Letter 133: Theodore Studite, Letter 133; Greek heading: Τῷ αὐτῷ.

Tribulations increase the soul's substance; therefore, my child, it is necessary to stand nobly in the trials that befall us, which are permitted by God for the testing of our faith. For it is written, "Whom the Lord loves he chastens." From where, then, will the surpassing measure of the impiety be made known, unless it were to weave together persecutions and beatings? And from where the stronghold of the orthodox, unless they should walk in the footsteps of the fathers who have gone before? Number the trials, and you will find that many crowns. Blessed are those who have died for the Lord's sake, because in a moment's time they gain ages without end. The archbishop has been carried off, which indeed I had been anticipating beforehand. Christ is with him; pray earnestly on his behalf. Euprepianos has been flogged; behold the goodness of God, that he thought it good for him to be beaten on behalf of orthodoxy. Pray also concerning him (and along with him keep watch over the seven as well); send something to the man of God for the assistance of both. I do not think you still hold the monastery, nor yet that the archbishop is to go out. And thanks be to God that you are unbound. Our one true dwelling is the Jerusalem above. Rejoice, my brothers, rejoice, because Christ rejoices when we are persecuted for his sake. Angels applaud, the saints bless, the demons together with the iconoclasts [eikonomachoi, the "image-fighters" who rejected the veneration of holy icons] fall down, even though they rage. As long as you are in those parts, make known to us also how the affairs of those within are turning out. When you should be moved away, the heretics going out, wherever the Lord may grant you to lay your head, my child, if you should be able to, make it known to us. But if not, I know where you are: for you are in Christ and with Christ. And may it be that we likewise know clearly about you. Do not sit unprepared, lest you be either carried off or driven into exile sooner than you expect. Greet all my brothers, especially Peter, Tithoios, Ignatios, Timothy, and the rest. May Christ be with your spirit through the intercession of my father. As for me, I do not think that he is removing me, unless indeed it be in order to flog me or to exile me elsewhere. Pray concerning my lowliness, that Christ may become my strength, given freely to one who is truly an untimely birth [ektroma; cf. 1 Corinthians 15:8, Paul's term for himself]. The brothers genuinely greet you.

Αἱ περιστάσεις τὰς τῆς ψυχῆς ὑποστάσεις αὔξουσι, διὸ χρή, τέκνον, στῆναι γενναίως ἐν τοῖς συμβαίνουσι πειρασμοῖς, ὑπὸ θεοῦ παραχωρουμένοις εἰς δοκίμιον τῆς πίστεως ἡμῶν· γέγραπται γάρ, ὃν ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος παιδεύει. πόθεν οὖν γνωσθήσεται τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τῆς ἀσεβείας, εἰ μὴ διωγμοὺς καὶ κολαφισμοὺς ἐξυφάνοι; πόθεν δὲ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων τὸ ὀχύρωμα, εἰ μὴ κατ' ἴχνος βαδίσειεν τῶν προωδευκότων πατέρων; ἀρίθμει τοὺς πειρασμοὺς καὶ τοσούτους εὑρήσεις τοὺς στεφάνους. μακάριοι οἱ ἀποθανόντες διὰ Κύριον, ὅτι ἐν ἀκαριαίῳ χρόνῳ αἰῶνας ἀτελευτήτους κερδήσωσιν. ἤρθη ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος, ὃ καὶ προεμελέτων· ὁ Χριστὸς σὺν αὐτῷ, ὑπερεύχεσθε αὐτοῦ. ἐδάρη ὁ Εὐπρεπιανός· ἴδε θεοῦ ἀγαθότητα, ὅτι ηὐδόκησεν ὑπὲρ ὀρθοδοξίας αὐτὸν τυφθῆναι. προσεύχεσθε καὶ περὶ αὐτοῦ (σὺν αὐτῷ καὶ τοὺς ἑπτὰ φυλάττεσθε)· πέμψον τι τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς βοήθειαν ἀμφοτέρων. οὐ δοκῶ δὲ ἔτι τὸ μοναστήριον κρατεῖν ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸν ἀρχιεπίσκοπον ἐξέρχεσθαι. καὶ χάρις τῷ θεῷ ἀδέτους ὑμᾶς εἶναι. μία μονὴ ἡμῶν ἀληθινή, ἡ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλήμ. Χαίρετε, ἀδελφοί μου, χαίρετε, ὅτι Χριστὸς χαίρεται διωκομένων ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. ἄγγελοι κροτοῦσιν, ἅγιοι εὐλογοῦσι, δαίμονες σὺν εἰκονομάχοις πίπτουσιν, εἰ καὶ μαίνονται. ἕως δ' ἂν ἐστὲ ἐν τοῖς αὐτόθι δηλοποιεῖτε ἡμῖν καὶ ὅπως τὰ τῶν ἔσω συμβαίνει. ἐπὰν μετασταίητε, ἐξερχομένων αἱρετικῶν, ὅπου δοίη Κύριος κλῖναί σε κεφαλήν, τέκνον, εἰ δυνατῶς σχοίης, φανεροῖς. εἰ δὲ μή, οἶδά σε ποῦ εἶ· ἐν Χριστῷ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ Χριστοῦ. εἴη δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς ὁμοίως σε διαγινώσκειν. ἀπαρασκεύαστος μὴ καθέζου, μὴ θᾶττον ἢ ἀρθῇς ἢ διωχθῇς. Προσειπὲ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μου πᾶσιν, ἐξαιρέτως Πέτρῳ, Τιθοΐῳ, Ἰγνατίῳ, Τιμοθέῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς. ὁ Χριστὸς μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματός σου διὰ τῆς πρεσβείας τοῦ πατρός μου. ἐμὲ οὐ δοκῶ ὅτι μεθιστᾷ, εἰ μὴ ἄρα πρὸς τὸ δεῖραι ἢ ἀλλῇ ἐξορίσαι. εὔχεσθε περὶ τῆς ταπεινώσεώς μου ἵνα ἰσχύς μου γένοιτο Χριστὸς δωρεὰν τῷ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐκτρώματι. προσαγορεύουσίν σε οἱ ἀδελφοὶ γνησίως.