From the Prologue of Ochrid
Isidore was a native of Egypt; the son of distinguished parents and a relative of the Alexandrian patriarchs Theophilus and Cyril. Having studied all the worldly sciences, he renounced wealth and worldly glory and devoted himself entirely to the spiritual life for the love of Christ. He was a great and zealous defender and interpreter of the Orthodox faith. According to the assertion of the historian Nicephorus, Saint Isidore wrote over ten thousand letters to various persons, in which he reproached some, counseled others, comforted a third group, and taught a fourth: "It is more important to teach virtuous living than eloquent preaching," he writes in one letter. In another he says: "If one wishes virtues to show themselves as great, let him consider them small, and they will indeed show themselves as great." The first and fundamental rule for Isidore was: first do, then teach, following the example of the Lord Jesus. During the time of the persecution of Saint John Chrysostom, when the entire world was divided into two camps, one for and the other against this great pillar of Orthodoxy, Saint Isidore took Chrysostom's side. He wrote to Patriarch Theophilus what a great luminary of the Church Chrysostom was, and begged him to abandon his hatred toward him. He lived long, accomplished much, glorifying Christ God by his life and pen, and departed to the Kingdom of Christ around the year 436.
