Letter 4: Being safe by God's grace, dear brothers, I greet you and rejoice to hear that all is well with you too.

Being safe by God's grace, dear brothers, I greet you and rejoice to hear that all is well with you too. Since my circumstances don't permit me to be with you right now, I ask you — by your faith and your devotion — to carry out both your duties and mine in my absence. Let nothing be wanting in either discipline or diligence. Regarding finances: make sure there is enough to cover the expenses for those who have confessed the Lord with a courageous voice and been thrown into prison, as well as for those who are enduring poverty and need but are still standing fast in the Lord. The small fund that was collected has already been distributed among the clergy for exactly these kinds of emergencies, so that many would have the means to help individuals in their difficulties. I also ask you to use wisdom and caution in preserving the peace. I know the brothers are eager — out of genuine love — to visit the good confessors on whom God's favor has already begun to shine. But this eagerness must be managed carefully. Don't go in crowds. Don't gather in large numbers at once. This attracts attention. It creates danger. If the privilege of visiting the prisoners is abused, it may be taken away entirely. Approach with restraint, in small groups, rotating who goes. Even the deacons who enter and leave the prison should vary their visits, because modesty and humility are more fitting for our faith than recklessness — and more likely to preserve the access we still have.

Epistle 4