#alanians

Upon the eve of Pentecost, there came unto us certain Alanians, who are there called Acias (Akas), being Christians after the manner of the Grecians, using greek books and Grecian priests; howbeit they are not schismatics as the Grecians are, but without accepting of persons, they honour all Christians. And they brought unto us sodden flesh, requesting us to eat of their meat, and to pray for one of their company being dead. Then I said, because it was the eve of so great and so solemn a feast day, that we would not eat any flesh for that time. And I expounded unto them the solemnity of the said feast, whereat they greatly rejoiced: for they were ignorant of all things appertaining to Christian religion, except only the name of Christ. They and many other Christians, both Russians and Hungarians demanded of us, whether they might be saved or no, because they were constrained to drink Cosmos and to eat the dead carcasses of such things, as were slain by the Saracens, and other infidels. Which even the Greek and Russian priests themselves also esteemed as things strangled or offered unto idols: because they were ignorant of the times of fasting, neither could they have observed them albeit they had known them. Then instructed I them aswell as I could and strengthened them in the faith.