Letter 79

From: Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus To: Anatolius, Patrician Date: ~440 AD Context: Theodoret reports being confined to Cyrrhus by imperial order, accused of stirring up synods and disturbing the orthodox. He protests his innocence and asks Anatolius to investigate whether the order is genuine. To the Patrician Anatolius, The Lord God has given your excellency to us as a great source of comfort in these times, providing a safe harbor in the storm. We therefore have confidence in bringing our distress to your lordship's attention. Not long ago I informed your excellency that the right honorable Count Rufus had shown me an order written in the emperor's own hand, commanding the general to ensure with prudence and diligence that I remain at Cyrrhus and do not depart to any other city -- on the grounds that I have been assembling synods in Antioch and disturbing the orthodox. I want you to know that in obedience to the imperial letter I have come to Cyrrhus. After six or seven days they sent the commander Euphronius with a letter requiring me to acknowledge in writing that the imperial order had been shown to me. I promised to remain in Cyrrhus and its surrounding district, and to tend the sheep entrusted to my care. I therefore beg your excellency to make a thorough inquiry: were these orders actually issued, and for what reason? I am conscious of many sins, but I am not aware that I have offended either the Church of God or public order. I write this not because I resent living in Cyrrhus -- in truth, she is dearer to me than the most famous cities, because God gave me my office here. But the fact that I am bound to her by compulsion rather than by choice is troubling. It gives the ill-disposed a handle to grow bold and refuse to obey our pastoral guidance. If no such order was actually issued, I beg your lordship to set the matter right.

Letter 79 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... To Anatolius the Patrician. The Lord God has given your excellency to us to be at the present time a source of very great comfort, and has afforded us a meet haven for the storm. We have therefore confidence in informing your lordship of our distress. Not long ago we acquainted your excellency that the right honourable Count Rufus had shown us an order written in the imperial handwriting commanding the gallant general to provide with prudence and diligence for our residence at Cyrus, and not to suffer us to depart to another city, on the ground that we are endeavouring to summon synods to Antioch, and are disturbing the orthodox. Now I make known to you that in obedience to the imperial letter I have come to Cyrus. After an interval of six or seven days they sent the devoted Euphronius, the commander, with a letter begging me to acknowledge in writing that the imperial order had been shown me. I therefore promised to remain in Cyrus and its adjacent district, and to tend the sheep entrusted to my care. I therefore beseech your excellency to make exact enquiry, both whether these orders had really been issued, and for what reason. I am indeed conscious of many other sins, but I do not know that I have erred either against the Church of God, or against public order. And I write as I do, not because I take it ill to have to live at Cyrus, for in truth she is dearer to me than any of the most famous cities, because my office in her has been given me by God. But the fact of my being bound to her not by preference but by compulsion does seem somewhat grievous, and besides it does give a handle to the wicked to grow bold and to refuse to obey our exhortations. Under these circumstances I beseech your lordship, if no order of the kind has really been issued, to let me know; but if the letter really comes from the victorious emperor, tell his pious majesty not readily to believe calumnies, nor give ear to accusers alone, but to demand an account from the accused. Though really the evidence of the facts alone was quite enough to persuade his piety that the charges against me were false. For when did I ever make myself offensive about anything to his serene majesty or his chief officers? Or when was I ever obnoxious to the many and illustrious owners here? It is on the contrary well known to your excellency that I have spent a considerable portion of my ecclesiastical revenues in erecting porticoes and baths, building bridges, and making further provision for public objects. But if any persons take it ill that I mourn over the ruin of the churches of Phœnicia, be it known to your lordship that it is impossible for me not to grieve when I see the horn of the Jews exalted on high and the Christians in tears and sorrow, though they send them to the very ends of the earth. We cannot fight against the apostolic decrees, for we remember the word of the Apostle which says, We ought to obey God rather than men, and more terrible to us than any of the pains of this life is the judgment seat of Christ the Lord, before whom we shall all stand to render an account of our words and of our deeds. On account of that judgment seat the hardships of this present life must be endured. For them that suffer wrong the hope of what is to come is consolation enough, but to us the loving Lord has given further comfort in you, most excellent sir, whose life is bright with piety and faith.