Letter 47: To Mar Quriaqos the Metropolitan

Letter 47: To the venerable and holy father Mar Quriaqos, the metropolitan bishop — Ishoʿyahb, by the grace of God, greetings. I received with joy the letter of your love, O father beloved of God. And I gave thanks to the Lord for your health. And as for the many things that were disturbed by the grievousness of the changes of the times, they also caused me much pain. For I had already, a little while before, received the news of the affliction, from the possibility that the necessities of life — those which the gentle breezes of spring usually provide to the inhabitants of your city from the bounty of your land — might be cut off. And I was troubled with a weak hope concerning these matters, lest the sword of need should press down upon the priestly people, and lest the violence of the oppressors should destroy the remaining foundations of their lives. And there came the distress of the captives of the Assyrian plains, the plunderers of the belly of the land, those through whom the markets of the captives are supplied, to the desire of the voracious appetite of the free men who were daily stirred up. And if this happened which was not expected to happen — that the city, famous and adorned with all good things, and the populous metropolis of many thousands of people, should become a prey to the greedy one who remained from the destruction of Assyria, to find remnants for her needs at the time of the sword — while I was thus turning over such thoughts in my mind, not long after, I also received the letter of your father. That which, upon its reading, the news of the affliction was dissolved into an affliction without division. And now it has increased, while I lament your afflictions, with the afflictions of Makhlaphros also being added to you. And he says, I say, at that time which was spoken by the holy and life-giving mouth: If this happens to a green reed, what then will happen to you, who are a dry reed, from the nature and will of the tyrant? But thanks also to the mercy of the Lord.

face to face. So then, may your fatherhood be pleased to grant the tranquility of a settled mind for the cultivation of the spirit, that through the goodness of God above it may be for you a sign. That you may be filled with all blessings and also with the fruits of eternal life from that discipline, which may be found for you. So that it may be for you a cause of rejoicing in the love of the mercy of God the Father. . . . As for my action, that of fulfilling your letter which was received by me from your love, I desired to give it a perfect and excellent completion through the tranquility of the mind. But the weakness of the bodily faculties hindered the execution of the affairs. Thus in respect to the time, thus in respect to the house, thus in respect to my own condition. And I sent to your fatherhood with effort and with thought: one thousand measures of barley. By measure and by quantity, one hundred geriwa, as you wrote to me. And if it should be possible for you to take care of them after a little while, it will be possible for you to give me the price, the house, the addition, and the surplus. And may the grace of God above protect you from such difficulties. May the great church of Nisibis be indebted to you: one thousand measures of barley forever. And when I say this with greater joy mixed with pain, I say that I searched all the treasuries and all the coffers to find any object or action that might be suitable for the payment of the debt of peace which was sent from your heart to my insignificance. And I found nothing. As it is said, where it is said, "The fruits of the field and the produce of the season are the wealth that elevates the monks." That is the necessity. However, I sent to you before the days the sign of the will of the Lord: a few dates from the lower land, and I sent them to your fatherhood, and a spread-out offering that does not suffice for its greatness. But the recipients are many.

not a few, but rather a little less than a single small measure. So then, may your fatherhood accept it as is fitting for the matter, and pray for me. Finished.