Letter to Dracontius

In the treatise of St. Athanasius the Great’s “Letter to Dracontius” (chapter 10, 354-355) talks about pastoral ministry and the role of the bishop. Dracontius, the abbot of the monastery, was elected bishop of Hermopolis, but ran away and hid. St. Athanasius wrote him a letter, with which he warns against some who think to see in episcopacy the cause of sin or imagine that they will not find a subject for Christian renunciation outside of monastic life. Bishoprics do not exclude asceticism. The saint exhorts not to hide talents to the detriment of one’s salvation, to value the hopes of the brethren and the importance of the destined rank. Thus encouraged, the elected bishop accepted the burden of government and soon had the opportunity to become a confessor of the faith. *The title of the work in Greek is Ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Δρακόντιον. *The title of the work in Latin is Epistula ad Dracontium. 1. I’m perplexed, what should I write? Should you be blamed for your refusal? Or - because you are looking out for time and hiding behind “fear for the sake of the Jews” 1? However, in both cases, your action, beloved Dracontius, is worthy of reproach. It was not proper for you, having accepted grace, to hide, and with your prudence to give others a reason to flee, because many, having heard about this, are tempted by the fact that you not only did this, but having in mind the time and the upcoming tribulation of the Church. And I am afraid that you, having given yourself up to flight for your own sake, will not be exposed to danger for others before the Lord. If it would be more desirable for one who seduces one little one, “Let the millstone of the village break upon his neck and drown” (Matthew 18.6): what can you endure, having served as a temptation for many? The agreement that unexpectedly established in the Alexandria region with your appointment will inevitably be disrupted due to your removal, and the bishopric of this region will be admired by many, not even right-thinking people, but you know what kind. The pagans who vowed to become Christians at your installation will remain pagans; because your reverence degrades this grace. 2. What excuse will you give for this? What apologies will you be able to wash away and smooth over such guilt? How will you heal those who have fallen and been tempted for your sake? Or how, after the peace is broken, will you restore it again? Instead of joy, beloved Dracontius, you caused us sadness, and instead of consolation, lamentation. We hoped to be consoled by the fact that you would be with us; and now we see that you are abandoning yourself to flight, and we foresee that at the trial you will be convicted, and you will be ashamed, and, having been exposed to danger, you will begin to repent. And who, as the Prophet said, “will have compassion on you, or who will go to pray for peace for you” (Jer 15.5), seeing that the brethren for whom Christ died suffered harm from your flight? For undoubtedly you should know that before your appointment you lived for yourself, and after your appointment you are obliged to live for those over whom you were appointed; and before you accepted the grace of episcopacy, no one knew you, and when you became a bishop, the people expect that you will offer them food - the teaching of the Scriptures. Therefore, when those who are waiting are languishing with hunger, and you feed yourself alone, and our Lord Jesus Christ comes, and we appear before Him, what excuse will you have for the fact that He will see His own sheep hungry? If you had not accepted the denarii, He would not have reproached you. And if you accepted it, buried it and hid it; then he will rightly reproach you, uttering those words that it is better not to hear for your reverence: “It is fitting for you to give My denarius to the tradesmen, so that I may come to extort from them” (Matthew 25.27). 3. I beg you to spare yourself and us - yourself, so as not to put you in danger, and us, so that we do not grieve for you. Take care of the Church, so that through you many of the little ones do not suffer harm, and so that others do not turn this into an excuse for leaving. So, if you were afraid of time and did it out of fear, then this is not a man’s way of thinking; in this case, it was necessary to show zeal for Christ, to act with special boldness in difficult circumstances, and to say in the words of blessed Paul: “In all these we overcome” (Rom 8.37), - especially since it is appropriate to serve not time, but the Lord. If you do not like the order of the Church, you do not imagine that the episcopal service has its own reward, and, on the contrary, you despise the Savior who arranged it this way; then I beg you, do not hold on to such thoughts, do not tolerate those who advise this. This is not worthy of Dracontia. For what the Lord established through the Apostles remains excellent and unshakable; the fear of the brethren will cease. 4. If everyone had the same thought as your advisers now have; then how could you become a Christian without bishops? If those who come after us have such a thought; then is it possible for the Church to stand? Or do your advisers think that you did not accept anything because they neglected this? But this is false. In this case, they are left to think that the grace of baptism is nothing if some neglect it. You have received grace, beloved Dracontius; do not tolerate your advisers with you and do not deceive yourself. For God, who gave you this, will demand an account from you. Or have you not heard what the Apostle says: “Do not neglect your gift that lives in you” (1 Timothy 4:14)? Or have you not read how God accepts the one who aggravates the gift and condemns the one who hides it? Oh, that you would hasten your return, so that you too might be among those praised! Or tell me, whose imitator should you be, according to the desire of your advisors? For we must conform our life to the life of the saints and Fathers, and imitate them, and also know that by deviating from the way of their life, we become alien to communion with them. Who do they want you to imitate? - Is it the one who hesitates, and although he wants to follow, he nevertheless puts it off, and for the sake of his own accepts both intentions? Or - to blessed Paul, who, as soon as the dispensation was handed over to him, “was not added to flesh and blood” (Gal. 1.16)? Although he said: “I am not worthy to be called an Apostle” (1 Cor 15.9); however, knowing that he had received, and not being ignorant of the Giver, he wrote: “Woe is it for me if I do not preach the gospel” (1 Cor 9.16). But just as woe is to me, without preaching the gospel, he cried out, so teaching and preaching the gospel, he counted those he taught to be his joy and crown (Phil. 4.1). This is why the holy Apostle is zealous - to preach even as far as Illyricum, not to hesitate in going to Rome, to go to Spain (Rom 15.19-28), so that, to the extent he labors, he will receive a greater reward for his labor. That’s why he boasted, “having fought the good fight,” and hoped to receive a glorious crown (2 Tim 4:7, 8). So, beloved Dracontius, who are you imitating? Is it the blessed Apostle, or those who are not like him? And I wish for you and me to be an imitator of all the saints. 5. Or maybe others advise you to hide because you gave your word and oath not to stay if you are appointed. For I hear that they deafen the ears with such speeches, and they think to show their reverence. But if they were truly reverent, then they would be especially reverent before God, who has entrusted this sacred service to you. And if they read the Holy Scriptures, they would not give advice contrary to them. Otherwise, they should have denounced Jeremiah and accused the great Moses, because they did not listen to their advice, but, fearing God, performed the ministry and died as Prophets. For they too, when they were sent and had already received the grace of prophecy, at first denied it, and then fell into fear and did not disdain the Sender. Therefore, if you are “thin-voiced and slow-tongued” (Exodus 4.10), fear your Creator God. If you say about yourself that you are too young to preach; revere Him who knew you, “before He created you in the womb” (Jer 1.5). If you have given your word (and a word for saints is also like an oath); then read from Jeremiah, as he did - saying: “I will not remember the name of the Lord” (Jer 20.9), and subsequently being afraid when it became fire in him - he did not do as he said, and did not hide, as if previously bound by an oath, but, reverent for the One entrusting the work, he fulfilled the prophetic ministry. Or don’t you know, beloved, that Jonah, giving himself up to flight, suffered what happened to him, and then began to prophesy again? 6. So, do not accept any other advice than this. The Lord knows our condition better than us; He knows to whom he entrusts His Churches. Even if someone was unworthy, let him not look at his former life, but let him perform his service, so that, when condemned for his life, he does not bear an oath for negligence. Do you really, beloved Dracontius, knowing this, with your prudence, do not grieve in your soul? Are you not careful that none of those entrusted to you perish? Doesn't your conscience burn you like fire? Are you not afraid of the day of judgment, in which none of those who advise now will be there as an assistant? For everyone will give an account for those entrusted to him. What benefit did his apology bring to the one who hid the denarius? What benefit did Adam have when he said, “The woman has deceived me?” If you are truly weak, you, beloved Dracontius; then you should take charge so that when the Church is without supervision, enemies do not harm it by taking advantage of your flight. And you should gird yourself, so as not to leave us alone in the feat; and you should work hard to accept bribes with everyone. 7. So, hasten, beloved, without delaying any longer, and do not tolerate those who hinder you, but remember Him who gave you grace, and come to us, who love you and advise you that - in accordance with the Scriptures, so that we also accompany you, and you, while performing sacred acts in the churches, remember us too. You were not the only one appointed as a monk, you were not the only abbot in the monastery, or were loved by the monks. On the contrary, you know that Serapion is a monk and presided over so many monks. It is not unknown to you how many monks Apollo was the Father of; you know Agathon; Ariston is not unknown to you; Do you remember Ammonius, who traveled with Serapion; heard, perhaps, about Movit in the upper Thebaid; You can inquire about Paul in Litopolis, and about many others. When they were appointed, they did not argue, but, taking Elisha as a model and knowing how Elijah acted, taught by the example of the disciples and Apostles, they took charge of themselves, and did not neglect the priestly service, and did not become worse than themselves, but more and more expect a reward for their work - both themselves excelling, and exhorting others to excel. How many have they turned away from idols! How many have been persuaded to abandon this demonic custom! How many slaves were presented to the Lord! Therefore, those who see these signs, looking at this, are amazed. Isn’t this a great sign for a young virgin to keep her virginity, and a young man to remain celibate, and an idolater to know Christ? 8. So, do not let the monks rebuke you, as if you were the only one appointed among the monks. Don’t make an excuse that you will become worse than yourself. You can become the best, imitating Paul, competing with the deeds of the Saints. For you know that such stewards of the Mysteries, when they were appointed, all the more “flowed to the purpose for the honor of the highest calling” (Phil. 3.14). When did Paul become a witness and have hope of receiving a crown? Was it not when he was sent to teach? When did Peter become a confessor? Was it not when he became an evangelist and a fisher of men? When was Elijah caught up to heaven? Was it not when he completed all his prophetic ministry? When did Elisha receive the dark spirit? Was it not then that, leaving everything, he followed Elijah? Why did the Savior choose disciples? Is it not for sending them? 9. Therefore, beloved Dracontius, having them as an example, do not say, and do not believe those who say that episcopacy is a reason for sin and provides an opportunity to sin. And being a bishop, you can remain in hunger and thirst, like Paul (2 Cor 11:27). And you don’t have to drink wine, like Timothy; and you can fast often, as Paul did, so that, like him, by fasting in this way, you can satisfy others with the word, and by being thirsty and abstaining from drink, you can feed others with teaching. Therefore, let not your advisers present this to you as an excuse. We know both bishops who fast and monks who eat; We know bishops who do not drink wine, and monks who do; We know both bishops who perform signs and monks who do not. Many of the bishops did not marry, and the monks were fathers of children; and we also know bishops who were fathers of children, and monks who were the last in their line. And we also know clerics living in greed, and monks fasting. And one is possible, and there is no obstacle to the other. Wherever one is, let him strive everywhere: the crown is given not according to place, but according to deeds. 10. So, do not listen to those who advise otherwise than this; but it is better to hurry up, and do not hesitate, especially since the holy holiday is approaching, so that the people do not celebrate this holiday without you, and you do not incur great danger on yourself. For who will preach the Passover to them when you are not with them? Who will preach the Day of Resurrection to them while you are hiding? Who will advise them to celebrate as they should when you are on the run? Oh, how many will benefit from your coming to them, and how many will suffer harm from your flight! And who will approve of you for this? Why do they advise you not to accept the bishopric, wanting to have elders yourself? If you are not capable, then let them not have fellowship with you. And if they recognize you as capable, let them not envy others. If teaching and presiding, according to them, serves as a reason for sin; then let them not study themselves and not have elders, lest both themselves and those who teach them become worse than themselves. But do not listen to these human broadcasts, do not listen to those who give such advice, as I have already said many times; but rather, hurry up and turn to the Lord, so that, having care for His sheep, you will remember us too. For this reason, I convinced our beloved Hierax the presbyter and Maximus the reader to come to you, so that they could convince you verbally, and you could learn from this both the disposition with which I wrote and the danger of contradicting the church order. John 19:38, 7:13, 20:19; Esther 8:17. You might be interested in: