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Ignatius to John

Anonymous Pseudo-Ignatian compiler

The Epistle of Ignatius to St. John the Apostle

About this work

Author: Anonymous Pseudo-Ignatian compiler

The Epistle of Ignatius to St. John the Apostle

Ignatius, and the brethren who are with him, to John the holy presbyter.

We are deeply grieved at thy delay in strengthening us by thy

addresses

and

consolations

.

If

thy

absence

be

prolonged

,

it

will

disappoint

many

of

us

.

Hasten

then

to

come

,

for

we

believe

that

it

is

expedient

.

There

are

also

many

of

our

women

here

,

who

are

desirous

to

see

Mary

[

the

mother

]

of

Jesus

,

and

wish

day

by

day

to

run

off

from

us

to

you

,

that

they

may

meet

with

her

,

and

touch

those

breasts

of

hers

which

nourished

the

Lord

Jesus

,

and

may

inquire

of

her

respecting

some

rather

secret

matters

.

But

Salome

also

,

[

the

daughter

of

Anna

,

]

whom

thou

lovest

,

who

stayed

with

her

five

months

at

Jerusalem

,

and

some

other

well

-

known

persons

,

relate

that

she

is

full

of

all

graces

and

all

virtues

,

after

the

manner

of

a

virgin

,

fruitful

in

virtue

and

grace

.

And

,

as

they

report

,

she

is

cheerful

in

persecutions

and

afflictions

,

free

from

murmuring

in

the

midst

of

penury

and

want

,

grateful

to

those

that

injure

her

,

and

rejoices

when

exposed

to

troubles

:

she

sympathizes

with

the

wretched

and

the

afflicted

as

sharing

in

their

afflictions

,

and

is

not

slow

to

come

to

their

assistance

.

Moreover

,

she

shines

forth

gloriously

as

contending

in

the

fight

of

faith

against

the

pernicious

conflicts

of

vicious

principles

or

conduct

.

She

is

the

lady

of

our

new

religion

and

repentance

,

and

the

handmaid

among

the

faithful

of

all

works

of

piety

.

She

is

indeed

devoted

to

the

humble

,

and

she

humbles

herself

more

devotedly

than

the

devoted

,

and

is

wonderfully

magnified

by

all

,

while

at

the

same

time

she

suffers

detraction

from

the

Scribes

and

Pharisees

.

Besides

these

points

,

many

relate

to

us

numerous

other

things

regarding

her

.

We

do

not

,

however

,

go

so

far

as

to

believe

all

in

every

particular

;

nor

do

we

mention

such

to

thee

.

But

,

as

we

are

informed

by

those

who

are

worthy

of

credit

,

there

is

in

Mary

the

mother

of

Jesus

an

angelic

purity

of

nature

allied

with

the

nature

of

humanity

.

And

such

reports

as

these

have

greatly

excited

our

emotions

,

and

urge

us

eagerly

to

desire

a

sight

of

this

(

if

it

be

lawful

so

to

speak

)

heavenly

prodigy

and

most

sacred

marvel

.

But

do

thou

in

haste

comply

with

this

our

desire

;

and

fare

thou

well

.

Amen

.

Notes

1
Literally, “of vices.”
2
Some mss. and editions seem with propriety to omit this word.
3
Literally, “a nature of angelic purity is allied to human nature.”