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Correspondence (1716–1725)
Eastern Patriarchs and the Nonjurors, ed. Williams, 1868
12. No. 12: The Metropolitan of Thebais to the Nonjurors
To the most Reverend Brethern and Bishops beloved of God, The Lord Jeremias, the Lord Archibald, the Lord Thomas, the Lord James, and to all the Rest my most beloved Sons in Christ, ARSENIUS Metropolitan of Thebais wisheth much Health.
After your long Silence, and our very great and daily Expectation, most dear Brethern in Christ, at length in the Month of November this Year, we received both our dearest Protocyncellus and your most beloved Letters, together with your answer to the most holy Patriarchs. But forasmuch as our most August Emperor is not yet returned hither from Astrachan to Mosco, your Letter is not yet delivered to him. Nevertheless as soon as he shall return (and we daily expect him) I will deliver the Letter to his Majesty. I will recommend the Affair and forward it by God’s Assistance to the wished for Conclusion: And under his Command I will send your Answers to the most Holy Patriarchs, and urge them, if I may so say to put their last Hand to the Matter sooner than they did before, if possible. But your Letter to the Great Chancellor I myself delivered to him, who received it most freely, and kindly promised his Favour. I commend the Reverend Archimandrite Gennadius to you again and again, and I beseech you to continue to love him hereafter as you now do. But the most dear Protoscyncellus salutes you most heartily and returns you his greatest Thanks for your Kindness, good Will, Civility, and true Christian Love. But I, my dearest Brethren, desire and most earnestly beseech you that you will compleat an Union, and confirm your Love, Charity and Esteem, for the Orthodox Church, teach the true Faith, persuade Unity, remove offences if there be any, that the true Faith of Jesus Christ may be glorified by you and in you, and that God may perfect an Union between us through Jesus Christ his Son. I now, most beloved Brethren, write to you in short, but hereafter at a fit Time shall write more fully. In the mean time, I earnestly beseech the God of Mercies that he will vouchsafe to bring you and us into an Union of Faith. Amen.
ARSENIUS the humble Metropolitan of Thebais,
and your Brother in Christ.
Dated Mosco. 1722.
Decr. 9.
P. S. I desire that such Letters as you shall send me hereafter you would send written in Latin.
To the most Reverend and most illustrious Lords Bishops, the Lord Jeremias, the Lord Archibald, the Lord Thomas, the Lord James, and the Rest in London.