The most comprehensive and defining principles of the epistolary genre are set out in the simplest terms in the seminal letters of the Holy Fathers, especially those who, being well-versed in the art of oratory and steeped in the eloquence inherent in philosophy, have undoubtedly, through the sheer number of letters they sent, laid down the clear parameters of this genre. To put it plainly, St John Chrysostom offers the following introduction: ‘If you wish to bring me joy, do not command your people to provide for my bodily needs, for I lack nothing; but bring me great, indeed, immense joy with ink and a small scrap of paper. I desire this joy in a special way”1. Similarly, St Basil the Great: “Know that I love you; here, I am telling you this in writing. As for your hatred of me, I have understood it from the fact that you pass me over in silence. Write at least from now on, and love those who love you in return with a pen, ink and a sheet of paper’2. Blessed Jerome also offers a definition: “The purpose of a letter is to write about family matters or everyday life, and, in a way, to make those who are absent present to one another, whilst they share what they wish or what has happened, although sometimes such a feast of conversation is further seasoned by the salt of teaching’3 It is no coincidence that case studies have been drawn up to highlight the influence of epistolary writing from the patristic era on all ages, laying the foundations for a hierarchical structure and culminating in the concept of an epistolary hierarchy. A particularly relevant example is St Cyprian of Carthage, who shepherded his parish decisively through his letters. For a whole year, even St Calinic employed this method, leaving the diocesan centre at Râmnic in May 1867 and falling asleep in the Lord in April 1868. Indeed, St Isidore of Pelusium became known as the ‘spiritual father of the East’ through the two thousand letters he sent across a vast geographical area. Of course, we may classify the aforementioned references as belonging to the friendly, familial or pastoral genres, thereby setting the stage for our discussion and distinguishing ourselves from other genres.
‘The purpose of a letter is to write about matters relating to the family or everyday life, and, in a way, for those who are absent to become present to one another, whilst they share what they wish or what has happened, although sometimes such a feast of conversation is further seasoned by the salt of instruction."
Returning to St Calinic, we learn from the discovered documents a chronology of his retirement from office, spread over the first half of 1867. The spotlight that brings this to light comes from the archives of Frăsinei Monastery, against the backdrop of the historical context. We thus learn that on 17 January of that year, St Calinic presided over the laying of the foundation stone, with the stipulation that women were not to be allowed to ascend the site, and on the 26th of the same month, he signed the original deed of donation granting full ownership of the Frăsinei Hermitage. Shortly afterwards, there was an incident in which a young woman from Muereasca broke the covenant, but she was quickly healed by the presence of St Calinic. Next came the drafting of the deed of donation for his personal printing press, drawn up in two copies and sent to the Town Hall and to Frăsinei. We must place the remaining events up to 24 May 1867, when St Calinic was received with great pomp at Cernica Monastery. A final record of his activities is a document sent to Abbot Policarp of Frăsinei on 1 May 1867, in which he announces ‘the finalisation of the accounts’ and urges the proper preservation of the Deed of Donation for the Printing House, which, ‘we invite you, reverend one, to keep as a document in the archives of that hermitage for future reference.’4
A final letter from St Calinic – 8 January 1868
The paternal-spiritual bond between St Calinic and Abbot Policarp is evident first and foremost from the uninterrupted correspondence they maintained, even whilst Policarp was a monk on the Holy Mountain, to the extent that, upon the significant foundation of St – Frăsineiul, he did not hesitate to call upon him to lead this hermitage. The spiritual communion between the two is also strengthened by the correspondence following the bishop’s retirement from office, which was largely of a ‘domestic’ nature, and which, we might say, concluded with the last letter sent by St. Calinic, just three months before his entry into the Kingdom of God. From what has come to light so far, we can state that this was also the last letter written by St. Calinic, the original of which we preserve with great reverence in the place for which it was destined. This is a reply letter, written in Cyrillic script on three large pages, and the subject of the correspondence can easily be deduced from its contents. We reproduce it in full, transliterated and slightly edited.
8 January 1868.
The Holy Monastery of Cernica
. With paternal love and episcopal blessing
, Ghero PolicarpeHaving received your pious letter, sent via Mr John, our servant, and having read its contents, we were delighted to learn that you are in good health, and we very much hope, if it be the will of the Mother of God, to visit you in person.
Ghero Policarp: regarding what has been stated concerning the hieromonk Modest, we shall consider that he should remain here and not return there, if, as you say, you can no longer reconcile with him; But we advise you that what happened to him should not happen again at the hermitage. As for your claim that you are in financial straits and cannot meet the household expenses with the mere 300 lei a month he gives you; we would point out the following: that you should give thanks to the Most Holy Mother of God for what she sends you, placing your hope in the Mother of God that she will never leave you to remain in want or distress; taking as examples St Athanasius of Athos, St Sava, St Simeon the New Theologian and many others, who, placing their hope in the mercy of God and the Most Holy Mother of God, never wavered in their faith, and through prayer, faith and patience obtained everything they needed. We therefore advise you to follow their example, O Reverend One, and then you will attain peace not only of the soul but also of the body.
As for the books which were given to you there at the hermitage, and regarding which you have informed us that the Most Reverend Steward D. Grigorie—whom we have appointed to assist you with your needs— an account was requested from him regarding how many of them there are, as well as how many head of cattle there are, in excess of those listed in the register; to this we reply: that the provision of this account is absolutely necessary, for this is chiefly for your own peace of mind, so that you may escape, as you say, the slander of the wicked, who claim that you only take, but do not provide accounts, however, Your Reverence, in consultation with the most reverend steward, shall keep those books as we have instructed you, recording in them exactly what has been spent and what needs have been met. Such is our will, and you must endeavour to follow it.
And may our Lord Jesus Christ, through the prayers of His Most Holy Mother, keep you in good health and grant you patience and strength, so that all who are in that holy house, under your pious guidance, may live in unity and tranquillity, loving one another, and may each one strive to save his own soul.
We have received all the books—that is, ten Akathists, ten prayer books, and the book of St Simeon the New Theologian—which Brother John gave you.
By the mercy of the Mother of God and through your pious prayers, we are well and send you our episcopal blessing.
Your pious spiritual
father and intercessor before God,
Kallinic. 5
We may conclude that the volume Epistolariu, published in Bucharest by the scholar C. Donescu in 1840, as well as Vasile Urzescu’s Epistolar pentru tot felul de corespondențe, may well have passed through the hands of St. Calinic, as the letter contains all the main elements of composition. This is all the more so when we bear in mind the multitude of annotations and notes made by St. Calinic in various books he read with interest and diligence. This letter is so well-structured and its themes so clearly harmonised that it spans several genres (friendly, familial, administrative, moral, romantic, exhortatory) which, when considered as a whole, fall squarely under the heading of the religious-pastoral genre.
Objective characteristics of subjectivity
The letter does not have a single theme, but if we insist on discussing thematic structure, we shall find four themes: the incident involving the hieromonk Modest, the inadequacy of the sum of 300 lei, the need to declare assets acquired after the inventory, and the receipt of liturgical books by St Calinic. The first two themes take centre stage as they are elaborated upon, even with allusions and additions of a moral nature, whilst the other two remain secondary, presented with brief discretion, flanking the main themes. The structure upon which it is built, comprising several subjects, can be understood as dynamic. The epistle contains no literary devices, nor epithets or personifications, nor imaginary references (such as ‘what if…’, ‘what would happen if…’), which lends it a tone of the utmost seriousness. There is no display of, nor any mention of, deliberate modesty or subjective shortcomings, thus revealing a degree of perfection through a clear decision.
The functions of language are harmoniously balanced, with the referential and informative functions being closely linked to the expressive function, falling within the art of speech designed to persuade. A classic and essential function of the pastoral genre is the cathartic function—the purification and enlightenment of the mind, as well as the dispelling of doubts—which also appears here in a discreet form. Values communicate intimately with one another and become interdependent, as they are supported by and connected to one another. Intention underpins and gives precise shape to the message. Researchers in general linguistic aesthetics have drawn a distinction between intuitive, logical and real knowledge of the particular and general aspects of the recipient’s concerns 6. In this letter, direct references to specific events in domestic life can be observed, indicating real knowledge, which reveals a spiritual quality – openness. The theological grounding provided by the examples of the Saints who are invoked, together with the analytical refinement, demonstrate an adequate understanding of the context. The epistolary genre is further characterised by the naturalness of the language and the spontaneity of the moment.
Style, as a decisive factor in originality, appears to be perfected, as it is characterised by the finest quality, namely clarity. The composition conveys the fullness of simplicity; the writing is almost entirely devoid of any ostentatious stylistic embellishment, displaying a measured use of ornamentation. The embellishments are chosen with discretion and elegance; there are also spiritual undertones that create an atmosphere of the utmost seriousness and reveal the sender’s extremely familiar rapport with the addressee.
The vocabulary offers us the most numerous examples of spiritual traits: spelling, morphology and syntax are observed, whilst the word order bears the hallmarks of archaic ecclesiastical language, with numerous archaisms. This usage becomes the norm for preserving a tradition and ‘the expression of the unchanging, permanent and eternal sanctifying work of the Church’7. The archaisms do not serve to artificially recreate the style of the era, but, on the one hand, to respect the letter and spirit of the sacred text; and, on the other hand, to open our minds to linguistic phenomena designed to place us in a context conducive to a correct understanding of the teachings of the faith. 8
St Calinic’s literary genre reveals to us the allegory of the love between the shepherd and his flock, as the fulfilment of pastoral commitment, for he is not the ‘hired shepherd’ but the shepherd ‘who lays down his life for his sheep’. The theological dimension embedded in this collection of letters is founded on the reference to the exhortation ‘9’. The responsible acceptance of these exhortations brings about a profound transformation, first in the life of St Calinic, and then in that of his flock. However, to succeed in our interpretation, we must create an ad hoc ‘morphology of the Spirit’, for it is the Spirit who makes all things clear to us.
St Calinic’s literary genre reveals to us the allegory of the love between the shepherd and his flock, as the fulfilment of pastoral commitment, for he is not the ‘paid shepherd’ but the shepherd ‘who lays down his life for his sheep’. The theological dimension embedded in this epistolary corpus is founded on the call to preach.
The morphology of the spirit, anthropological syntax and textual enipostasis
In our discussion, we have not confined ourselves to understanding the words, but to the need to grasp their meanings. St Calinic’s letter is, in fact, a spiritual testament and a passing on of his spirit, understood as a distinctive form of spirituality. It is a letter that speaks in silence and is silent whilst speaking. It conveys joy precisely through its severity, and is severe through its joy. It has the pungent flavour of truth, possesses higher meanings, and teaches us that what has been written is eternal. St Calinic seeks to portray only certain beginnings, certain doors opening onto a far more substantial core, thus imitating Scripture. The sharpness of his pen tends to aim at cutting away a vice, at unravelling a spiritual impasse, at enlightening those who have been enveloped in darkness. The reception of the underlying meanings takes place through a motto which must be identified and transformed into a ‘cornerstone’.
Motto: ‘if it be the will of the Mother of God’.
‘Ghero Policarpe’, Jesus fed the multitude in the wilderness with barley bread 10 and only the twelve with wheat bread 11; are you not, in your piety, one of my ‘twelve’? I have nurtured you at my breast so that you might listen to the beating of my heart, hear its prayers, feel the longing I have for that Holy Monastery, and leave a part of my spirit there. ‘With fatherly love… we were delighted to hear that you are well and we very much wish… to visit you’, yet not our will be done, but ‘the will of the Mother of God’. ‘We very much wish… if it be the will of the Mother of God’. We desire, yet She is the Mistress and the Fountain of the water of life; She is the Lamb, who gave birth to the Lamb; She is the Warm Purifier, the Abode of Light, the Most Pure, higher than the heavens; The Depth that the mind cannot fathom, the Height that cannot be told. 12 We wish to seek you out, but only “if it be the will of the Mother of God”. We do not wish our own will to be made law, for She is the Lady who gave birth to the Lawgiver. If we hold fast to our own will, we ensure our own protection, but She is the Virgin, the Protector of all, and our Defence, Strength and Salvation. 13 ‘Ghero Policarpe’, we long to seek you out, yet we also fear that we might stray onto the path of death, for She is the Most Innocent One who gave birth to the Way of Life, a living Paradise with Virginity at its centre and, at the same time, the Tree of Life. That is why we, her servants, place our hope in the Lady. And ‘if it be the will of the Mother of God’, we shall visit you in person. ‘We, by the mercy of the Mother of God (…) are well’, and we urge you ‘to give thanks to the Most Holy Mother of God for what she sends you, trusting in the Mother of God that she will never leave you in want’ and, through ‘the prayers of the Most Pure One’, that you may remain in ‘perfect health’. This is ‘the will of the Mother of God’.
Motto: “this (…) so that you may escape (…) the slander of the wicked”.
If a child’s cries are a mother’s warning; if the city threatened with destruction endures through weeping 14; if a friend receives his bread from a friend, even if it is the middle of the night 15, so too does the spiritual son receive the cloak of the one who will soon be taken up into heaven. The delay is postponed, for St Calinic, like a good shepherd, leaves the ninety-nine healthy sheep and goes in search of the one little sheep that has been left behind 16.
Many things are common to many, but few are for the chosen ones, for ‘many are called, but few are chosen’17. I am sending you my friends 18 to free you from worldly cares, just as the colt was freed from the donkey 19 so that He who sits on the throne in heaven might ride upon it. Leave Pharaoh’s bricks behind; follow Moses into the wilderness, so that you may enter the Promised Land 20. When Jesus entered the temple, He overturned that which did not belong there 21, namely, excessive worries and those that breed idleness, for through them simplicity is destroyed. To the woman who had fulfilled her duty of hospitality, the Lord said, ‘You are anxious and troubled about many things’22. Likewise, I must remind you that ‘one thing is needed.’
Give an account of what you have there and do not trouble me, for it is hard for me to teach you once more what you already know. Accept reproaches and slander, and do not seek the praise which you once renounced. Let us remember ‘that God has scattered the bones of those who are pleasing to men’23. Do not leave me teaching you forever, lest you ‘never come to the knowledge of the truth’24. This cannot be, for ‘you cannot serve both God and mammon’ (25). And if you cannot manage on such a wage, add to it from the heart, for the heart is the guarantor of the returns; it multiplies everything so that in the end there remain ‘twelve baskets’. Therefore, ‘do not worry in your hearts about what you will eat’26 If you fear for your clothing, the ‘lilies of the field’ will put you to shame; if you cannot work, the ‘birds of the air’ will encourage you; if you go hungry, you will hear ‘blessed are the hungry’. The Lord will help you, for I “have grown old and have never seen the righteous forsaken” (27). You have 300 lei and are not afraid? Thirty pieces of silver were enough for Judas to betray the Lord. Lest you too hear from Peter, ‘May your money be with you to your destruction’28. If I urge you to be content with this, I am not punishing you, but it is ‘for the sake of your piety’.
And as for slander, it is enough for you to know that man ‘looks at the face, but the Lord looks at the heart’29, and that He always ‘chastises the one He loves’30. For suffering ‘produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope’31. And we must have hope so that we may be prepared to leave this world, for it is not a ‘permanent city’. And if hope does not urge you to leave here sooner, it is better to say, ‘Woe is me, for my sojourn has been prolonged’32. ‘Such is our will, and you must compel yourselves to follow it.’
In this way, St Calinic gives flavour to bitterness and deprivation and makes them nourishing. What was hard to bear suddenly becomes desirable. The mind conceives a new perspective: that he who was bound to think in broad terms is granted freedom to return to the ‘narrow’ things. St Calinic’s letter is a warm prayer that embraces the heart.
- 1
Letter 75, to the Army, in St John Chrysostom, Letters to Public Officials, IBMBOR, Bucharest, 2008, p. 167.
- 2
Letter 330, undated, in St Basil the Great, Epistles, PSB 3, Basilica, Bucharest, 2010, p. 483.
- 3
Letter 29, to Marcella, in St Jerome, Epistles, Vol. 1, PSB 9, Basilica, Bucharest, 2013, p. 220.
- 4
See full details in the volume The Spiritual and Cultural Work of St Calinic of Cernica, Bishop of Râmnic, published by Praxis, Archdiocese of Râmnic, 2015, pp. 115–135.
- 5
File I, manuscript no. 11, folios 1–3, Frăsinei Monastery Museum Archive.
- 6
Prof. Mihail Diaconescu, PhD, Orthodox Theology and the Art of the Word. An Introduction to Literary Theory. Vol. 1, General Aspects. The Character in Literature, Doxologia, Iași, 2013, p. 223.
- 7
Rev. Dr Mihai Gojgar, Religious Literary Style, Mica Valahie, Bucharest, 2017, p. 88.
- 8
Ibid., p. 89.
- 9
Matthew 28:19–20.
- 10
John 6:9.
- 11
See The Last Supper.
- 12
The Canon of the Most Holy Mother of God, 3rd ode, Prayer Book – a gift from St Calinic, Praxis, Archdiocese of Râmnic, 2015.
- 13
Ibid., Song 4.
- 14
See Jonah 3:10.
- 15
See Luke 11:8.
- 16
See Luke 15:5.
- 17
Matthew 20:16.
- 18
The saints mentioned in the letter.
- 19
See Matthew 21:1–7.
- 20
See Exodus 5:1–6.
- 21
Matthew 21:12.
- 22
Luke 20:41.
- 23
Psalm 52:7.
- 24
1 Timothy 3:2.
- 25
Matthew 6:24.
- 26
Matthew 6:25–26.
- 27
Psalm 36:25.
- 28
Acts VIII:20.
- 29
1 Kings 16:7.
- 30
Proverbs III, 12.
- 31
Romans 5:3–5.
- 32
Psalm 119:5.