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Letters concerning the Establishment of the Holy Synod (1723)
Eastern Patriarchs, tr. King, 1865
4. Letter 4: The Most Holy Patriarchs to the Most Holy Synod
Jeremiah, by the mercy of God, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Œcumenical Patriarch:
Athanasius, by the mercy of God, most blessed Patriarch of the city of God, Antioch:
Chrysanthus, by the mercy of God, most blessed Patriarch of the holy city Jerusalem, to the holy and sacred Synod (send) apostolic blessing and salutation in Christ.
Concerning the things proposed and sought by those in Great Britain, we wrote previously to you and to them, that we should afterward give answers.
But now having perused those things written again to us by them, and having understood the meaning, we write more at large and more fully, and send the exposition and the opinion of the orthodox faith, of our holy and Catholic Eastern Church of Christ, which exposition is also an accurate answer to all the propositions proposed by them, and besides this we have nothing else to say or answer. And we counsel also your sisterly reverence, that as you received from the beginning, so to keep and observe with all the soul and heart and with Christian piety, the dogmas of the orthodox faith of our Eastern holy Church of Christ; so also from this time and henceforth to remain unmovable and unshaken in those pious dogmas of orthodoxy, the rules and commands and ordinances with the ruling Church, and every church performing the rites within its dominion, that is, never to make any other division, nor propose any (addition) to those said concerning the divine dogmas of our pious faith and orthodoxy, inasmuch as these same orthodox dogmas were previously examined, and, after due consideration, accurately ordained of old by the holy and Œcumenical Councils, and the inspired Holy Fathers, received by tradition and uninterruptedly and inflexibly professed by our holy and Catholic Church as they were ordered and defined, and to which it is not permitted either to add any thing else, or to take away any thing from them. And upon these also the whole body of our Holy Fathers in general firmly fixed and resting, pleased God as pious men, and become worthy of the eternal good things of the kingdom of heaven, were glorified and are blessed, (for it is impossible for those who think otherwise, as they do not think rightly, to please God and obtain divine blessedness.) And do you, if you have the intention and wish to write to them and answer them, so in all things write, saying that this is the opinion of our Eastern Church, as set forth and presented in the Exposition of Orthodoxy, as has been said, and now sent by us to them. For thus, and not otherwise, will the union take place; and they will be one with us if they are of the same mind with us, and will be of the same opinion. And may God, who wills that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, grant that it may be approved by them, and that they may agree to these same things, having the same mind with us, according to the divine will and pleasure, for the benefit of their souls and salvation.
And may the grace of God, who oversees all, and who is the guardian of all, watch over your most venerable and orthodox institution, (the Synod,) keep you firm and rejoicing, give you unfailing happiness, long life, and prosperity, and by his divine grace and philanthropy, may you progress in every good and saving work.
In the year 1723, in the month of September, Jeremiah, by the mercy of God, Patriarch of Constantinople, your fervent well-wisher, and in Christ, your brother.
Athanasius, fervent well-wisher, and in Christ, your brother.
Chrysanthus, by the mercy of God, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and in Christ, well-wisher and your brother.