Letter 145: Theodore Studite, Letter 145; Greek heading: Ναυκρατίῳ τέκνῳ.

Your earnestness, my child, in love toward God and in giving rest to me, the lowly one, you do not cease to display, as even now, having sent the brother Callistus into the city for the things necessarily owed. Having received him together with your letters and those of the men who delivered them, we learned both grievous and joyful things: the grievous on account of the wretched Orestes, who deserted, who, not even bearing the ordinary affliction for the name of God, deserted to the adversaries, becoming a laughingstock both to demons and to the impious; the joyful on account of those of our brothers who are being saved and who bear the maltreatments for God's sake, and indeed on account of our common fathers. But if this man and that man have stumbled, do not be astonished; rather, if anyone should be saved to the end, give glory concerning him: for one must toil much in order to gain immortality. Therefore take courage, and do not grow weary in heartening others so far as you are able. And since there is also talk of our removal [to another place of exile], I know that this is grievous to you, my child, as also to your brothers. But thanks be to the Lord, I make account of nothing, even though I am a sinner, for the sake of the glory of Christ, for whose sake lowly Greece [Graikia, the Greek lands] is greatly shaken. But how so? So that the elect may be made manifest, the testing not being kindled to a blaze. Within, the fathers are beaten and starved [strangled by famine]; what great thing is it even if they transfer us, the worthless ones, elsewhere? The earth is the Lord's, wherever I may be cast, whether alone or also with others. But whom I shall choose as a companion of the way from among the brothers, should I be permitted, I do not know, because my lowly heart is divided over each single one of them. Nevertheless, as the brother will report, such is the plan. And if the Lord should prosper our seeing one another before the removal, let us settle more securely both concerning this and concerning other matters; but if not, may Christ be with your spirit. Pray concerning me, the lowly one.