Letter 284: Concerning the monks, your excellency has, I believe, already rules in force, so that I need ask for no special favour on their behalf. It is enough that they share with others the enjoyment of your general beneficence; still I feel it incumbent upon me too to interest myself in their case. I therefore submit it to your more perfect judgment, th...

Concerning the monks, Your Excellency already has existing regulations in force, so I need not ask for any special favor on their behalf. It is enough that they share in the benefits of your general goodwill. Still, I feel it my duty to take an interest in their case, and I submit this to your careful judgment: men who long ago took leave of this life, who have mortified their own bodies so that they have neither money to spend nor physical strength to offer in the service of the state -- such men should be exempted from taxation. If their lives are consistent with their profession, they possess neither money nor bodies in any practical sense. Their money is spent on the needy, and their bodies are worn away by prayer and fasting. Men living such lives you will, I know, regard with special reverence. Indeed, you will want to secure their prayers on your behalf, since by their life according to the Gospel they are able to prevail with God.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the assessor in the case of monks. Concerning the monks, your excellency has, I believe, already rules in force, so that I need ask for no special favour on their behalf. It is enough that they share with others the enjoyment of your general beneficence; still I feel it incumbent upon me too to interest myself in their case. I therefore submit it to your more perfect judgment, that men who have long since taken leave of this life, who have mortified their own bodies, so that they have neither money to spend nor bodily service to render in the interests of the common good, should be exempted from taxation. For if their lives are consistent with their profession, they possess neither money nor bodies; for the former is spent in communicating to the needy; while their bodies are worn away in prayer and fasting. Men living such lives you will, I know, regard with special reverence; nay you will wish to secure their intervention, since by their life in the Gospel they are able to prevail with God. 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/3202284.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.