Letter 26: Chrysostom writes first to Magnus and asks for news of his health and church care.

Even though you did not write to us, although my lords the presbyters came, we remembered your friendship from earlier days, admired the gentleness of your character and the courage of your soul, and knew the affection you have always shown us. So we hastened first to write to your Excellency, and we thank you for the disposition you show toward us. It has not escaped us, though we are so far away. We ask you, then, whenever possible, to write to us constantly and bring good news of your health. Whenever we hear that men who love us warmly, noble men who are alert and watchful in their care for the churches, are in good health, we gain much comfort from it too. Knowing this, my most honored and reverend master, do not hesitate to keep making this known to us. In this way, even if we were carried to the very ends of the inhabited world, we would gain much comfort by continually enjoying this consolation.

Κʹ. Μάγνῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμῖν οὐκ ἐπέσταλκας, καίτοι τῶν κυρίων μου τῶν πρεσβυτέρων παραγενομένων, ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς τῆς τε ἄνωθέν σου φιλίας μεμνημένοι, καὶ τὴν τῶν τρόπων σου θαυμάζοντες ἐπιείκειαν, καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀνδρείαν, εἰδότες δὲ καὶ τὸ φίλτρον, ὃ ἀεὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπεδείξω, πρότεροι τοῖς πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐμμέλειαν ἐπεπηδήσαμεν γράμμασι, χάριτάς τέ σοι ὁμολογοῦμεν τῆς διαθέσεως, ἣν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπιδείκνυσαι· οὐ γὰρ ἔλαθεν ἡμᾶς τοῦτο, καίτοι γε ἐκ τοσούτου καθημένους διαστήματος· παρακαλοῦμεν οὖν, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, γράφειν ἡμῖν συνεχῶς, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς σῆς εὐαγγελίζεσθαι. Ὅταν γὰρ ἀκούσωμεν τοὺς σφοδροὺς ἡμῶν ἐραστὰς, καὶ γενναίους, οὕτω διεγηγερμένους, νήφοντάς τε καὶ ἐγρηγορότας περὶ τὴν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν πρόνοιαν, ἐν ὑγιείᾳ διάγειν, πολλὴν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμεθα τὴν παράκλησιν. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδὼς, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε καὶ εὐλαβέστατε, μὴ κατόκνει συνεχῶς ταῦτα ἡμῖν δηλοῦν. Οὕτω γὰρ, κἂν πρὸς αὐτὰς ἀπενεχθῶμεν τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰς ἐσχατιὰς, πολλὴν καρπωσόμεθα τὴν παράκλησιν, ταύτης συνεχῶς ἀπολαύοντες τῆς παραμυθίας.