Letter 100: Theodore Studite, Letter 100; Greek heading: Ἀνεπίγραφοσ.

The treasure of piety ought not to lie in plain view; for it would have been plundered, even against its will, by the robbers of impiety. Rightly, therefore, has it been hereafter set apart by God, for the abundance of orthodoxy, for the Church of God. Such is your glory, O best of fathers and mightiest of the right-minded and dearly longed-for one. Grievous are the things that have been laid upon you (how could they not be?): the loss of home, the deprivation of friends, the parting from children, and not a few other things besides that produce these pains, in the very measure in which you also possessed eminence of rank. But take courage, O most sagacious one, that you have been made known as a bulwark of piety, great in earthly dignity, greater in heavenly rank, renowned in worldly usefulness, more renowned in solitary contemplation [the monastic life of contemplation, theoria]. I hold you always before the eyes of my soul; I embrace you with the kisses of my heart; I pray, sinner that I am, that you may be sound in body and be guarded in all things in the hand of God. And do not cease to do this also, my lord, on behalf of your child [Theodore himself], greeting, if it be possible, Kalogeros; but if not, then at least my lord, the man of God, I mean the spatharios [an imperial guard-officer / court dignitary].