Letter 171: I wrote to you, not long ago, about Glycerius and the virgins. Even now they have not returned, but are still hesitating, how and why I know not. I should be sorry to charge this against you, as though you were acting thus to bring discredit on me, either because you have some ground of complaint against me, or to gratify others.

I wrote to you recently about Glycerius and the virgins [consecrated women under his oversight]. They still haven't returned — they're still stalling, and I don't know why or how this has gone on so long. I'd hate to think you're behind this, that you're letting the situation drag on to embarrass me — whether because you have some grievance against me, or because you're doing someone else a favor. Either way, tell them to come back. They have nothing to fear. You can personally guarantee that. It hurts me to have members cut off from the community [excommunicated or separated], even when the separation was justified. If they keep refusing, the responsibility falls on others to deal with it. I'm washing my hands of it.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Gregory. I wrote to you, not long ago, about Glycerius and the virgins. Even now they have not returned, but are still hesitating, how and why I know not. I should be sorry to charge this against you, as though you were acting thus to bring discredit on me, either because you have some ground of complaint against me, or to gratify others. Let them then come, fearing nothing. Do you be surety for their doing this. For it pains me to have my members cut off, although they have been rightly cut off. If they hold out the burden will rest on others. I wash my hands of it. About this page Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202171.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.