To Candidus, Presbyter and Archimandrite

I am afraid that the vigor of your godly soul has been overcome by old age, and that you are not keeping your hands stretched out as you used to. So Amalek is trying to win. May there be some to help you in your weakness, as Hur and Aaron held up the hands of the lawgiver long ago, so that you may overthrow Amalek and save Israel. These are days when we especially need more earnest prayers, when pagans and Jews and every heresy are at peace, and the church alone is battered by the storm and surrounded by the raging waves. [a]

We especially need the help of your prayers, for those we counted as fighting on our side are fighting on the side of our enemies.