Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.
Letter CCXVIII. 2853
Brother Ælianus has himself completed the business concerning which he came, and
has stood in need of no aid from me. I owe him, however, double thanks, both for bringing
me a letter from your reverence and for affording me an opportunity of writing to you. By
him, therefore, I salute your true and unfeigned love, and beseech you to pray for me more
than ever now, when I stand in such need of the aid of your prayers. My health has suffered
terribly from the journey to Pontus and my sickness is unendurable. One thing I have long
been anxious to make known to you. I do not mean to say that I have been so affected by
any other cause as to forget it, but now I wish to put you in mind to send some good man
into Lycia, to enquire who are of the right faith, for peradventure they ought not to be neglected,
if indeed the report is true, which has been brought to me by a pious traveller from
thence, that they have become altogether alienated from the opinion of the Asiani 2854 and
wish to embrace communion with us. If any one is to go let him enquire at Corydala 2855
for Alexander, the late monk, the bishop; at Limyra 2856 for Diotimus, and at Myra 2857 for
Tatianus, Polemo, 2858 and Macarius presbyters; at Patara 2859 for Eudemus, 2860 the bishop;
at Telmessus 2861 for Hilarius, the bishop; at Phelus for Lallianus, the bishop. Of these and
of more besides I have been informed that they are sound in the faith, and I have been
grateful to God that even any in the Asian region should be clear of the heretic’s pest. If,
then, it be possible, let us in the meanwhile make personal enquiry about them. When we
have obtained information I am for writing a letter, and am anxious to invite one of them
to meet me. God grant that all may go well with that Church at Iconium, which is so dear
to me. Through you I salute all the honourable clergy and all who are associated with your
reverence.
2853 Placed in 375.
2854 i.e.the inhabitants of the Roman province of Asia. cf. Acts xx. 4. Ασιανοὶ δὲ Τυχικὸς καὶ Τρόφιμος.
2855 Corydalla, now Hadginella, is on the road between Lystra and Patara. There are ruins of a theatre. cf.
Plin. v. 25.
2856 Now Phineka.
2857 So the Ben. ed. Other readings are ἐν Κύροις and ἐν Νύροις On Myra cf. Acts xxvii. 5, on which
Conybeare and Howson refer to Fellows’ Asia Minor, p. 194 and Spratt and Forbes’s Lycia.
2858 Afterwards bishop of Myra, and as such at Constantinople 381, Labbe 1, 665.
2859 cf. Acts xxi. 1.
2860 At Constantinople in 381.
2861 Now Macri, where the ruins are remarkable.
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.
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