Letter 27: Chrysostom thanks Domnus for sending a presbyter and says loving letters ease bodily separation.

For sending the most honored presbyter to visit us, and for writing, I owe many thanks to your Reverence, most honored master. Both acts belong to genuine love and a warm disposition. Because of them we have received great comfort, even while staying in the wilderness. To have such men love us so warmly is no ordinary comfort for those who are loved. I truly wanted to meet your Reverence in person and be filled with your most sweet disposition. Since this is not possible, neither for us nor easily for your honor because of your care for the church there, we have had to take the second voyage and grant ourselves the comfort that comes from letters. A letter steeped in genuine love is no small consolation for people separated in body. So that we may enjoy this comfort continually, do not hesitate, as often as it is permitted and possible, to write to us about your health. We count your friendship a very great treasure and an unspeakable wealth of good things. If we continually enjoy such good things, that is, your letters, we will hardly feel the desolation of this place, because we will draw so much gladness from your messages.

ΚΖʹ. ∆όμνῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Καὶ τοῦ πέμψαι τὸν τιμιώτατον πρεσβύτερον εἰς ἐπίσκηψιν ἡμετέραν, καὶ τοῦ γράψαι πολλὰς ἔχω χάριτας τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ τῇ σῇ, δέσποτα τιμιώτατε. Ἀμφότερα γὰρ γνησίας ἀγάπης καὶ θερμῆς διαθέσεως, ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ διατρίβοντες, πολλὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἐδεξάμεθα τὴν παράκλησιν. Τὸ γὰρ τοιούτους ἄνδρας οὕτω σφοδροὺς ἐραστὰς ἔχειν, οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν φέρει τοῖς ἀγαπωμένοις παραμυθίαν. Καὶ ἐβουλόμην μὲν κατ' ὄψιν συντυχεῖν τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ τῇ σῇ, καὶ ἐμφορηθῆναι τῆς ἡδίστης σου διαθέσεως. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔνι οὔτε γὰρ ἡμῖν δυνατὸν, οὔτε τῇ τιμιότητί σου ῥᾴδιον, διὰ τὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς αὐτόθι πρόνοιαν, ἐπὶ τὸν δεύτερον ἀναγκαίως ἤλθομεν πλοῦν, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων παραψυχὴν ἑαυτοῖς χαριζόμενοι. Οὐ γὰρ μικρὸν καὶ ἐπιστολὴ δύναιτ' ἂν, γνησίας ἀγάπης ἀνακεχρωσμένη, εἰς παράκλησιν τῶν τῷ σώματι κεχωρισμένων. Ἵν' οὖν ταύτης συνεχῶς ἀπολαύωμεν τῆς παραμυθίας, ὁσάκις ἂν ἐξῇ καὶ δυνατὸν ᾖ, γράφειν ἡμῖν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς μὴ κατόκνει. Καὶ γὰρ θησαυρὸν μέγιστον καὶ πλοῦτον ἄφατον ἀγαθῶν τὴν σὴν ἡγούμεθα ἡμῖν εἶναι φιλίαν. Κἂν συνεχῶς τοιούτων ἀπολαύωμεν ἀγαθῶν, ἤγουν τῶν γραμμάτων, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐνταῦθα ἐρημίας ληψόμεθα αἴσθησιν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν τῶν σῶν πολλὴν καρπούμενοι τὴν εὐφροσύνην.