NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

To Ascholius.the conflagration of heresy. You tell me of struggles of athletes, bodies lacerated for thetruth’s sake, savage fury despised by men of fearless heart, various tortures of persecutors,and constancy of the wrestlers through them all, the block and the water whereby the martyrsdied. 2550 And what is our condition? Love is grown cold; the teaching of the Fathers isbeing laid waste; everywhere is shipwreck of the Faith; the mouths of the Faithful are silent;the people, driven from the houses of prayer, lift up their hands in the open air to their Lordwhich is in heaven. Our afflictions are heavy, martyrdom is nowhere to be seen, becausethose who evilly entreat us are called by the same name as ourselves. Wherefore pray to theLord yourself, and join all Christ’s noble athletes with you in prayer for the Churches, tothe end that, if any further time remains for this world, and all things are not being drivento destruction, God may be reconciled to his own Churches and restore them to their ancientpeace.2550 The Ben. note illustrates these modes of martyrdom from the letter of the Gothic Church, supposed tohave been written by Ascholius, sent to Cæsarea with the body of Saint Sabas, who suffered under Athanaricus,king of the Goths, in the end of the fourth century. “They bring him down to the water, giving thanks andglorifying God; then they flung him down, and put a block about his neck, and plunged him into the depth. Soslain by wood and water, he kept the symbol of salvation undefiled, being 38 years old.” cf. Ruinart., Act. Sinc.p. 670.624