John Chrysostom, Letters

To Alexander, bishop of Corinth. You know the love which we have shown toward your honor, and how, having been with you for a short time, we were bound to you by affection. Wherefore we were greatly amazed that in so long a time you have not deigned to write to us even once. And I know that you will put forward a scarcity of letter-carriers, and not without reason. For although many arrive from there, yet where we now are situated, none of those coming from there would arrive quickly. But still this is not a sufficient reason for us to have received not even one letter. Since we too, though having this excuse to fall back on, have not kept silent, but have roused my lord, the most honored and most reverent presbyter, and sent him from here, so that he might meet with your honor, and deliver this our greeting, and learn about your health, about which it is of great concern for us to learn. When you have seen him, therefore, with goodwill, and love, and fitting friendliness, as a member of our body, when he returns, do not hesitate to inform us about your health. For you will provide the greatest comfort to us from your letters, even to us who are sitting in a desolate place. 165. To the bishops who came with the bishops who came from the West. We marveled at both your previous zeal and diligence, which you showed for the benefit of the Churches. But since you have also undertaken so long a journey, and casting aside all hesitation, with the courage that befits you have traveled so great a road, not by chance, for this reason also we are astonished at you, and do not cease giving thanks, both now in writing, and without writing. And not we only, but all throughout the 52.708 East are amazed, and continually proclaim your unwavering firmness, and fervent love, and steadfast purpose. And they no longer consider the length of the road, or the hardship of the journey to be anything heavy or burdensome, in order to run and see your so great achievements. Wherefore indeed my lord, the most honored and most reverent presbyter, although having a weak body, chose to suffer all things for the sake of coming here and enjoying your company in person. Therefore, having received him with the love that befits you, even if the terrible things should increase, we beseech you not to hesitate in correcting them, but to bring about an end worthy of the beginnings. For you know how great will be your reward from the benevolent God, for laboring on behalf of so many troubled Churches, and doing all things, so as to bring them to a calm harbor. 166. To the bishops who came with the bishops from the West. And great were the things previously done by your honor, to feel a just and fitting indignation on behalf of the evils that have befallen so many Churches, to sympathize, not to stop at this only, but also to contribute what you could. But much the greatest also is what has now been done by your love, that each of you has risen up from his home, has undertaken so long a journey, has stayed in a foreign land, and has endured the toils of a long journey, for the benefit of the Churches. For these things we do not cease giving thanks to you, marveling, calling you blessed, for the many rewards you are laying up for yourselves beforehand from the benevolent God for these things. And since it is not possible for me, being held in exile, to meet with you now, nor to write continuously, because of not readily having letter-carriers—for otherwise we would have sent snowflakes of letters—my lord, the most honored and most reverent presbyter. and he himself having set out from home to come and behold your piety, we have exhorted, so that we might obtain letters, and that he himself might also in person enjoy your love. Therefore, having received him as is fitting for you, whenever it is possible, do not hesitate to inform us also about your health. For to us it is very

Ἀλεξάνδρῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Κορίνθου. Οἶσθα τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣν ἐπεδειξάμεθα περὶ τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα, καὶ πῶς ὀλίγα σοι συγγενόμενοι, συνεδέθημέν σου τῷ πόθῳ. ∆ιὸ καὶ σφόδρα ἐθαυμάσαμεν, ὅτι ἐν οὕτω χρόνῳ μακρῷ οὐδὲ ἅπαξ ἡμῖν ἐπιστεῖλαι κατεδέξω. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὅτι γραμματηφόρων προβαλῇ σπάνιν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπεικός. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλοὶ οἱ ἐκεῖθεν ἀφικνούμενοι, ἀλλ' ἔνθα καθήμεθα νῦν οὐδεὶς ἂν ταχέως παραγένοιτο τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ἐρχομένων. Πλὴν ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο ἡμῖν εἰς τὸ μηδὲ ἅπαξ δέξασθαι γράμματα. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς ταύτην ἔχοντες ἀναχωρῆσαι τὴν πρόφασιν, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐσιγήσαμεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν τιμιώτατον καὶ εὐλαβέστατον πρεσβύτερον ἀναστήσαντες, ἐντεῦθεν ἐπέμψαμεν, ὥστε καὶ τῇ σῇ συντυχεῖν τιμιότητι, καὶ ταύτην ἡμῶν τὴν προσηγορίαν ἀποκομίσαι, καὶ μαθεῖν περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς, περὶ ἧς σφόδρα περισπούδαστον ἡμῖν μανθάνειν. Ἰδὼν τοίνυν αὐτὸν μετ' εὐνοίας, καὶ ἀγάπης, καὶ τῆς προσηκούσης φιλοφροσύνης, ὡς μέλος ἡμέτερον, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐπανίῃ, τὰ περὶ τῆς ῥώσεώς σου δηλῶσαι ἡμῖν μὴ κατοκνήσῃς. Μεγίστην γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων, καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καθεζομένοις, παρέξεις τὴν παράκλησιν. ΡΞΕʹ. Ἐπισκόποις ἐλθοῦσι μετὰ τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ∆ύσεως ἐλθόντων ἐπισκόπων. Ἐθαυμάσαμεν ὑμῶν καὶ τὴν ἔμπροσθεν προθυμίαν τε καὶ σπουδὴν, ἣν ὑπὲρ τῶν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις συμφερόντων ἐπεδείξασθε. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ μακρὰν οὕτως ἀποδημίαν προσεθήκατε, καὶ πάντα ὄκνον ἐκβαλόντες, μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης ὑμῖν ἀνδρείας τοσαύτην ὁδὸν ἐστείλασθε, οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχε καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὑμᾶς ἐκπληττόμεθα, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντες οὐ διαλιμπάνομεν, καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων νῦν, καὶ χωρὶς γραμμάτων. Οὐχ ἡμεῖς δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντες οἱ κατὰ τὴν 52.708 Ἀνατολὴν θαυμάζονται, καὶ κήρυκες ὑμῶν γίνονται διαπαντὸς τῆς στεῤῥότητος τῆς ἀκλινοῦς, καὶ θερμῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ τῆς ἀπεριτρέπτου γνώμης. Καὶ οὔτε ὁδοῦ μῆκος, οὔτε ταλαιπωρίαν ἀποδημίας ἡγοῦνταί τι βαρὺ λοιπὸν καὶ ἐπαχθὲς, ὑπὲρ τοῦ δραμεῖν, καὶ ἰδεῖν ὑμῶν τὰ τοσαῦτα κατορθώματα. ∆ιὸ δὴ καὶ ὁ κύριός μου ὁ τιμιώτατος καὶ εὐλαβέστατος πρεσβύτερος, καίτοι γε ἀσθενεῖ κεχρημένος σώματι, πάντα εἵλετο παθεῖν ὑπὲρ τούτου παραγενόμενος καὶ τῆς κατ' ὄψιν ἀπολαῦσαι συνουσίας ὑμῶν. ∆εξάμενοι τοίνυν αὐτὸν μετὰ τῆς πρεπούσης ὑμῖν ἀγάπης, κἂν ἐπὶ μεῖζον αἴρηται τὰ δεινὰ, παρακαλοῦμεν μὴ κατοκνῆσαι διορθουμένους αὐτὰ, ἀλλ' ἄξιον τῶν προοιμίων ἐπιθεῖναι τὸ τέλος. Ἴστε γὰρ ἡλίκος ὑμῖν ἔσται ὁ μισθὸς παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ τοσούτων Ἐκκλησιῶν ταραττομένων πονουμένοις, καὶ πάντα ποιουμένοις, ὥστε εἰς εὐδιεινὸν αὐτὰς ὁρμίσαι λιμένα. ΡΞʹ. Ἐπισκόποις ἐλθοῦσι μετὰ τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ∆ύσεως ἐπισκόπων. Καὶ τὰ ἔμπροσθεν παρὰ τῆς τιμιότητος ὑμῶν γεγενημένα μεγάλα, τὸ δικαίαν καὶ πρέπουσαν ὑμῖν ἀγανάκτησιν ὑπὲρ τῶν τοσαύτας Ἐκκλησίας κατειληφότων κακῶν ἀγανακτῆσαι, τὸ συναλγῆσαι, τὸ μὴ μέχρι τούτου στῆναι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν εἰσενεγκεῖν. Πολὺ δὲ μέγιστον καὶ τὸ νῦν γεγενημένον παρὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν, τὸ ἀναστῆναι ἕκαστον ὑμῶν οἴκοθεν, τὸ μακρὰν οὕτως ἀποδημίαν στείλασθαι, τὸ διατρίβειν ἐπ' ἀλλοτρίας, καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς μακρᾶς ἀποδημίας ὑπομένειν καμάτους, ὑπὲρ τῶν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις συμφερόντων. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα ὑμῖν εὐχαριστοῦντες οὐ παυόμεθα, θαυμάζοντες, μακαρίζοντες, ὅσους ἑαυτοῖς ὑπὲρ τούτων παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ προαποτίθεσθε τοὺς μισθούς. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ οὔτε συγγενέσθαι ὑμῖν δυνατὸν νῦν ὑπὸ ἐξορίας κατεχομένῳ, οὔτε συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλειν, τῷ μὴ ταχέως εὐπορεῖν γραμματοφόρων ἦ γὰρ ἂν νιφάδας ἐπέμψαμεν γραμμάτων, τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν τιμιώτατον καὶ εὐλαβέστατον πρεσβύτερον. καὶ αὐτὸν οἴκοθεν ὁρμώμενον ἐλθεῖν, καὶ θεάσασθαι τὴν εὐλάβειαν τὴν ὑμετέραν, παρεκαλέσαμεν, ὥστε καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς γραμμάτων ἐπιτυχεῖν, καὶ αὐτὸν καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ἀγάπης τῆς ὑμετέρας. ∆εξάμενοι τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὡς ὑμῖν πρέπον ἐστὶν, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, καὶ ἡμῖν δηλοῦν μὴ κατοκνεῖτε τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς ὑμετέρας. Σφόδρα γὰρ ἡμῖν