To Bishop Florentius

Truly the grace of our God and Savior has not yet abandoned the human race. It has left us a seed in your holiness, “so that we would not become like Sodom and be made like Gomorrah.” This seed does not let us lose heart altogether. It tells us to wait for the terrible storm to pass, and it makes us hopeful. [a]

So we have sent to your holiness the very godly presbyters Hypatius and Abramius, who are country bishops, and Alypius, the exarch of our monks, so that you may put an end to the disaster that has fallen on the churches of the East. First, we ask you to confirm the faith handed down to us from the beginning by the holy apostles, to condemn the heresy that has sprung up, and to convict openly the men who have the nerve to corrupt the preaching of the plan of salvation. Second, we ask you to fight as the champion of those who are being attacked for the truth’s sake. For it is for the cause of the apostolic faith, most holy one, that we have suffered that unrighteous massacre, because we refused to abandon the truth of the doctrines of the gospel. Now your holiness ought not to overlook the unjust persecution of men who think as you do. By your just help, put a stop to the injustice, and teach the attackers of the truth that men who try to act without scruple, just as they please, cannot be allowed to carry out their aims. [c]