Letter 111: Theodore Studite, Letter 111; Greek heading: Ἰωσὴφ ἀδελφῷ καὶ ἀρχιεπισκόπῳ.

I give thanks to my God that you continue in good health; for this is the good news I received through your honored letter. Yet who am I, wretched as I am, to hear such things from your God-loving holiness-things which it would rather be fitting for me to chant in your praise, on account of your admirable virtue? For you have truly praised the Lord among the bishops, and not only now, when some of those of your own rank rose up together with you toward the heights of the truth, but indeed also of old, and, so to speak, from the very starting-line [balbis: the starting-gate of a racecourse] of your presidency [proedria: episcopal office], when many shepherds-though the word is harsh-played the fool, not having sought the Lord; and this amid imprisonments, amid isolations, amid constraints, amid distresses, amid toils, amid tears, amid suffocations, as one might say, of ill-usage. Apostolic are your boasts, equal to the Fathers' are your contests; and if I too have any part in such things, yet the smallness of my rank and the grossness of my sins conceal it and do not permit it to shine forth. Nevertheless your glories are my boasting, thrice-longed-for brother, crown of the Fathers. Pray therefore the more, leaving off from praising me, that my lowly soul may be made firm in the fear of God and against the unseen and seen enemies, with the intercession of our blessed father [Theodore's spiritual father, likely Plato of Sakkoudion] accompanying us as well; for indeed I am in fear concerning my own affairs, brother, for as long as I am in this tent [the body]. And if I do venture any confidence, this too is in the hope of God, who brings even the man given up for lost into the light through his boundless goodness. I was much gladdened that the good Athanasios is with you, and at the well-consoling hospitality of your exile. But as for the things here, the worthy Silouanos, having taken it upon himself, will recount them to you in person, and not only these, but also as much as it would be tedious to write by letter. If, then, the Lord reserves for us to see one another yet in the flesh, that is the work of his command; but if not, then do you at least, O father, intercede that we may be seen together with our father-or rather, with the fathers and brothers together with one another-in the blessed vision, and that we may be looked upon graciously by God, for whose sake is the present separation and these wars. Brother Nikolaos, who alone has been left to me, does reverence in servile fashion [proskynesis: prostration in veneration]. Be so good as to greet those who are with your sanctity, and especially the good Athanasios.