It is true that you undertook a decent, meek, and humane deed, gathering the captivity (I will say so for the present) of the contemptuous Glycerius, and covering up as much as possible our common disgrace. However, your reverence should first have known the matter in detail and only then put an end to this disgrace. This, now haughty, and you have a dignified one, Glycerius was ordained by me a deacon of the Church of Vines, in order to serve the presbyter and take care of church affairs. And indeed, he is a strange dexterity in other things, but incapable of handy deeds. As soon as he was ordained a deacon, he became so despised of his work that he did not even make a beginning for it. But, quite arbitrarily and autocratically gathering together miserable virgins, some of whom came to him voluntarily (you yourself know how youth is inclined to such deeds), and others even against his will, he tried to lead them, and, taking upon himself the name and clothing of the patriarchy, he suddenly soared high, led to this not by any plausible way or piety, but grasping at this means of sustenance, as someone takes up some other trade. And he almost stirred up the whole Church, despising his presbyter, a man of venerable life and years, despising the chorbishop and even me as worthless, filling the city and the entire priestly order with incessant confusion and anxiety. And finally, when he received a small verbal reprimand from me and from the chorbishop, so that he would not despise him (because he had accustomed the young to the same folly), he plotted an extremely audacious and inhuman deed. Having captured as many maidens as he could, and having waited for the night, he gave himself up to flight. This seems very strange to you. Pay attention to the circumstances. There was a Cathedral there; From everywhere, as was natural, a great multitude of people flocked. And he led his countenance, accompanying the young and crowding around them, which caused great despondency in the reverent, and aroused much laughter in the incontinent and ready for gossip. And this is not enough, although it was so important; but also, as I hear, the parents of these virgins, who could not endure childlessness, wanted to gather the scattered and fell down to their daughters with tears, this wondrous knight with his robber crowd insults and dishonors. Let this not seem tolerable to your reverence, because it turns into a general ridicule to all of us, but above all command him to return with the virgins. For he will find some love for humanity if he comes back with a letter from you. But if he does not return, at least the virgins have departed to their Mother, the Church. If this does not happen, do not allow those who wish to leave to suffer compulsion, but persuade them to return to us; or I bear witness before you, God and men, that this is not good and not according to the statutes of the Church. If Glycerius returns in good order and with decent modesty, that is the best; and if not, let him cease to serve.

163 (170). To Glycerius

(He promises him forgiveness if he returns soon; otherwise, he threatens him with deposition and God's Judgment. (Written about 374 A.D.))

How long will you behave recklessly, plot evil for yourself? To disturb me, to disgrace the entire monastic order? Return, trusting in God and in me, who imitate His love for mankind. For if I have reprimanded paternally, then I ask paternally. This is my word to you, because many ask for you, and before others your presbyter, whom I respect for gray hair and compassion. But if you depart from me, then surely you have fallen to your degree; but you will also fall away from God with your songs and long robe, with which you lead the young not to God, but to the abyss.

164 (171). To Gregory the Theologian

(Again he complains that Glycerius and the virgins have not yet returned. (Written about 374 A.D.))

And before I wrote to you about Glyceria and the virgins. But they have not yet returned, and they are still delaying, I do not know why or how. For I will not accuse thee of this, as if thou didst do this to our prejudice, or to be grieved with me in some way, or to please others. Therefore, let them come, fearing nothing. Be your guarantor in this. For it is painful for the members that have been cut off, although they are justly cut off. And if they persist, then the burden will fall on others, and I wash my hands of it.

166 (173). To Theodora, a nun

(For the fact that he rarely writes, he excuses himself for the uncertainty of the correct delivery of letters; he depicts the difficulty of attaining perfection in life, which Theodora devoted herself to according to her vow. (Written about 374 A.D.))

It makes me lazy to write to you because I am not sure that my letters will certainly reach the hands of your love, and that thousands of other people will not read them in advance because of the unfitness of my servants, especially in view of the confusion of affairs in the universe today. Therefore, I expect that they will scold me, as it is, and forcibly demand letters from me, and this will serve as a sign for me that the letters are being delivered.

Therefore, whether I write or remain silent, I have only one thing to do – to keep in my heart the remembrance of your modesty and to pray to the Lord that He may allow you to complete the course of a good life in accordance with your intention. For it is indeed no small feat for one who has pronounced a vow to add to this and what follows the vow. Anyone can choose a way of life that is in harmony with the Gospel; but to observe everything to the smallest extent and not to pass unnoticed anything written in the Gospel — in this very few of the known to us have managed to use a bridled tongue, and an eye trained, according to the intention of the Gospel, and to act with their hands in order to please God, and to move their legs, and to use each of the limbs, as our Creator first commanded. In dress — decency, in the treatment of men — caution, in food — moderation, in the acquisition of necessities — not excess; All this, to put it so simply, is not an important matter, but it requires a great feat in its fulfillment, as we find in reality itself. And perfection in humility — so that we do not remember the nobility of our ancestors, nor, if we have any advantage of soul or body by nature, we do not exalt ourselves with them, nor turn the opinions of others about ourselves into a pretext for exaltation and arrogance — and this belongs to the life of the Gospel, just as in abstinence — firmness, in prayer — tirelessness, in brotherly love — compassion, with those in need, sociability, modesty, contrition of heart, sound faith in the way of thinking, indifference in sorrow, and that in our thoughts there should never cease to be mindful of the Dread and inevitable Judgment, to which we are all hastening, although very few remember it and care about how it ends.