I'm writing to revive the ancient bonds of love between our churches and restore that heavenly gift of Christ — peace among the faithful — which has withered over time. This work is necessary and worthwhile for me, and I'm sure it will seem so to you as well, given your devotion to Christ.
What could be more wonderful than seeing Christians separated by vast distances united in love, working together as one body in Christ?
But right now, nearly the entire East — and by that I mean everything from Illyricum [the Balkans] to Egypt — is caught in a terrible storm. The old heresy planted by Arius [Arianism: the teaching that Christ was a created being, not co-equal with God the Father] has resurfaced, bold and shameless. Like a bitter root, it's spreading and bearing poisonous fruit. The reason is straightforward: in region after region, the defenders of orthodox teaching have been driven from their churches through slander and violence. Control has been handed over to men who are leading simpler believers astray.
I've come to see your help as the only solution to our crisis.
Your deep affection has always been a comfort to me, and for a while my spirits were lifted by the welcome rumor that you might visit us. But that hope didn't materialize, so I'm writing to ask you directly: please send us help. Send people who share our convictions — either to reconcile those who have broken away and restore unity among the churches of God, or at the very least to help you see more clearly who is actually responsible for this chaos, so you'll know who deserves your communion going forward.
This isn't an unusual request. It has long been the custom among blessed leaders of the past — including your own predecessors. I remember well, from what our fathers told us and from documents we still have, that the great bishop Dionysius [Bishop of Rome, c. 259–268], distinguished in your see for both sound faith and every other virtue, wrote letters to my church in Caesarea [capital of Cappadocia, in modern central Turkey], encouraged our fathers, and even sent people to ransom our brothers from captivity.
Our situation now is even more painful and urgent, and demands even greater care. We aren't mourning the destruction of buildings — we're watching churches be seized. What we see isn't physical slavery but the capture of souls, carried out daily by the champions of heresy.
If you don't act now to help us, before long everyone here will have fallen under the rule of heresy, and you'll find no one left to reach out to.
ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA
Without address.
To renew laws of ancient love, and once again to restore to vigorous life that heavenly and saving gift of Christ which in course of time has withered away, the peace, I mean, of the Fathers, is a labour necessary indeed and profitable to me, but pleasant too, as I am sure it will seem to your Christ-loving disposition. For what could be more delightful than to behold all, who are separated by distances so vast, bound together by the union effected by love into one harmony of members in Christ's body? Nearly all the East (I include under this name all the regions from Illyricum to Egypt) is being agitated, right honourable father, by a terrible storm and tempest. The old heresy, sown by Arius the enemy of the truth, has now boldly and unblushingly reappeared. Like some sour root, it is producing its deadly fruit and is prevailing. The reason of this is, that in every district the champions of right doctrine have been exiled from their Churches by calumny and outrage, and the control of affairs has been handed over to men who are leading captive the souls of the simpler brethren. I have looked upon the visit of your mercifulness as the only possible solution of our difficulties. Ever in the past I have been consoled by your extraordinary affection; and for a short time my heart was cheered by the gratifying report that we shall be visited by you. But, as I was disappointed, I have been constrained to beseech you by letter to be moved to help us, and to send some of those, who are like minded with us, either to conciliate the dissentient and bring back the Churches of God into friendly union, or at all events to make you see more plainly who are responsible for the unsettled state in which we are, that it may be obvious to you for the future with whom it befits you to be in communion. In this I am by no means making any novel request, but am only asking what has been customary in the case of men who, before our own day, were blessed and dear to God, and conspicuously in your own case. For I well remember learning from the answers made by our fathers when asked, and from documents still preserved among us, that the illustrious and blessed bishop Dionysius, conspicuous in your see as well for soundness of faith as for all other virtues, visited by letter my Church of Cæsarea, and by letter exhorted our fathers, and sent men to ransom our brethren from captivity. But now our condition is yet more painful and gloomy and needs more careful treatment. We are lamenting no mere overthrow of earthly buildings, but the capture of Churches; what we see before us is no mere bodily slavery, but a carrying away of souls into captivity, perpetrated day by day by the champions of heresy. Should you not, even now, be moved to succour us, ere long all will have fallen under the dominion of the heresy, and you will find none left to whom you may hold out your hand.
I'm writing to revive the ancient bonds of love between our churches and restore that heavenly gift of Christ — peace among the faithful — which has withered over time. This work is necessary and worthwhile for me, and I'm sure it will seem so to you as well, given your devotion to Christ.
What could be more wonderful than seeing Christians separated by vast distances united in love, working together as one body in Christ?
But right now, nearly the entire East — and by that I mean everything from Illyricum [the Balkans] to Egypt — is caught in a terrible storm. The old heresy planted by Arius [Arianism: the teaching that Christ was a created being, not co-equal with God the Father] has resurfaced, bold and shameless. Like a bitter root, it's spreading and bearing poisonous fruit. The reason is straightforward: in region after region, the defenders of orthodox teaching have been driven from their churches through slander and violence. Control has been handed over to men who are leading simpler believers astray.
I've come to see your help as the only solution to our crisis.
Your deep affection has always been a comfort to me, and for a while my spirits were lifted by the welcome rumor that you might visit us. But that hope didn't materialize, so I'm writing to ask you directly: please send us help. Send people who share our convictions — either to reconcile those who have broken away and restore unity among the churches of God, or at the very least to help you see more clearly who is actually responsible for this chaos, so you'll know who deserves your communion going forward.
This isn't an unusual request. It has long been the custom among blessed leaders of the past — including your own predecessors. I remember well, from what our fathers told us and from documents we still have, that the great bishop Dionysius [Bishop of Rome, c. 259–268], distinguished in your see for both sound faith and every other virtue, wrote letters to my church in Caesarea [capital of Cappadocia, in modern central Turkey], encouraged our fathers, and even sent people to ransom our brothers from captivity.
Our situation now is even more painful and urgent, and demands even greater care. We aren't mourning the destruction of buildings — we're watching churches be seized. What we see isn't physical slavery but the capture of souls, carried out daily by the champions of heresy.
If you don't act now to help us, before long everyone here will have fallen under the rule of heresy, and you'll find no one left to reach out to.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)