E01905: Gregory of Nazianzus in his Letter 122, of the 380s, mentions the feast of unnamed martyrs at Arianzos in Cappadocia (central Asia Minor) on the 22 of the local month Dathousa (= 29 September). Written in Greek at Arianzos.

Gregory of Nazianzus, Letters (CPG 3032), Letter 122

122. ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ

(1.) Χρεωστεῖς μὲν ἡμῖν καὶ ὡς νοσεροῖς θεραπείας, εἴπερ μία τῶν ἐντολῶν ἀσθενούντων ἐπίσκεψις· χρεωστεῖς δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις μάρτυσι τὴν δι’ ἔτους τιμήν, ἣν ἐν Ἀριανζοῖς τοῖς σοῖς ἑορτάζομεν τῇ εἰκάδι δευτέρᾳ τοῦ καθ’ ἡμᾶς μηνὸς Δαθοῦσα. Καὶ ἅμα οὐκ ὀλίγα τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν δεῖται κοινῆς διασκέψεως. (2.) Πάντων οὖν ἕνεκεν ἀόκνως παραγενέσθαι καταξίωσον· καὶ γάρ, εἰ πολὺς ὁ κάματος, ἀλλ’ ἀντίρροπος ὁ μισθός.

‘Letter 122, To the same (Theodoros of Tyana)

You owe us tending, also because we are unwell, in as much as one of the commandments is the visitation of the sick. You also owe to the holy martyrs their yearly veneration, which we celebrate at your own Arianzos on the twenty second of our local month, Dathousa. At the same time, there is a no mean number of ecclesiastical affairs which require our common examination. For all these reasons, then, deign to visit us without delay. For, even if the labour is great, the reward is proportionate.’

Text: Gallay 1964
Translation: E. Rizos