Letter 260: Theodore Studite, Letter 260; Greek heading: Γεωργίῳ μιθανῇ.

Oh, how beautiful is the fashioning of your soul, good and faithful friend, genuine and God-loving friend, friend who shares in our afflictions and distresses! Truly the Scripture has said that whoever found him found a treasure [cf. Sirach 6:14, on a faithful friend] - not the treasure that comes from gold, but the one made rich through the Holy Spirit. Such are you toward us, the lowly ones: visiting the one, receiving another who has come in from the road, tending to another, consoling yet another, and even becoming a surety for one who is held in confinement. You know what I mean. For what is there that you do not do and say, of all that it is fitting for a God-loving man and a good-hearted person to do? And especially in these days, when even the mere greeting of a friend has come naturally to be reckoned by us as a very great thing. So then, these are the things we sinners have received from your honorable self. May the Lord recompense you with his eternal good things. Therefore do not grow weary of accomplishing your divine work before the God who saves you.