Letter 177: Theodore Studite, Letter 177; Greek heading: Ναυκρατίῳ τέκνῳ.

Those who have practiced beforehand to hear afflicting things do not suffer as if at something strange when unwished-for tidings come. Therefore we were not thrown into confusion, my child, at the reports in your letter; pitiable, however, they are in the highest degree (how could they not be?), while the sacred temples of God are still being destroyed and the persecution against the pious rages all the more wildly, both within and without. Yet every soul must be tested by the bell and every place sifted by the sieve, so that the wheat may be separated from the chaff, even if it be but a small amount; since few, as the Lord said, are the chosen. The fall of the bishop of Demetrias grieved us not a little; and indeed, as it says, do not praise a man until his death. For what, after all, have we suffered? We have not yet resisted unto blood in our struggle against impiety, and we have forgotten, to speak in the Apostle's words, the exhortation. I am in anguish over the brothers who were arrested together, as I consider how things will turn out for them; except that we have grown accustomed, like those in the smithies to the hammer-blows, not to be taken aback at the report of heavy misfortunes. I pray, therefore, sinner that I am, that they may fare well; for the contest is for Christ's sake, and not over some petty matter as in the affair of the adultery [a reference to Theodore's earlier resistance over the emperor's irregular second marriage, the so-called Moechian controversy] in the eyes of certain senseless people. It is Christ who is now manifestly being set at naught, together with His Mother and His servants. O men, O soldiers of Christ, stand nobly, take up the mighty weapons with which Paul commands that we be armed for the casting down of the strongholds of the devil. Behold the war, behold the victory (for Christ is our helper), behold the unfading crowns of righteousness, behold paradise, behold the kingdom of the heavens. The angels are watching, they take part with us in our wrestling against the adversaries, the saints contend together with us from heaven, looking down upon our combats [literally, the wrestling-pits of our struggle]. Let us not turn aside, O good fellow-contestants, let us not cower before the imprisonments and the hardships, and sometimes even the penalties; let us not put Christ to shame in our defeat, which God forbid; let us not abash the angels who contend together with us; let us not grieve our forerunners and victors of the same rank. The contest, then, is of the first lap, in which are the many prizes, as you know, in the lower course. But even if we attain to the second, well and good; and if we fail of this too, then let us at least gain the fourth [Theodore figures the stages of endurance as laps in a race]. Only let us not be left behind, put to shame, found at the dread judgment-seat of Christ with no second bout of wrestling. Yes, I beg you, let us conquer. And since the present time is a stadium, how can I, the lowly one, not rejoice, having heard even now that our brothers who have departed [this life] have conquered, having conducted themselves nobly? I was gladdened concerning the man of Medikion [the Medikion monastery] that he wrestled most excellently, and likewise concerning the exile of the man of Nicaea; by whose prayers may I too, the worthless one, be made steadfast. If the icon-fighters [eikonomachoi, the iconoclasts who opposed the veneration of holy images] set upon you, do not of yourselves open the door to them; but if they act in robber-fashion, after their usual manner, you are guiltless. Do not withdraw, but remain still until persecution or expulsion; the destruction be upon their own heads. But do not depart from the temple, and continue both to chant the psalms and to perform the liturgy; I do not know whether they may not defile the temple through their own abominable practice, that is, their liturgy [the iconoclasts' eucharistic service, which Theodore regards as a pollution]. As for the matters for which you asked forgiveness, may it be granted you from God in all things. The pair of letter-carriers, since they were without a community, I have taken into the service of the word of truth altogether; what does this mean? To proclaim the good news through their journeying, here and there, to the brothers, the things that pertain to salvation. Would that we had chosen still other men of capacity, to go about land and sea. Here am I for now; as for what comes hereafter, we do not know where and how the Lord will dispose matters, not only those concerning us, but also those concerning you, and the archbishop, and whoever else among the brothers is contending. Since there are some also in Thessalonica, as you have written, we must go everywhere by letters and by brothers; thus Christ loves it, thus it is our duty to take thought. And if the Lord should so prosper our way as to open for us a door in the whole world under heaven; for nothing is impossible to Him. But if someone is to set out to help those in Thessalonica, we are eager for the things dear to God, and may He Himself grant a prosperous way; and even if we should all be imprisoned, He is able to raise up ministers from the stones. Therefore let us not fall down, but let us believe. I have made bold to compose an encomium upon the Theologian [Saint Gregory the Theologian, i.e. Gregory of Nazianzus] and certain chapters against the icon-fighters, the former as a duty, being moved also by the brothers, the latter as things that stir my mind; if there is anything good in them, it is by your prayers and the shepherd's, but if anything rotten, it is from my sins. Therefore, having transcribed them, keep them safely, when at a fit time they are sought out, through the agency of the abbot John. The brothers send greetings; I salute those with you, and indeed the fourth and the ninth, and you also, my beloved child Litoios. The grace be with you all.