Life of Porphyry of Gaza 1 part 2/5

But when those of the idol-worshipping madness saw him being carried, and supposed him to be dead, they were driven into a fury, because they considered it a pollution to bring a corpse into the city; and tearing him from the shoulders of those carrying him, they began to beat the God-beloved Cornelius the deacon and the two Christians, and, binding the foot of the blessed Barochas with a rope, they dragged him along.

Meanwhile, some of the brothers reported this to the blessed bishop, and, being troubled, he summoned me and three other brothers who happened to be with him, and said to us:

'Take courage, brothers, and run;'

'for this is a time of testimony.'

When we reached the place where they had bound the blessed man, people from the crowd ran together; and some reviled the most holy bishop, but others, seeing his patient endurance — how, though reviled, he was not angered, but on the contrary entreated each one, saying that they should not thus defile and abuse a body of like nature to their own — came over to our side, and turned against one another even to blows.

And we, seeing the great confusion, took up the God-beloved Barochas and withdrew to the holy church.

And when we saw that he was still breathing, we administered treatment to him.

There was fervent prayer for him throughout the evening and the night;

for all the brothers had gathered together.

And the holy bishop did not cease weeping and beseeching God on his behalf;

for he knew what sort of divine zeal he possessed.

When God saw the tears of the holy priest and the supplications of the people (for they regarded him as a second Phinehas against the idolaters), he hastened his mercy to him, and that night he opened his eyes, and began to speak and to ask that drink be given to him.

And I, who was sitting beside him, immediately ran and reported it to the blessed bishop;

for out of my great joy I forgot to give him the drink, experiencing the same thing as the maidservant in the story of the blessed apostle Peter, who, when she heard the voice of St. Peter, from joy did not open the door, but leaving him there, first announced it to those in the house.

But the blessed bishop, upon hearing this, was not overcome by emotion, but continued steadfastly holding to his prayers; and we, perceiving his firmness and unwavering resolve, left him and departed, both I and the God-beloved Cornelius the deacon;

for he had been sitting with me beside the blessed Barochas.

When the most holy bishop had completed the prayers and the whole office, he too sat down together with us, and asked the God-fearing Barochas how he had suffered from the beginning, and Barochas related everything to us.

While we were listening, it became dawn, and behold, the ekdikos — the defensor of the city — together with the peace-officers and the two leading citizens, Timothy and Epiphanius, and many others, came and began to shout and make an uproar, saying:

'Why have you brought a corpse into the city, when the ancestral laws forbid this?' At the same time they also reviled the blessed bishop.

And we, hearing the uproar, went out; and when they saw us, they began to strike me and the God-beloved Cornelius the deacon.

When we protested against these public officials, the most holy bishop silenced us, exhorting and admonishing each of us not to be so unreasonably angry.

But the godless, the more they were entreated, the more they raged and reviled the holy man.

As the uproar continued, the God-beloved Barochas was strengthened and filled with divine zeal; he rose up, seized a club, and began to strike those who happened to be near him. Fear fell upon all, and they began to fall over one another as they fled, and he kept pursuing them as far as the Marneion of that time; and our new Samson returned with a great victory, having himself laid low a thousand Philistines.

From that time, therefore, those given to idol-madness feared him, being unable even to hear his name.

Concerning the ordination of the deacons: both I and the God-beloved Barochas — I being quite unworthy, but he worthily and justly receiving this gift.

Seeing the unlawful acts committed daily by the idolaters, Porphyry, who is among the saints, resolved to send me to Byzantium to ask the emperors that the temples of the idols be removed;

for they were still functioning in Gaza, especially the one called the Marneion.

And having composed letters to the most holy and most reverend bishop John, who was then bishop of Constantinople, whose renown and praise are remembered by all, he sent me by sea, and after twenty days we arrived; and having delivered the letters to the blessed John, I informed him of everything by word of mouth.

And as soon as he heard it, he sent word to Eutropius the cubicularius, who at that time held great influence with the emperor Arcadius; and having read to him the letters of the blessed bishop, and having asked him to lend his support to the matter, he received instructions from him, came out, and said to me:

"For I hope in the Master Christ that he is accustomed to show his mercy."

And I did not cease reminding him daily, and he in turn kept sending and troubling Eutropius.

And after seven days a divine rescript was issued, that the idol-temples of the city of the Gazaeans should be closed and no longer function, and this order was entrusted to a certain Hilarius, a sub-adiuva of the magister's staff.

And after three days I set out from Byzantium, and in ten days I reached the city of the Gazaeans, arriving seven days before Hilarius.

I found the most reverend Porphyry ill.

And when I gave him the copies of the letter of the most blessed John, bishop of Constantinople, and he read them, he became greatly rejoiced and recovered his health, being released from the fever;

and he said that it was from the great affliction caused by the idolaters that he had contracted his illness.

And after seven days the aforesaid Hilarius arrived, having with him two registrars (commentarienses) of the consular governor's staff and many assistants from both Azotus and Ascalon, together with the full official escort.

Immediately he detained the three leading citizens, and having taken sureties from them, he showed them the divine rescript ordering the idol-temples of the city of Gaza to be closed, on pain of death for the leading men of that city; and having destroyed all the idols within them, he closed the temples;

but the temple of Marnas he allowed to continue functioning secretly, having received for this a very great sum of money.

And again those given to idol-madness committed their unlawful acts, out of habit.

And it came to pass that another marvel occurred, calling many to come to the knowledge of the truth;

for God, being compassionate, through various occasions turns the race of men to his intelligible light.

Now the event that occurred was as follows:

A certain woman of the notable families of the city, named Aelias, being about to give birth, fell into great danger;

and the cause of the danger was this:

Her infant was no longer coming forth according to nature, but had turned into an unnatural position; and having let down one hand, the rest of the body could not descend;

for it lay sideways in the womb, and the midwives were not able to turn it back into the natural position.

The pain that came upon the woman was unspeakable, as the hourly pangs kept pressing the infant forward; and the intensity of the labor pains increased further as the second day succeeded the first, and likewise the third day was more painful than the second;

the labor pains extended for seven days, the evil continually increasing.

And the physicians wished to perform embryotomy on her, but seeing that her strength had failed, they gave up on her.

Her parents, therefore, and her husband, being superstitious, offered sacrifice for her daily, and they also brought in enchanters and diviners, thinking to benefit her by these means, but accomplished nothing.

She had a faithful nurse, who, being greatly grieved, made supplications for her in the houses of prayer.

So on one day, while she was praying in the church with tears, Porphyry, who is among the saints, entered about the ninth hour, and I together with him; and he saw the old woman in great distress, entreating God with tears, and he stopped and asked her the cause.

And when she saw him, she fell at his feet, beseeching him to pray to Christ on her behalf.

And when the saint learned the woman's plight, he too wept;

for he was exceedingly compassionate.

"I hear concerning that household that it is given over to idols, and that they can hardly be saved; nevertheless, with God all things are possible;

for indeed through an occasion he saves those who are about to perish.

Go, therefore, and gather together all the relatives and the parents and the husband, and say to them:

Since there is here an excellent physician able to heal her, if he causes her to escape such a danger, what will you grant him in return? Surely they have much they can pledge to you.

And say this to them also:

If he heals her, give me your word beforehand that you will not transgress against him, nor go off to another.

Make all of them raise their hands to heaven and give their word that they will do all that they have promised."

And when they have done this, say to the woman in labor, before them all:

"Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, heals you;

believe in him and you shall live."

And when the old woman heard the word of the blessed bishop, having received his instruction, she ran to the house; and finding everyone weeping and the woman in extreme danger, she exhorted her parents and her husband not to lose heart;

and she said, "An excellent physician has sent me to you, that you may give me your word that, if she is healed, you will not deny him."

And when the parents and the husband heard this, they said:

"Even if he should wish to take all our property, we will not hesitate — only let us see our daughter alive."

"Raise your hands to heaven and give me your word that you will not deny the physician."

And they eagerly and with tears raised their hands, saying, "And all that is ours shall be his for all the time of our life;

for what comfort shall we have if she dies? For she was their only child, and as gracious in her ways as any other woman could be."

And the nurse, having heard this, said in a loud voice before all:

"The great priest Porphyry says:

Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, heals you;

believe in him and you shall live."

And immediately the woman, crying out loudly, brought forth the infant alive.

And all who were found there, astonished, cried out:

"Great is the God of the Christians! Great is the priest Porphyry!"

And on the following day, the woman's parents and her husband and all her kinsfolk and household went to the blessed Porphyry and fell at his feet, asking for the seal in Christ.

And the blessed one, having signed them with the seal and made them catechumens, dismissed them in peace, charging them to attend regularly upon the holy church; and after a short time, having catechized them, he baptized them together with the woman and the infant;

and they called his name Porphyry.

And those who were enlightened through the occasion of the woman numbered sixty-four.

And the more those given to idol-madness saw the Christians increasing in number, the more they raged, and they did not allow them to attain to civic offices, but treated them as bad servants.

And the blessed Porphyry, again seeing the great injustice done to the Christians and unable to bear it, seeing them being abused, went out to Caesarea to the blessed John the archbishop, and besought him with tears to grant him release;

for he said he could no longer bear the outrages committed by the Gazaeans.

And the blessed John, having heard this, exhorted him to be patient and to hold fast to the bishopric.

And the most reverend Porphyry answered and said to him:

"I call you to witness before the invisible God and our hope Jesus Christ, the Lord of all creation, and the adorable and life-giving Holy Spirit, that you not disregard my request, lest the destruction of countless souls be required at our hands.

But I ask you, father, to sail with me to the imperial city, that we may entreat the emperors — the heavenly King granting his assent — to destroy the temples of the idols."

And the blessed John answered and said to him:

"Child, the request is just, but the season is not fitting;

for the wintry turn of the year is now setting in."

The blessed Porphyry answered:

"If it is God's will that we should succeed and that the multitudes of Gaza should be converted, he is able to save even in winter.

Trusting in his compassion, be willing, and we shall have a prosperous journey."

The blessed John says to him:

"Let the will of Christ be done."

When the blessed Porphyry had received his instructions, he wrote to me to come to Caesarea as quickly as possible and to bring with me three books and forty-three gold coins, which happened to remain over from the revenue of the holy church.

I, having received the letters and taken the books and the coins, set out at once, and arriving at Caesarea I found the most holy bishops making ready for the voyage; and after two days we put out to sea and sailed on the twenty-eighth of Gorpiaios, that is, by the Roman reckoning, the twenty-third of September, and, having a prosperous voyage by the compassion of Christ, in ten days we put in at the island of Rhodes.

Now at that time there was on the island, in its remote parts, a certain monk named Procopius, who is now numbered among the angels;

for he fell asleep five years ago, having lived a blameless life in fastings and vigils and utter poverty, and he possessed also the gift of prophecy and the power to drive out demons.

Having put in at Rhodes, as has been said, and having heard about the way of life of the holy man, we thought it necessary not merely to pass by, but to enjoy his angelic company; and having asked where he had his dwelling, we went to him, sailing along the coast in a small boat, and on arriving we knocked at the door.

And at once he came out himself and opened to us, although he had another disciple with him.

When he saw the most holy bishops, he fell upon his face and did them reverence; then, rising, he kissed me also, and Eusebius the God-fearing deacon, whom the devout Archbishop John had brought with him; and bringing us into the oratory, he withdrew to the rear, giving the front place to the most blessed bishops, saying:

"It is fitting for you, the priests, to have the front place, but for me, the humble one, who has not even been deemed worthy of ordination, the rear."

Then we knew that the most holy Procopius possessed the gift of insight;

for, having never seen us before nor heard about us, he knew through the Spirit that those with the most blessed John and Porphyry were bishops.

Therefore he also gave them precedence in the prayer.

Then after the prayer we sat down, and having spoken with us many things profitable to the soul, he asked the reason for our toilsome journey.

The blessed Porphyry related to him everything concerning the people of Gaza, how madly devoted they were to the idols, and what terrible things the Christians suffered at their hands, and that for this reason they were going to entreat the emperors that the temples of the idols be destroyed.

When Procopius the anchorite, who is among the saints, heard this, he wept and said:

"Lord Jesus Christ, turn your servants from the diabolical deception to your enlightened faith."

Then he said to the most holy bishops:

"for God, who knows the zeal of your faith, will grant you a prosperous journey and give you all that your heart desires.

The Lord has revealed to my lowliness:

'When you go up to Byzantium, first meet with the most holy bishop John, and together with him make prayers to God, and lay the matter before him, and he will counsel you as to what the Lord reveals to him.

for he himself cannot speak in the palace, since the empress Eudoxia is displeased with him.

He himself, therefore, will commend you to Amantius, the chamberlain of the empress, a God-fearing man who honors the dignity of priests, and he will bring you in to the empress; and when you come in to her, she will receive you kindly.

Lay before her, then, the whole matter, take your leave of her, and depart.

Then, at the second audience, after you have reminded her concerning the matter, say to her: "We hope in Christ the Son of God that, if you exert yourself in this present matter, he will give you a male child."

When she hears this she will be greatly rejoiced (for she is with child, and this is the ninth month of her pregnancy), and she will do everything to accomplish your matter, God consenting.'

We, having heard the word of the holy man and believed what he had spoken, took his blessing and departed; and putting out to sea that same day we sailed, and after another ten days we arrived at Byzantium; and having taken lodging, on the following day we went to the most holy bishop John.

When he learned who we were, he received us with great honor and attentive care.

He asked us for what reason we had undergone this hardship, and we related it to him; and having learned it, he remembered that we had also petitioned him about this before, by letter, and, recognizing me, he greeted me warmly.

He urged us not to lose heart, but to place our hopes in the mercies of God.

"I myself am not able to speak to the emperor;

for the empress has provoked him against me, because I brought a charge against her on account of an estate which she coveted and seized.

And as for me, I care nothing that she is angry, nor am I troubled by it; for they have harmed themselves, not me;

for even if they harm my body, they benefit my soul all the more;

nevertheless, let us leave this to the compassion of God.

As for your matter, if it please the Lord, tomorrow I will send for the eunuch Amantius, who is the castrensis of the empress, a man of great influence with her and truly a servant of God, and I will entrust the matter to him, and he will be most zealous in it, Christ granting."

Having received such instructions and his blessing, we went to our lodging.

On the following day we went to the devout man and found with him the chamberlain Amantius;

for he had taken care of our matter, having sent for him and instructed him concerning our case.

When we entered and Amantius realized that we were those about whom he had spoken to him, he rose and did reverence to the most holy bishops, bowing his face to the ground; and they, knowing who he was, embraced him and kissed him.

The most holy archbishop John also allowed them to instruct the chamberlain by word of mouth concerning their own affair.

The most holy Porphyry related to him everything concerning the idolaters, how openly they committed unlawful acts, and how they oppressed the Christians.

As he listened he wept, and was filled with divine zeal, and said to them:

"for the Lord Christ will defend his own religion.

Pray, then, and I will speak with the Augusta, and I hope in the God of all that, as is his custom, he will show his mercy.

And I will bring you in to her tomorrow, and you shall instruct her by word of mouth as much as you wish; and you will find her already instructed beforehand by me."

Having said this, he took his leave of us and departed; and we, after conversing at length on spiritual matters with the most holy Archbishop John, took his blessing and withdrew.

On the following day the chamberlain Amantius sent for us by two decani to go to the palace, and we rose and went with haste.

We found him waiting for us, and taking the two bishops he brought them in to the Augusta Eudoxia.

When she saw them, she greeted them first, saying:

"Bless me, fathers"; and they did reverence to her.

She was seated on a golden couch, and she said to them:

"Forgive me, priests of Christ, on account of the burden of my womb that presses upon me;

for I ought to have gone out to the porch to meet your holiness.

But for the Lord's sake, pray for me, that I may be delivered of what is in my womb with his loving-kindness."

The most holy bishops, marveling at her condescension, said:

"He who blessed the womb of Sarah and of Rebecca and of Elizabeth will bless what is in your womb and bring it to life."

And when they had also spoken other spiritual words, she said to them:

"for Amantius the castrensis has already instructed me beforehand.

But if you also wish to instruct me, speak, fathers."

Being given leave, they related everything concerning those madly devoted to idols, how they fearlessly committed impious acts, and how they oppressed the Christians, not permitting them to hold civic offices nor to have their lands cultivated, from which they pay the public taxes to your Majesty.

When the empress heard this she said:

"for I hope in the Lord Christ, the Son of God, that I shall persuade the emperor to do what is fitting for your holy faith, and dismiss you from here with your request granted.

Go, then, and rest yourselves, for you are weary from your journey, and pray that God may work together with my petition."

And having said these things she ordered money to be brought, and taking three handfuls each, she gave it to the most holy bishops, saying:

"Take this for now, for your expenses."

And the bishops, having received it, and having blessed her greatly, went out.

And as they went out, they distributed most of the coins to the decani stationed at the doors, so that only a little remained with them.

And the empress, when the emperor came in to her, informed him of the matter concerning the bishops, and asked him that the shrines of the idols of Gaza be destroyed.

And the emperor, upon hearing this, was displeased, and said:

"I know that that city is full of idols, but it is dutiful concerning the payment of the public taxes, contributing greatly."

"If, then, we startle them with sudden fear, they will resort to flight, and we shall lose so great a revenue."

"But if it seems good, let us press them by degrees, stripping away the ranks of those mad for idols and their other civic offices, and let us order their temples to be closed and no longer to conduct business."

"For when they are afflicted and constrained in every way, they will come to recognize the truth:"

"for what is excessive and sudden is burdensome to subjects."

And the empress, having heard this, was greatly grieved (for she was fervent concerning the faith), yet she answered the emperor with no word but this:

"The Lord will help his servants, the Christians, whether we wish it or not."

These things the God-fearing Amantius the chamberlain related to us.

And on the following day the Augusta sent for us, and according to custom, having first greeted the holy bishops, she permitted them to be seated.

And after speaking many spiritual words, she said to them:

"I spoke to the emperor, and he was somewhat displeased."

"But, God willing, I will not cease until you are satisfied and depart, having accomplished your purpose according to God."

And the bishops, upon hearing this, made obeisance.

And our Porphyry, who is among the saints, being deeply moved, and remembering the word of the thrice-blessed Procopius the anchorite, said to the empress:

"Labor, O lady, for the sake of Christ, and he himself will grant you, in return for your labor, a son who shall live and reign while you behold him and enjoy him for many years."

Her countenance flushed, and a beauty beyond what she had before was added to her appearance:

for what is manifest reveals what is hidden.

She then said to the most holy bishops:

"Pray, fathers, that according to your word, God willing, I may bear a male child, and if this comes to pass, I promise you to do all that you ask."

"And I will also do another thing which you have not asked, Christ consenting:"

"for I shall build a holy church in Gaza, in the very center of the city."

"Go, then, in peace, and rest quietly, praying continually for me, that I may give birth in mercy;"

"for this is the ninth month, and it is near the time of full term."

The bishops, then, having taken their leave and commended her to God, went out from the palace.

And it was our prayer that she should bear a male child:

for we believed the word of the devout Procopius the anchorite.

And daily we went to the most holy archbishop John, and enjoyed his holy words, sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.

And the ever-memorable Amantius the chamberlain also came to us continually, sometimes bringing responses from the empress, and sometimes for the sake of conversation.

And after a few days the empress bore the male child, and they called his name Theodosius, after the name of his grandfather Theodosius the Spaniard, who had reigned together with Gratian:

and the newborn young Theodosius was born in the purple, wherefore he was also proclaimed emperor straight from the birth-chamber.

And there was great rejoicing in the city, and certain men were sent as heralds of good tidings to the cities, along with gifts and largess.

And the lady, as soon as she had given birth and had risen from the birthing-chair, sent Amantius to us, saying to us through him:

"I thank Christ, that through your holy prayers God has granted me the son."

"Pray, therefore, fathers, for his life, and also for me, lowly as I am, that I may fulfill what I promised you, again Christ himself willing, through your holy prayers."

And when the seven days of the lying-in were completed, she sent for us, and met us at the door of the bedchamber, carrying the infant also in the purple.

And she bowed her head, saying:

"Bless me, fathers, and the child whom the Lord has granted me through your holy prayers."

And she handed over the infant also, that they might seal him with the sign of Christ.

And the holy bishops sealed both her and the child with the seal of Christ, and having made a prayer, they sat down.

And after they had spoken many words full of compunction, the lady said to them:

"Do you know, fathers, what I have resolved to do concerning your matter?" And my lord Porphyry answered and said:

"Whatever you have resolved, you have resolved according to God:"

"for indeed this very night it was revealed to my lowliness through a vision:"

"for I dreamed that we were in Gaza, standing in the idol-temple there called the Marneion, and that your piety was handing me a Gospel book, and saying to me:"

"and I, having opened it, found the passage in which the Lord Christ says to Peter:"

"You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it."

"And you, my lady, answered and said:"

"'Peace to you; be strong and be courageous.'"

"And at this I awoke, and from this I am persuaded that the Son of God will cooperate with your resolve."

"But tell us, my lady, what you have resolved."

And the empress answered and said:

"If it is pleasing to Christ, in a few days the child will be deemed worthy of holy baptism."