Letter 253: The anxious care which you have for the Churches of God will to some extent be assuaged by our very dear and very reverend brother Sanctissimus the presbyter, when he has told you of the love and kindness felt for us by all the West. But, on the other hand, it will be roused afresh and made yet keener, when he has told you in person what zeal is...

The anxious care you feel for the churches of God will be partly relieved by our dear and reverend brother Sanctissimus the presbyter, when he tells you of the love and goodwill shown to us by the whole West. But at the same time, it will be stirred up afresh and made keener still when he describes in person how much zeal the present situation demands. Other informants have given us only partial reports of Western opinion and conditions. Sanctissimus is fully qualified to understand the minds of the men he has met and to make careful inquiries into the state of affairs. He will tell you everything and will guide your goodwill through the whole business. You have before you a task worthy of the excellent spirit you have always shown in your concern for the churches of God.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the presbyters of Antioch. The anxious care which you have for the Churches of God will to some extent be assuaged by our very dear and very reverend brother Sanctissimus the presbyter, when he has told you of the love and kindness felt for us by all the West. But, on the other hand, it will be roused afresh and made yet keener, when he has told you in person what zeal is demanded by the present position of affairs. All other authorities have told us, as it were, by halves, the minds of men in the West, and the condition of things there. He is very competent to understand men's minds, and to make exact enquiry into the condition of affairs, and he will tell you everything and will guide your good will through the whole business. You have matter before you appropriate to the excellent will which you have always shown in your anxiety on behalf of the Churches of God.

[Πρός: Πρεσβυτέροις Ἀντιοχείας] Τὴν μέριμναν, ἣν ἔχετε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐν μέρει μὲν διαναπαύσει ὁ ποθεινότατος καὶ εὐλαβέστατος ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸς Σαγκτίσσιμος ὁ συμπρεσβύτερος, διηγησάμενος πάσης τῆς δύσεως τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην τε καὶ διάθεσιν· ἐν μέρει δὲ καὶ διαναστήσει καὶ πλέον παροξυνεῖ, ὅσην σπουδὴν ἐπιζητεῖ τὰ παρόντα πράγματα, ἐναργῶς ὑμῖν δι’ ἑαυτοῦ παραστήσας. καὶ γὰρ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἕκαστος, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἡμισείας, ἡμῖν ἀπήγγειλε καὶ τὰς γνώμας τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἀνδρῶν καὶ τὴν κατάστασιν τῶν πραγμάτων· αὐτὸς δέ, ἱκανὸς ὢν καὶ προαίρεσιν ἀνδρῶν καταμαθεῖν καὶ κατάστασιν πραγμάτων ἀκριβῶς διερευνήσασθαι, πάντα ὑμῖν ἐρεῖ, καὶ πρὸς πάντα χειραγωγήσει τὴν ἀγαθὴν σπουδὴν ὑμῶν. ὥστε ἔχετε ὕλην πρέπουσαν τῇ τελείᾳ ὑμῶν προαιρέσει ἣν ἀεὶ ἐν ταῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ μερίμναις ἐδείξατε.