Слово 6. О мире, сказанное в присутствии отца после предшествовавшего молчания, по случаю воссоединения монашествующих

1. Jealousy loosens my tongue, and I leave the human law unfulfilled for the spiritual law: I give the world a word, although before I never agreed to begin the word. For as soon as our members rebelled against us, the great and honorable body of Christ began to be divided and dissected, so that our bones were almost scattered in hell (Ps. 140:7), just as the depths of the earth are torn apart by a plow and scattered over the surface; as soon as the evil one, having torn apart the indestructible, indivisible and entire woven tunic (John 19:23), appropriated it all for himself, having managed through us to do what he could not do through the crucifiers of Christ, then he kept the things laid down with his mouth (Ps. 39:2), and in other cases he was not voluble, reasoning that the spiritual order requires first purifying oneself with active wisdom, then, opening the mouth of the understanding, attract the spirit (Ps. 119:131), and then vomit out the word good (Ps. 44:2) and speak the wisdom of God, perfect in the perfect (1 Cor. 2:6). Moreover, just as there is a time for every thing, small and great, according to the just and very reasonable saying of Solomon (Eccl. 3:1), so I, no less than anyone else, knew the time to speak and to remain silent. 2. Therefore, I became numb and humbled (Ps. 39:3), when nothing good became near me, as if a cloud had come over my heart and hid the ray of the word, and my illness was renewed day and night; everything kindled it in me, everything reminded me of the separation of the brethren: vigils, fasting, prayers, tears, calluses on the knees, beating in the chest, sighs from the depths of the heart, all-night standing, migration of the mind to God, quiet crying among prayers, bringing tenderness to those who listen, also singing, praising, studying day and night in the law of the Lord, carrying in their throats heaps of praise God (Ps. 149:6). These beautiful features and signs of life according to God, these silent preachers, reminded me of the same thing: dry and unclean hair, bare feet and, like the apostles, not wearing anything dead on them, cutting of the hair, corresponding to the same, clothes that humble pride, a belt, beautiful in its unadornment, picking up a few, but not lifting at all the clothes, a firm gait, a never-wandering gaze, a smile a pleasant or, better to say, only the appearance of a smile, chastely restraining from immoderate laughter, a word with reason, silence, more precious than the word itself, praise seasoned with salt, but not for endearment, but as a guide to the better, censure, coveted more than praise itself, moderation in sadness and in gaiety and the dissolution of one another, gentleness combined with courage, and severity with modesty, so that one is not the other harms, but one thing through the other becomes praiseworthy; moderation in communication with others and in avoiding communication: communication - for the edification of others and avoidance - for one’s own teaching of the mysteries of the Spirit; communication, preserving solitude in the midst of society itself, and deviation, observing brotherly love and love for mankind in the midst of solitude, and what is even more important and higher than this is wealth, which consists of poverty, possession - in strangers, glory - in dishonor, strength - in weakness, beautiful childbearing - in celibacy, since what is born according to God is better than those born according to the flesh. Finally, people who consider it a pleasure not to have any pleasures, who humble themselves for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven, who have nothing in the world and stand above the world, who live in the flesh as if outside the flesh, of whom the Lord is part (Num. 18:20), the poor for the sake of the Kingdom (Matt. 5:3) and reigning in poverty. 3. This is who, with his presence, made me happy, constituted my wealth, my best consolation, and - with his absence, brought me into despondency! This is what troubled and outraged my soul; That's why I walked around crying and complaining. That is why I rejected the word itself along with other pleasures! For the beloved have rejected me, and turned their backs to me, and not their faces (Deut. 32:15; Jer. 2:27); the flock became freer (not to say braver) than the shepherd; true grapes, beautifully peeled by a good worker and bearing good fruit in the Divine wine press, turned into bitterness for me (Jer. 2:21); my friends and my sincere ones are close to me and stasha, and my neighbors are far away from me (Ps. 37:12). Out of strong love for God and for Christ, we shared Christ; because of the Truth (John 14:6) they began to lie to each other; for the sake of Love (1 John 4:8) they learned to hate; because of the Rock (1 Cor. 10:4) they were shaken; because of the corner stone (Eph. 2:20) they were scattered; beyond necessity they fought for peace; were cast down because of Him who was lifted up on the tree; were subjected to death because of the Buried and Resurrected. 4. It was like this before! And why, in the midst of joy, renew displeasure, dwelling on sad events that I would not want not only to experience, but also to bring to memory, about which it is better not to speak, but to remain silent, hiding the misfortune that has befallen us in the depths of oblivion? Unless someone will only remind us of the sorrowful thing in order to enlighten us with this example and, as in illness, avoid the causes that brought us to such a state. But now, when sickness, sadness and sighing have fled from us, when we, the worshipers of the One, have become one, we, the worshipers of the Trinity, have, so to speak, grown together, become unanimous and equal in honor, we, the readers of the Word, have left dumbness, we, the worshipers of the Spirit, burn with jealousy not against each other, but at the same time with each other, we, the worshipers of the Truth, think one thing and say one thing, we, the worshipers Wisdom, we have become prudent, honorers of Him who is the Light, the Way, the Door, as in the days we walk gracefully, we all walk the straight path, all within the courtyard; the worshipers of the Lamb and the Shepherd have become meek, and we already belong to the same flock and one shepherd who tends the flock with vessels, not an unskillful shepherd (Zech. 11:15), who destroys the sheep of his pasture and gives them over to wolves and rapids, but a very tried and experienced shepherd; Now that we, the honorers of the One who suffered for us, have become compassionate and ready to ease each other’s burdens, the honorers of the Head form a harmonious body and bonded with every spiritual union (Eph. 4:16), when God creates everything and transforms it into the most useful (Am. 5:8), turned our crying into joy and instead of sackcloth gave us joy (Ps. 29:12), - then I, along with the past sorrows, put aside silence and bring to the present time and to you, or, more importantly, to God the word, the most suitable thanksgiving sacrifice, a gift that is purer than gold, more valuable than precious stones, more valuable than textiles, holier than the legal sacrifice, holier than the firstfruits, more pleasing to God a young calf, still imperfect in horns and cloven hooves (Ps. 68:32) and senseless, more acceptable than incense, more than burnt offerings, more than many thousands of fat rams, more than anything else than the Law, which contains only the initial foundations, held in power the still infant Israel, prescribing the future sacrifice in bloody sacrifices. 5. I offer this to God, I dedicate this to Him, which is the only thing I left with myself, which is why I am rich; because he refused other things out of obedience to the commandment and the Spirit; everything I had, I exchanged for a pearl of great price, and became (or, better said, I wish to become) that happy merchant who, for a small, undoubtedly perishable, bought a great and incorruptible thing (Matthew 13:45, 46); but I hold to myself one word, as a servant of the word, and I will never voluntarily neglect this acquisition, but I appreciate, love it and rejoice about it more than about everything in the aggregate that makes most people happy; I make him an accomplice throughout my life, a good adviser, interlocutor and leader on the path to heavenly things and a zealous companion. And since I despise everything that is deeper, all my love after God is directed to the word, or, better to say, to God, because the word leads to God when it is united with understanding, by which alone God is truly accepted, and preserved, and grows in us. I called wisdom my sister (Prov. 7:4), I honored and embraced her as much as I was allowed, and I seek the crown of grace and sweetness on my head (Prov. 4:8, 9), that is, the gifts of wisdom and words, illuminating our minds and illuminating our processions to God. 6. Through the word I curb the impulses of anger, with it I lull withering envy, with it I calm the sadness that fetters the heart, with it I curb voluptuousness, with it I set a measure of hatred, but not friendship (for hatred must be moderated, but friendship must know no limits). The word in abundance makes me humble and generous in poverty; it encourages me to walk with those who walk firmly, to extend a helping hand to those who fall, to sympathize with those who are weak and to rejoice with those who are strong. With him, both the fatherland and the foreign country are equal for me, and resettlement for me is nothing more than a transition from one foreign place to another, not mine. For me, the word separates the worlds and removes me from one and leads me to another. It teaches me not to be exalted with the weapons of righteousness (2 Cor. 6:7) and in unhappy and deplorable circumstances it speaks wisdom to me, giving me unashamed hope (Rom. 5:5) and making the present easier for the future. In the word, even now I meet my friends and brothers and offer a verbal meal and a spiritual and everlasting cup, and not such as an earthly meal flatters the belly, which cannot be corrected, but will be abolished (1 Cor. 6:13). 7. Will I keep silent, eat, and always keep silent (Isaiah 42:14)? I am patient, like a woman in labor, will I really always endure? The silence of Zechariah was resolved by the born John (for it was indecent for the father of the voice to remain silent when the voice had already occurred; but just as disbelief in the voice tied the tongue, so the appearance of the voice should have resolved the father, to whom the gospel was preached, and this voice and lamp, the forerunner of the Word and Light, was born), but for me the tongue is resolved and the voice is lifted up, like the voice of a trumpet, this beneficial event, this beautiful sight that the children of God present, formerly scattered, but now gathered together, resting under the same wings, going with one mind to the house of God and united among themselves by a single union of virtue and the Spirit. I cannot remain silent when we are no longer rebelling against each other (before our mind was captured by the evil one, or suffered violence from him, or was shot down by him in the darkness (Ps. 10:2) brought on by him, or how else to express it, that we rejoiced at each other’s misfortunes, not thinking that mutual disagreement causes harm to the whole body). I cannot remain silent when Judah and Israel set themselves a single authority (Hos. 1:11), Jerusalem and Samaria gather to the one heavenly Jerusalem, and we are no longer the people of Paul, Apollos and Cephas (which is why and against which there were proud debates), but are all Christ’s (1 Cor. 1:12). 8. But since you have now taken possession of me and the word, not without violence, but not involuntarily, out of love, I will speak (although I can hardly), because you command so, I will utter words of thanksgiving and admonition. This is my thanksgiving. Who will proclaim the mighty powers of the Lord? Who will proclaim all praise in the hearing of all (Ps. 106:2)? Now the wallpaper is one, and the mediastinum of the fence is destroyed (Eph. 2:14). You made us cease to be a byword, a subject for people to shake their heads (Ps. 43:15). You gave us as much evil to endure as was necessary so that during the separation we would know the good of the world, and, having struck us with sorrow, you restored us again. Wonderful healing! Through enmity you taught peace to those who soon hated enmity; He did the opposite to the opposite and separated us so much that we rushed towards each other all the more willingly, just as the branches of plants, forcibly separated and then left free, again strive for one another, taking on their former natural position, and show in themselves the property that violence can bend them, and not correct them. The hand no longer despises the eye, and the eye no longer despises the hand; The head does not rebel against the feet, and the feet are not alienated from the head (1 Cor. 12:21) and do not harm, or, better said, do not suffer harm from disorder and anarchy, from which confusion and destruction occur in everything, but all members, according to the natural order and law, by which everything is connected and preserved, equally care for each other - and we now constitute one body and one spirit, just as we were called by one in one hope of the calling (Eph. 4:4). 9. For this reason, poor people will praise You (Is. 25:3), having become rich from the poor. You have surprised us with Your mercy (Ps. 30:22), and something new is being added to the ancient legends. Wherever sin abounds, grace abounds (Rom. 5:20). Having thrown the grain, I received an ear; mourning the loss of the sheep, I acquired shepherds, and I know for sure that I will acquire the best of shepherds, 75 although he, for some spiritual reasons, is slow to accept the flock. This shepherd has already been entrusted with the grace of the Spirit, talents for use, and care for the flock; he is anointed with the anointing of holiness and perfection; but wisdom still keeps him from the authorities, and for the time being he keeps the lamp under a bushel; but soon he will appoint him on the candlestick, to give light to every soul in the Church (Matt. 5:15) and to be a light to our paths (Ps. 119:104). He now surveys the wilds, mountains and streams and prepares nets for wolves - predators of souls, so that at the right time he can take the rod and shepherd this verbal flock together with the true Shepherd, dwelling in a green place, among the ever-green words of God, and feeding with the water of repose, that is, the Spirit (Ps. 22:2). This is what we hope and pray for. But it’s time for me to add an exhortation to thanksgiving, which I will also offer as briefly as possible; because for the most part you have been enlightened by the events themselves, and those who have been taught by experience do not need lengthy teachings. 10. Firstly, it was not right for us, brethren, to divide and thus destroy our ancient dignity and adornment, according to which our small flock, although it cannot be placed along with the numerous flocks, I nevertheless equated it with the greatest and most extensive, and even preferred it to some, according to the power of the Spirit. This is how it was before: each flock had its own smaller or greater decoration; The distinctive quality of our flock was steadfastness and serenity, and therefore they were often called Noah’s Ark because they alone escaped the global drowning and kept within themselves the seeds of piety. Even when it was revealed that we, too, are human beings, when we did not completely escape the envy of the evil one, did not resist the disease that infects everything, but suffered our share in the general misfortune and did not fully observe the wonderful and paternal inheritance, that is, the blessing of like-mindedness - and in this case we had a considerable advantage over others (if only, trusting in Christ, we can boast of something even in our very enmity), - the advantage that the latter suffered evil and were the first to correct themselves. Falling into illness is the lot of general nature and human weakness, which extends to everyone, including the strongest in body and spirit; but to rise from illness and return to each other is a matter of reasoning and grace, which rewarded us beautifully and justly, even better than what we wished and others hoped for. 11. For those who were appointed heads of the 76 separated, as appointed for the sake of piety and as a help to suffering Orthodoxy, we received with love and treated not as enemies, but as brothers, we embraced those who rebelled against us for a short time for their paternal heritage, but they rebelled fraternally, and not maliciously. We did not praise their enmity, but we approved of their jealousy, for disagreement for piety is much better than agreement for some passion. Thus, we turned the very loss into gain for ourselves, covering with love what they intended against us and changing the order in one thing, that grace did not follow election, but election followed grace, and that to communicate it we took advantage of an alien ordination, being somewhat forestalled by the Spirit. And you, having abandoned suspicion against writing 77, turned to the spirit and although you did not approve of simplicity with the clarity of speech, you did not suspect wickedness, knowing that with us the Trinity is as firm and unshakable as in our nature, and that to cut off or alienate anything from the Three for us means the same thing as to cut off everything and brazenly rebel against the entire Divinity. In this regard, even during the separation itself, we sometimes defended each other in front of famous people. And this serves as the strongest proof that truth is not defeated by time and that enmity has not completely extinguished the spark of love in us. Even with the discord, the most important thing remained in us, that is, unanimity and confidence that we do not waver in the truth and do not contradict it, but are imprinted with the same character of faith and our faithful hope. 12. For people who sincerely revere God, nothing can so strongly induce unanimity as agreement in the teaching about God, and nothing is more conducive to discord than disagreement in this teaching. The most modest person in other cases becomes the most ardent, the meek becomes brave (Joel 3:11), when he sees that through his indifference he is deprived of God or, better to say, by his fall he causes damage to God, Who honors us with His wealth and enriches us. Thus, in the separation itself, as I said, we were so moderate that our unanimity became more visible than the separation, and the favorable dispositions of both sides almost covered up what had happened. Since haste in reconciliation alone is not enough for the stability of peace, if it is not supported by reason and reason is not supported by God Himself, from whom all good begins and comes to perfection, then through prayer and reflection we will try to strengthen our reconciliation. 13. Let us think, firstly, about the most excellent and highest of all things - God (unless someone finds it most fitting to place Him above the essence (οὐσία) or to conclude all existence in Him, since from Him existence is communicated to the rest); Let us think, secondly, about the first beings from God and around God, that is, about the angelic and heavenly Powers, which are the first to drink from the First Light and, enlightened by the word of truth, are themselves the light and reflections of the Perfect Light. Nothing is more characteristic of these creatures than peace and serenity. For in the Divine there is no disagreement, because there is no disunity (since disunion is a consequence of disagreement); but in Him there is so much agreement both with Himself and with secondary beings that, along with others and preferably before other names, whatever God wants to be called, this has primarily become His name. It is called peace (Eph. 2:14), love (1 John 4:16) and similar names, inspiring us with the very names to strive to acquire these perfections. And of the angels, the one who dared to cause indignation and raised his neck above his dignity against the Lord Almighty or, according to the prophetic word, planned for a throne above the clouds (Is. 14:13, 14), suffered a punishment worthy of arrogance, condemned to be darkness instead of light, or, more correctly, he himself became darkness. Meanwhile, others remain in their dignity, in which the main thing is peace and tranquility, because from the All-Praiseable and Holy Trinity, from Whom they have luminosity, they also received the ability to be one. Because the Trinity also exists and the One God is confessed no less by agreement than by identity of essence. Therefore, all those who love the good of the world and, on the contrary, hate discord and turn away from it, are close to God and the Divine spirits; and those who are abusive in disposition, seek glory in innovations and are vainglorious about what they should be ashamed of, belong to the opposite side. For the devil is not only at odds with himself, due to his diversity and according to his passions, but he also does the same in others, as a murderer from time immemorial and a hater of good, covering himself with the darkness of indignation (in order to shoot down the general body of the Church in the darkness), with which cunning and cunning, I think, he approaches for the most part each of us and secretly looks for a place in us where he would completely break in like a brave warrior breaks into a broken wall or broken line. 14. So, the necessity of goodwill and consent is already sufficiently proven by this alone, that is, by imitation of God and Divine beings; for it is only safe to look at them for the soul, created in the image of God, so that by striving for the Divine and feasible assimilation, it may preserve its nobility to the greatest extent. Moreover, listening to the voice of God, let us look up to the heavens above and to the earth below (Isa. 8:22) and delve into the laws of creation. Heaven, earth, sea - in a word, this whole world, this great and glorious book of God, in which the preached God is revealed in the most silence, this world as long as it stands firmly and at peace with itself, without protruding from the limits of its nature, until in it not a single creature rebels against another and breaks those bonds of love with which the Artist - the Creative Word has bound everything, until then it corresponds to its name and truly is peace ( κόσμος) and incomparable beauty, until then nothing could be imagined more glorious and majestic than it. But with the cessation of peace, the world will cease to be peace. In fact, don’t you notice that the law of love governs the sky when, in a harmonious order, it imparts light to the air and rain to the earth? But don’t the earth and air imitate parental love when they give all animals one food, the other the opportunity to breathe, and thereby support their lives? Isn’t it the world that is governed by the seasons, which, meekly dissolving among themselves, gradually take one place of another and in the middle times soften the severity of the extreme ones, thereby serving at the same time for pleasure and benefit? 15. What can we say about day and night, which are equal to each other, increasing and decreasing evenly, of which one calls us to work, and the other to rest? What can we say about the sun and the moon, about beauty and the multitude of stars that appear and set in order? What can we say about the sea and the land, which, uniting peacefully with each other, favorably and philanthropically transfer man to each other and richly and generously lavish their treasures on him? What can we say about the rivers that flow through mountains and fields and do not protrude from their limits, except for benefit, and cover the earth below (Ps. 103:9)? What can we say about the mixing and dissolution of the elements? What can we say about the proportionality and harmony of the members, about food, about the birth and dwelling assigned to each animal, of which some dominate, others are subordinate, some are submissive to us, others are free? If all this happens like this, and is ordered and governed according to the original laws of harmony, as if everything flowed together, one had breath, then is it possible to draw another conclusion from this, except that everything preaches to us about friendship and unanimity, that everything is prescribed to us by the law of unanimity? 16. But when matter in the world rebels against itself and, with its confusion, preparing destruction, becomes indomitable, or when God, in fear and punishment of sinners, disrupts a somewhat harmonious order, either by flooding the sea, or by an earthquake, or by unusual rains, or by darkening the sun, or by the duration of some season, or by an eruption of fire, then disorder and fear spill over everything and, amidst the confusion, is revealed, how beneficial the world is. I will not talk about the fact that cities, kingdoms, singers, armies, houses, societies sailing on the same ship, marriages and friendly alliances are supported by peace, but because of disagreement, cities, kingdoms, faces of singers, armies, houses, societies sailing on the same ship, marriages and friendly alliances come into disorder, I will dwell on Israel and, reminding you of her disasters, dispersion and wandering, in which she is now and will be for a long time (in which I believe the prophecies), I will then ask you about the reason for these misfortunes known to you, so that the disasters of others will teach us like-mindedness. 17. Isn’t it true that as long as the Israelites maintained peace among themselves and with God, tormented in Egypt, as in an iron furnace, and united by common oppression (sometimes oppression serves as a saving medicine), until then they were called the holy tongue, the part of the Lord and the royal priesthood (Ex. 19:6; Deut. 32:9)? And not only in name were they like this, but in reality they were different. They were governed by leaders led by God, guided day and night by a pillar of fire and cloud; During their flight, the sea parted for them; when they were hungry, the sky gave them food; when they were thirsty, the stone gave them water; when they fought, the raising of their hands replaced thousands of warriors; with the help of prayer, they erected victorious monuments and paved the way forward; the rivers retreated in front of them, imitating a homogeneous sea, the elements stopped and the walls fell from the sound of trumpets. What can we say about the plagues of Egypt and about the voices of God heard from the mountain, about the twofold legislation - one in writing, and the other in the spirit, and about everything that the Israelites were once honored beyond their dignity? But when they fell into illness, they rebelled against each other with rage, divided into many parts, being driven to the last extreme by the cross and their stubbornness, with which they rebelled against God and our Savior, not knowing God in man; when they brought upon themselves that iron rod (Ps. 2:9), with which God threatened them from afar (I mean the now dominant power and the prevailing kingdom), then what happened? What did they not tolerate? 18. Jeremiah weeps about their former misfortunes and laments about the captivity of Babylon: indeed, even that was worthy of weeping and lamentation. How could one not shed bitter tears when the walls are excavated, the city is razed to the ground, the sanctuary is destroyed, the offerings are plundered, unclean feet enter into the inaccessible, foul hands take the inviolable in the service of voluptuousness, the prophets are silent, the priests are taken into captivity, there is no mercy for the elders, virgins are given over to reproach, young men fall, alien fire and the fire of battle, also rivers of blood take the place of sacred fire and blood, the Nazarenes are dragged along the hundred, songs are replaced by lamentation, and, I will say in the own words of the Lamentation of Jeremiah, the sons of Zion, honest (Lamentations 4:2) and equivalent to gold, who lived in contentment and did not experience disasters, go on an unusual path, and the paths of Zion weep, as if there are no one celebrating (1:4). And not long before this, the hands of merciful women (4:10) during the intensifying siege did not serve children with food, but they tormented children for food and satisfied their hunger with what was most kind to them. Isn’t this terrible, isn’t it the height of horror, not only for those who suffered then, but also for those who hear about it now? Every time I pick up this book and read the Lamentation (and I read it every time I want to cultivate prosperity through reading), my voice breaks, tears flow by themselves, disaster seems to happen before my eyes, and I cry with the weeping prophet. But who among those who know how to compose lamentable songs and fully depict grief in words will adequately mourn the final blow - the resettlement of the Israelites, the yoke of slavery now weighing on them, the humiliation known to everyone under Roman rule, the main fault of which was indignation? What books will contain this? For them, one monument of disaster is the whole universe throughout which they are scattered, the ceased worship, the now barely recognizable place of Jerusalem itself, which is accessible to them only to that extent and only delights them for its former glory, that they, having appeared there for one day, can mourn the desolation. 19. If indignation is really so terrible and disastrous in its consequences, as can be seen from what has been said and as many other examples show, then it is much more terrible for people who have already freed themselves from petty attachments and have tasted the blessings of the world to again be subjected to the same disease and, as they say, to return to their vomit, without being enlightened by experience itself, which is instructive even for the foolish. For, as I see, those who are considered frivolous and unreasonable are not those who are given over to any vice, but those who, like the fickle winds, or the changes and tides of water in Euripi, 78 or the fickle waves of the sea, are easily carried away and go over to one side or the other. I also note that those who remain in discord are made more accessible by at least the hope of agreement, which alleviates most of their misfortune, because for the unfortunate it is a great consolation to hope for a change and have something better in mind; but those who often approached unanimity and always again rushed to discord, above all else, are deprived of hope for the best, fear agreement no less than discord and, due to their complacency towards both and inconstancy, do not trust either one or the other. 20. Let them not think, however, that I claim that every world must be treasured. For I know that there is wonderful disagreement and the most destructive unanimity; but one must love a good world that has a good goal and unites with God. And if it is necessary to express this briefly, then I will say my thought: it is not good to be both too sluggish and too hot, so that either out of gentleness of character you agree with everyone, or out of stubbornness you disagree with everyone. Just as lethargy is inactive, so complaisance to everything is uncommunicative. But when there is a case of obvious wickedness, then one should rather go to fire and sword, not look at the demands of the time and rulers and in general at everything, rather than partake of the evil brew and join the infected. The most terrible thing is to fear anything more than God, and because of this fear, the servant of truth will become a traitor to the teachings of faith and truth. But when we are upset by suspicion and are afraid without examining the matter, then patience is preferable to haste and forbearance is better than persistence. It is much better and more useful, without being separated from the common body, for its members to correct each other and correct themselves, rather than prematurely condemning by excommunication and thereby destroying the trust, then imperatively demanding correction, as is characteristic of rulers, and not of brethren. 21. Having known this, brethren, let us embrace and kiss each other, let us be sincerely united, let us imitate the One who destroyed the middle wall of the fence and gathered and reconciled everything with His blood. Let us say to this common father, the venerable elder, the meek and quiet shepherd: do you see what is the reward for humility? Lift up your eyes around, and see your children gathered together (Isa. 60:4). They were collected as you wished and asked for the only thing day and night in order to end your journey in a good old age. Behold, they have all come to you, resting under your wings and surrounding their altar; They left in tears and returned with joy. Rejoice and be glad, best and most loving of fathers, for you, like a bride, are clothed with all the adornment of garments. Tell us too: these are the children whom God gave us! (Isa. 8:18) 22. Add also another word of the Lord, especially suitable now: those which you gave to me, you kept (John 17:12) and you did not destroy a single one of them. And oh, if no one had perished, but that we had all remained in one spirit, strived unanimously for the gospel faith, and thought with one mind; Armed with the shield of faith, having girded their loins with the truth, they knew only war - war against the evil one and against those who are militant under his command; were not afraid of those who can kill the body, but cannot steal the soul; they feared the Lord soul and body; we preserved the precious deposit that we received from our fathers, that is, we worshiped the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, in whom we were baptized, in whom we believed, with whom we were united; knew the Father in the Son and the Son in the Spirit; before the connections were divided, before the divisions they were united; they did not honor the Three as one (because they are not hypostatic and do not constitute one hypostasis, so that our wealth is not in names alone, but in the thing itself) and believed that the Three are one, - one not in hypostasis, but in Divinity - the Unit, worshiped in the Trinity, and the Trinity, headed in the Unit, all venerable, all royal, one-throne, equal in glory, worldly and supreme time, uncreated, invisible, inviolable, incomprehensible, She only knows about herself, what order she has in herself, and for us equally venerable, worthy of equal service, the only one entering the Holy of Holies, leaving every creature outside and separating others with the first, and others with the second veil; Thus, the first separates heavenly and angelic beings from the Divine, while the second separates our nature from heavenly beings. Thus, brethren, let us act and behave in this way, and, as long as we can, we will accept and heal those who differ in their views as an ulcer of the truth; Let us turn away from those who suffer without healing, so that we ourselves do not become infected with their disease before we give them our health. And the God of peace, who surpasses all understanding, will be with us in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. St. Basil the Great, who was already ordained a presbyter of the Church of Caesarea, but for a time withdrew into the desert. Some of the monks who separated from the bishop of Nazianza were appointed presbyters by outside bishops, as Elijah of Crete explains. That is careless signature of St. Gregory, Bishop of Nazianza, under the semi-Arian symbol. Euripus is the name given to the strait between Attica and the island of Euboea.