Letter 105: Theodore Studite, Letter 105; Greek heading: Τῷ αὐτῷ.

In the letter to the brother archbishop I have sufficiently lamented the death of my blessed Kalogeros; and so now, beloved child, I have nothing to say except that God has taken from us a chosen vessel. To recount his virtue is a work for prayer and not for the present moment, especially since the letter-carrier is in haste and I myself am worn down by grief. For I want you to know, child, that the sorrow of my heart touched me deeply and I have poured out bitter tears, since I had never yet beheld his falling asleep [death]; but again I was quickly comforted, giving many thanks to my good God that for His sake I happened to be separated both from him who has blessedly fallen asleep and from you. He, then, having fought the good fight, as all know, and having at the last carried off the blessedness of persecution endured for the Lord's sake as a God-woven crown (for I forbear to speak of the things of old), departed and reached our blessed father together with the celebrated brothers, having been deemed worthy (I am bold to say) of an angelic station and rest. But for us there is now a contest, child, not to be left behind by the good fathers; therefore let us stand firmly, steered as by a rudder through their prayers, and may our good God direct us into their harbor. I saw the good Gaianos and was refreshed, having asked and heard as much as I sought to learn. I was grieved to learn that you were again afflicted by the sorrow of the death; and attend very much to your own care concerning the other matters of which you have rightly given notice.