92 (69). To the Bishops of Italy and Gaul
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But, this favor the Lord has graciously granted us at the present-the hearing that you are in strict agreement and union with one another, and that the dogma of true religion is proclaimed among you without hindrance. For at some time
(if, indeed, the time of this world is not yet ended but some days of human life still remain) there will be need for you to renew the faith in the East, and to render to it in due measure a return for those blessings which you received from it.
In fact, the sound among us and those who claim the true religion of the Fathers are sufficiently wearied, since the Devil in his wiliness has violently disturbed them by the many and varied assaults of his subtleties. But, by the prayers of you who love the Lord, may the wicked heresy which misleads the people, the false doctrine of Arius, be extinguished. And may the good doctrine of our Fathers, who assembled at Nicaea, blaze forth, so that the doxology in harmony with the words of saving baptism may be accorded to the Blessed
Trinity.
92. To the Bishops of Italy and Gau[1 To our most dearly beloved of God and most holy2 brethren and fellow ministers in Italy and Gaul, bishops of like belief with us, we, Meletius,3 Eusebius,4 BasiV Bassus,6 Gregory,1
I An appeal to the Western bishops to assist in driving out heresy and establishing peace in the Eastern Church. written in 372.
2 Hosiotdtois_a title of distinction applied by St. Basil only to the clergy.
3 Of Antioch.
4 Of Samosata.
5 Of Caesarea.
6 Tillemont (Basil, note 52) suggests Barses of Edcssa.
7 The elder. of Nazianzus.
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Pelagius,8 Paul, Anthimus,9 Theodotus,10 Vitus,l1 Abraham,12 Jobinus,13 Zeno,14 Theodoretus, Marcianus, Barachus, Abraham,15 Libanius, Thalassius, Joseph, Boethus, Iatrius,16 Theodotus, Eustathius,17 Barsumas, John, Chosroes, Iosaces/8
Narses, Maris, Gregory,19 and Daphnus, send greetings III the Lord.
Even a groan drawn forth repeatedly from the depth of the heart brings some relief to distressed souls, and perhaps, also, a tear trickling down has dispelled the greater part of an affliction. However, the telling of our sufferings to your
Charity does not offer us a relief only as a sigh or a tear do, but comforts us with a somewhat happier hope that, perhaps, if we should make known to you our sorrows, we might rouse you to come to our assistance. We have, in truth, long expected that you would bring this succor to the churches in the East, but we have not yet obtained it-no doubt, because
God, who in His wisdom administers our affairs according to the inscrutable judgments of His justice, has ordained that we should suffer these trials for a still longer time. Now, surely, you have not been ignorant of the state of our affairs, most honorable brethren, since the report of it has gone forth to the uttermost parts of the world; nor are you without sympathy, as I think, toward your brethren who hold the 8 Of Laodicea.
9 Of Tyana.
10 Of Nicopolis.
II Of Carrhae.
12 Of Batnae.
13 Of Perrha.
14 Of Tyre.
15 Of Urimi in Syria.
16 Mar:m would read Otreius of Melitine for Iatrius.
17 Of Sebasteia.
18 Maran would read Isaaces, identifying him with Isacoces of Armenia Major.
19 Probably Gregory of Nyssa, lately consecrated.
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same belief with you, since you are disciples of the Apostle20 who teaches that the fulfillment of the law is love toward one's neighbor. But, as we have said, the just judgment of God, which measures out to us for fulfillment the suffering appointed for our sins, has checked your interest. However, through your zeal for the truth and your sympathetic feelings for us, we urge you, now at least, to let yourselves be roused, when from the most pious brother, our fellow deacon, Sabinus, you have learned all, even what escaped your ears before. He will be able personally to relate to you whatever is wanting in our letter. Through him we urge you to clothe yourselves with feelings of pity, and putting aside all hesitation, to take up the labor of love and also not to consider either the length of the journey or business at home or any human concerns.
For, it is not a question of danger concerning only one church; nor are there two or three churches which have fallen in this bitter storm. In fact, the evil of heresy is spread almost from the mountains of Illyricum to the Thebaid. Its pernicious seeds were formerly sown by the detestable Arius, and, having taken deep root because of the many who in the meantime diligently cultivated the impiety, they have now produced their destructive fruit. For, the doctrines of true religion have been overthrown and the laws of the Church have been made void. A lust for power in men who do not fear the Lord infests the posts of authority, and now the first place is openly offered as the prize for impiety, so that he who has uttered the most grievous blasphemies is considered more deserving of the office of bishop of the people. Gone is the dignity of priesthood. They who tended the flock of the Lord with understanding have left, while those lusting for power waste the revenues of the poor on their personal pleasures
20 Cf. Rom. 111.10.
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and in the distribution of gifts. Strict observance of the canons has been weakened. License to commit sin is widespread, for they who have come into power through the patronage of men return the favor of these good offices in this very manner-by affording every occasion for pleasure to sinners. Righteous judgment has perished. Each one proceeds according to the desire of his heart. Wickedness is unmeasured; the people are dead to admonition; their leaders are without freedom of speech. For, they who have obtained power for themselves through other men are the slaves of those who have bestowed the favor. And already, forsooth, the 'defense of sound doctrine' has been invented by some as a weapon in the war against one another; and, dissembling their personal hatreds, they pretend that they hate for the sake of true religion. Others, to evade dishonor for most shameful crimes, enkindle the people to strife against one another in order that they may shroud their own actions in public evils.
Therefore, this war is truceless, because they who have done the evil mistrust general peace lest it uncover their shameful secrets. At these conditions the unbelievers laugh; those of little faith waver; faith is uncertain; ignorance envelops souls, because those who maliciously corrupt the doctrine imitate the truth. The mouths of the pious are hushed, but every blasphemous tongue is loosed. Sacred things are profaned; the people who are sound in faith flee the houses of prayer as schools of impiety, and throughout the deserts they raise their hands to the Lord in heaven with groans and tears.
However, that which has happened in most of the cities has assuredly been relayed even to you-that the people with their wives and children and with even their aged ones pour out before the walls of the cities and offer their prayers in
SAINT BASIL
the open, enduring all the inclemencies of the weather with much patience, waiting for help from the Lord.
What lamentation is adequate to describe these misfortunes? What fountains of tears will suffice to wash away such evils? Therefore, while some still seem to stand, while still a trace of our former condition is preserved, before utter shipwreck comes upon the churches, hasten to us. Hasten at once, we earnestly beg, most true 21 brothers; stretch out your hand to us who have fallen to our knees. Let your brotherly affection be stirred in our behalf; let your tears of sympathy be poured forth. Do not allow half of the world to be swallowed up by the error. Do not permit that faith to be extinguished in those among whom it first shone forth.
Now, by what means you will give help in our troubles and how you will show sympathy to the afflicted, you will certainly not need to learn from us, but from the Holy Spirit
Himself who will suggest it to you. Only, there is need of haste to save those who still remain, and of the presence of more brethren so that those coming here may make up the full number of a synod, to the end that they may have the prestige to set matters right not only because of the dignity of those sending them, but also from their own number; and that they may restore the creed written in Nicaea by our
Fathers, banish the heresy by proclamation, and discuss with the churches matters pertaining to peace, bringing together into harmony those who are of the same belief. For this, surely, of all things is the most deserving of pity, that even that part which appears to be sound is divided against itself, and that there surround us, as it seems, calamities like those which formerly encompassed Jerusalem during the siege of Vespasian. They were at the same time oppressed by war from without and spent by the dissension of their own people with21 Gnesi6tatoi-a title of distinction applied by St. Basil to the clergy.
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in. And in our case, in addition to the open war of the heretics, still another that has sprung up among those who seem to be orthodox has reduced the churches to the lowest state of weakness. On this account, we especially need help from you, in order that those professing the faith of the Apostles, after putting an end to the schisms which they devised, 'may become subject for the future to the authority of the Church, so that the body of Christ being restored to soundness in all its members may be made perfect, and that we may not only rejoice over the blessings of others, as we now do, but may also behold our own churches regaining the ancient glory of orthodoxy. For, truly, it is deserving of the highest praise that the Lord has bestowed upon your Reverence the power to distinguish the spurious from the approved and pure, and to proclaim the faith of the Fathers with no evasion. This faith we also received and we recognized it from the apostolic qualities by which it was stamped, and we assented both to it and to all the doctrines canonically and lawfully taught in the synodical letter. 22
22 For this synodical letter, cf. Theodoret 1.8 and Socrates 1.9. The Benedictine editors are surprized that St. Basil shows agreement with this synodical letter, since it defines the Son as tes autes hypostdseos kaJ usias (of the same essence and substance) . It is, however, not in the synodical letter, but in the anathemas originally appended to the creed, that it is denied that He is of a different substance or essence.
Even here it is not said positively that He is of the same substance or essence. For a discussion of these theological terms, cf. Letters 8 and 38, with notes.