Letter 94: Theodore Studite, Letter 94; Greek heading: Λέοντι ἀρωματοπράτῃ.

I write to you both as to a man of God, and as to a genuine friend, and as to a pious man, and as to an ardent zealot. You see what the present circumstances are, dear friend, what a fire it is that is consuming the Church of God, kindled, clearly, out of the tinder laid up beforehand. The flame of the adultery has devoured us [a reference to the Moechian controversy, the disputed second marriage of the emperor Constantine VI]; the bolt of the adulterous union has consumed us, that is, the persecutions and imprisonments brought about on account of these things, and the penalties and exiles and upheavals. And I would add, not unfittingly, the things that came before these, in the affair of the Simonians and on account of the Simonians [those guilty of simony, the buying and selling of holy offices] (for the Church of God does not know how to vindicate her own cause by scourges and exiles and imprisonments); and then, in addition to these, the things done on account of the Paulicians and against the Paulicians [a dualist heretical sect]. For the law of the Church does not bring sword and blade and scourges against anyone; for, it says, all who have taken the sword shall die by the sword. But all the same, since all these things have been set in motion, there has also come forth together with them the crowning point of the evils, as if from the recesses of Hades, this heresy [hairesis, a deviation from orthodox doctrine] that wars against Christ, bringing destruction upon all. Oh, oh, the terrible things! And it is permitted to us also to say: there is in this season neither sacrifice nor offering nor incense, no place to bring an offering before you and to find mercy. Therefore I beseech your love-of-God to guard yourself against the godless communion of those who incline to heresy, and to stretch out your hands, so far as is possible, to those who are perishing, and indeed also to the pious, which is also customary for you to do at all times, in deed and in word, because what is endangered concerns the immortal soul. If you do thus, I know that God too will be a helper to you for safety in danger, rendering me your prayer; for I have need of it, sinner that I am. And if the sisters keep the mystery [the sacrament, here likely the Eucharist kept from heretical communion], greet them on our behalf.