Послание 4. К Никифору-игумену 8

When your answer was conveyed to us through Mr. Deacon, we wanted to immediately write to you, my true and much-loved brother 9 . But since it was winter time and new considerations stopped us, we thought it best not to answer soon. If, along with the question expressed in words, the letter also demanded the same thing, then why else argue and not express what comes to mind? Firstly, I will say - and you, most respected one, understand me - that I, as you yourself know, with my life set an example of great sinfulness for many, and it is almost impossible to find a sin in which I myself was not involved, and did not give reason to others. But knowing that God’s love for mankind saves those mired in the abyss of evil and gives a helping hand to the repentant, I avoided despair and, apparently, became somewhat established on the right path. Therefore, as God, who knows the secret, knows, I even avoided intercourse with my relatives and communication with those dear to me according to the flesh and from everyone else with the help of the power of God alone, which strengthens my weakness in everything. What you asked me, ignorant, is now in the same state that Mr. Deacon told you about. And this we have expressed and presented not without reasoning, but based and confirmed on the study and study of the Inspired Scripture, as well as questioning those who should. Truly, this is the truth, because the Divine Law clearly says this not only through Saint Paul, but also through other theological Fathers, who define, prove, and expound the same thing in accordance with the apostolic commandment. How can I continue to remain unreasonably indifferent? And isn’t it better for me to evade and avoid those who harm my unfortunate soul? And isn’t it dangerous if the highest of the Fathers calls out and says that we should not accept anything contrary to the commandment or perverting it, even if they promised life or threatened with death for it? I will not say how many other sayings there are that do not allow us even the slightest deviation from the commandment, especially when we have the command of St. Basil the Great, that “one must strictly observe everything handed down by the Lord in the Gospel and through the Apostles” 10. This is what I dared to reveal to you, as a father and beloved, while we are God the Witness, the Knower of the Heart! - we do not preach this, for we have no advantage and do not harbor hatred, but we retain love in our hearts for the autocrat and the most pious Emperor, and we have goodwill for all my relatives, and we remember him at the Divine Liturgy, and we pray for him in solitude and publicly. We are also in communion with the Church, and may we never be separated from her! Forgive me, who alone is sinful; I preferred to mourn my sins in this corner and not interfere in worldly affairs. What is the crime here? Allow me, dearest brother, for I know that you can do this, to remain in peace here and to be as far away from all people as possible, and with your wise mind make the “crooked straight” (Is. 42:16) and the sharp smooth, and be for us the cause of peace and the promoter of peace, so that if anything useful for us happens, you arrange it justly and wisely. This and the next letter were written a little before St. Theodore was sent into exile for the first time because some people urged him not to rebel against the Emperor’s illegal marriage. Cousin of St. Theodora. Moral rules. Rule 12. Chapter 3. Creations in Russian translation. Part III. P.308. M. 1891. You might be interested in: