the 1841 letter of recommendation from Anthimos IV for Constantine Simonides

[Steven Avery]

Published in Greek in Symais in 1849, one of three letters of recommendation.

Published in English in the 1859 Memoir, here is the English:

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“Anthimos, by the Grace of God, Archbishop of Constantinople, modern Rome, and OEcumenical Patriarch,

“Constantine, the son of Simon, a Stagirite, on the father’s side, and a Symaean by the mother’s, and a native of Hydra, having remained with me a year and more, studying the holy language of the church, by his own commendable desire and mine, and by that of the holy fathers of Mount Athos, who recommended him, exhibited in a marked degree piety, obedience, and faith, in a manner worthy of his descent, his approved good conduct, and the high opinion I entertain of him, and a love of his neighbour beyond all words. He made, moreover, gigantic progress in his studies, as is witnessed by the testimonials written by the masters who have taught him, being admired for his natural talents, loved and applauded by his fellow students, and pointed out and boasted of among his fellow scholars, on account of his marked superiority. And now departing, with my consent, to the universities of powerful and holy Russia, for the completion of his pious object, by the assistance of the most Christian and holy lady, Etlegg, of the family of S. Stourtzas. I give him my prayers that he may have aid in his pious designs, and be preserved unhurt by all the vain passions of a deceitful world. And the present is a voluntary testimony of my affection. In the year of salvation 1841, 12th October.”

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This is an incredibly important letter, since Anthimos was one of the key figures involved in the transport of the Athos manuscript to Sinai. Noting also that many of the corrections to a more Byzantine text were done in those Constantinople and Antigonus Island spots. And Simonides said specifically that he was one of the figures that should be contacted for historical confirmation.

Since we have now discovered that the letter of recommendation is in the 1849 Symais, (thanks!) a whole group of previous objections and SAD (Sinaiticus Antiquity Defenders) explanations are defunct.

 

[Steven Avery]

The intro to the above in the 1859 Menoir.

Biographical Memoir 1859

Such is the account given by Simonides himself, but it is corohorated in every particular by the testimony of others, and these corroborative circumstances are of the most unimpeachable character, and can be readily referred to. After a short residence at Syme, Simonides went to visit Anthimos, the renowned Patriarch of Constantinople, and brought him recommendations from several of the principal persons of Athos, and especially one from Procopius, a sacred officer of the Church of the Greeks.

Simonides remained with the Patriarch somewhat more than a year, steadily pursuing his studies, and receiving the most valuable aid from the Patriarch. That excellent man then advised him to proceed to Odessa, for the completion of his theological studies, but before his departure, he introduced Simonides to a Greek lady of historical celebrity—the illustrious Rhoxandra Etlegg,—whose philanthropic efforts for the elevation of the Greeks, and whose kindness and generosity to her fellow-countrymen are so well known. This lady gave Simonides a letter of introduction to her brother Alexander Scarlatus Stourtzas, an officer high in the personal service of the Emperors Alexander and Nicholas I. Besides this letter, Simonides took with him not only recommendations from persons of note, but also testimonials from those who had instructed him at various times, in which the docility, the diligence, and the remarkable progress of the man in all subjects are set forth. The following is one out of many: