Letter to a Soldier (Letter 14 to Heliodorus)

In this fervent letter, Jerome writes to Heliodorus, a friend who has abandoned monastic aspirations. Using vivid imagery and military metaphors, Jerome exhorts him to return to the spiritual battle. The letter reflects the passion of early Christian asceticism and is a powerful call to religious commitment. It influenced many later Christian monastic thinkers and remains a model of persuasive spiritual rhetoric.