Letter 529: Theodore Studite, Letter 529; Greek heading: Εὐδοκίᾳ κανδιδατίσσῃ.

It has been made known to me by the brother Silvanus concerning your honored self that you are in grief, because a certain fear and terror has arisen in your soul without any cause; and on hearing it, I, the lowly one, did not bear it without feeling, but I both grieved and prayed, though unworthy to be heard by God, that that dread might be loosed from you. But still I too, and the lord archbishop, and the brethren are praying together that the affliction may be broken off from your piety. And this affliction, lady, is something strange and contemptible, and you ought not to reckon it as able to harm you in any way at all; for, having put on Christ, you also have His cross as a weapon, and being signed with it [the sign of the cross], believe that you drive off at once every demonic machination, whether it befalls you to be terrified by day or by night. Sing therefore to the Lord: "Deliver my soul from the fear of the enemy" [Psalm 64:1, Septuagint numbering]; and again: "I will not be afraid of the terror by night, of the arrow that flies by day, of the thing that walks in darkness, of mishap and the noonday demon" [Psalm 90:5-6, Septuagint]; and, "if God is for you, who is against you" [cf. Romans 8:31], whose body also you eat and whose blood you drink? Strengthened by these things we tread upon serpents and scorpions and upon all the power of the enemy [cf. Luke 10:19]. Do not, then, collapse together with it, nor grow slack in this untimely fear, but be of good cheer in the Lord; and, we remind you, pray, as is also your custom, by night and by day, if you are able, and read a little; and the peace of God will guard you and keep you unharmed in all things.