Letter 50: Whom, indeed, could it better befit to encourage the timid, and rouse the slumbering, than you, my godly lord, who have shown your general excellence in this, too, that you have consented to come down among us, your lowly inferiors, like a true disciple of Him Who said, I am among you, not as a fellow , but as he that serves. Luke 22:27 For you ...
To Bishop Innocentius.
Who else could it be more fitting to address at a time when the very structure of the Church is shaking? For you have long been a pillar of the faith in your region, and the report of your steadfastness has reached us here like a breath of fresh air in a suffocating room.
I write to ask for two things: your prayers, and your continued willingness to make your voice heard. The Eastern churches [in the early 370s, the Eastern Roman Empire was under the Arian Emperor Valens, who was actively exiling Nicene bishops and appointing Arians in their place] are in serious trouble. What we need from the West is not armies or arguments — it is the plain, visible solidarity of bishops who hold the same faith we hold. If the Western churches speak clearly and together, it matters. If they stay silent, our isolation becomes complete.
I know you have your own burdens. Every bishop does. But this is a moment that calls for something beyond the ordinary. Write to me if you are able, and know that the prayers of a grateful colleague go with you.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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