Letter 57

First Letter to Orsisius

‘And having spent a few days there, he saith to the Abbat Theodorus: Since the Passover is near, visit the brethren after your manner; and as the Lord shall dispose me, I will do. And he embraced him, and sent him away, having written a letter by him to the Abbat Orsisius and the brethren, to the following effect:’—

I have seen your fellow-worker and father of the brethren, Theodorus, and in him the master of our father Pachomius. And I rejoiced to see the sons of the Church, and they made me glad by their presence. But the Lord is their recompenser. And as Theodorus was about to leave me for you, he said to me: Remember me. And I said to him: If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten, yea let my tongue cleave to my throat if I remember you not.