Letters to the Sinai Monastery

“Letters to the Sinai Monastery” contain messages from St. Gregory the Great (Dvoeslov), addressed to clergy. In a letter to John, abbot of Mount Sinai, St. Gregory expresses respect for the ascetic life of John, contrasting his serene monastic service with his own “turbulent” life in the world, full of temptations. He asks for prayer support, emphasizing that the spiritual help of hermits is especially valuable for those who carry out church service in the world. In a letter to Palladius, presbyter of Mount Sinai, St. Gregory consoles him, who is being attacked and slandered, reminding him of the words of Christ and the apostles that the world hates the true righteous (John 15:19; Matt. 10:25). He calls not to pay attention to human judgments, but to seek support in one’s own conscience and in the testimony of God. The saint gives pastoral advice: if possible, maintain peace with people, but if this is unattainable, the main thing is to keep love in your heart. Contents I. John, Abbot of Mount Sinai II. Palladius, Presbyter of Mount Sinai I. John, Abbot of Mount Sinai 1. The letter of your humility testifies to the holiness of your life; why we thank Almighty God a lot, seeing that there are still people who can pray to God for our sins, for we, under the guise of church government, are shaken by the waves of this world, which often flood us. But the protective hand of heavenly grace lifts us up from the depths. So, you, who lead such a calm and serene life, standing as if on a safe shore, extend the hand of your prayer to us who are floating, or better yet, those in need at sea, and striving for the land of the living, help with whatever prayers you can, so that you may receive a reward forever, not only for your life, but also for our deliverance. May the Holy Trinity cover your love with the hand of its providence, and grant you the right to graze the entrusted flock before Her eyes with prayer, instruction and examples of virtue, so that you, together with the flock you shepherd, can achieve the pastures of eternal life. It is written: My sheep will come and have pasture (John 10:9). And we find these pastures when, having spent the winter of real life, we are satisfied with an ever-blooming life, as if in a new spring. From our son Simplicius we learned that in the refuge of the elders (Serontocomium), established there by a certain Isaurian, there were not enough beds. Why did we send 15 blankets (Laena, cloak), 30 headboards (rachana), 15 beds, and gave money to buy feather beds and for transportation. We ask your love to accept all this as it should and deliver it to the place where it was sent. II. Palladius, Presbyter of Mount Sinai 2 Having received your letter of love, I immediately found my son Simplicius and found out what temptation she was exposed to. But love has no need for the consolation of my words, when it itself says: if Beelzebub has harmed the master of the house, how much more will he do it to his household? (Matthew 10:25). And again: if we were quicker from the world, the world would love its own; as you are not of the world, but because you were chosen out of the world, for this reason the world hates you (John 15:19). This is what he says, meaning by the word peace, carnal hearts that love peace. All this, as I hear, you know perfectly why, and I am surprised how your love was saddened by human words. For when we hear words praising or blaming us, we must always turn to our consciousness, and if we do not find in it the perfection that is attributed to us, we must feel great sorrow, and if we do not find the evil that people blame in us, we must have great joy. What good is it if people praise but your conscience accuses? Or why grieve when everyone accuses, and one conscience declares us innocent? We have the word Up. Paul: this boasting of us is a testimony to our conscience (2 Cor. 1:12). Job also says: behold, my hearing is in heaven (Job 16:19). If we have a witness in heaven, a witness in our hearts, then leave them to say what they want. What do blamers do but blow the dust and sweep it into their own eyes, so that the more slander they breathe out, the less they see the truth? However, we must also call them, calmly exhort them and satisfy them in every possible way, remembering what the Truth says about them: let us not seduce them (Matthew 17:27). And if they do not want satisfaction from the truth, then you have the consolation that you will find in the Holy Gospel; for when it was said to the Lord, Are you like the Pharisee, who heard the word and was offended? answered: leave them; leaders are blind to the blind (Matthew 15:12,14). And the Apostle Paul, instructing us, says: If it is possible from you, have peace with all people (Rom. 12:18). Wanting to say that we should have peace with everyone, but foreseeing that this would be difficult, he suggested this word: if possible, however, he also added what could be, that is, from you. For if we wish to maintain love in our souls for those who hate, then although they do not have peace with us, we, without a doubt, have peace with them. So, beloved son, guard your heart in everything, as it is written: Guard your heart in all things, for life comes from these things (Prov. 4:23). I wrote this briefly in memory of love; but I ask you to fulfill the duty of prayer for me, so that Almighty God will be pleased to preserve me both from evil spirits and from corrupt people; for in this wandering of my life I am suddenly surrounded by many troubles, so that I can say with the Psalmist: your anger has come upon me, your fears have troubled me; she has beaten me like water all day long, and has overcome me (Ps. 87:17,18). May heavenly grace protect us in the cities and you in the desert; for the ancient enemy is not restrained from tempting actions by place: if he struck a person in paradise, then outside of paradise what place could there be where he could not penetrate the souls of people? Therefore, we must rely only on the protection of our Creator and cry out to Him from the depths of our hearts: be my protector God, and in a place to save me firmly (Ps. 71:3). With the blessing of the Holy Apostle Peter, we sent you a cowl (cucullam) and a cassock (tunicam), which you please accept with the same love with which we send. L. XI. ep. 1. It is believed that this John is Rev. John Climacus, who, however, under St. Gregory did not yet have this name; for his work “The Ladder” was written after the death of the Holy Pope.