Letter 50: Whom, indeed, could it better befit to encourage the timid, and rouse the slumbering, than you, my godly lord, who have shown your general excellence in this, too, that you have consented to come down among us, your lowly inferiors, like a true disciple of Him Who said, I am among you, not as a fellow , but as he that serves. Luke 22:27 For you ...

From: Basil of Caesarea To: Bishop Innocentius [identity uncertain; possibly a Western bishop] Date: ~371 AD Context: Basil addresses a fellow bishop in the midst of widespread ecclesiastical turmoil, asking for solidarity and prayers. To Bishop Innocentius. Who else could it be more fitting to address at a time when the very structure of the Church is shaking? For you have long been a pillar of the faith in your region, and the report of your steadfastness has reached us here like a breath of fresh air in a suffocating room. I write to ask for two things: your prayers, and your continued willingness to make your voice heard. The Eastern churches [in the early 370s, the Eastern Roman Empire was under the Arian Emperor Valens, who was actively exiling Nicene bishops and appointing Arians in their place] are in serious trouble. What we need from the West is not armies or arguments — it is the plain, visible solidarity of bishops who hold the same faith we hold. If the Western churches speak clearly and together, it matters. If they stay silent, our isolation becomes complete. I know you have your own burdens. Every bishop does. But this is a moment that calls for something beyond the ordinary. Write to me if you are able, and know that the prayers of a grateful colleague go with you.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Bishop Innocentius. Whom, indeed, could it better befit to encourage the timid, and rouse the slumbering, than you, my godly lord, who have shown your general excellence in this, too, that you have consented to come down among us, your lowly inferiors, like a true disciple of Him Who said, I am among you, not as a fellow , but as he that serves. Luke 22:27 For you have condescended to minister to us your spiritual gladness, to refresh our souls by your honoured letter, and, as it were, to fling the arms of your greatness round the infancy of children. We, therefore, implore your good soul to pray, that we may be worthy to receive aid from the great, such as yourself, and to have a mouth and wisdom wherewith to chime in with the strain of all, who like you are led by the Holy Spirit. Of Him I hear that you are a friend and true worshipper, and I am deeply thankful for your strong and unshaken love to God. I pray that my lot may be found with the true worshippers, among whom we are sure your excellency is to be ranked, as well as that great and true bishop who has filled all the world with his wonderful work. 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/3202050.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.