HISTORY OF THE MIRACLE WROUGHT AT BERYTUS
OF OUR HOLY FATHER ATHANASIUS
Sermon on the miracle wrought at Berytus, concerning the precious and venerable image of our Lord and God.
A Lift up the eyes of your understanding, and see the new and paradoxical miracle which has come to pass in these our days. Look upon the infinite goodness of God, give glory to Him, consider His ineffable love for mankind and the greatness of His providence, and with rejoicing take up this lamentation. With God, nothing is strange. For at this paradoxical miracle, which came to pass in those days, all the hearts of men were struck with awe. Truly the heaven was awe-struck at what was dared, and all the hearts of men were troubled. Truly all the abysses were struck with awe, the sun was darkened, and the moon and the stars were troubled at the act performed by the Lord’s providence: hear, all ye powers of the heavens, and be amazed, O generations of generations, at the great miracle wrought in these days.
B There is a city called Berytus, under the jurisdiction of Antioch. In that city there was a great multitude of Jews. A certain Christian, having taken a small dwelling near their synagogue, resided there. He made an image of our Lord Jesus Christ, standing full-length, painted in great beauty. After some time had passed, the Christian wished to move from that dwelling. He sought another larger dwelling, as he had need of it, and also so that he might be near to the Jews. Having found another house, he moved from there, taking with him all his possessions. But by the providence of God, who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth, and who shows His wonders to all those who believe in Him in truth, once the Christian had taken all his effects, as stated above, the image of our Lord Jesus Christ was left alone, for that man had forgotten it in the cell.
C A certain Jew, having taken that cell of his to dwell in, where the image of the King of all, Christ, was, and having brought all his possessions into the cell, he dwelt there, not noticing the image of the Lord, nor did he observe that place. Now one of the days, he invited a Hebrew,
A and as they were dining, the Jew who had been invited lifted his eyes, saw the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, and said to the Jew who had invited him, "You, being a Jew, how do you keep the image of this person?" And he uttered against the venerable image of the Master very many unholy and forbidden insults from his foul mouth, such as it is not even permitted to come into the mind of man; God forbid! And as the one who had been invited pointed out the image to the Hebrew who had invited him, the Hebrew began to swear by the Jewish faith that, up to this very hour, he had never seen this image. But the Hebrew who had been invited fell silent. Then he arose and went to the Jews, to the chief priests and teachers of the law among them, and said to them, "A certain Hebrew has an image of the Nazarene in his house, and I have seen it with my own eyes." Those who heard asked, "How can you prove this?" He said to them, "Follow me, and I will show it to you." They conferred to all meet early in the morning and take the cell in which the image of the Lord was. B 4. At the breaking of the day of the following morning, the chief priests and the elders were gathered, and taking the Jew with them, they went to the house of the Hebrew where the image of the Lord was. Arriving at the house, the chief priests and the elders and all the crowd burst inside and saw the image of the Lord. Then, filled with rage, they drove out the Jew who was living there and cast him out of the synagogue. And having taken down the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, they said among themselves, "Just as our fathers mocked him, so let us also mock him." Then they began to spit upon the face of the image of the Lord, and every one of them struck his face with the palm of their hand; all of them struck the image of the Lord, saying, C "Everything that our fathers did, let us do the same to his image." They say, "We have heard that they heaped many mockeries upon him; let us also heap them all." Thus they heaped infinite mockeries upon the image of the Lord, such as we do not even dare to relate. Then they say, "We have heard that our fathers pierced his hands with nails; let us do this as well." Having therefore prepared nails, they pierced the hands and feet of our Lord. Again they say, "We have heard that they gave him vinegar and gall to drink with a sponge; let us do the same." And they did likewise, placing a sponge filled with vinegar to the mouth of the image of the Lord. D They say again, "We learned that they struck his head with a reed; let us do the same." And having taken a reed, they struck his head. They say again, "We know more accurately that they opened his side with a lance; let us not neglect the least bit, but rather let us add to it." Having done this, they demanded a lance, and when it was brought, brandishing it, they pierced the side of the image of the Savior, and immediately a great quantity of blood and water flowed out. Struck with amazement at this unexpected miracle,
all who saw the powers of God and the wondrous miracles were seized with astonishment.
5. How unsearchable are your judgments, O Lord, and how boundless your goodness and great your mercy, O Master! Who shall declare your mighty acts, O Lord? Who shall make known all your praises, O lover of mankind, who do not desire the death of a sinner, but that he should repent and live? Glory to you, O Christ. Who is like you, O Master? Who besides you does wondrous and awesome things? O the miracle! O the magnificence of the Savior! The powers above even now shuddered at this. O what long-suffering! O what mercy! For formerly, for our sake and for our salvation, you who were without flesh were incarnate from the Virgin Mary and were crucified in that flesh, while remaining impassible in your divinity; but now, O Master, you have once again been crucified in your image, for the conviction of the impious and of all unbelievers, and for the strengthening of those who have believed in you in truth. But glory to you, O Master, who alone can do all things, together with our blessed God, with the all-pure Father, and with his Son, Jesus Christ, and with the good and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and to the ages of ages. Amen.
6. Hear, brethren, with the fear of God and with joy, the rest of what was ordained by the Lord. For after the side of the holy and venerable image had been struck with the lance, and the blood and water had gushed forth, the whole multitude of the Jews gathered together, saying to one another: "Since those who worship him claim that he performs many healings, let us take his blood and water and bring them into the synagogue, and let us gather all the sick of the people and anoint them with it, and let us see if what is commonly said is true." And bringing a vessel to the side of the Lord, mocking him, they filled the vessel with the water that was flowing out; and they gathered all who were ill, above all a paralytic whom they knew to have been paralyzed from birth. Bringing the paralytic forward, they anointed him, and immediately the man was strengthened and became whole. Immediately a great commotion arose throughout the city, as everyone flocked to the place because of those countless healings and miracles. The whole multitude of the Jews was stirred, and they brought forward their sick—paralytics, the maimed, the withered, the lame, and the blind, those possessed by demons, and others afflicted with various diseases; and all, being anointed with the holy blood and water from the side of the venerable image of the Lord, had their bodies made whole. All the chief priests and the elders and the people of the Jews believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, our true God, crying out and saying: "Great is the God of the Christians; great is the faith of the Christians. Glory to you, O Christ, whom our fathers crucified, and who has also been crucified by us in your immaculate and venerable image. Glory to you, O Jesus Christ, Son of God, who do great wonders. We believe in you, and
in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the consubstantial and indivisible Trinity. Be propitious to us, and receive us, as you received the thief upon your holy cross to repentance. A Enroll us, although unworthy and until now your enemies, with those who came after the eleventh hour; with them, I say, enroll us, and enlighten the eyes of our heart, which are darkened and which the wicked devil has shrouded in darkness, so that, being enlightened through your holy baptism, we may be deemed worthy to join your heavenly host. These things they cried out, saying and proclaiming with a loud voice the wonders of God. And the fame of this matter regarding the venerable image of our King, Jesus Christ, spread throughout the whole world; and all from the East and the West brought their infirm, and all were healed by the mercy of God.
7. After these things, the whole throng of the Jews approached the most holy bishop of the most sacred Church, running to him and saying: "Enroll us into the holy catholic and apostolic Church; baptize us and make us Christians." All cried out unanimously from the smallest to the greatest, together with women and children, saying: "One God the Father, one only-begotten Son, one Lord: him we confess to be God, and we acknowledge and know him; him we know to be God, him we believe, the one who was crucified under Pontius Pilate, C and rose on the third day, and was taken up in glory in the presence of his holy disciples, and sits at the right hand of God the Father." Thus, having glorified God with many praises, and having shown the holy image to the archbishop of that city, they recounted what they had perpetrated against the holy image, and showed the blood and water, and told in what manner it had come forth from the side of the Savior. Nevertheless, for the confirmation of all, the bishop took some of the holy blood and water, and when many infirm were brought to him, he anointed them and dismissed them whole. These countless miracles having occurred, all thus besought the bishop that baptism might be conferred upon them, and that they might be permitted to partake of the immaculate and immortal mysteries of the body and blood. Then the bishop, having accepted them and called together the whole clergy of the most holy Church of God, after having instructed them for many days, baptized them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and converted the synagogue of the Jews into a church of our Savior. D Furthermore, as they besought the most holy bishop, he consecrated their remaining synagogues into temples of God and into martyria of his holy martyrs, for the glory of God and the exaltation of the orthodox faith. He also appointed from among them presbyters and deacons, subdeacons, and readers. And thus there was great joy in heaven and on earth, because of the stupendous miracle of the venerable and sacred image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, in that city: for not only were bodily infirmities cured
such great joy came to be in heaven and on earth A over the paradoxical miracle of the honorable and holy image of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in this city; not only were the sufferings of bodies healed, but souls also were turned toward eternal life.
8. These things I have deemed it necessary to signify to your godliness B, most beloved and dearest brothers, for the utility and instruction of those who read, that your souls might be strengthened against that evil one, who rejoices in our ruin, and that we might be established upon the solid rock of the confession of Christ. Let us therefore give glory with joy and compunction of heart, and with thanksgiving, giving thanks to Him from a pure faith, that we may keep His commandments and His justifications and persevere in the knowledge of Him; for to Him belongs glory and power in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory and adoration, now and always, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
OF OUR HOLY FATHER ATHANASIUS
Concerning the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the miracle which occurred in the city of Berytus.
1. (12) Lift up the eyes of your mind C and behold this new spectacle, which has now come to pass. Look upon the infinite miracle of God, and give glory to Him, to God; consider His ineffable philanthropy, the greatness of His dispensation, and take up lamentation with joy. Nothing is strange for God. For our God is what He is, and before us, every heart of those who hear shall be struck with awe. Truly heaven was struck with awe at this daring spectacle; the abyss was troubled again, and the sun was darkened, and the stars and the moon likewise at what had happened. But again, all the powers of the heavens rejoiced at the dispensation brought about by the Lord. Hear, therefore, brothers, and be struck with awe, and understand what has happened in our days; understand, and incline the ear of your heart, and hear.
2. There is a city called Berytus in the borderlands of Tyre D and Sidon, and it is tributary to Antioch. In this city of Berytus, therefore, there are many multitudes of Jews. Now, near their synagogue, which is very large, a Christian took a cell in a house from someone; and while dwelling there, opposite their dining hall (13), he made an image of our Lord Jesus Christ, solemnly painted (14), having the image of our Lord Jesus Christ full-length. Having been painted...
A in this way, it stood in the house. Some little time passed, and the Christian, being in need, sought a larger house. This, I am persuaded, was ordered by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who wishes all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, manifesting his wonders to those who believe in him for the confutation of the impious and the strengthening of the faithful. The Christian, therefore, as I said, was seeking a larger house, and having found one in the city, he moved all his belongings there with joy, leaving behind—by the providence of God—the image of the Lord, as I have already said.
3. Now, a certain Jew took that house as a dwelling, in which the image of the Lord stood. And when he had brought all his belongings there, he dwelt in that house, not noticing that the image of the Lord was standing there. For he had not thought about that place, but having entered the house, he remained in it. But on one of the days, that same Jew invited a fellow countryman of his to lunch. And while they were lunching, the invited Jew, having lifted his eyes to the image of the Crucified, from the hour he saw the image of God, spoke against it many and shameful insults, which—far be it from me!—I do not dare to write down, such as that wicked Jew uttered against our Savior upon seeing that image of the Lord. But the Jew who had issued the invitation sought to reassure the invited Jew, saying that until that very moment he had not seen that image. The guest fell silent. But having departed, he went to the chief priests and accused that Jew who lived in the house with these words: "That man has an image of the Nazarene in his house." They, having heard this, were filled with great fury, but they remained quiet that evening. B
4. As morning came, the chief priests took with them that Jew who had made the denunciation, along with a great crowd of their people, and they went to the house of the Jew where the image of the Lord stood. Having arrived at the place, the chief priests and the elders rushed in with the informer, and they saw the image of the Lord standing there, pointed out by him. Then, filled with great fury, they expelled the Jew who dwelt in the house, making him an outcast from the synagogue. And having taken down the image of our Lord Jesus Christ, they said among themselves: "Just as our fathers mocked him, so let us also mock him." Then they began to spit upon the face of the holy image of the Lord, and they struck it with their fists C on the face, from one side and the other. And while they were striking it, they said: "All that our fathers did, let us also do against his image. We have heard," they said, "that they heaped mockery upon him; let us do the same ourselves." Thus they heaped infinite mockeries upon the image of God. I am at a loss to tell you what they dared to do then. They said further: "We have heard that they nailed his hands and feet; let us do that too." Then they nailed the feet and hands of the Lord's image with nails. Again, seized by fury, they say: "We have heard that they gave him vinegar and gall with a sponge…
let us also do this." And they did so, A placing on the mouth of the Lord a sponge filled with vinegar. Again they say: "We have learned that our fathers struck his head with a reed; let us do the same." And having taken a reed, they struck the head of the image. Finally, they say: "As we have accurately learned, they pierced his side with a lance; let us not omit anything, but let us add this also." Having ordered a lance to be brought, they told one of their number to brandish the lance, and when it was brandished against the image of the Lord, immediately a quantity of blood and water flowed from it.
5. Glory to you, Christ: you are incomprehensible, glory to you! Who is like you, O Lord? Who besides you performs terrible and astonishing things? O miracle of the magnificence of our Savior! Truly, the holy heavenly powers shuddered at this. How great you are, Lord, in your love for mankind! How great you are in mercy! For formerly, for our sake and for our salvation, you who were without flesh were incarnate from the Virgin Mary, you were crucified in that flesh, while you remained impassible in your deity. But now, again, you have been crucified in your image, O Lord, for the confounding of the wicked and of all unbelievers, and for the confirmation of those who believe in you in truth. But glory to you, Lord, who alone can do all things, together with your blessed Father and the holy Spirit. Amen.
6. And you, children, hear the remaining things, which his goodness brought to pass. For after the side of the image of the Lord was struck C by the lance, and the blood and water flowed forth, as has been said elsewhere, the chief priests and the elders of the people say: "Since his worshippers boast that he has performed many cures, let us take his blood and water and bring them into the synagogue, and let us gather all the sick of the people, and let us anoint them with it, and let us see if the things that are said are true." Then they offered a vessel to the side of the Lord at the place of the wound of the lance, from where the blood and water were issuing, and they filled the vessel. And leading D them off, mocking, so that, as they supposed, they might insult him before all, they gathered all the sick, first of all a paralytic whom they knew to have been so from birth, and bringing him forward, they anointed him. And he immediately leapt up, and the man jumped about, completely healed. Then they led forward the blind, and they likewise, having been anointed, began to see; countless demoniacs were immediately cleansed. A great tumult arose throughout the whole city, as everyone came running because of the infinite miracles. All the multitudes of the Jews dwelling in the city were moved, so that neither their synagogue, though it was very large, could contain them, nor the place, because of the infinite mass of the people running together on account of the infinite miracles. And all the chief priests, and the elders, and the people, and the multitudes of the Jews, both men and women and children, believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, crying out and saying: Glory to you, Christ, whom our fathers crucify-