History of the Martyrdom of the Fifteen Martyrs

MARTYRDOM OF THE HOLY AND GLORIOUS FIFTEEN HIEROMARTYRS WHO SUFFERED IN TIBERIOPOLIS, CALLED STRUMITZA IN BULGARIAN, DURING THE REIGN OF THE IMPIOUS JULIAN THE APOSTATE, COMPOSED BY THEOPHYLACT, MOST HOLY ARCHBISHOP OF ALL BULGARIA

^A 1. The divine proclamation of the Gospel had already been diffused throughout the whole world; and the word of the holy fishermen, like a dragnet spread over the whole earth according to that prophetic saying: *Their sound hath gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world* (Ps. XVIII, 4), was offering to Christ the Lord souls worthy of the heavenly mansions. But these things were not endurable to the father of envy, the wicked one, I mean the devil; nor could he bear to see men assuming the rank of angels and being placed in those seats from which he himself had previously fallen by reason of his wickedness. ^B Therefore, having set upon the kings of the time and their leaders, he worked against the salvation of men, persuading them all to command their subjects to pay every honor to the Hellenic gods and their statues, both by the erection of temples and altars, and by means of expensive sacrifices and offerings; but not even to name Christ, as if He were a man rightly condemned, and ^C on [the] cross

it was worthy, if any were caught worshipping the Crucified, ^A that they should be delivered over to terrible torments as impious men and cut off from this present life. It was therefore the case that one could see true servants of Christ our God, some hidden in caves and on mountains, secretly offering bloodless sacrifices and prayers to God as opportunity allowed; others, deeming a strange land better than their own, moving from region to region, fleeing from city to city, and content if they could by this means somehow steal away their own salvation. But for others, whose hearts were filled with divine courage, as though they were seasoned soldiers, they were persuaded to press forward to the tribunals of the impious kings and magistrates, as if against a phalanx of enemies, and openly to proclaim Christ as the true Son of God, consubstantial with Him, begotten of Him before all ages, and afterward having become man in these last times, and by the passion of the cross and His death having granted us impassibility and immortality. Wherefore, being delivered over to bitter tortures, some by beasts, others by fire, or water, or sword, or some other manner of death, they surrendered their souls to God in most violent fashion.

^B 2. These things, and even more than these, continued so long as the deep night of impiety prevailed even over the kings and magistrates themselves. But since the cross of Christ was destined to illumine the royal majesty itself with the light of truth, and to show it to be truly royal, inasmuch as it would no longer serve dumb and inanimate idols, the Sun of Righteousness, Christ the Lord, sent forth in advance certain rays, as it were, as precursors of the perfect light, which would dissolve the night entirely ^C and announce the day that was even now approaching. For this reason, He established in famous Rome that great Emperor Constantius, who, though he did not in the least depart from the ancestral superstition of the Greeks, and himself sacrificed to idols, nevertheless granted full freedom to each man to worship and hold to whichever religion he wished. There are, indeed, some who say that he not only did not harass the Christians with any persecution, but even honored and dignified them. And this further instance is told as a proof of his singular prudence. For when he wished to know which among the Christians were steadfast and upright, and which were slothful and wicked, ^D that he might honor the former, as being tenacious of their fidelity, with the highest ranks and employ them in the greatest affairs, but deem the latter—as infidels—unworthy of even the least, he made this trial of them. He decreed by public edict that whosoever wished to retain the Christian faith should lay aside the insignia of their offices, if they held any, and depart from the city; and this they were to take as a sufficient benefit—that they should suffer no other evil, nor be subjected to punishments.

^A Once this edict had been proclaimed, those who had laid the foundations of their faith upon sand, and whose hearts were unsteady and weak, readily abjured the Christian religion, so that they might neither be cast out of the city nor deprived of their dignities. For they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. ^B But as many as were established upon the firm rock, fearing neither the emperor nor his ministers—though they were many and terrible—and not being at all terrified or cowed, nor seized by any fear on account of the threats of those powerful men, stepped forward into the middle. Standing bravely and nobly, all fear and trembling cast aside, they resisted the emperor with a courageous mind, saying with a robust heart and intellect: "So far are we, O Emperor, from being ready to deny the faith in Christ, that for its sake we not only despise all dignities and this splendid and illustrious city, but we would also most gladly offer our heads, and our bodies, and our souls this very day to extreme peril for the Lord. For we have been taught not to fear those who kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul; and that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed to those who love the Lord" (Matth. X, 28; Rom. VIII, 18). When the emperor heard these things, he greatly admired their firmness regarding the faith, and was struck by the nobility of their state of mind; indeed, from that time forward he held these men in greater honor, ^C so as even to call them into his councils and take them as associates and assistants in great affairs. But those who had denied Christ he left to languish in idleness and ignominy, as men of no worth. "Most unhappy are these," he said, "who have lost both future and present blessings. For how," he added, "would they keep faith with me, who proved so easily unfaithful to their own God? And how will they suggest what is advantageous to me in councils or discourse, when they have consulted so badly for themselves?"

3. Such was the emperor Constantius, whom God therefore also heaped with many and great benefits; ^D for He made him renowned in victories and glorious in the breadth of his empire, and granted him his son Constantine, the most glorious of all kings, whose glory he himself enjoys like a flowing stream, becoming more illustrious through the memory of him. Constantius did indeed have other sons by Theodora, daughter of Maximian Herculius, namely Dalmatius, Anabalianus, and Constantius. But Constantine was born to him by the most blessed Helena; and he, having attained the empire, inherited his father's clemency toward Christians...

^A. Indeed, he deemed the faithful in Rome worthy not only of perfect relief, but also of honors and dignities; and by sending forth edicts to the governors in every city and region, he displayed his own benevolence toward them. For he commanded all those in authority under him, through letters, not to deprive the Christian race of any privilege. For this reason, God did not suffer the goodness of such a soul to go unrewarded; but He repaid him both with the goods of the present life—I mean, with an abundance of wealth and all the comforts that come from wealth, and all the fair symbols and delights of the empire—and, moreover, with victories over all his enemies. He also rewarded him with the gift of the true faith, calling him from heaven, as He had called Paul before him. ^B For his calling had to be magnificent and truly heavenly. For as he was about to set out to wage war against Maxentius, He showed him the cross in the heavens, impressed by stars in the midst of the day, with letters signifying the victory to be obtained through it. Not being disobedient to the heavenly vision, but using the sign that had appeared as a standard, and having learned its invincible power through the results, and being instructed in the word of truth by Sylvester, the most divine Pope of Rome, he became to the Christians a rod of strength. And he closed the temples of the idols, and extinguished the fire of their altars; he kindled the lamp of truth, and the oil of anointing. He cleansed the earth of blood and the air of the pollutions flowing from the stench and smoke of the sacrifices; in their place, he brought in holy sacrifices, ^C fragrant incense-offerings, and all-night vigils acceptable to God. As for the very statues, some he ground into dust, others he consigned to fire or other destruction, and some he brought to Byzantium (which he caused to grow from a small city to a great one, and, having adorned it with all things that demonstrate imperial magnificence, he named Constantinople). There, then, he ordered many of the statues to be brought, and he set them up in the theater and in the squares. He erected divine temples throughout the inhabited world; and then, indeed, the oracle of David was shown to be fulfilled in the highest degree, that *God is king of all the earth;* and that *the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof;* and that *the kingdom is the Lord's, and He Himself is master of the nations.* He himself, clearly, and the commanders around him, and from then on, all the nations flourished in peace and tranquility, ^D since the Lord glorified His own king, just as He promised through the prophetic mouth, saying: *Those who glorify me, I will glorify.*

^A 4. But the implacable enemy of our salvation and the ancient evil dragon, having armed Arius the Alexandrian against the orthodox faith, stirred up a bitter war against the Church, by which he inflicted upon her most grave injury. But Emperor Constantine armed himself in return with divine zeal, and having convoked three hundred and eighteen bishops in the city of Nicaea, and having himself sat among them, he condemned the error of Arius—who preached the Son of God (woe to that wicked tongue!) as a creature and a servant—and cast him out of the Church, triumphing over him publicly. With a brilliant proclamation he affirmed the orthodox faith, clearly and loudly declaring the Son to be consubstantial with the Father, and light from light, and Lord and Creator, and not a creature. Finally, having reigned piously and holily, and having endeavored to please Christ with all his strength, he departed this life, leaving three sons behind him; and he was transferred from this temporary and earthly empire to the eternal and incorruptible one, having destroyed first paganism and then Arianism, which wounded the Church no less, if not even more, than the former; for domestic evils are wont to be worse than foreign ones.

^B 5. As for his sons, to Constantine the first were assigned the Gauls and the regions adjacent to the Western Ocean, along with the British islands; to Constans, the youngest, [were assigned] Italy and Rome itself, reaching as far as Illyricum; but Constantius, who was middle in age between the two, obtained the East along with Africa and Egypt. The sum of the concerns of all these was that the orthodox faith might remain firm together with piety. Wherefore, pursuing piety and truth with all enthusiasm, they passed a quiet and tranquil life in the practice of religion and all virtues. For although Constantius sometimes vexed the orthodox, nevertheless even then he acted only out of zeal and desire for the peace of the Churches (although that zeal was not according to knowledge). Wherefore he also commanded all the temples and altars of the idols to be destroyed in such a way that not even a trace of them remained while he stood. But the sickle of death cut off these, too, from the present life.

^C 6. But another emperor was established, most wicked and impious (if indeed it is fitting to call him emperor), who, lifting his neck against Christ the Lord, said to Him: *I do not wish to know your ways,* namely the Apostate and infamous prevaricator Julian: concerning whom, if I shall speak here at somewhat greater length, let no one find fault with my plan, as if I were straying beyond the goal.

For the narration of things that happened in ages past is most useful to the Church of Christ and to diligent listeners; for, as one said, to know many things is worth much. Furthermore, what I am about to say is not at all alien to the subject of this discourse. For the contest of the martyrs is the subject of this discourse. Now these men carried on their struggle in the times of Julian; if, therefore, we have made mention of the insane rage of this tyrant against the Christians, as far as is possible, it is that the nobility of the martyrs may be made manifest—because they remained firm in such times ^A, and disregarded the edicts of such a tyrant, who strove to outdo all persecutors. For we have mentioned these things previously, so that our discourse might have, as it were, a head, and be whole and perfect in all its parts.

7. Concerning the ancestry and life of Julian

7. This Apostate, then, had as his father Constantius, the brother of Constantine the Great; the two were indeed from the same father, but not from the same mother: for the one was by Theodora, daughter of Herculeus, but the other, as we have already said, was by the most renowned Helena. Now Julian had an elder brother, Gallus by name. But as soon as Constantine passed from this life, and Constantius had attained to the empire of the East, an insurrection being made by soldiers who loved innovation, Dalmatius the younger, the son of the elder Dalmatius, was slain along with others of the same lineage, except for Gallus and Julian. For the one, a grave infirmity supervening, which was believed to be about to bring him to death shortly, and the other, his tender age (for that wicked one had not yet passed his eighth year; wherefore, the emperor deemed that he should deal more humanely with him—and thus, which is a greater and more terrible thing, and an abyss of the judgments of God, he nourished a savage tormentor of Christians by his own indulgence ^B), rescued them from the impending swords of the soldiers. But as soon as Gallus recovered, taking with him his brother Julian, he journeyed to Ionia, renowned at that time for its rhetoricians and philosophers; where both, lingering for a long time, completed a full curriculum of learning, being educated nobly, magnificently, and royally. For since the emperor had bestowed upon them all their father’s goods, they abounded in wealth as much as possible. Wherefore they also undertook to build a temple to the holy martyrs at their own expense. But when each of them had destined a particular part of the temple to be built for himself ^C, Gallus’s part was faring well and was growing daily; but Julian, whatever he built, he saw it falling to the ground of its own accord again, as if even the earth, I think, could not bear the hidden impiety of that man. But when later the emperor’s clemency had made Gallus Caesar, Julian meanwhile, living frugally and feigning to be a philosopher, wandered hither and thither.

8. Nevertheless, the cunning of this man did not escape Constantius, nor his wavering in the faith and in his bias toward Hellenism. ^D

^A For this reason, he summoned him from Ionia and sent him to Nicomedia, so that he might be instructed more thoroughly in Christian doctrine and the truths of the faith under Eusebius, the bishop of that city, who was a man of no small reputation for his learning. But the emperor had strictly forbidden him to attend the school of Libanius, who was from Antioch under the mountain and held to the Greek religion, and who at that time, while teaching rhetoric to the Nicomedians, was highly regarded by all for the power of his eloquence. Yet that god-hating Julian, treating the emperor’s commands as trifles, frequented the company of Libanius much more than that of Eusebius—often stealing away to him at night (the dark man to the dark man, for dark and shameful conversations), and bestowing rewards upon others so that they might frequent Libanius’s lectures and convey them to him with great diligence. It was at this time, too, that he was ordained a reader in the church of Nicomedia, so that he might read the divine books to the people of God. According to the talk of the many, this was done by the command of the emperor to Eusebius, but in truth, he had assumed the clerical habit of his own volition, as a stratagem to divert from himself the suspicion held by all that he was striving for tyranny, and to hide better like a snake beneath the grass. At that time also, a certain Maximus, who practiced every kind of sorcery under the mask of philosophy, came from Ephesus to Nicomedia; he attached himself to Julian, initiated him into impious and hellish mysteries, and inspired him with a firmer hope of one day attaining the empire.

^B 9. Now, when Gallus had thought more highly of himself than befitted a Caesar and had used the power entrusted to him intemperately, he was put to death; and Julian himself was on the point of paying the penalty for his brother’s rashness. But the empress Eusebia not only suppressed this plan of the emperor, but turned his mind to the opposite intent (for women’s words have great power, especially with men of an easy temperament) ^C so that he appointed him Caesar in the place of his brother Gallus, and having given him a significant army, sent him against the barbarians who were causing disturbances in Gaul. Julian, seizing this opportunity, spoke to the commanders of the army and likewise to the ranks of the soldiers (for they all delight in the changing of kings, and the military class especially so, as they hope to gain more from it); and he was immediately hailed as emperor ^D. There is a story told among others on this account, that when a crown to encircle his head was not at hand, one of the soldiers took his own golden necklace—which is commonly known as a bracelet—

^A taken from his own side, and placed it upon the head of the tyrant. Then Constantius, having learned of his rebellion and marching against him with full fury, in order to punish him as unworthy, was cut off in the middle of the way of life and of his expectations. And thus the scepter of the pious kingdom came into the hands of that impious and wicked man, or rather, that Apostate and transgressor.

10. And observe for me the depth of his lawless deceit. The crafty one did not immediately pour out his malice; the lawless one did not immediately strip away his impiety; the Apostate did not immediately begin to persecute ^B (for he knew that, the kingdom not yet having received a firm establishment, it was not safe for him to provoke the Christians—as he himself desired—while the faith of the orthodox was rooted and grown strong throughout the whole inhabited world). Instead, he called back from exile those bishops who, in the times and days of Constantius, had been driven out of the Churches for the sake of the faith, and he restored the Churches to them. And he restored to the Churches the ecclesiastical properties, if any had been previously taken away by him. But when the power of his kingdom had taken a firm hold, then he commanded that the temples of the idols, which had been closed, be opened; that the sacrificial fire be ignited upon the profane altars; and that the execrable rites of the demons be performed, along with the sacrifices ordained by them and commanded to the ^C Greeks. Moreover, he ordered that those who, under Constantius, had either torn down an idolatrous temple or broken an idolatrous statue, must either rebuild what had been torn down and restore what had been broken, or be subjected to bitter tortures and death, and to unbearable punishments. Among these was Mark of Arethusa, one of those who, under an unlucky star, had lent his efforts in saving Julian himself when his whole family was being delivered to slaughter. Furthermore, he had destroyed an idolatrous temple. Being ordered to rebuild it, he did not obey. Wherefore, after he had endured many other tortures, in the end he was sent back and forth by boys—held dangling—who pricked his venerable, elderly body with writing styli†; he who was, in truth, higher than the earth and the things of the earth. Moreover, he ordered the ^D Churches of God to be razed, and decreed that Christians should neither participate in Greek learning nor in senatorial honors. Many, therefore, gladly and willingly cast aside the insignia of their dignities, counting all things as refuse, so that they might gain Christ.

Such were Jovian and Valentinian, to whom God granted the empire at the time appointed for each. But many, through a desire for vain glory, denied our true God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

^A 11. Julian was hostile to all bishops, but he strove especially to capture Athanasius, the bishop of Alexandria, as he was a noble champion and bulwark of the Christian faith and a destroyer and adversary of Hellenism. When the holy prelate learned of this, being obedient to the law given by Christ, he took advantage of the time when the persecutor was distracted by other matters; having boarded a ship, he sailed from Alexandria and took to flight. But when he saw the imperial ship in pursuit, he ordered the captain to turn the rudder, as if he needed to sail back to Alexandria. This having been done, the royal men encountered them, and when they asked if they had seen Athanasius fleeing the city, those on Athanasius's ship replied that he was a little way off and that it would be easy to catch him if they plied their oars with a bit more vigor. ^B Thus deceived, they sailed past Athanasius, who again entered Alexandria, where he remained in hiding for the entire remainder of the time of Julian’s impious reign.

12. In Macedonia, meanwhile, Theodulus and Tatianus, most holy men and fervent in the Spirit, entered an idolatrous temple by night and smashed all the idols found therein. On account of this, the governor of that region, wishing to do the tyrant a favor, prepared to lay violent hands on many whom he suspected of having dared to commit this deed. But it seemed unworthy to Theodulus and Tatianus not to step forward into the midst and reveal themselves as the authors of that act, and thus expose many innocent people to the wrath of the tyrant, who was burning with desire to avenge his gods. ^C Hence, they boldly gave themselves up, and, having spit upon all the flattery offered to them to dissuade them from their intention, and having scorned all the bitterness of the torments inflicted upon them, they were finally placed upon red-hot iron grates. They considered this kind of couch so pleasant that they even joked merrily with the tyrant, saying: "If you desire, O governor, to be satiated with roasted meat, ^D command your attendants to

turn us onto the other side, lest, being only half-roasted for you, we become less palatable." ^A As the holy ones were saying these things, a blessed end came upon them, and they were offered to Christ, who suffered for us, as a perfect burnt offering in an odor of sweetness.

13. For what language could recount the things which the cruel ministers of the tyrant displayed toward the servants of Christ in every region? ^B Among other things, they dragged George, the bishop of Alexandria, through the streets and killed him; and not content with this, they placed his sacred body upon a camel, and for a long time carried it around as if celebrating a triumph over his mangled limbs; at last they handed it over to the fire together with the camel, and scattered the ashes into the air. In another instance, after the bowels were ripped open and barley had been poured into them, they drove in swine, to which they had offered such a spread for food. And at Tyre, the bishop of that city, Dorotheus—a man most eloquent and a most learned writer of ancient affairs, who, under the emperors Diocletian and Licinius, had already exceeded his sixtieth year and had been tormented with many tortures for Christ—him, I say, the enemies of the faith in the city of Edessa, "flourishing in a fat old age," as the divine David says, (for the holy man was one hundred and seven years old), delivered to death. ^C But what shall I say of the profanations of holy temples and the stripping of sacred vessels? For the uncle of the tyrant, bearing the same name as he, used holy temples just as if they were a common and profane place, and held all things divine in such contempt that he said in his heart, "There is no God." But the Lord looked down from heaven, and the Lord is straightway known, "doing judgments." For from that day a dire rot invaded his bowels, so that his customary evacuations erupted not from the usual passages of nature, but from his impure and iniquitous mouth.

14. But now, while these and worse things were happening, nevertheless that transgressor and demented philosopher feigned ^D meekness and benevolence—just as a deceitful and cunning man digs hidden pits and hides his wickedness within, but outwardly smooths over the surface so that he might appear, perhaps, to be orthodox. Thus, he even ordered that fountains be defiled with the gore of unholy sacrifices, and the very wares lying for sale in the streets. Oh, your shamelessness, transgressor! Oh, your insensitivity, you unclean one! Oh, your ignorance, you foolish one! Do you not understand, you who fancy yourself to know all things, that nothing of these things can defile

those who receive them, and especially when this is done without intent? And yet, even knowing the laws of the Gospel, which Christians use as their counselors and guides, and trusting that nothing through the mouth imparts and defiles, that wicked and senseless man, carried away by his madness against Christ, dared everything against the faith. The entire city of Nicaea ^A, which excels in all good things according to the etymon of its name (the place of victory against Arius, where the foundations of the orthodox faith were laid by three hundred and eighteen wise architects), suffered from his fury; for it was entirely filled with Christians.

Since the wicked and raging emperor had granted power to all the governors of the cities to act against the Christians in whatever way they wished, who could recount those bitter punishments, and those terrible tortures, and the incurable afflictions and pains, and, in a word, to speak of all the hardship and distress and provocation? In addition to these things, and together with these, they deprived them of their property, and also of their country and kin. Finally, they were not only handed over to death as criminals, but were not even deemed worthy of the honor of burial, as if they were enemies of God. And in this way he was more active than all the leaders. It was their every study, and concern, and art, and practice ^B, that they might remove as many Galileans as possible from their midst—for thus he insultingly called the Christians; though I believe it was also because he feared to utter with his tongue the great and most glorious name of Christ, which is terrible to demons merely by being mentioned, and fearful and most admirable to all his adversaries. And perhaps he had been taught this by the magicians whom he used as teachers, and who well knew the power of that great name—which they had perhaps experienced more than once—to have been an obstacle to them in many of their works.

14. The *commentariensis* ^C in Nicaea was for a time ignorant of this mandate of Julian, which we indicated. But as soon as he had knowledge of it, he hurried to put it into execution as quickly as possible. Therefore, he proclaimed throughout the entire city that all who worshipped the Crucified must change their religion and approach the immortal gods and sacrifice; otherwise, let them know that they would be handed over to unbearable torments, greater than human strength, and to various modes of death. For he said the Emperor could not bear that those by whose benevolence he had obtained the empire of land and sea ^D, should not also have been initiated into many other nameless frenzies.

^A Once this most iniquitous edict had been promulgated, on the following day he summoned everyone to the theater and, sitting himself upon a high tribunal, he addressed the gathered crowd with a flattering and wheedling speech: ^B "Indeed, I see in you, O men, a great deal of maturity, judgment, and prudence; nor do I doubt that most of you are sufficiently well-versed in the disciplines and sciences. It would therefore be highly unfitting for such men to be seduced by the rustic ignorance of the Gallileans, and to worship a man who was, but a few days ago, condemned to the cross under the governor Pilate, a man whose tomb still lies open to the eyes of all. But if it were free of all danger to worship such a God, perhaps the ignorance of a better counsel might deserve some pardon; yet, since for this cause one’s wealth, honors, and life itself—than which nothing is more precious—are put in jeopardy, it is surely not a matter of mere ignorance and imprudence, but of sheer madness and insanity to scorn that which is safest and truly royal, and to choose to follow a religion that is exposed to such perils. Wherefore, if you believe me as I counsel you toward better things, approach the beneficent gods; by offering sacrifices to them, you will first obtain their benevolence, which in this matter is the principal thing; and secondly, you will gain the friendship of the Emperor and the many good things which he most generously bestows upon his friends."

^C When those who were present had heard these things, not a few, yielding to what was said, professed that they held the same view as the Emperor concerning religion and wished to pay every honor to his gods; these the *commentariensis* rewarded with honors and gifts, making them appear more distinguished. But as for those who had firmly resolved to keep their faith in Christ sure and unshaken, they all cried out with one voice and with one mouth: "We cannot deny Christ, who is the true God, and sacrifice to deaf and dumb idols. ^D Therefore, concerning them we say: *'Let the gods who have not made heaven and earth perish. Let those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them.'* As for us, there is one God who is *'over all, and through all, and in all.'* And one Lord Jesus Christ, *'through whom are all things.'* In Him we believe, and Him we confess and worship, and to Him we offer service with our whole soul and from the bottom of our heart, with a pure conscience and an unswerving purpose and mind, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, unto the endless ages of ages."

When they had spoken these things to the tyrant with boldness, he was again filled with no small amount of wrath and irrepressible madness, and he immediately ordered his guards to inflict upon them cruel tortures and even death. Many, escaping notice, fled to the mountains and deserts; others were dispersed through various regions, despising their sweet homeland, their families, their friends, and all they possessed, so that they might gain only Christ, who is the true

God and Lord, and King of kings, and of all ages and unto ages. ^A

17. Among these were Timothy and Comasius, and Etimasius, Eusebius, and Theodore. Being unable to bear seeing the worship of idols increasing day by day, nor the perdition of those who fell away and denied Christ, nor the troubles and vexations of those who persevered in the faith, they left Nicaea and settled in Thessalonica. But having stayed there for no long time, since the rulers of that city also, in obedience to the will of the impious emperor, were laboring diligently to lift up the worship of idols, to restore paganism to its former dignity, and to utterly bring to ruin the affairs of the Christians, so that if possible, the very name of Christ might no longer be heard in that city ^B and the surrounding region; they left Thessalonica also and betook themselves to Tiberiopolis, situated on the northern side of that region, at the border of the land of the Illyrians. There, obtaining a measure of liberty, they duly sowed the seed of the word in the fields of souls, and cultivated a fruitful and abundant crop for Christ the Lord.

But their life shone forth no less than their preaching of the divine word. Wherefore Timothy was appointed bishop of the Church of Tiberiopolis: he was, in fact, a lamp set upon a lampstand. Comasius, however, who had previously held a prominent place among the soldiers, ^C loosened his belt; he cast away all the glory that is with the impious, to whom this world is fixed; and embracing the cross of Christ, and having duly donned the monastic habit, which is the armor of light, he himself also preached the word of salvation in the regions surrounding Tiberiopolis. Eusebius also, having embraced the monastic life, by his preaching of the word and by the holiness of his life, brought many to good fruit. Shrinking utterly from avarice as the root of all evils, he shared the little he possessed with the poor, in the cheerfulness and simplicity of his heart, so that he was called a father of orphans and a helper of widows. He was also very gentle and sweet, and (to embrace all in one word) a true disciple of Christ. Theodore, moreover, was one of those three hundred and eighteen ^D holy and blessed God-bearing Fathers who gathered at the Nicene Council, himself completing the number of those blessed men, inasmuch as he was adorned with episcopal dignity and grace. He also administered the light of the holy and orthodox faith to those in Tiberiopolis.

Various readings and notes

(45) I supply the small lacuna of the apograph: for Ko, Co, appears to be the beginning of the name Comasius. Since, however, this man must necessarily be the same as Etimasius (otherwise these martyrs would not be fifteen, but sixteen), it seems that it was written thus in the manuscript: *Comasius, qui et Etimasius*; by which, of course, it would be indicated that this holy martyr was known by two names. A further argument for this may be that, when a little later the ranks and qualities of each of the martyrs are explained, no further mention is made of Etimasius.

^A

18. And so it was not possible for what was said by the Lord in the holy Gospels to be proven false 23, and for a city set upon a hill to be hidden—namely, the life of these holy men, uplifted to the summit of virtue and raised above this valley of tears, that is, above the abjection of all earthly and low-creeping things. ^B But the more they strove to be hidden, the more illustrious and famous they became, especially to those who were lovers of goodness. For these men, who considered it unbearable if, being thirsty—as they were—they did not run to the source pouring forth the sweet and beautiful water, hastened to them immediately. These were Peter, John, and Sergius, Theodore, and Nicephorus, in the council of elders praising the Lord 24; with them were Basil and Thomas, from the order of deacons; and monks: Hierotheus, Daniel, and Chariton. And Socrates, who at first served most illustriously in the military and had acquired sufficient wealth and glory, but having cast all these things away from himself and shaken them off like dust, he deserved to be numbered among this excellent company of Fathers. Since, therefore, they had all come together, they truly pursued an angelic way of life, and meditating on the law of the Lord day and night 25, they rendered that Davidic saying fulfilled in themselves 26: "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!" ^C They enlightened all the inhabitants of that place with the light of true knowledge, and in such a way that, while they healed the languors of souls, they did not pass by without care those who were held by bodily infirmities 27; and what they had received freely, they gave freely to those in need, demanding no other price than that most precious one of all, namely, faith in Jesus Christ, who can do all things. And hence the word of their teaching became swifter: for miracles were like wings to the word, which rendered it more sublime even to their persecutors and carried it forth into the public squares.

19. Now when their fame had spread rapidly, far and wide, and a frequent report concerning them was held even at Thessalonica, Valens and Philippus, whom we have mentioned before as having been the diligent executors of Julian’s mandates at Thessalonica, hearing also themselves of their conduct—a conduct almost rivaling the nature of angels—and that their word was potent, and possessed a divine grace and energy to persuade the hearers, and that no one was left in the territory of Tiberiopolis and the surrounding regions who defended paganism, but that all therein were disciples and worshippers of Christ; they burned with zeal for their dissolving ancestral rites, and because the imperial mandates were being set at naught. ^D What, therefore, should be done? They seriously consider this: and first, indeed, they decide to send to Tiberiopolis certain cruel and fierce bailiffs, who would either persuade them to obey the emperor’s

will and sacrifice to the gods, and thus enjoy all the good things which the emperor himself is able to distribute; or, refusing this, they would first subject them to intolerable torments and then deprive them of life by the sword. But soon, having changed their minds, it seemed to them more advisable not to entrust this business to others, but to go there themselves and apply all their own industry to achieve their end. For against a firmer wall, heavier engines must be moved. ^B

20. Having therefore arrived at Tiberiopolis, and having first made every soul forewarned by the reputation of their cruelty, they command the saints to be seized and brought before them. And when they had been seized and led forth, the tyrants sat upon a lofty tribunal—so that their very sight might strike even greater terror, and their voices might be more easily heard by those standing by—and they began to speak thus: “Since almost every land that is under heaven obeys the sacred command of the emperor, by which everyone is ordered to venerate those as gods whom the ancient sages handed down, and to raise temples to them, to erect altars, to offer sacrifices, and to bestow other honors, and indeed not to embrace any new superstition, nor to regard any belief in some novel and recent God: how is it that you alone, as if you were born outside this world of ours, have either discovered things wiser than those divinely-inspired men who flourished of old, or, having through some blessed fate obtained greater mental acumen and more wisdom than our emperor (to whom all the wise concede the first place), you account as nothing the testimonies of wise men regarding our gods: you also despise the emperor’s commands, and to a man recently born in Palestine of a poor woman (for she was indeed the wife of a carpenter), and crucified with thieves, to him—as if he were King and God—you pay attention, and by offering him every honor, you imagine that you are practicing a great religion? Why, and how are these things so? Speak.”

21. To them the saints, without even a moment’s delay, replied: “Indeed, O governors, we ought to be giving our responses before judges who are entirely empty of prejudices and passions; for thus would the truth show itself more clearly and evidently. But since we are compelled to have the same persons as our accusers and our judges, we easily perceive that with you falsehood is destined to prevail over the truth. But we shall not remain silent even for this reason; for we trust in Christ the Lord, who was made for us wisdom from God, and who gives a word to those who preach in the opening of their mouth, and who provides mouth and wisdom and speech to his own combatants and witnesses, as he himself promised, against whom all adversaries will not be able to resist or contradict. We, therefore, are neither the only ones among men who reject your gods, nor the only ones who profess the orthodox faith and religion: for, innumerous thousands of men in

^A every land have recognized the faith in Christ, which is truly pure and blameless. But as for the instruction and religion of the Greeks, they spit upon it and turn away from it, considering it vain and falsely named. For the sound of the apostles and disciples of Christ has gone forth into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. Nor, indeed, are we incredulous toward the wise men among you. But if one must say something that is paradoxical yet true, we believe them more than we do you. For when you, while hearing from the poet that Zeus is introduced as an adulterer, a ravisher, at times a deceiver and at times deceived, now overcome and weeping, then worship him as God—while I, hearing these very things said about him, despise him and by no means call him God, but consider him worse than every cursed and ^B envious thing, and indeed of all the things with which he is reproached—which of us judges more consistently with the notions concerning Zeus? And what need is there to speak of the other gods, when their chief has been so thoroughly convicted in such matters? And yet these are the things that the poets, who are deemed to be the fountains of all wisdom and the foundations of all learning, say about your gods. As for the philosophers, those who seem to you more divine, they have imagined that the gods named by the poets are fire, earth, air, water, the sun and the moon, and the remaining stars. But these are by no means to be worshiped. For since they are created things, and received their being for our sake, who that is prudent and possesses sense would honor them? And who that has a sound mind would worship the creature ^C over the Creator? Or who that has intellect would venerate inanimate gods, which have no understanding, but only a change of motion? Who, finally, would serve servants as masters? For all these things are servile and subject to man; for the former are soulless and irrational, while the Word [Logos] is honored and rules over all, as it preserves the image and likeness of God. Concerning the emperor, we could say more, but we shall make our reply brief, so as not to exhaust the time, as if we were having a discussion about some true emperor: for he denied Christ, our true God, and became a transgressor of the faith that is in Him, having rejected His divine commandments and life-giving precepts. It is not worthy, therefore, that he should reproach us for the contempt of his own commands ^D and threaten punishments, because we are unwilling to break these [divine] laws. For as he departed from the Savior, so the Savior also departed from him, according to the prophetic saying which declares: "He departed from God, and God departed from him; and he would not have the blessing, and it shall be removed from him; and he loved cursing, and it shall come to him," and he would not see the light, and he walked in the ways of darkness. We, however, depart from this man's

as lord and king, who is not only unable to save anyone, but who also loses himself, and strives to lose us or to push us into the same ruin. But let him be carried wherever he wishes; we, however, will not deny Christ the immortal God, not even if our life upon the earth were to be but a single future day. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? In him we live, and move, and have our being; to his rule alone we are subject, and considering his judgment alone, by which he said: *Whoever shall deny me before men, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven*, and the holy angels, we tremble and are shaken with fear. ^B

22. Therefore we confess, and we will confess even until our last breath, nor shall we ever depart from him; for we know and recognize him to be the true God and Lord, who indeed was born before all ages from God the Father incorporeally and without passion, just as we know the word of the mind to be generated. Then, when he saw human nature, which he himself had created with good will and adorned, given over to shameful passions, and having become similar in its irrational life to beasts—or rather that it had even surpassed them in base actions—and furthermore addicted to the adoration and worship of idols, reptiles, and beasts; he willed, according to the depths of his mercy, to assume this nature into himself, that he might sanctify and illuminate it with his own divinity. For this reason he is born of the holy and in every way immaculate Virgin Mary; he is wrapped in swaddling clothes; he is suckled and nourished; and taking upon himself all things that belong to our nature, he fulfills them all, except sin. *For he did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth*: for sin is not work of nature, but is generated in the less attentive out of laziness. And when he was thirty years old, he showed us a short path to salvation, namely holy baptism, being himself the first to receive it. In which he also received testimony from the Father from heaven, that he was the Son of God, according to that evangelical voice which said: *This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased*: he also gave to us, that we might believe, that we become sons of God through baptism; for what he himself is by nature, that we become by grace. Then after he had taught men, and had heaped benefits upon them by performing miracles, the envy of the enemies of the truth being stirred up against him, he was affixed to a cross, died, and was buried: just as you reproach his worshippers. But he did not remain dead for long, but on the third day he rose again. And when he had spent forty days with his friends and disciples,

and taught them greater and more perfect things, he finally ascended into heaven, from whence he had also descended.

^C 23. Here, in truth, as the saints were about to pursue the matters that followed and to speak more broadly about the apostles and the descent of the Holy Spirit, and about the grace and power given to the apostles, and about everything else in general that we believe concerning this, the tyrants interrupted the flow of their speech, and said, “What is this? Are we to be granted the liberty of answering your questions, or have you appeared before us as rhetoricians? Are you showing off your eloquence as if in a theater, and not standing before a formidable tribunal to be judged? But no more: will you agree to sacrifice to the immortal gods, or not? Answer.” “God forbid,” said the martyrs, “that we, who have been delivered by Christ God from the servitude of demons, should sacrifice to those very demons and their idols.” By this brief and peremptory response given by the saints, the beast of rage was more vehemently irritated in Valens and Philip; and because public business pressed them to return to Thessalonica as quickly as possible, since they could not stay any longer in Tiberiopolis, without delay they condemned the saints to death by the sword.

^D 24. They were being led, therefore, on the final and blessed path, which leads to life and to the heavens, the eternal, endless, and boundless path; and they exulted with ineffable joy (1 Pet. 1, 8), and indicated their internal joy by their external alacrity: for, having left behind the impious king with his attendants, they were hastening toward a most benevolent and infinite King, towards the Church of the firstborn who are enrolled in the heavens, and to the festive assembly of angels. This alone afflicted them in that situation, that they perceived the voluntary blindness of the tyrants toward the light of truth; and because they foresaw that it would come to pass that, on account of judgments made in this manner, many of the weaker ones would waver in the faith. For the lawless manner of such inquiries is shown to be an argument of tyranny and injustice: but the form of judgment feigned by the judges is accustomed to generate no small scandal for the feebler ones; for they think that it is the truth of justice that has condemned to torments and death those whom it has found guilty in the matter itself. Wherefore one of the saints, named Peter, inflamed by divine zeal on account of these things, stood against the tyrants, and cried out, “O you who violate your duties, and are enemies of the truth, how is it that, assuming the persona of judges and feigning the form of judgment, you pour out the blood of the righteous without cause, in whom nothing worthy of death has been found, but rather things worthy of all honor and reward?” The fire of anger in the tyrants was kindled again at this speech.

^A And they forthwith commanded that the saint be stripped and stretched upon the ground, and beaten with rods; then that his hands be cut off, and finally that he suffer death itself by the sword. When these things were brought to an end, those hands were thrown to the dogs for food. But a certain woman, blind from birth, having felt the right hand of the holy Peter as it happened to fall near her feet, took it up; and wrapping it in the head-covering she was wearing, she returned to her house as quickly as she could. Since she had nothing else that she could do for this discovery of hers (for what would she not have done?), she kissed it, embraced it, and pressed it to her eyes. And behold, suddenly (O Thy great miracles, Christ Savior!) her eyes were opened immediately. And seeing the light, she proclaimed with a loud voice the power of Christ and of his saints; and she was constantly blessing God, who does, as it is written, “wondrous and extraordinary miracles, of which there is no number.” ^B Many days passed, and this woman, worthy of the light, taking that hand with her, reached the great city of Thessalonica. Her purpose was to have that precious object deposited in a most honorable place. She found, then, a place worthy of such a treasure, namely the most venerable sanctuary of the glorious martyr Anastasia, and therein she deposited the hand. And such was the outcome concerning that holy hand.

25. Furthermore, when the twenty-eighth day of the month of November had passed, for many days their bodies lay dishonorably cast out to be the food of dogs, wild beasts, and birds, not even obtaining the burial which is naturally owed to the common human lot. ^C Yet they were kept completely inviolate and unharmed by the almighty divine right hand of Him who sees all things, and by the overshadowing of the all-working and all-holy Spirit; and whoever looked upon them marveled at Christ God in them. Yet no one dared to approach and deem them worthy of burial, as they had before their eyes the bitterness of Valens and Philippus. But after they had returned to Thessalonica, the Christians, having taken heart a little, gathered together; and having reverently raised those holy bodies of the martyrs, as was fitting, and wrapped them in clean linen cloths, and having duly performed all that the Christian law prescribes, with burning torches and incense (which were to signify to them the everlasting light of blessedness, and to those the joy and fragrance of paradise), they deposited them at Tiberiopolis, each in a separate coffin; upon which were inscribed the name of each martyr, his way of life, and the dignity he held in Christ.

26. ^D However, the holy martyrs dispensed their miracles abundantly, not only to the local people but, as they reached even into foreign lands, they proved themselves by the power of Christ to be martyrs bounded by no limits. For as many as were either troubled by demons, or held by any other bodily infirmities,

^A approached the urns of the saints and readily received healing. Wherefore, many of the Gentiles, brought to the knowledge of the truth by these many miracles, approached the faith of Christ and were sealed with the holy baptism; insomuch that not one of the impious remained in Tiberiopolis, nor in the surrounding villages and mountains. Indeed, as we hinted a little earlier, by the virtue of these same miracles, the faith was spread to the remaining parts of the West; so much so that Tiberiopolis became, to other western cities, like a conspicuous tower which held out the torch of the faith, and recalled those existing on the sea of the infidelity of dark error. For a long time, therefore, matters there remained in quiet and excellent order, and the whole city and region, in firm tranquility, paid worship to Christ as was fitting. ^B

27. But after many cycles of years had passed, a certain barbarous nation called the Ombri, rushing from the southern climate into the parts of Tiberiopolis, devastated other cities as well as this very one (with some of the inhabitants being put to the sword and others carried away into captivity), and as they destroyed other splendid buildings, so also they pulled down and utterly razed the temples of the saints; and it happened that, as the temple in which they were collapsed, the urns of these saints were overwhelmed by the ruins, and, being covered over by the earth, they became unknown to all. ^C

28. But when these Ombri had withdrawn, another nation, most lawless and cruel, those called the Bulgarians, coming from the parts of Scythia, having crossed the river called the Ister, arrived like a heavy scourge sent by God upon the regions of the West. These did not even know the name of Christ, but in Scythian madness they served the sun, the moon, and the remaining stars. There were indeed among them those who even offered sacrifices to dogs. So darkened were their hearts that they worshipped the creature rather than the Creator. Thus, when they had subjugated the entire region of Illyricum and ancient Macedonia as far as the city of the Thessalonians, and those parts of ancient Thrace—I mean those around Beroea and Philippopolis—and the upper regions as well, they held those regions as firm inhabitants, but they exchanged the ancient inhabitants of both: namely, they transferred those who dwelt in the lower cities to the higher, and the inhabitants of the latter to the lower ones. ^D They abused them all as slaves and captives, while they themselves were slaves of all sloth and rebels against the true Lord. Yet the Christians subjected to them, holding fast to their fathers’ most pure faith, in all the conversations which they had with them,

^A they introduced the doctrine according to Christ, and manifested the light of the Gospel to them as best they could. But they closed their eyes so as not to see, and with their ears they heard heavily, according to the prophetic saying which declares: *Seeing they shall see and shall not perceive, and hearing they shall hear and shall not understand;* for their heart is hardened, lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and be converted, and I should heal them. Therefore, as they neither knew nor understood, they walked in darkness.

29. But when Crubus, a certain prince of the Bulgarians, had invaded many of the cities of the Romans, and had captured the famous Adrianople, and had reduced its inhabitants to slavery, he took care to transport them to the more distant cities which he previously possessed. Among these there was a certain man named Cinamon, elegant and handsome in his outward appearance, but far more illustrious and brilliant in the ornaments of his soul than his companions. In the distribution of the captives, he fell by lot to Ombritag, the son of Crubus. He was beloved by his master and by all the rest, because he excelled everyone without dispute. This alone troubled them, however—that he differed from them in the worship of religion. ^B Therefore, that barbarian left nothing untried in order to alienate him from Christ. And he first made trial of this through this experiment: having celebrated a splendid sacrifice, and having prepared a sumptuous table, he ordered the brave Cinamon to be invited so that he might attend the banquet with the other princes. But he, having learned that which Paul had written—or, to speak more truly, being well mindful of it beforehand—that *there is no convention between Christ and Belial*, and that it is not possible for those who believe in Christ *to drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons*, ^C he utterly refused to approach that banquet.

30. But because the Barbarus pressed him hard, forcing him to partake of the food offered to idols, the man, filled with divine confidence, confessed clearly, saying: “I am a Christian, and I serve Christ, who is the true God, and who made heaven and earth and all things visible and invisible. And man, formed by His own hands and gifted by Him with reason, when he had later fallen, He mercifully raised up; and He has bestowed upon us, who are endowed with reason, the true knowledge of God. He Himself is also to come as the Judge of the living and the dead, and will render to each according to his works, and will demand back from each one what He entrusted to him. I believe this, and the…”

^A deposit of the faith I study to guard. But those gods of every kind whom you worship, I know to be truly demons, as I have been taught by the divine Scripture, which says: “All the gods of the gentiles are demons.” But if you bring forward to me the sun and the moon, and compel me to marvel at their splendor, hear this: that I too marvel at them, but only as creations, and as things servile and subject, not only to God, but also to us men. For in order that they might serve us, they were brought forth by the Creator from non-existence into existence, and being led by the hand by their beauty, I ascend to the One who created them. “For from the greatness and beauty of created things, the Creator is proportionately perceived; and His eternal power and divinity are made manifest from the creation of the world.” ^B If these things are such as they are, what must be the beauty of the One who made them? I will not, therefore, worship these; far be it! But I will worship and honor in every way the One who made them, who is Christ the Lord, who together with the Father and the Holy Spirit is worshipped by us.” Ombritagus, not bearing these things with a calm mind, but filled with fury (for what else was to be expected from a barbarian and bloodthirsty soul?), ordered that he be beaten unmercifully, saying, “Do not despise our gods, of whose power a great proof is the fact that they have subjected the entire Roman domain to us, who worship them. For if your Christ were the true God, as you claim, He would by all means have fought for you and preserved you in the liberty you once enjoyed, since He is loved and worshipped by you.” Having said these things, he ordered him to be ^C thrown into an iron prison, where the servant of Christ remained until the death of Ombritagus.

31. Since he departed this life, he ended his days leaving three sons. The elder was named Enrabotas; the second, Suinitzes; and the remaining one, Malomirus, who also obtained the paternal rule. Enrabotas, however, who was also called Boinus, by divine providence remembered the most Christian Cinamon, and sending a messenger to his brother Malomirus, asked that he search for him diligently and, having found him, send him to him. He, not setting aside his brother’s command, sought the man, and finding him in prison, full of hunger and squalor, pale and wasting away, a mere, so to speak, phantom of the former Cinamon, ^D took him out, and having refreshed and clothed him as well as he could, he sent him to his brother Enrabotas. When he saw him approaching, manifesting from every aspect the hardships of the prison and so changed in his entire bodily condition that he could only be recognized with difficulty, he inquired the cause of such a change. He, indeed, having first explained the tribulations of the prison, then regarding the body

^A of his own lowliness—a philosophy truly—said: "What is new, if that which is corruptible undergoes the corruption which is a generation of worms and decay? We must concern ourselves with another thing, the incorruptible and immortal, I mean the soul, the inner and true man; which we know, the more the outer man wastes away and is corrupted, so much the more is it renewed and raised up, flying lightly and easily to the heavens." And when he was asked by Enrabotas also the cause and the manner in which he suffered these things, he answered that the faith in Christ was for him the cause of such tribulation. "Because of which," he said, "I do not consider these things to be a calamity, but have deemed them the seasoning of all joys. And how could I have felt otherwise, when I considered how many martyrs before me had despised all the instruments of torture; and had accounted fire, and the sword, and the rage of beasts as no more than the phantoms and childish darts of infants, provided only that they kept the faith in Christ whole and unharmed? They, also, by dying, were translated to eternal and immortal life."

32. Enrabotas, therefore, ^B being wounded as if by a sweet dart by the love of the most sweet Jesus, and with his whole mind embracing the words of the most wise Cinamon, and taking them as bait on a hook, was seized and inflamed by the desire for the faith. He loved the man, and asked him in very frequent conversations about the matters of the Christian faith. And when he had learned

the great mystery of godliness,

33. When his brother Malomirus learned of these things, he took it ill, and summoned his brother Enrabotas; and when he came, he did not receive him as a brother, but as a deserter of the paternal religion, and burning with zeal ^C for his gods, he did not behave toward Enrabotas as to a brother, but as to an apostate from the faith handed down by his fathers. "I command you," he said to him, "to depart from the worship of the alien God, or," (pointing to the executioners and the sword), "know that you will be delivered into the hands of those men this very day." ^D But he, choosing death for Christ's sake, and thirsting for it more than the brother for his blood, immediately answered his brother, saying: "Nothing shall separate me from the love of Christ; not fire, not the sword, not the scourge, not any other terrible torment whatever. It is better for me to suffer death for the name of Christ, than to live shamefully and lawlessly with the impious. Do I not hear the prophet David clearly crying out and saying:

^A “I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, and will not sit with the ungodly” (Ps. XXV, 5)? And again, “I have chosen rather to be an outcast in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of sinners” (Ps. LXXVII, 11), that is, in the concord and fellowship of the faithless. But Solomon also says: “The sacrifices of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord, because they are offered in transgression” (Prov. XXI, 27). For what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what concord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever, or one who is pure with one who is unclean? But why say more? In a word, I loathe and turn away from the idols of the Greeks as impious and unclean, along with their entire worship. But Christ, as true God and Creator, I adore and honor, and I render to Him the worship befitting such a relation.” Hearing these things, his impious and lawless brother immediately pronounced upon him the sentence of death. ^B While he was being led to the place of slaughter, he was filled with the Divine Spirit, and began to speak prophetically concerning things to come, saying: “This faith, for which I am brought to perfection today, shall be spread and extended throughout the entire Bulgarian land, even if you think to repress and check it by my death. And indeed, in every place the sign of the cross shall be fixed, and pure priests shall purely minister to the pure God, and sacrifices of praise and confession shall be offered to the life-giving Trinity. Idols and their altars and profane temples shall be utterly ground to pieces, and shall be brought to naught as if they had never been. And you yourself, not many years hence, having reaped no fruit from such great cruelty, shall miserably breathe out your wretched soul.” Having clearly foretold these things, the noble athlete of Christ bowed his neck to the executioner, and receiving the life-giving death through the sword, he committed his precious soul into the hands of God. ^C But for Malomirus, when he had lived on for three more years, the sickle of divine justice mowed down his life prematurely, and the son of Suinitzis, the nephew of Malomirus, obtained the principality of the Bulgarians.

34. But here, look with me at the immeasurable wisdom of God, which often lifts the human soul toward things above through tribulations and straits, just as a water-conduit forces water upward through the narrowness of its pipes. Consider also the discernment of a good soul, which has recognized the divine will of God. For when the aforementioned wonderful Borises had taken the principality, a cloud of Franks covered all of Bulgaria. ^D Added to this was also a most severe famine, so that the Bulgarians were in a terrible state (Isa. II, 18).

^A by the sword of war and the noose of famine. But Borises, although still a youth, recognized the divine scourge, and that it was sent by the chastening Father and Lord, wishing to draw his children and servants to the knowledge of the truth—concerning which children David, the progenitor of God, says: "I said: You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High" (Ps. LXXXI, 6). He therefore sent an embassy to the Roman emperor and the senate (Michael, son of Theophilus, was then ruling the Roman empire), so that, once a peace treaty was established with him, they might henceforth live a life of tranquility and freedom from all disturbance, in all piety and honesty; for what else could it be, if they were truly to live with one another in fraternal concord and charity? He also added a valid argument for his righteous intention, namely, that he himself also wished to receive holy baptism; for which purpose he asked that priests be sent to him, who would instruct them in all things pertaining to the Christian faith. The Romans gladly accepted the message of peace, which they had never hoped for from the Bulgarians, ^B and performed everything with haste. Borises was therefore baptized and named Michael from the holy baptismal font; for he wished (so they say) to find favor with the Roman emperor, being called by the same name as he; for he also was pleased to receive him from the holy font, even though he was not present in body. At the same time with the prince, all those among the Bulgarians who surpassed the others in nobility of lineage, the splendor of their dignities, and the abundance of their wealth were baptized. The rest followed their example, except for a few whose nature was altogether bestial. But Borises, having gathered a small army against them—since he was strengthened by the assistance of Christ—was easily able to defeat them ^C and compel them to receive holy baptism.

35. From this time on, bishops were appointed, more priests were ordained, and holy temples were built; and those who were not previously a people, but a barbarian race, now became and were called the people of God. And the inheritance of the Bulgarians, which formerly had not obtained mercy, God called "having obtained mercy" (1 Petr. II, 10), who calls things that are not as though they were (as Paul also joins Osee in speaking) (Rom. IX, 25; Os. I, 9). And the people who formerly sat in the darkness of ignorance saw the great and true light of knowledge, which enlightens every man coming into this world (Joann. I, 9). ^D From that time, therefore, it was possible to see the churches being rapidly multiplied. For the holy temples, which the aforementioned Huns and the Bulgarians themselves had originally torn down, were then from the foundations rebuilt and raised up by them.

^A magnificently restored, and they filled the whole land with the glory and praise of the Lord. Here was fulfilled what was said by the prophet Ezekiel: *And the house of the Lord was full of glory*; and again the same, *The whole earth is full of the glory of the Lord*. But David also says: *His praise*, he says, *in the church of the saints*; and again: *In the churches bless ye the Lord God from the fountains of Israel*, that is, from the race of the Bulgarians. For these too have become, according to the Scripture: *A royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people*, an immovable inheritance. One faith, one baptism, one God over all, and through all, and in all.

36. Moreover, Boris reigned in peace and tranquility, and not a few nations were made subject to him. For he placed his firm confidence in Him who takes away wars, and breaks the bow and snaps the weapons, and burns the shields with fire, and grants liberty, and that he himself might acknowledge God alone. Having lived thirty-six years in the kingship, ^B and having strengthened the faith, he then fell into a severe illness; and for this very reason, giving thanks to God, he uttered that prophetic word, saying: *It is good for me that thou hast humbled me, that I might learn thy statutes*. Having then shorn his hair, he turned his mind toward God; and he handed over the kingdom to his first-born son, named Vladimir. After having lived not a few years in the monastic habit as well, he departed to the eternal life, the Lord having glorified him after death by many miracles which were performed divinely through his bones.

37. In the times of this king, Saint Germanus appeared in the Bulgarian region; and those saints also appeared, of whom we have made this present discourse, making their appearances more manifest in the city of Tiberiopolis, ^C where they were seen now standing in the place where they had been deposited, and now walking at night upon the wall of the temple. And since they lavishly bestowed healing upon all who asked, they were celebrated by all. The report concerning these things reached the ears of Michael, king of the Bulgarians. He, being as he was most fervent toward all things divine, ordered that a temple be erected for the saints in the bishopric of Bragalinitza (which was then done), and that the holy relics of them be transported thither; which was not neglected. ^D When this command was given to the count Taridinas, a Bulgarian man, not only most noble by birth, but also most industrious, this Taridinas did not appear neglectful regarding the work; but, having naturally taken his own diligence and

^A added the zeal of faith toward the miraculous martyrs, he completed the temple with great speed, using the hands of many. Then, having gathered together the pontiffs, priests, princes, and a great multitude of the people, they proceeded with hymns and incense to Tiberiopolis. Standing in the place where the saints were accustomed to appear, they performed a long prayer with fervent tears, and began to dig and remove the earth. When they had dug sufficiently, they came upon the urns of the saints, which were covered with slabs of polished marble, upon which were inscribed the name of each one, the form of their stature, their manner of life, their rank, and their facial features. Having taken these marble slabs, they gave them to men to carry to the episcopal house of Bragalanitza, so that when the relics of the saints had been translated there and placed in a sacred spot, they might again serve as a covering for them. The relics themselves, they wrapped in clean linens and placed in wooden chests, which they had crafted on purpose for the conveyance of the same, and they began once more a long prayer to the Lord, ^B who is wondrous in his saints, imploring his mercy upon themselves.

38. Meanwhile, as these things were being done, and they were about to lift the chests onto their shoulders, one of the readers, who for many years had been so hindered in his tongue by an infirmity that had befallen him that he was altogether unable to utter a voice, approached with the others to see what was taking place. And behold, in a moment of time (O the greatness of thy miracles, O Christ, Word of God!), the bonds of his tongue being loosened, he ran forward like one possessed or driven by a star to those sacred containers which enclosed the relics; and utilizing a clearer voice, he became a herald of the benefit he had received, returning thanks with that same instrument in the greatest way he could: thus he experienced in himself the virtue of the saints, repaying with speech the faculty of speaking he had received. When the people saw and heard this—that he had been for a long time altogether deprived of his voice, and from this perceived the greatness of the miracle, which declared the power of the saints—they crowded around the chests of the saints, kissing them, embracing them, and clinging to them so tightly that they could not be pulled away from them. ^{C D}

39. But the inhabitants of Tiberiopolis, they were moved even more fervently, and said to the count and the bishops: "We will never release our good treasure; nor, even if our life were to be prolonged for only one single day, shall we suffer to be deprived of the gift of God, which supreme Providence has granted to us for the salvation of our souls and bodies. We shall not endure that an uninjured and inviolate treasure be snatched from our hands and bosoms."

We are ready to be bound, to be punished, to be sent into the fire, and to undergo death itself. This death will not be an inglorious one for us. Whether we stand about the coffins, we shall sacrifice our bodies there, and cast away our souls. Let us not allow the sinews of our zeal to be softened; let us not appear truly unworthy of such grace. We shall indeed appear so if we yield these things to others. How many fall in battle for the sake of goods that are free ^A and perishable, and of which they are often not the masters themselves, but some other lord, for whose wages they endure the war! But for us, the good is our own, incorruptible, and eternal. How great a weakness it would be, then, to yield this to those who wish to take it! What other place could we have holier than a tomb, or this one, which covers these holy ones, and where shortly before we have partaken of the meal together?

^B 40. As the multitude was saying these things, and feeling bolder than it ought (for zeal is fervent, especially in a common crowd), like someone grasping at light fuel, a great fire was stirred up from a small spark. The Count, with the bishops, having with difficulty secured silence in the midst of so great a tumult, cried out, "What is this, brothers and children? What is this thoughtless audacity and uprising? If I had of my own accord undertaken this matter, and were of my own volition forcing upon you this painful translation of the holy ones, your resistance would have had a cause. But since this is a command of our God-loving Emperor, and we are sent merely as ministers and executors of the command, what reason is there that those who acknowledge and confess themselves to be servants, should be unwilling to submit to a lordly command? Do you not know of the bitter tortures prepared for those who violate kingly commands? See that you do not, by your great boldness, stir up the anger of our most gentle and Christ-loving Emperor against you, and force him to depart ^C from his natural kindness. Do not be so distraught as to leap upon axes and swords. Such a death would be inglorious; for boldness is not pleasing, even if you should carry away a crown of glory. Do not make this divine and holy place a graveyard; do not profane this temple, polluting it wickedly with civil blood." While these things were being said by the Count, the multitude stirred up an even greater tumult, and all showed themselves more prompt and fervent to undergo death. Here the Count turned to all sides, attempting now to mollify them with mild words, ^D now to restrain them with the severity of his threats. But as time was running out, and neither side was achieving anything, but both remained without success, they finally came to an agreement that only three of the more distinguished holy ones should be taken—namely, Timotheus, Comasius, and Eusebius—and that the rest should be left in Tiberiopolis.

^A 41. They set out then with great doxology, the carrying of many lights, and the pouring forth of sweet odors, and traveled toward Bragalinitza. But when they were about twenty stades away from that city, a man met them who had distorted feet, crying out in a loud voice: “Have mercy on me, O saints of God, wretched as I am, who, hindered by this bodily infirmity, could not come to you with the others; yet in my thoughts and faith I have always embraced you, and I have invoked your power. Even now, doing violence to my own infirmity, I have come here before you arrive at the city, imploring your succor and aid. If, therefore, you have any power, help me, pity me, I beseech and entreat you, most miserable that I am. Do not, I pray, let me be put to shame, for I have hoped in you, and do not let me return humbled and confounded, nor let me be defrauded, I beg, of my hope and your protection.” As the lame man was saying these things with tears, immediately the grace of God did what is proper to It, and the Lord, who is “wonderful in his saints,” ^B manifested His own power. For the caskets of the saints, which up to that point were being carried quite lightly, suddenly seemed so heavy to those carrying them that they were unable to bear them any further. And so they were put down right there. But that man with the distorted feet, falling before them—and what pitiable things did he not say, and what was he not doing to move them to compassion—immediately perceived that his feet possessed their natural power and movement. He walked about, glorifying God and praising, magnifying, blessing, and honoring with voices of thanksgiving the Lord and God, who is wonderful in His saints at all times and in every place. Here let the divine David join his voice with mine in that psalmic utterance: “Wonderful is God in his saints, the God of Israel.” ^C And again: “Make wonderful thy mercies, O Lord, who savest them that hope in thee.” And again: “The Lord hath made wonderful his mercy over them that fear him.” And these things indeed happened in this way. But let us return to our subject.

42. After an intense prayer had been offered by the priests, they again undertook to carry the caskets of the saints; and they were light and airy again, just as they were before. And in this way, magnifying and blessing the Lord to a greater degree, they arrived at Bragalinitza; and having performed such rites as were fitting, they deposited those divine caskets on the right side of the temple that had been built in their honor, on the twenty-eighth day ^D of the aforementioned month. Clergy were also appointed for this holy temple who knew how to perform the sacred rites in the Bulgarian language, so that they might preside over it and perpetually chant the sacred praises.

43. However, that man who had received the healing of his feet...

^A did not make good use of the benefit. For having returned home, and having cast greedy eyes upon a woman joined to her husband lawfully, and having seduced her with deceitful words (for a woman is prone to deception and easily swayed by amorous language), he departed with her to another region. But divine justice did not slumber long concerning him, but seeing the magnitude of his iniquity, it inflicted upon him the punishment he deserved. It twisted the feet of that son of a stranger once again, who had defrauded his own goal of the grace received from the saints, and limping from the divine and straight path, he ran into crooked and wicked ways. ^B Concerning such men, it seems to me, Solomon has spoken, as indeed holds true: "He who walks uprightly, walks confidently; but he who perverts his ways, shall be known" (Prov. x, 9). What, then, did he do? He recognizes his transgression, and immediately breaks the bond of his unlawful union. He releases the woman to her former husband, and he himself, running to the saints and falling before their sacred shrines, uttered tearful cries, and confessing his sin with a contrite heart and a spirit of humility, he entreated to obtain forgiveness for this, and also begged for the restoration of his feet to their upright state. ^C Therefore, the God of those who repent, at once glorifying His saints as is His custom, again restored his feet to rectitude and perfect health (for he was in heart, as it appears, otherwise inclined toward the good). Wherefore that saying of the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled, which says: "Then the lame shall leap as a hart, and the tongue of the stammerers shall be clear" (Isa. xxxv, 6). And again: "Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees" (Isa. xxxv, 3). And what follows? Having bid much farewell to the world and to those in the world, he betakes himself to the mount which was of old called sacred, but now is called holy; and drawing near to the greatest of the monasteries there, and having assumed the monastic habit, he consecrates himself wholly to God alone and to divine things, and dwells henceforth as one alone with the One God. Such, then, was this miracle.

44. ^D There was another man who, for a long time, had been tyrannized by an unclean spirit, and to such a degree that it was necessary not only for him to be bound with chains about his neck, but also for his feet to be fettered with iron leg-irons; he was a scourge to the hearts of those around him, and a grievous and incurable wound. For he caused them grief, being thus tormented by a bitter demon. Since they had nothing else to do, they decided to take refuge with the saints. He is bound strongly in chains and led to the temple of the saints. But since they could not contain him, they bound him to a very large tree standing outside the temple. He remained, therefore, bound to the tree for three days, appearing to all who saw him a spectacle worthy of lamentation and tears. But of those who were guarding him, some were overcome by sleep, and others having gone to various places...

he leaped up; and running toward the urn of the holy Eusebius, he attempted to lift the marble covering of the urn. There appeared to him from the casket a man terrible and entirely fiery, who, as soon as he rose up, threatened the unclean spirit, saying: "How did you dare to enter the house of God and to torture His creature so cruelly?" Having said these things, he seemed to re-enter the urn. The demoniac, having been healed, was a wonder to all from that moment, rendering glory to God and to His servants. ^A

45. Another paralytic again, who was not able to move at all—and who committed even his natural evacuations in the very place where he lay, a circumstance that had filled him with foul odor and putrefaction—was carried by his relatives and placed near the urn of the holy Eusebius, being separated from the dead only by his breathing. Accordingly, the saint appeared to him for three consecutive nights, and anointing him with holy oil over his whole body, finally said: "Behold, you have been made whole; go to your house, by the grace of Him who healed the paralytic and said to him: 'Take up your bed, and walk' 81." Then he, rising up before everyone, walked about whole and robust, having shed his paralysis no less easily than if he had cast off a light cloak. ^B

46. Let another also come forward, who was also afflicted at intervals by an unclean spirit. Since he was at one time conscripted, he was sent with one of the king's couriers. Although at that time he was seized by a recurrence of the demonic evil, nevertheless the urgent journey of the courier compelled him to depart then. Moreover, he spent a whole day enduring that grave vexation of the demon. But when he felt himself to be a little better, having mounted his own horse and loosened the reins, he hurried so that he might travel as quickly as possible along the royal road which leads to those saints. And so, carried continuously by the horse, he arrived at the vestibule of the temple; and immediately leaping down from the horse, he enters the temple, and falling before the urn of the great Eusebius, he was emitting roars and loud cries, then, having lifted the marble cover of the urn, he leaned it against the wall. ^C In the meantime, however, his mouth was being twisted to one side. But divine grace was not sluggish even in this occasion; rather, that man was quickly freed from the scourge of the demon, his mouth being restored to its natural state, so that he might use it for the common necessities of speech as well as for glorifying God. Thus, therefore, did God perform such and so great miracles, glorifying His saints, ^D

^A according to what is said: "Whoever glorifies Me, I will glorify."

47. Uladimirus, however, Boris’s son, as we have already said, from that time took over the administration of the kingdom. And when he had survived for four years in the principality, his younger brother, whose name was Simeon (94), was moved to the administration of affairs. By his order, Distrus the count transferred the saints, Socrates and Theodore, from Tiberiopolis to Bragalinitza and placed them in the same temple near the others. ^B Furthermore, from that day many more miracles flowed from them, which, being proclaimed everywhere, invited all to the enjoyment of divine gifts.

48. Hence also a certain woman from the province of Bragalinitza, who because of her only son, who when he was already seven years old was deaf and dumb, was greatly afflicted in spirit, drew the grace of the saints to herself. Moreover, she, having despised female weakness and being undaunted by the length of the journey, having taken the child with her, approached the fountain of miracles which contained the saints, namely their sacred and divine temple: and there, suffused with tears, day and night she besought the saints that they might loosen the dire impediment of the tongue for her son, and for herself her bitter sorrow. But on a certain night, after a more fervent prayer, when she was overly exhausted, she went out to the vestibule of the temple; where, having embraced the child, she reclined to capture a little sleep. ^C But suddenly the boy, leaping from his mother’s arms, began to flee. Then the mother, rising from sleep and perturbed by the strangeness of the occurrence, asked the boy what had happened to him. He then, with a clear voice, said, "Mother, mother! A certain terrible man wanted to snatch me from your bosom." She, astonished at such a thing, could not even believe it; but she imagined that she was seeing a vision (for such things, which can barely be hoped for, even when they have come to pass, are wont to seem incredible, and they need time in order to be believed). But becoming mistress of herself, and recognizing the truth, that it was not a dream that she was seeing, and that in reality the bonds which held the boy dumb were loosened, with a raised voice she gave the greatest thanks she could to the divine goodness.

49. Let another woman step forward. ^D She, indeed, being driven from country to country, was led by an unclean spirit; [index: entries preserved]

^A but at last, by a singular dispensation of God, she came to the temple of the saints; and while she was resting in the vestibule, she saw in a dream two elderly men, splendid and full of light, who said to her, "Enter you also with the others into the temple; enter, and to the priest whom you shall see applying light to the oil lamps, offer the head-covering you are wearing, and he will pray for your health." When she heard this, she immediately put it into execution and obtained her health at once.

50. ^B But let not the lame man be passed over by us. Though he was poor in wealth, to such a degree that he was forced to go from house to house in order to procure his necessary sustenance, while using wooden sticks for his feet, he was nevertheless not poor in faith, but in fact very rich; nor was his family alien to the orthodox faith. Him, therefore, after much time, he persuaded at last to carry him to the saints; and this they did. Then, showing the works of faith with tears and prayers, according to the prophetic saying, he leaped as a lame deer, and returned home using his own feet, having first suspended his wooden sticks in the temple as a trophy for his conquered infirmity and as a monument to the virtue of the saints and the grace received from them. But why should our discourse not also bring into the middle another, one both paralytic and blind, and relate how he was healed from both paralysis and blindness? Truly, the miracles of the saints flow to me like a river; therefore, avoiding the excessive length of my account, I shall proceed by a shorter way and make mention only of those that follow. ^C

51. A certain man, living by the river called the Bardarion, was possessed by an evil spirit, and sent forth every manner of foul speech from his mouth, being entirely unaware of what he was saying or doing. Being led to the saints and having obtained health—and having recovered the light of his mind, which had long been obscured by demonic darkness—he chose to serve in the temple with great alacrity, saying himself with David: "My soul longeth and faileth for the courts of the Lord" (Ps. LXXXIII, 1); and, "One day in thy courts is better than thousands" (Ps. LXXXIII, 11); and, "I have chosen rather to be cast down in the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of sinners." ^D Having thus spent three whole years in the ministry there, he returned home, keeping a perpetual memory of such great grace received from the saints.

52. Another, who had broken out in leprosy over his whole body and who also had dislocated feet, coming from Moglena, asked in anguish of spirit (as the Scripture says) to be liberated from one or the other of his two afflictions. But the Lord, who gives more abundantly than we ask, liberated him from both through the intercession of the saints. Another, mute from birth,

he had reached such an old age, and having already despaired of all healing, he remained at home, awaiting death as the only physician for the grief caused by his inability to speak. ^A While sleeping, these saints appeared to him for the third time, urging him to approach their temple and promising him healing if he did so. Persuaded, therefore, by what he had seen, he went to the divine temple on that very bright and great Sunday of Pascha. After the reading of the Gospel, he approached to kiss the holy book of the Gospel (oh the miracle!), and he who had grown old in total inability to speak cried out with a loud voice, "Kyrie eleison." Having been healed in this way, he returned home, spending the days of Pascha truly in celebration, not only of that feast then present, but of all the remaining days of his life.

53. A certain woman, ^B puffed up with wealth, had been deprived of the faculty of sight by a certain malignant humor flowing down from her head into her eyes; and not only this, but a foul and unsightly fluid was constantly flowing from her eyes, so that she was a miserable sight not only to others but even to her own husband. She had spent almost her entire fortune on doctors, and having found all things weaker than her affliction, she decided to flee to the cost-free healing. She approached the relics of the saints, requested to obtain mercy, and prayed that the flow of that disgusting fluid from her eyes might at last be stopped. When it pleased God, therefore, to grant her healing, she had such a dream as she herself afterwards recounted: "I seemed," she said, "to see an eagle flying down from above and settling upon my head, and covering me with its wings. ^C Disturbed by this, I awoke from my sleep, and while I no longer saw the eagle, I see now, as you see, healthily and clearly."

But let not the following account escape us. Certain soldiers once came to the dust of the saints, more boldly than was fitting; they were men who lived without restraint, and who took no care to live a disciplined life. When the guardians of the church saw them, they fled to what are called the catechumens and locked the doors. But one of the soldiers, seeing them, (oh what daring! oh what reckless impulse!) urged his horse toward the church; but he could not even reach the entrance of the vestibule, for immediately, along with his horse, he disappeared before the eyes of all. ^D When this frightened the other soldiers, it was more than sufficient to make them depart from the monastery at a run.

54. I have no satiety in recounting the wonders of the saints. Therefore, I will not omit the miracle performed on a certain man, leaving it untold. Although he often ate eight of the very largest loaves (which the Bulgarian race is accustomed to make, such that a single loaf is enough to satisfy ten men or even more), he was still, even then, hungry.

^A even when she had eaten an entire ram [f. when she had been satisfied to the full/with hunger], she was still held in the grip of hunger. At one time, after having devoured a whole ram, she felt as if she were fasting. She even said at one time that a whole bull was not enough to satisfy her hunger. And on one of the days, she devoured an entire winepress of grapes. But this was certainly the work of demons; for I consider diseases that are contrary to nature to be the molestations of demons. The man, having gained awareness of this affliction, was ashamed, yet not knowing what he should do, he began to travel around to all the places famed for miracles of the saints. Thus, he even went to Rome, calling upon the power of the great and chief of the apostles, Peter. He also sought out Saint Irenaeus, who was also very celebrated for his miracles. But since he obtained nowhere what he was asking for, it barely occurred to him to remember our holy ones here, and so he set out on a journey toward them. ^B When he saw the fortifications of the city from afar, and the temple in which the saints lay, he came to a certain stream of water, where he found an old man sitting near the outlet of the water. This old man was very graceful in appearance, his white hair lending him an air of beauty and veneration, and before the old man was bread. Now the man who was unable to restrain his aforementioned affliction was willing to ask for food from that old man; but thinking that with that small amount of bread his hunger would not be satisfied so much as it would be more sharply incited, he suppressed his desire to ask. Meanwhile, as he was thinking these things to himself, the old man called him, saying: "Come here, brother, and recline with me, and let us both taste of this bread." He, again pondering the same things as before, compared the smallness of that bread with his insatiable hunger. Hence, he hesitated for some time, wondering whether he should accept such a kind invitation. But finally acquiescing, he sat down by the venerable elder, who, having first broken the bread in two, and then dividing one of the halves into two parts, gave to that insatiable man one of these—that is, the fourth part of the whole bread—to eat. He, eating it, was satisfied so quickly that there was even a portion left over for him. Having taken this with him, he entered the monastery, being insatiable only up to that time; but thereafter he was completely freed from that infirmity, and never ceased giving thanks to God. And these things, indeed, regarding these holy martyrs. ^{C D} 55. I, however, resemble a man who strives to draw the abyss with a small cup, or to count the stars of heaven, the drops of rain, and the sand of the seashore; or one who pursues his own shadow, which he can never catch, but labors in vain, profiting nothing at all, as one who attempts useless and impossible things. For it is exactly the same to undertake to recount in order the miracles of these holy ones. Therefore, making an end of speaking here, I shall bring this narration to a close. But they, like a truly perennial stream and a torrent of delight and an inexhaustible fountain, flow indeficiency and shall flow, and are for those who believe a pledge and proof of the enjoyment of the eternal goods, which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and...

of the enjoyment of the eternal goods, which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man, which God has prepared for those who love him; just as the Lord our God and Savior Jesus Christ has also said in the Gospels: Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. And they shall partake of these even more openly and perfectly in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom is due all glory, honor, and adoration, together with his eternal, unoriginate Father, and his all-holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, now and unto all the unending ages of ages. Amen.

BY THE BLESSED THEOPHYLACT, ARCHBISHOP OF BULGARIA, AN ADDRESS TO ONE OF HIS FAMILIARS CONCERNING THOSE THINGS FOR WHICH THE LATINS ARE BLAMED.

^B Thy request has come before me, most pious son in the Lord; I have looked upon it and judged it to be right and worthy of an archbishop’s consideration, even though it is repelled by the condition of the present time as if by an austere and churlish doorkeeper. For you requested us to refute in brief, so far as possible, the errors of the Latins regarding ecclesiastical matters, since, as you said, they are both many, and possess no small power to rend the Churches. We, however, thus thinking