The refusal to remove images
Much had previously been provided against him regarding the accusations made, and later, even after he had advised the co-bishops and fellow-ministers that these things should be removed, he would not listen. We find in the end of the letter a declaration containing this: that, having spoken many times to my fellow ministers that the images should be removed, he did not accept the counsel from them, nor could they endure hearing my voice even for a short time.
He suggested that the altars having such writing, once collected, might be used for the burial of the poor, and that the things on the walls might be whitened with colors. Regarding the things written in the small niche, since such a reconstruction is difficult, if it is possible to be reconstructed, it is good; but if it is impossible, let them be satisfied with what has already occurred and no longer paint anything in such a manner.
Greek
πολλοῖς ἐπὶ τοῖς ληρῳδουμένοις αὐτῷ προὔκειτο, ἔπειτα δὲ ὅτι καὶ τοῖς συνεπισκόποις καὶ συλλειτουργοῖς συμβουλεύσας ταῦτα περιαιρεθῆναι οὐκ ἠκούσθη. εὕρομεν ἐν τῷ τέλει τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔμφασιν τοιάδε περιέχουσαν· ὅτι πολλάκις λαλήσας τοῖς συλλειτουργοῖς μου περιαιρεθῆναι τὰς εἰκόνας οὐκ ἐδέχθην παρ' αὐτῶν οὐδὲ πρὸς βραχὺ ἀκοῦσαι τῆς ἐμῆς φωνῆς ἠνέσχοντο. 29 ὅπως τὰ βῆλα τὰ ἔχοντα τοιαύτην γραφὴν συλλεγέντα εἰς ταφὴν τῶν πτωχῶν προχωρήσειεν, τὰ δὲ ἐν τοίχοις διὰ χρωμάτων λευκανθῆναι. 30 Τὰ δὲ ἐν μουσαρίῳ προληφθέντα γραφῆναι, ἐπειδὴ δυσχερές ἐστι τὸ τοιοῦτον ἀνασκεύασμα, εἰ μὲν δυνατὸν ἀνασκευασθῆναι, καλόν· εἰ δὲ ἀδύνατον, ἀρκεσθῆναι τοῖς προγεγονόσι καὶ μηκέτι τινὰ ζωγραφεῖν οὕτως.