Letter 9078: I have received at the hands of the bearer of these presents the letter of your most sweet Holiness, speaking to me about your cause being terminated speedily. But, as soon as he had come, he learned how the possession which he sought from our Church was held, and soon satisfied himself about it. The business he had with others he settled withou...

Gregory to Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. I have received through the present bearer the letter of your most dear Holiness, in which you request that your case be resolved quickly. But as soon as the bearer arrived, he learned the status of the property he was seeking from our Church and was soon satisfied on the matter. His other business with other parties he settled without dispute. Regarding the issue you should most certainly have written to me about, however, Your Holiness has said nothing -- perhaps assuming that I too have been slow to act on it. In truth, I have held back from raising it myself for fear that it might erupt into the scandal of a formal breach. I have preferred that whatever consequences follow should come through others rather than through me. But in time to come, God willing, you will see proof that when I seek to please God, I am not afraid of men. I took care to write to you about this even before, when you traveled to Constantinople. As for the timber: I had prepared larger pieces, as Your Blessedness requested in your letter, but the ship that was sent is too small to carry them without cutting them down. I was unwilling to have them cut, and I have left it to your judgment what should be done. If you do not need them, we will put them to other uses here. I ask Your Holiness to pray for me earnestly. I am pressed down without relief by the pain of gout, by the swords of barbarians, and by the weight of distressing cares. If you grant me the aid of your prayers, I believe you will powerfully sustain me against all adversities.

Book IX, Letter 78 To Eulogius, Patriarch of Alexandria. Gregory to Eulogius, etc. I have received at the hands of the bearer of these presents the letter of your most sweet Holiness, speaking to me about your cause being terminated speedily. But, as soon as he had come, he learned how the possession which he sought from our Church was held, and soon satisfied himself about it. The business he had with others he settled without contention. But concerning the matter which ought by all means to have been written about to me, your Holiness has written nothing, considering me also to be tardy therein. And indeed, for fear of its breaking out into the scandal of division, I have been unwilling to be the author of such division. For I have chosen that whatever may follow should ensue through others. But in time to come, God granting it, you will have proof that in a cause wherein I desire to please God I am not afraid of men. Concerning this I took care to write to you before now, even when you went to Constantinople. As to the timber, I had prepared pieces of a larger size, as your Blessedness had requested in your letter; but so small a ship has been sent here that it could not carry them, unless they had been cut. But I was unwilling to have them cut, and have reserved for your judgment what should be done about them. If you do not require them, we will adapt them for other uses here. Moreover, I beg of your Holiness to pray for me earnestly, since I am incessantly pressed down by pains of gout, and swords of barbarians, and distressing cares. But, if you bestow on me the help of your prayer, I believe that you will strongly aid me against all adversities.