Letter 98: Theodore Studite, Letter 98; Greek heading: Λέοντι φίλῳ.

I, the lowly one, have not forgotten your love, O noble friend, because at every season you have shown the works of friendship toward us, not standing in dread even of the very hour of our trial. For I know you, I know, how, when all our friends and those near us withdrew, you yourself, in the fear of God and out of longing, were present by night, bringing gifts, standing at our side, beseeching, sharing our grief, inquiring after the safeguards of your honored soul, and showing all eagerness. For these things I scratch out this brief syllable [a short note], giving abundant thanks also for your hospitality toward the brethren who come in at that place through your ministry just now, when there are terrors on every side. But may God reward you with the gifts that come from himself, and deliver you from the abominable communion of the iconoclasts [eikonomachoi, the 'image-fighters' who waged the second iconoclast persecution], and save you into his heavenly kingdom.