ θεὸς κυροῦν ἐπαγγέλλεται κατὰ τὸν μέγαν ∆ιονύσιον. ἀλλ' ὅμως τοιοῦτον δράσας πονηρὸν καὶ δοὺς ὑπόδειγμα κακίας τοῖς ὑποχειρίοις εἰς ὁμοτροπίαν (ὃ καὶ γέγονεν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τοῖς πόρρω κρατοῦσιν καὶ ἄρχουσιν, ὃ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν καὶ ἐτελέσθη ἐν τῇ Λογγιβαρδίᾳ καὶ Γουτθίᾳ καὶ τοῖς κλίμασιν αὐτῆς· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσι τοιοῦτόν τι τετόλμηται) καὶ οὐ καταισχύνεται ὁ δείλαιος, ἀλλ', ὡς εἴρηται, ἱερουργεῖ ὁ ἀνίερος καὶ τοὺς καλῶς αὐτὸν ἀποστρεφομένους ἐξορίζειν κατεπείγεται. Κύριος δὲ βοηθὸς τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐντολῆς αὐτοῦ ἐνισταμένων, ὃς παρακαλέσει τὰς καρδίας τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἡμῶν βασιλέων ποιῆσαι τὴν ἐκδίκησιν τῆς ἐκκλησίας αὐτοῦ, καθάπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ μοιχοῦ, ἵνα καὶ τοῦτον εὐδοκήσῃ ἐκβληθῆναι τῆς ἱερουργίας ἐπί τε λυσιτελείᾳ τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου πατριάρχου καὶ πάσης τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας. ∆ιὸ θαρσεῖτε, τέκνα καὶ ἀδελφοί, καὶ μὴ δείσητε, μηδὲ καταπέσητε. καιρὸς ὁμολογίας, καιρὸς ἐνστάσεως, καιρὸς ἀθλήσεως τυχὸν καὶ ἄλλων παθημάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ στεφάνων καὶ δόξης ἐπουρανίου· φησὶ γάρ, ἀλλ' ἢ τοὺς δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω, καὶ ὁ ἐξουθενῶν με ἀτιμασθήσεται· καί, μακάριοι οἱ μὴ ἐκκλίνοντες ἀπὸ τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτοῦ. διὸ χαίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. τῶν ἔργων ὑμῶν ἔχεσθε, τῶν βασιλέων ἡμῶν ὑπερεύχεσθε, τοῦ ἀρχιερέως, τοῦ ἐκβληθῆναι τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἐκ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, τὴν εἰρήνην τῆς ἐκκλησίας πορευόμενοι ἐν ὁδῷ ἀμώμῳ ἐν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ θελήσαντες σφόδρα, ἐν πάσῃ καλῇ καταστάσει καὶ κανονικῇ διαβιώσει, ἕως ἂν ἀκούσητέ τι πλέον ἢ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐπισημανοῦμεν. ὁ Χριστὸς μεθ' ὑμῶν, ἡ Θεοτόκος σκέπουσα ὑμᾶς, ὁ Πρόδρομος καὶ ὁ Θεολόγος φρουροῦντες ὑμᾶς, οἱ ἅγιοι πάντες τῇ εὐχῇ τοῦ πατρός μου καὶ πατρὸς ὑμῶν. πάντας προσαγορεύω κατ' ὄνομα· ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἔστω μετὰ πάντων ὑμῶν, τέκνα ἠγαπημένα. ἀμήν. 32 {1Νικολάῳ χαρτουλαρίῳ}1 Ὑπελάβομέν πως ἀπεχθῶς ἔχειν τὴν μεγάλην σου εὐσέβειαν, παμπόθητε ἡμῶν δέσποτα, πρὸς τὴν ταπείνωσιν ἡμῶν διά τινα παρεμπίπτουσαν ὑπόθεσιν· ἀλλ' ὄντως ἔδειξας ἐν τῷ παρόντι καιρῷ καθαράν σου τὴν τιμίαν ψυχὴν πάσης δυσμενείας, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσης θεοσεβείας πεπληρωμένην ἐν τῷ γοργὸν καὶ θερμόν σε γενέσθαι εἰς τὸ χάριν εἰρήνης τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ εὐθὺς ἀπὸ πρώτης ἡμῶν παρακλήσεως κινηθῆναι πρὸς συνάφειαν τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου ἡμῶν πατριάρχου. τοῦτο γνώρισμα εἰλικρινοῦς φιλίας, τοῦτο ἰδίωμα ἀνθρώπου θεοφόβου, τοῦτο ἀπόδειξις ἐναργοῦς ζήλου ἀληθείας. καὶ γοῦν ἀποδώσειέν σοι Κύριος, εἰ καὶ μηδέν τι γένηται, ὁλόκληρον δικαιοσύνης μισθόν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ τέλους τῶν πραγμάτων, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς περὶ αὐτὰ προθέσεως, εἴτε ἐπαινετῶς εἴτε οὐχ οὕτως, εἴωθεν τὰς ἀμοιβὰς τὸ θεῖον ἐπιψηφίζεσθαι τοῖς δρῶσιν. κεκέρδηκας τοιγαροῦν ἐν μιᾷ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ οὐ χρυσίον τε καὶ ἀργύριον, ἀλλὰ θησαυροὺς ἀνεκλείπτους οὐρανίας ἀνταποδόσεως. Ἔτι δὲ παρακαλοῦμεν καὶ δυσωποῦμεν ἐπειχθῆναί σε ἐν τῇ τοιαύτῃ ὑποθέσει, ἵνα αὐτὸς μὲν κερδήσῃς πλούσιον τὸ θησαύρισμα, ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ εὐτελεῖς τύχωμεν τοῦ πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιερέα συναπτικοῦ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἵνα ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ, τῇ σῇ μεσιτείᾳ βραβευθεῖσα, πολλούς σου τοὺς τῶν ἐγκωμίων στεφάνους καταπλέξειεν. καὶ οὐ πλέον τι χρὴ λέγειν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐκέλευσας ἐπισημᾶναι ὁπόσος ἐστὶν ὁ λόγος τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῶν, ἤδη ἀψευδῶς γνωρίζομεν τῇ μεγίστῃ σου ὑπεροχῇ ὡς ἐν προσώπῳ Κυρίου τοῦ τῶν ἀδήλων γνώστου οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἔν τινι τὸ ἀμφιβάλλον τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἀρχιερέα κοινωνίας ἢ διὰ τὸν οἰκονόμον, κατὰ τὸ καθῃρημένον αὐτὸν εἶναι ὑπὸ τῶν θείων κανόνων. καὶ ἡνίκα ὑποσταλῇ τῆς ἱερουργίας, καθὰ τὸ