Fragments of the Letters
Rome's inherited custom of aid, kept and increased by Soter§1
Dionysius of Corinth is praising the Roman church, in a passage quoted by Eusebius, for its long-standing custom of sending aid to needy brethren and churches.
1From the beginning you have had this custom: to benefit all the brethren in various ways, and to send aid to many churches in every city. In some places you refresh the poverty of those in need; in others you supply the brethren who are in the mines. By the aid you have sent from the beginning, you Romans preserve a custom handed down from the fathers of the Romans. Your blessed bishop Soter has not only kept this custom, but has increased it, supplying the abundance that is sent to the saints, and exhorting the brethren who come to him with blessed words, as a father who loves his children.
Greek · §1
The Greek is on each section page: §1
Public reading of the Roman and Clementine letters on the Lord's day§2
Dionysius is writing to the Roman church, recalling how he and his church read the Romans' letter on the Lord's day and will keep reading it for admonition, just as they do the earlier letter written through Clement.
2In this same letter he also mentions Clement's letter to the Corinthians, making clear that from the beginning, from ancient custom, its reading was done in the church. Dionysius says: "Today we spent the holy Lord's day, and on it we read your letter. We will always have it to read for our admonition, just as we do the former one written to us through Clement."
Greek · §2
The Greek is on each section page: §2
Peter and Paul's shared planting in Rome and Corinth§3
Dionysius is addressing the Roman church in a letter quoted by Eusebius, praising how Rome and Corinth have been joined through the teaching and martyrdom of Peter and Paul.
3"By this same admonition you too have blended together the planting of Romans and Corinthians that came into being from Peter and Paul. For both of them planted among us in our Corinth and taught us in like manner, and in like manner they taught together in Italy and bore witness at the same time."
Greek · §3
The Greek is on each section page: §3
The devil's agents have corrupted my letters§4
Dionysius is speaking in his own voice, quoted by Eusebius, about what happened to his own letters.
4Dionysius also says this about his own letters, namely that they were tampered with. "When the brethren asked me to write letters, I wrote them. And the agents of the devil have filled these with weeds, taking some things out and adding others. For them the woe is laid up. It is no wonder, then, that some have undertaken to tamper even with the Lord's writings, when they have laid hands on writings that are not such as these."
Greek · §4
The Greek is on each section page: §4
Catalogue of Dionysius's letters§5
Eusebius is cataloguing the surviving letters of Dionysius of Corinth, summarizing the occasion and content of each.
5First, then, we must speak about Dionysius: he had been entrusted with the throne of the office of bishop of the church in Corinth, and he shared his inspired diligence generously not only with those under him but already with those in foreign lands as well. He made himself most useful to all through the catholic letters he composed to the churches. Among these is the one to the Lacedaemonians, catechetical of orthodoxy and urging peace and unity.
The one to the Athenians stirs up faith and the conduct according to the gospel. He rebukes them for having neglected this, since they had almost fallen away from the word after their leader Publius happened to be martyred during the persecutions of that time. He mentions that Quadratus became their bishop after Publius was martyred, testifying that through his zeal they were gathered together and received a rekindling of faith. He also makes clear that Dionysius the Areopagite, having been turned to the faith by the apostle Paul according to what is shown in the Acts, was the first to be entrusted with the office of bishop of the church in Athens.
Another letter of his is addressed to the people of Nicomedia, in which he fights against the heresy of Marcion and stands by the standard of truth.
Writing also to the church that sojourns in Gortyn together with the rest of the churches in Crete, he accepts Philip their bishop, since the church under him is testified to for very many deeds of courage. He also reminds them to guard against the distortion of the heretics.
Writing to the church that sojourns in Amastris together with the churches in Pontus, he mentions Bacchylides and Elpistus as having urged him to write. He sets out explanations of the divine writings and indicates their bishop by the name of Palmas. He gives much advice to them about marriage and purity, and he commands them to welcome those who turn back from any fall whatever, whether from transgression or from heretical error.
Among these is included another letter to the people of Cnossus, in which he urges Pinytus, bishop of the church, not to impose a heavy burden of compulsory purity on the brethren, but to take into account the weakness of the many.
And another letter of Dionysius besides these is preserved, written to Chrysophora, a most faithful sister. Writing to her what was fitting, he gave her a share of the spiritual food that was proper for her as well.
Greek · §5
The Greek is on each section page: §5