Letter 141: Theodore Studite, Letter 141; Greek heading: Κανονικαῖσ.

That I have not forgotten your love according to God, I reckon that you yourselves also know; for I do not pass through my prayers with you unremembered, not because there is any good thing in me, who am a sinner, but, as has been said, because of the love and acquaintance we have in the Lord, and I would add also our shared manner of life [the monastic habit]. And I, for my part, have many reasons to be mindful of you: that you are pious and reverent, and indeed also compassionate toward our lowliness; for I do not, you may be sure, forget your good deeds and kindnesses, nor the sorrows, so to speak, and tears that arose from our separation in exile and on account of the exile. For these reasons, then, we both remember you and cherish you and hold you as a spiritual mother, and not only you, but also her who administers the second place after you, praying for you for health and for blessing from God and for prosperity in your ascetic manner of life; for we know that you fear God and love Christ, who is beloved and who loves you in return. Therefore we are also in anguish over you on account of the present constraint of the Christ-fighting heresy [iconoclasm, the imperial campaign against the veneration of holy icons]; for this must be fled by every means, O mother, for communion with it separates us from Christ. I am persuaded, then, concerning your case, and I rejoice that you are handmaids and servants of Christ; but I beg you more earnestly to make your intercessions to God on behalf of my lowliness, that I may be delivered from the snares of the enemy in every way.