42. К пресвитерам Симеону и Марию и к монашествующим в стране Апамейской

Although we are separated from you by a great distance and live in the most cruel desert, for all that, having learned about your spiritual valor and the great feats of abstinence with which you enlighten everyone around you, we fell in love with you dearly. And since, meanwhile, it is impossible for us to be able to see you in person, both due to the winter season and the distance of the road, we have taken the pains to come to you in writing, and we constantly ask your reverence to diligently pray for the end of the disasters that have plagued the universe, to encourage everyone to do this with complete selflessness and, as often as possible, to write to us about your health more often, so that, being removed from you and exiled to the most extreme limits of the universe, we could find great consolation for ourselves, at least, in the fact that we would constantly have information about your prosperity. Our dear, dear Presbyter John made us very happy, despite such a difficult state of circumstances, he decided to equip himself and go to Phenicia. You understand the greatness of this feat, and therefore I earnestly ask you: if you find valiant men who could help him complete such an important undertaking, then please send them with him as readily as possible. You know what a great reward you will receive for this. The paragraphs in the text were arranged by us. – Editorial staff of “ABC of Faith” You might be interested in: