To Domnus, Bishop of Apamea

The law of brotherly love required that I should receive many letters from your godliness at this time, for the divine Apostle charges us to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. I have not received a single one, although just lately some of the pious monks of your monastery visited me, with the pious presbyter Elias. Even so, I have written, and I greet your holiness. And I let you know that the Master’s comfort has taken the place of every other. In truth, even if I had as many mouths as I have hairs on my head, I could not praise him worthily for counting me worthy to suffer for confessing him, and for this apparent disgrace, which I hold more glorious than any honor. And if I am banished to the farthest parts of the earth, I will praise him all the more, as one counted worthy of greater blessings. [a]

Still, I hope your holiness will offer prayers for the peace of the holy churches. It is because of the storm that is battering them that I wail and groan and lament. That peace, as I know, was driven away by the clergy of Osrhoene. They poured out countless words against me, although I had no part in their condemnation or in the sentence passed on them. On the contrary, as your holiness knows, I pleaded that communion be given to them at Easter. But slanderers find it easy to say whatever they like. My comfort lies in the blessing of the Master, who said, “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be very glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”