I hope that there will arise among you a friendly
rivalry, as to who shall first be worthy of being called God’s
son, after winning this rank for himself because of his being a
peacemaker. A letter has also been written to you by your very
God-beloved bishop as to the course which you ought to pursue. He
will write again what it belongs to him to say. But I too,
because of its having been already allowed me to be near you, cannot
disregard your position. So on the arrival of the very devout
brother Theodorus the sub-deacon, and his report that your Church is in
distress and disturbance, being deeply grieved and much pained at
heart, I could not endure to keep silence. I implore you to fling
away all controversy with one another, and to make peace, that you may
avoid giving pleasure to you opponents and destroying the boast of the
Church, which is now noised abroad throughout the world, that you all,
as you are ruled by one soul and heart, so live in one body.
Through your reverences I salute all the people of God, both those in
rank and office and the rest of the clergy. I exhort you to keep
your old character. I can ask for nothing more than this because
by the exhibition of your good works you have anticipated and made
impossible any improvement on them.