Letter 230: The government of the Churches is carried on by those to whom the chief offices in them have been entrusted, but their hands are strengthened by the laity. The measures which lay with the God-beloved bishops have been taken. The rest concerns you, if you deign to accord a hearty reception to the bishop who has been given you, and to make a vigor...

The government of the churches rests with those entrusted with the chief offices, but their hands are strengthened by the laity. The bishops have done their part. The rest now depends on you: whether you will warmly welcome the bishop who has been given you, and whether you will put up a vigorous resistance to attacks from outside. Nothing discourages opponents -- whether rulers or others who envy your peaceful position -- so much as seeing clergy and laity united in loyalty to the appointed bishop and firm in holding their ground. They will abandon every scheme once they see that their whispers are accepted by no one. Make it your aim, then, to spread your own convictions throughout the city. Speak to every citizen, every inhabitant of the district, strengthening their good resolve, so that the genuineness of your devotion to God may be known everywhere. I trust that I may one day be permitted to visit a church that is the mother of true religion -- a church I have always honored as a citadel of orthodoxy, because from ancient times it has been governed by honorable men, chosen by God, who held fast to the faithful word as it was taught to them. You have approved your new bishop as worthy of these predecessors, and I concur. May God's grace preserve you. May He scatter the evil designs of our enemies and fix in your hearts the strength and constancy to uphold what has been rightly decided.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the magistrates of Nicopolis. The government of the Churches is carried on by those to whom the chief offices in them have been entrusted, but their hands are strengthened by the laity. The measures which lay with the God-beloved bishops have been taken. The rest concerns you, if you deign to accord a hearty reception to the bishop who has been given you, and to make a vigorous resistance to attacks from outside. For nothing is so likely to cause discouragement to all, whether rulers or the rest who envy your peaceful position, as agreement in affection to the appointed bishop, and firmness in maintaining your ground. They are likely to despair of every evil attempt, if they see that their counsels are accepted neither by clergy nor by laity. Bring it about then that your own sentiments as to the right may be shared by all the city, and so speak to the citizens, and to all the inhabitants of the district, in confirmation of their good sentiments, that the genuineness of your love to God may be everywhere known. I trust that it may be permitted me one day to visit and inspect a Church which is the nursing mother of true religion, honoured by me as a metropolis of orthodoxy, because it has from of old been under the government of men right honourable and the elect of God, who have held fast to the faithful word as we have been taught. You have approved him who has just been appointed as worthy of these predecessors, and I have agreed. May you be preserved by God's grace. May He scatter the evil counsels of our enemies, and fix in your souls strength and constancy to preserve what has been rightly determined on. About this page Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202230.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.