Fathers of the Church

The Epistle of Maria the Proselyte to Ignatius (Mary of Cassobelae to Ignatius)

Description

This epistle was supposedly written by Maria the Proselyte to St. Ignatius to persuade him to send certain young priests to serve community.

Provenance

This epistle is one of the six (spurious) epistles considered by most scholars to be falsely attributed to St. Ignatius. These were most likely added to a compilation of Ignatian works by an Apollonarist of Syria or Egypt in the early fifth century.

by Ignatius of Antioch in Unknown | translated by Anonymous

It is said that what is faulty in men's ways may be brought to order and improved by words. But I think that characters made beautiful by nature, themselves make words fair, though they stand in need of none, just as bodies naturally beautiful need no artificial colouring. These qualities are conspicuous in the right eloquent orator Athanasius, and I have been the more pleased with him because he is an ardent lover of your Excellency, and is constantly sounding your praises. Here, however, I have striven with him, and in enumerating your high qualities, have outdone him, for I know more about good deeds of yours than he. I am however vexed at not being able to praise them all, and to see that my summary of your virtues falls short of what might be said in your praise, but if God grant it even to approach the truth you will hold the pre-eminence in every kind of virtue among all your contemporaries.

Taken from "The Early Church Fathers and Other Works" originally published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Pub. Co. in English in Edinburgh, Scotland beginning in 1867. (ANF 1, Roberts and Donaldson.) The digital version is by The Electronic Bible Society, P.O. Box 701356, Dallas, TX 75370, 214-407-WORD.

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