Letter 97: Your Excellency's letter has given me great delight.

To Count Sporacius. Your Excellency's letter has given me great delight. My pleasure has been further increased by the devout presbyter and monk Iamblichus, who has told me of your warm zeal, your earnestness in the faith, and your genuine goodwill toward me. On hearing of this — and of the efforts on my behalf of the most glorious and devout lord Patricius — I pronounce over you the apostolic blessing that the blessed Onesiphorus received from that holy tongue: "May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day." This I pray for you, even if the enemies of truth should inflict on me yet greater sufferings — for we have been taught to consider the will of those who act toward us, not merely what they do. And be certain of this: with the true faith as my companion, death itself is very welcome to me, and exile to the ends of the earth. What distresses me is still the storm tossing the churches — which the Lord of all is mighty to calm.

Letter 97