Reference:Mel. 21, CPG 2123.21, FNS 60
Incipit:Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀσπαζόμενοι τὴν εἰρήνην
Date:ca. 333
Greek Text:Athanasius, Apol. Sec. 69.2-4
English Translation:NPNF2 vol. 4, p. 136, adapted for FCC by SMT

Arsenius wrote to Athanasius after being discovered claiming fellowship with the universal church. He declares that no longer will he or those of his church hold communion with the Melitians. Athanasius would use this letter to further support that the Melitians coerced many people into false accusations against Athanasius.

The Greek text below is that of Opitz as found in AW 2.4:69.2-4. The English translation has been adapted from NPNF2 vol. 4, p. 136 by SMT for FCC.

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The derivative translation below is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Ἀθανασίῳ μακαρίῳ πάπᾳ Ἀρσένιος ἐπίσκοτος [τῶν ποτε ὑπὸ Μελίτιον] τῆς Ὑψηλιτῶν πόλεως ἅμα πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις ἐν κυρίῳ πλεῖστα χαίρειν.To the blessed Pope Athanasius, Arsenius, Bishop of those who were heretofore under Melitius in the city of the Hypselites, together with the presbyters and deacons, wishes much health in the Lord.
…Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀσπταζόμενοι τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ ἕνωσιν πρὸς τὴν καθολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἧς σὺ κατὰ χάριν θεοῦ προίστασαι, προῃρημένοι τε τῷ ἐκκλησιαστικῷ κανόνι κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν τύπον ὑποτάσσεσθαι, γράφομέν σοι, ἀγαπητὲ πάπα, ὁμολογοῦντες ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου τοῦ λοιποῦ μὴ κοινωνήσειν τοῖς ἔτι σχίζουσι καὶ μηδέπω εἰρηνεύουσι πρὸς τὴν καθολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπισκόποις τε καὶ πτρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις μήτε συνθέσθαι αὐτοῖς βουλομένοις τι ἐν συνόδῳ μήτε γράμματα εἰρηνικὰ ἀποστέλλειν μήτε δέξασθαι παρ᾽ αὐτῶν μηδ᾽ αὖ δίχα γνώμης σου τοῦ τῆς μητροπόλεως ἐπισκόπου ὅρον τινὰ ἐκφέρειν περὶ ἐπισκόπων ἢ περὶ δόγματος ἑτέρου κοινοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ εἴκειν πᾶσι τοῖς προτετυτπωμένοις κανόσι καθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα τῶν ἐπισκόπων Ἀμμωνιανοῦ καὶ Τυράννου καὶ Πλουσιανοῦ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐπισκόπων.Being earnestly desirous of peace and union with the catholic church, over which by the grace of God you preside, and wishing to submit ourselves to the Canon of the Church, according to the ancient rule, we write to you, dearly beloved pope, and declare in the name of the Lord that we will not for the future hold communion with those who continue in schism, and are not yet at peace with the catholic church, whether bishops, presbyters or deacons, neither will we take part with them if they wish to establish anything in a council; neither will we send letters of peace to them nor receive such from them; neither yet without the consent of you, the bishop of the metropolis, will we publish any determination concerning bishops, or on any other general ecclesiastical question; but we will yield obedience to all the canons that have theretofore been ordained, after the example of the Bishop Ammonian, Tyrannus, Plusian and the rest.
πρὸς ταῦτα οὖν ἀξιοῦμεν τὴν σὴν χρηστότητα ἀντιγράψαι μὲν ἡμῖν διὰ τάχους ὡσαύτως τε καὶ τοῖς συλλειτουργοῖς περὶ ἡμῶν ὅτι εἴημεν ἤδη ἐπὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις ὅροις εἰρηνεύσαντες πρὸς τὴν καθολικὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ ἑνωθέντες τοῖς συλλειτουργοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν τόπων· πιστεύομεν δέ, ὡς αἱ εὐχαί σου ἐνεργήσουσιν εὐπρόσδεκτοι οὖσαι, ὥστε τὴν τοιαύτην εἰρήνην βεβαίαν καὶ ἀδιάλυτον εἶναι μέχρι τέλους κατὰ τὸ βούλημα τοῦ δεσπότου τῶν ἁπάντων θεοῦ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν.Therefore we beseech your goodness to write to us speedily in answer, and likewise to our fellow ministers concerning us, informing them that we will henceforth abide by the aforementioned resolution and will be at peace with the catholic church and at unity with our fellow ministers in the [various] districts. And we are persuaded that your prayers, being acceptable to God, will so prevail with Him, that this peace shall be firm and indissoluble to the end, according to the will of God the Lord of all, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
τὸ ὑπὸ σὲ ἱερατεῖον ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν προσαγορεύομεν. ὅσον δὲ οὐδέπω θεοῦ ἐπιτρέποντος ἀπταντήσομεν πρὸς τὴν σὴν χρηστότητα. Ἀρσένιος ἐρρῶσθαί σε εὔχομαι ἐν κυρίῳ πολλοῖς χρόνοις, μακαριώτατε πάπα.We, and those that are with us, salute the sacred ministry that is under you. Very shortly, if God permit, we will come to visit your goodness. I, Arsenius, pray for your health in the Lord for many years, most blessed pope.

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