Saint John Chrysostom

"The Saints are exceedingly loving and gentle to mankind, and even to brute beasts ... surely we ought to show them (animals) great kindness and gentleness for many reasons, but, above all, because they are of the same origin as ourselves."
~Homilies

About a group of exemplary Christians:
“No streams of blood flowed at their place; no flesh was slaughtered and cut to pieces ... One does not smell there the awful vapor of meals of meat ... one hears no racket and terrible noise. They eat only bread, which they earn through their work, and water that a pure spring offers them. When they want a lavish meal, then indulgence consists of fruits, and they find thereby higher enjoyment than at the royal tables.”
~Homil. 69

"Holy people are most loving and gentle in their dealings with their fellows, and even with the lower animals: for this reason it was said that ‘A righteous man is merciful to the life of his beast…’" (Proverbs 12:10)

"Surely we ought to show kindness and gentleness to animals for many reasons and chiefly because they are of the same origin as ourselves."

"We imitate the ways of wolves, the ways of leopards, or rather we are worse than these. For nature has assigned that they should be thus fed, but us God hath honored with speech and a sense of equity, yet we are worse than the wild beasts."

"We the Christian leaders practice abstinence from the flesh of animals to subdue our bodies…the unnatural eating of flesh-meat is of demonical origin…the eating of flesh is polluting."

"…flesh-meats and wine serve as materials for sensuality, and are a source of danger, sorrow, and disease."

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