Letter 74: Severus tells Dionysius to correct careless communion practice because silence would endanger the orthodox faith.

When you came here, Dionysius, I treated you with attention and respect. You know from experience whether that is true. You also know that, freely and under no pressure, you confessed everything required for the orthodox faith and renounced the offenses that divided the unity of God's holy churches. You ratified this in writing. How, then, can you treat those pious voluntary acts as nothing? Why admit to ministry people who do not share your belief, and why speak so carelessly to them that you seem to have joined the cause of piety only because the times forced you, not because you deliberately chose what was right? Perhaps I must say with the Apostle that you have not yet resisted to the point of blood in the struggle against sin. I would be deeply ashamed if we, whose task is to behold the Lord's glory with unveiled face and apostolic boldness, let fear and respect of persons cover our hearts. Correct what has been neglected. If this were only a rejection of my lowliness, I might overlook it. Since it insults the orthodox faith, silence would be dangerous.

How I behaved with all attention and respect towards you when you came here it is not mine to say, but it belongs to you who had the experience to declare this, if need demand. Of this also I think your religiousness is not unaware, that of your own accord and without p- 294. pressure from anyone you confessed everything that is required for a confession of the orthodox faith and a renunciation of the offences that have divided the unity of God's holy churches, and ratified it in writing and in a letter. How is it then that you have treated things thus done with piety and of your own accord as nothing and do not keep them "with all observance," as it is written,^ but admit to the ministry men who do not share your belief, and by the expressions which you carelessly and lightly utter to these show that you entered into union with the cause of piety rather because you gave way before the time than because you deliberately chose what was right? Perhaps it is time for me to say ^ I Co. xiii. I. ^ Pr. iv. 23. to you the words of the Apostle also, I mean, " Ye have not yet withstood unto blood in the combat against sin, and ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto sons,"^ I shall in fact be very much ashamed, and hide myself, if we, whose duty it is to see "the Lord's glory with open face"^ and with bold- ness and after the manner of apostles, have the veil of fear and of respect of persons laid upon our hearts. Therefore let that which has been neglected receive the required correction and care. If the deed that has been done had been a case of rejecting my meanness, I would perhaps have overlooked it: but, if it is a case of insulting and contemning the orthodox faith, it is by no means a course free from danger for us to keep p- 295. silence in this matter, if we have any regard for the eternal torture that is threatened. For the holy Basil also in writing to a certain Urbicius a monk speaks as follows: [Here follows the citation given on p. 259