Letter 11: After by God's grace I had passed the sacred day with our sons, and had kept a really perfect feast to the Lord because of their exceeding love to God, I sent them in good health to your excellency, with a prayer to our loving God to give them an angel of peace to help and accompany them, and to grant them to find you in good health and assured ...

To some friends After spending the holy day with our sons, by Gods grace -- keeping a truly perfect feast to the Lord because of their extraordinary love for God -- I have sent them on to you in good health, with a prayer to our loving God to give them an angel of peace as their helper and companion on the road, and to grant that they find you in good health and settled peace. My hope is that wherever your circumstances may place you, I may be gladdened for the rest of my days whenever I hear news of you, knowing that you are serving and giving thanks to the Lord. If God should soon free you from your present responsibilities, I beg you to let nothing stand in the way of coming to stay with me. I do not think you will find anyone who loves you more or values your friendship more highly. So long as the Holy One ordains this separation, make sure you never miss a chance to comfort me with a letter.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA Without address. To some friends. After by God's grace I had passed the sacred day with our sons, and had kept a really perfect feast to the Lord because of their exceeding love to God, I sent them in good health to your excellency, with a prayer to our loving God to give them an angel of peace to help and accompany them, and to grant them to find you in good health and assured tranquillity, to the end that wherever your lot may be cast, I to the end of my days, whenever I hear news of you, may be gladdened to think of you as serving and giving thanks to the Lord. If God should grant you to be quickly freed from these cares I beg you to let nothing stand in the way of your coming to stay with me. I think you will find none to love you so well, or to make more of your friendship. So long, then, as the Holy One ordains this separation, be sure that you never lose an opportunity of comforting me by a letter.

[Πρός: Ἀνεπίγραφος, ἐπὶ φιλίᾳ] Τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι τὴν ἁγίαν ἡμέραν συνδιαγαγόντες τοῖς τέκνοις ἡμῶν καὶ ὄντως τελείαν ἑορτὴν ἑορτάσαντες τῷ Κυρίῳ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν αὐτῶν περὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἀγάπην, προεπέμψαμεν μεθʼ ὑγείας πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐγένειαν, εὐχόμενοι τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ Θεῷ καὶ αὐτοῖς δοθῆναι εἰρηνικὸν ἄγγελον βοηθὸν καὶ σύμπορον καὶ σὲ παρʼ αὐτῶν καταληφθῆναι ἐν ὑγείᾳ καὶ πάσῃ εἰρηνικῇ καταστάσει, ἵνα, ὅπουπερ ἂν ἦτε δουλεύοντες τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντες αὐτῷ, εὐφραίνητε ἡμᾶς, ἕως ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, ἀκούοντας τὰ παρʼ ὑμῶν. ἐὰν δὲ παράσχῃ ὁ ἅγιος Θεὸς θᾶττόν σε τῶν φροντίδων τούτων ἀπαλλαγῆναι, παρακαλοῦμέν σε μηδὲν προτιμῆσαι τῆς μεθʼ ἡμῶν διαγωγῆς. οἶμαι γὰρ μὴ εὑρεῖν σε τοὺς οὕτως ἀγαπῶντας καὶ ἀντιποιουμένους τῆς παρʼ ὑμῖν φιλίας. ἕως οὖν ἂν οἰκονομῇ ὁ ἅγιος τὸν χωρισμὸν τοῦτον, διὰ πάσης προφάσεως παραμυθεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς γράμμασι καταξίου.