Synodal Letter of Amphilochius
The synodal letter of Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium.
And before receiving your letters of love, the report had reached us of your firm faith, stretched out toward dangers and enduring through sufferings for Christ, your steadfast love toward God, and the certainty of the coming hope within you. Since we have now encountered your letters of piety, we truly saw the character of an apostolic church, the zeal of good shepherds, and a restless diligence becoming true Christians. Because you did not calculate the length of the road nor lead the journeys dividedly, but made inquiry in common through the letters, you have made us very hopeful that, having written in agreement, you will receive our replies in agreement; and the unity in your letters was like a prelude to a more perfect unity. And it was our prayer to receive the wonderful and most reverently named Bishop Basil, present at the synod and a participant, and even more so to have him as a precursor in the matters concerning you. Since a sickness of the body, exceeding the arrival, hindered him, it is a perfection of your love that you did not overlook the brevity of our letters. However, we do not find your holy church lacking or that voice lacking; rather, having his own writing on this matter, we have with us something agreeing with him through the letter. What then is the reply regarding the journey? The holy synod of the fathers of the Council of Nicaea.
Greek
Epistula synodalis Ἀμφιλοχίου ἐπισκόπου Ἰκονίου ἐπιστολὴ συνοδική. Καὶ πρὶν κομίζεσθαι τὰ παρὰ τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν γράμματα, περιήγγειλεν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡ φήμη καὶ τὸ τῆς πίστεως ὑμῶν ἀκραιφνὲς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κινδύνους παρατεταμένον καὶ πρὸς τὰ παθήματα τὰ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ καρτερικὸν καὶ τῆς εἰς θεὸν ἀγάπης καὶ τὸ τῆς μελλούσης ἐλπίδος ἐν ὑμῖν βέβαιον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τοῖς γράμμασι τῆς εὐλαβείας ὑμῶν ἐντετυχήκαμεν, εἴδομεν ὄντως ἐκκλησίας ἀποστολικῆς χαρακτῆρα καὶ ποιμένων ἀγαθῶν ζῆλον καὶ σπουδὴν ἄοκνον ἀληθινοῖς χριστιανοῖς πρέπουσαν. Τὸ γὰρ μήτε τῆς ὁδοῦ μῆκος ὑπολογίσασθαι μήτε διεσπασμένως τὰς πεύσεις προσα γαγεῖν, ἀλλὰ κοινῇ διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἐρώτη σιν, λίαν ἡμᾶς εὐέλπιδας πεποίηκεν ὅτι συμφώνως ἐπιστείλαντες συμφώνως καὶ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις παρ' ἡμῶν δέξασθε· καὶ οἷόν τι προοίμιον τῆς τελειοτέρας ὁμονοίας τὴν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν ὑμῶν ὁμόνοιαν ἐδεξάμεθα. Καὶ δι' εὐχῆς μὲν ἦν ἡμῖν καὶ τὸν θαυμασιώ τατον καὶ μετὰ πάσης αἰδοῦς ὀνομαζόμενον ἐπίσκοπον Βασί λειον καὶ παρόντα δέξασθαι τῇ συνόδῳ καὶ κοινωνόν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἔξαρχον τῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς πραγμάτων ἔχειν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐκεῖνον ἀρρωστία σώματος ὑπερβάλλουσα πρὸς τὴν ἄφιξιν διεκώλυ σεν, τελείας μέν ἐστιν ἀγάπης ὑμῶν μήτε τὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας βραχύτητος παριδεῖν γράμματα. Οὐ μέντοι τὴν ἁγίαν ὑμῶν ἐκκλησίαν ἄμοιρον καὶ τῆς ἐκείνου φωνῆς περιείδομεν· ἀλλ' ἔχοντες αὐτοῦ σύγγραμμα περὶ ταύτης ἰδικῶς αὐτῷ τῆς ὑποθέσεως πεπονημένον κἀκεῖνον διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἔχομεν ἡμῖν συμφθεγγόμενον. Τίς οὖν ἡ πρὸς τὴν πεῦσιν ἀπόκρισις; Τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον τῶν πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ σύνοδον
About this text
A bishop's letter defending Christian unity and orthodoxy against heresy, urging steadfast faith and love for Christ.
Catalogue & scope
Khazarzar scan
Witnesses
- Copy-text PG 39 (Khazarzar) (Greek)
This is an AI-assisted study translation. Source fidelity and completeness have not been independently certified. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.