Letter to Palladius

1From Athanasius, our father among the saints and archbishop of Alexandria, a letter to Palladius the presbyter. To my beloved son Palladius the presbyter, Athanasius the bishop: greetings in the Lord. I rejoiced when I received the letter written by you alone, especially because you were breathing orthodoxy as is your custom. And the cause you are engaged in with our beloved Innocentius—I learned of it not only now but long ago, and I accepted your piety. So as you continue in this way, write and let us know how the brothers there are doing, and how the enemies of the truth are thinking about us.

Since you also reported about the monks in Caesarea—and I learned from our beloved Dianius that they are grieved and resisting our beloved Basil the bishop—I approved you for reporting this, and I have written to them what is fitting: that as children they should obey their father and not speak against what he himself approves. For if he were suspect concerning the truth, they would be right to fight. But since they have confidence in him—and we all have confidence—that he is a boast of the Church, contending rather for the truth and teaching those in need, then it is not right to fight against such a man, but rather to accept his good conscience.

From what our beloved Dianius related, they appear to be grieved in vain. For he himself, as I am confident, becomes weak to the weak, so that he may gain the weak (1 Corinthians 9:22). But let our beloved ones, looking to his aim for the truth and his pastoral accommodation, glorify the Lord, who has given Cappadocia such a bishop as every region prays to have. And you then, beloved, be willing to make this known to them, so that, as I wrote, they may be persuaded. For this will show them to be well-disposed toward their father, and this will preserve peace in the churches. I pray that you fare well in the Lord, beloved son.