Letter 247: When I had read the letter of your holinesses, how did I not groan and lament that I had heard of these further troubles, of blows and insults inflicted on yourselves, of destruction of homes, devastation of the city, ruin of your whole country, persecution of the Church, banishment; of priests, invasion of wolves, and scattering of flocks. But ...

When I read your letter, how could I not groan and grieve? More troubles -- blows and insults inflicted on you, homes destroyed, the city devastated, the whole region ruined, the Church persecuted, priests banished, wolves invading, flocks scattered. But I have lifted my eyes to the Lord in heaven, and I have stopped weeping. I am completely certain -- and I hope you are too -- that help will come quickly and that you will not be abandoned forever. What we have suffered, we have suffered for our sins. But our loving Lord will show us His aid, for the sake of His love and compassion for the churches. I have not neglected to appeal to men in authority on your behalf. I have written to our allies at court, asking that the fury of our relentless enemy be checked. I believe that condemnation will come down on his head from many quarters -- unless these troubled times leave our officials no time for such matters.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the Nicopolitans. When I had read the letter of your holinesses, how did I not groan and lament that I had heard of these further troubles, of blows and insults inflicted on yourselves, of destruction of homes, devastation of the city, ruin of your whole country, persecution of the Church, banishment; of priests, invasion of wolves, and scattering of flocks. But I have looked to the Lord in heaven, and have ceased to groan and weep, because I am perfectly well assured, as I hope you know too, that help will speedily come and that you will not be for ever forsaken. What we have suffered, we have suffered for our sins. But our loving Lord will show us His own aid for the sake of His love and pity for the Churches. Nevertheless, I have not omitted to beseech men in authority in person. I have written to those at court, who love us, that the wrath of our ravening enemy may be stayed. I think, moreover, that from many quarters condemnation may fall upon his head, unless indeed these troublous times allow our public men no leisure for these matters.

[Πρός: Νικοπολίταις.] Ὅτε ἐνέτυχον τοῖς γράμμασι τῆς ὁσιότητος ὑμῶν, ὅσον ἐστέναξα καὶ ὠδυράμην, ὅτι καὶ ταῦτα τὰ κακὰ ταῖς ἐμαυτοῦ ἀκοαῖς ὑπεδεξάμην, πληγὰς μὲν καὶ ὕβρεις εἰς ὑμᾶς αὐτούς, πόρθησιν δὲ οἴκων, καὶ ἐρήμωσιν πόλεως, καὶ πατρίδος ὅλης ἀνατροπήν, διωγμὸν ἐκκλησίας καὶ φυγὴν ἱερέων, ἐπανάστασιν λύκων, καὶ ποιμνίων διασποράν. ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ ἐπαυσάμην τοῦ στεναγμοῦ καὶ τῶν δακρύων, πρὸς τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς Δεσπότην ἀποβλέψας, οἶδα καὶ πέπεισμαι, ὃ καὶ ὑμᾶς γινῶσκειν βούλομαι, ὅτι ταχεῖα ἔσται ἡ ἀντίληψις, καὶ οὐκ εἰς τέλος ἔσται ἡ ἐγκατάλειψις. ὃ μὲν γὰρ πεπόνθαμεν διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν πεπόνθαμεν· τὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ βοήθειαν διὰ τὴν περὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην καὶ εὐσπλαγχίαν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος ἐπιδείξεται. Οὐ μέντοι παρελίπομεν καὶ παρόντες τοὺς ἐν δυνάμει καθικετεύοντες, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν ἡμᾶς ἐπιστέλλοντες ἐπισχεθῆναι τῆς ὀργῆς τὸν λυσσῶντα. καὶ οἶμαι παρὰ πολλῶν ἥξειν αὐτῷ κατάγνωσιν, ἐὰν μὴ ἄρα ὁ καιρὸς θορύβου πεπληρωμένος μηδεμίαν δῷ σχολὴν περὶ ταῦτα τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων.