Epistle 63

Letter in which Basil defends monasticism against heretical critics who accused Christians of maintaining monks devoted to piety.

Preliminaries

• TO THE MOST REVEREND AND MOST ILLUSTRIOUS LORD HENRY FRANCIS VAN DER BURCH, ARCHBISHOP AND DUKE OF CAMBRAI, PRINCE OF THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE, COUNT OF CAMBRAI. — Basil quoted defending monastic life against heretical accusers

  "We are accused," he says, "of this way of life too, because we have men who are monks devoted to piety, who have renounced the world and all its cares"