Letter 95: Theodore Studite, Letter 95; Greek heading: Πολιτιανῷ δομεστίκῳ.

Truly, in deed and in word you are a genuine friend of our humility, as is shown by the things you have done for our brethren, my lord. For what did you not do, and how greatly did you not give yourself over, showing mercy to them, suffering with them, leading them out of danger, anointing their wounds, acting with eagerness, making this and that plain, helping, taking thought for them all together, dissembling [for their sake], and almost even braving danger ahead of them? But did anyone else among the other neighbors do so? By no means; for those men are friends of the table, not friends of Christ, since they too either incline to the heresy [iconoclasm, the rejection of the holy icons] or follow heretics in friendship. But you, O man, are a friend of God and of those who are persecuted for Christ's sake. For this reason, as I learn, you also keep yourself apart from communion with the lawless; and may you yet be kept safe by the Lord, together with your most excellent yoke-fellow [your wife] and your most nobly-born children. For you are one of the noble, since you love Christ and are led on by Christ. I owe you much, but you have the Lord, on my behalf, repaying you the return of grace. May you be saved with your whole household, O man of God and good friend.