Letter 162: Chrysostom apologizes to Anysius for late writing and thanks him for his church zeal.

We have written to your Love late and slowly, but not by choice. This long silence came from the desolation of the place where we are confined, not from any laziness toward you. Now that we have found my lord, the most honored and devout presbyter, we have paid the greeting long owed to your Honor. We also give many thanks for the zeal you have shown from the beginning and for your care in the troubles that have overtaken the churches. Keep the same courage. Do not let time or difficulty weaken your purpose. The reward grows with the labor. Write to us when you can, and tell us about your health and about the affairs there. Your letter will be a strong consolation in this wilderness.

ΡΞΒʹ. Ἀνυσίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Θεσσαλονίκης. Ὀψὲ μὲν καὶ βραδέως ἐπεστάλκαμέν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ· ἀλλ' οὐχ ἑκουσίως ἡμῶν ἡ μακρὰ αὕτη σιγὴ γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τοῦ χωρίου ἐρημίαν, ἐν ᾧ καθείργμεθα, οὐ διὰ τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν τὴν περὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην. Νῦν γοῦν ἐπιλαβόμενοι τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ τιμιωτάτου καὶ εὐλαβεστάτου πρεσβυτέρου, τὴν πάλαι ὀφειλομένην ἀποδεδώκαμεν πρόσρησιν τῇ τιμιότητί σου, χάριτας πολλὰς ὁμολογοῦντές σου τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐνστάσεως, καὶ τῆς ἀνδρείας τῆς ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν. ∆εξάμενος τοίνυν αὐτὸν, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε, ὥς σοι πρέπον ἐστὶ, καὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν περὶ αὐτὸν φιλοφροσύνην ἐπιδειξάμενος, μὴ ἀποκάμῃς τὰ συντελοῦντα τῇ κοινῇ διορθώσει τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ποιῶν καὶ πραγματευόμενος. Οἶσθα γὰρ τοῦ κατορθώματος τὸ μέγεθος, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὅσων Ἐκκλησιῶν τὸν καλὸν τοῦτον ἀγῶνα ἀνεδέξασθε, καὶ ὅσοι ὑπὲρ τῆς κοινῆς εἰρήνης πονησαμένοις ὑμῖν ἀπόκεινται παρὰ τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ Θεῷ οἱ στέφανοι.