Parthenius

ON SAINT PARTHENIUS, BISHOP OF LAMPSACUS IN THE HELLESPONT.

Fourth Century

Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus in the Hellespont (Saint)

I. B.

[1] The Hellespont, as Pliny writes in book 4 chapter 11, separating Europe from Asia by seven stadia, has four cities facing one another: in Europe, Callipolis and Sestus; and in Asia, Lampsacus and Abydus. at Lampsacus in the Hellespont And Lampsacus indeed (for thus the Greeks call what Pliny in book 5 chapter 32 calls Lampsacum -- Ptolemy book 5 chapter 2, Socrates book 4 chapter 4, Stephanus, Strabo book 13) -- Lampsacus, therefore, as Strabo says, overlooks the sea, ^a city memorable for the excellence of its harbor and other things. It was formerly called Pityusa, "because of the abundance of pines there," says Stephanus. It is situated in the narrow strait of the Hellespont, as Socrates states.

[2] This city, during the reign of Constantine the Great, was made illustrious by the holiness and miracles of Saint Parthenius the Bishop, Bishop Saint Parthenius whose feast on February 7 was noted by Molanus in his additions to Usuard, and by Ferrarius in his general catalogue of Saints. The Menologium published by Henricus Canisius briefly records: "Commemoration of Saint Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus." honored on February 7 with ecclesiastical office by the Greeks A more extensive encomium of him exists in the Anthologion and the Menaea; and in these indeed, the Office of this day begins thus: "The glory of the Hellespont, the luminary of Lampsacus, the splendid morning star of admirable works, the great Parthenius, summons us all by his memory to perform the spiritual solemnity and to celebrate Christ the Savior." They adorn him with other titles full of honor; for among other things they call him "an admirable and great Pastor, altogether wondrous, the very greatest and most renowned Pastor of Lampsacus, ^a celebrated wonder-working Hierarch of the Church of Christ, praised in the Menaea the boast of the Hellespont and the foundation of the faithful, ^a great Mystagogue, ^a divinely-minded sacred prophet, ^a wonder-working God-bearer, purging all the afflictions of the faithful, driving out spirits of wickedness." The great and admirable Pastor, utterly marvelous, the very greatest Pastor and most famous of Lampsacus, the celebrated wonder-working Hierarch of the Church of Christ, the exultation of the Hellespont, the support of the faithful, the great Priest, the divinely wise prophet, the wonder-working God-bearer, purging all the afflictions of the faithful, driving out malignant spirits. And more of this kind, which are drawn from his Life.

[3] His Life written by Crispinus His Life was written in ^a simple and candid style by Crispinus, his disciple (as is believed), certainly ^a native of Lampsacus and ^a contemporary, as he himself indicates in chapter 2, number 16, with these words: "A certain man named Maximinus, from the city of Byza in Thrace, who was ^a disciple of one of those who ARE AMONG US as deacons, here collated with ^a Greek manuscript named Pserta." This Life was translated from the Greek by Gentianus Hervetus; Aloysius Lipomanus published it, and from him Laurentius Surius. We have collated it with the Greek codex of the Most Christian King.

[4] Crispinus indicates the era of Saint Parthenius when he records that he traveled to Byzantium to see Constantine the Great. he lived under Constantine And Nicephorus Callistus, book 8 chapter 42, says: "Equal to these" -- that is, to Spiridon and Nicholas -- "was also Parthenius, Bishop of ^a certain city in the Hellespont, distinguished for the splendor of his life, his humanity, and his great wonders, to the extent that, having received power from God, he raised the dead, commanded demons, and was ^a ready and gratuitous healer of every kind of disease." he is thought to have attended the Council of Nicaea Baronius treats of him in volume 3, at the year 337, number 38 and following, and judges that he too was present at the Council of Nicaea.

[5] As for the conversion of ^a village most addicted to the worship of idols, which the same Baronius appends as having been procured by the steadfast patience of Saint Abraham the hermit, he was ^a contemporary of Saint Abraham the hermit we believe it certainly occurred in the time of Saint Parthenius, but that it pertains in no way to him or to the diocese of Lampsacus. Saint Abraham was Syrian by birth, and he led an anchoretic life in ^a place two miles from his homeland, as we shall show on March 16. "There was," says Saint Ephrem in the Life he wrote of him, "not far from that city ^a very large and spacious village, in which all the inhabitants without exception, from the least to the greatest, were exceedingly savage pagans, whom no one at all could turn from idolatry... who, made ^a Presbyter, was sent to convert ^a pagan village One day, therefore, the Bishop, sitting with his clerics, remembering this most blessed man, said to them: 'Such ^a man I have not known in all my days... I wish to ordain him Presbyter in this village of pagans...' And rising straightway together with his clergy, he hastened to the cell of the holy man... And leading him out of his cell, he suddenly brought him into the city, and there, by the imposition of hands, ordained him Presbyter, and promptly had him escorted with joy by the accompanying clergy to the village of the pagans... When the village had been converted, he withdrew secretly to another place"; and indeed, as it is later said in Saint Ephrem, he dwelt there. The same things are found in ^a most ancient Latin Life.

[6] Metaphrastes interpolated that narration thus: "At Lampsacus, which is ^a town on the Hellespont, not in the Hellespont, as Metaphrastes wrote there was ^a certain great village, populous, which is called Taenia." And afterward he names "the village which is on the Hellespont." Having narrated the conversion of the village, he adds: "He secretly stole away to ^a retreat." And then: "When in the place where he was hiding he learned these things through the Spirit -- namely, that Presbyters and Deacons had been created in that village -- he freed his mind from the cares of that village." And shortly after: "He returns again to his old dwelling; and having built ^a small house adjoining it, and having blocked the entrance, he gives himself over to his former solitude," or solitary life, in which, as we said before, he had Ephrem as his companion.

[7] But anyone who considers in his mind how far Mesopotamia is from the Hellespont -- how far Edessa from Lampsacus, but around Mesopotamia near which Ephrem and Abraham lived -- will easily understand that this man was not brought, as if from ^a nearby place, by Saint Parthenius, so that ^a Syrian should be set over Greek people.

LIFE BY THE AUTHOR CRISPINUS,

Translated by Gentianus Hervetus, Collated with ^a Greek Manuscript.

Parthenius, Bishop of Lampsacus in the Hellespont (Saint)

By the author Crispinus, from the Greek manuscript.

CHAPTER I

The birth, priesthood, and episcopate of Saint Parthenius; the church built; the destruction of ^a pagan temple.

[1] Moved by desire and love, I, Crispinus the sinner, Saint Parthenius supports the poor through fishing have undertaken to write the admirable and glorious Life and childhood education of our holy Father Parthenius the Bishop. For it is full of benefit for the soul, and it is able to show those who read it what God bestows upon those who love him.

[2] This blessed and illustrious Parthenius had ^a father named Christodulus, ^a Deacon in rank of the holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of God which was at Melitopolis, unlearned in letters but exceedingly strong in the memory of the Holy Scriptures. Growing in age, he would go to ^a nearby lake and fish there, and he supplied the profit from his fish for the use of those who were in need. For from his earliest age, deemed worthy of the grace of God, he kept himself hidden. When he was eighteen years old, he began to work signs, expelling demons from people by the invocation of Christ. When his good reputation had been celebrated by the conversation of many, the most holy Bishop of Melitopolis, named Philetus, having heard about Saint Parthenius, summoned him and, having greatly praised him, ordained him Presbyter -- even against his will -- and Visitator of the holy Church of Melitopolis.

[3] Furthermore, the grace of healings also assisted him in all who were sick, he is made ^a priest and he performed many admirable signs in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Among other things, it happened once that ^a man came to meet him whose eye had been gouged out by ^a bull. He was carrying it dangling in his hand and was weeping. When the holy man had taken it and placed it back in its socket, moistening it with water, he restored it to health in three days.

[4] he restores ^a gouged-out eye A certain woman, moreover, who had an exposed cancer on the private parts of her body, was asking the holy man to receive healing of her disease. The Saint, making the sign of the Cross upon her forehead, he heals ^a cancer with the Cross cured her immediately; and the disease fell away from her, to such ^a degree that the form of the cancer ulcerated even the very ground. Then all who were present, when they had seen this miracle, gave praise and glory to our God, who works miracles.

[5] When, therefore, the blessed Parthenius was once going to visit ^a certain sick person, suddenly along the way ^a dog of enormous size, breathing slaughter, he kills ^a fierce dog with the Cross and his breath having broken the chain that had been placed upon it, leaped forth from the house of ^a certain one of the nobles and attacked him, and stood upright upon his body. But when the Saint breathed upon it and made the Cross of Christ, it immediately withered, and he cast it down dead from his shoulders to the ground.

[6] When he had heard these and similar things, the most holy Bishop of the Metropolis of Cyzicus at that time, named Ascholius, [he is made Bishop of Lampsacus; he converts the citizens through preaching and miracles] having summoned this venerable and holy man Parthenius, adorned him with the dignity of the episcopate and bestowed ^a most great gift upon the city of Lampsacus. Now Parthenius, the man of God, when he had come to the city of Lampsacus dedicated to him and found it given over to the worship of images, was deeply troubled. But he did not cease, as the Apostle admonishes, to beseech, to rebuke, to show them the way of truth and the weakness and vanity of images; 2 Tim. 4:2 and performing miracles in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and healing their sick, he gradually drew them to the knowledge of God.

[7] When he saw them advancing in faith and despising the images, he wished to demolish their temples and build ^a church in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. But having restrained himself, having obtained authority from the Emperor Constantine he decided that since the Emperor was ^a Christian and pious, it was right that the demolition of the temples of the idols be done by his authority. When the servant of Christ, Parthenius, had determined this within himself, departing from the city of Lampsacus, he came to the royal city. It happened by chance that on the following day the pious Emperor Constantine went out in his carriage to inspect the fields. The holy man, therefore, approaching him, set forth his petition. The venerable and truly Christ-loving Emperor Constantine graciously received his petition and was greatly delighted; and he ordered him to go to the palace and wait until he himself should return from the fields. When, therefore, the Emperor returned to the palace, he gladly received the holy man, and embracing him, asked him to pray on his behalf; and he immediately ordered an edict to be issued for the cleansing of the temples of idols; and when he had confirmed this with his own imperial letters, he gave to Parthenius much gold for the construction of the holy church of God; and embracing him, he dismissed him in peace.

[8] he destroys the pagan temples When the blessed Parthenius returned to his own city of Lampsacus, he demolished the temples, and having designed ^a most beautiful and ornate house of God, he himself, personally attending to the work, took great care that it be erected. Indeed, since many travelers were sailing to and fro, it would not happen that they passed through without first seeing him; and having been deemed worthy of his blessing, they departed carrying it as ^a provision of many good things for their journey. he builds ^a house for Christ; he blesses those departing and arriving

[9] On ^a certain day, someone approached him who secretly harbored within himself the spirit of an unclean demon. Having had it for ^a long time, he was unaware of this. This man, therefore, when he saw the Saint, greeted him. But Parthenius, the man of God, having perceived the demon that dwelt in him, did not return his greeting. The demon, however, disturbed, said to the Saint: "Since I desired to see you, I greeted you. Why did you not greet me in return?" The holy Parthenius said to him: "Behold, you have seen me; what then?" The demon said: "I have both seen you and recognized you." The Saint said: he drives out ^a demon from one possessed "If you have truly seen me and recognized me, depart swiftly from God's creature." The demon said: "Is this the whole matter -- that you would expel me from my dwelling? Now I beg you, do not cast me out after so long ^a time." The blessed Parthenius said to him: "Has it been ^a long time since you have dwelt in him?" The demon said: "From his childhood. Nor was I ever known to anyone until now, to you. But you are expelling me, as I see; and where do you command me to go?" The Saint said: "I give you ^a place to which you may go." The demon said: "You will surely say to me, 'Go into the swine.'" The Saint said to him: "By no means; rather, I give you ^a man, and having entered into him, dwell there. But now come out of him." The demon said: "Do you do this in truth, or do you merely say this, so that once you have cast me out?" The Saint said: "I tell you in truth, granting it permission to enter himself I indeed have ^a man prepared, in whom you must dwell. Only come out quickly." The demon, persuaded by the Saint's agreed terms, demanded that the promise be carried out. Then the Saint, opening his mouth, said to the demon: "Behold, I am the man. Enter and dwell in me." But the demon, as though scorched by fire on account of what the Saint had said, cried out, saying: "Woe is me! You persecute me, existing in another's vessel after so long ^a time; and what evil shall I not suffer from you? How shall I enter into the house of God? It is not possible to hear truth from you Christians." Then the demon, departing from the man, went away into desert and inaccessible places; but the man became well through the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and perpetually praised and glorified God and his holy servant Parthenius.

CHAPTER II

The miracles of Saint Parthenius: in healing diseases, expelling demons, and raising the dead.

[10] he makes an altar from ^a notable stone, with the devil vainly opposing When the work of building the holy church of God was completed, the man of God devoted his effort to placing ^a table on which it was fitting to offer the spiritual and unbloody sacrifice to the Lord. When he had found in ^a certain place dedicated to idols ^a precious stone suitable for fashioning the work of the holy table that was sought, he had it beautifully crafted and fitted by artisans. When the work was complete, he ordered it to be brought to the church. When, therefore, the artisans had placed the stone upon ^a cart and yoked the oxen, they were leading it to the city. But the devil, envious and jealous of good works, not bearing the fire of the divine zeal of the holy man, threw the oxen into confusion and caused them, suddenly driven by an uncontrollable impulse, to hurl to the ground on his back the man who was leading the oxen, named Eutychianus; and the cart, its wheels turning over him, broke apart his entire bodily frame, and so he expired. When the servant of God, Parthenius, learned what had happened, he said: "This was plainly done by satanic malice. You shall not impede the work of God in this, O devil." And immediately, taking with him the pious men who were with him, he ran to the place; and standing near the corpse, and bending his holy knees, he prayed to God with tears and intensity, he raises the dead man by his prayers saying: "You, Lord Almighty, provider of life and death, you are not ignorant of the reason the author of evils, the enemy, contrived the death of your creature. But, O most benign one, as always, so now also show his effort to be vain; and make your servant Eutychianus ^a partaker of life, showing to those who believe in you your invincible power; for you alone are God, and to you is due glory forever. Amen." The just man was still pouring forth these prayers to God when the spirit of the dead man returned to his body, with all the people watching; and he who had been dead began to say: "Glory to you, Christ God, who also raises the dead." And when he had immediately risen and become as healthy as before, he took the oxen and drew the cart all the way to the church.

[11] he heals many sick people Then all who had seen this miracle, so far beyond expectation, gave glory and praise to the benign God, and they brought from everywhere all those who were sick and those who were afflicted by unclean spirits; and by the grace and power of the Lord Jesus, all were cured. Indeed, every art of medicine lay idle in the days of this holy man, because every kind of disease was cured by him freely in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Among these, he also cured the virgin daughter of Dionysius, Superintendent of the Imperial Transport, named Daphne, who was severely tormented by ^a demon, over the course of three full days. Another girl, the daughter of ^a certain Mamalius, who was the Prince of the city of Smyrna, named Agalmatia, who, seized by an unclean spirit, was rolling on the ground foaming and her entire body was rigid, he also cured. And ^a woman named Zoila, he frees three possessed women who had come from Persia and was miserably tormented by ^a divining demon, he freed not long afterward by the grace of the Lord.

[12] And again another young man, of Hunnic origin, ^a Presbyter's son, named Nicon, who was grievously afflicted by an unclean spirit -- another, rebellious against his parents, and therefore possessed his parents brought him and cast him at the feet of the Saint, asking him to have mercy on his youth and to free him from the unclean demon. The holy man said to them: "He is not worthy to be healed; for as ^a chastisement, ^a goad of the spirit was given to him. For he is ^a parricide. You yourselves, often treated with contempt by him, in the bitterness of your souls asked God that he be chastised. Let him remain as he is; it is expedient." But they, as parents who were overcome by their bowels of compassion, cried out, asking with tears: "Pray to God for him, that he may be freed from the savage and monstrous demon." The blessed Parthenius, having compassion on the abundantly flowing tears of the parents, prayed to God intensely for him, and immediately the demon departed from him, and the man was cleansed. he frees him by his prayers Then his parents received him well and returned home, praising and glorifying God.

[13] A certain woman named Alexandria, from Arisba, which is near Abydus, having ^a serpentine spirit -- hissing and destroying many -- was brought to the servant of God, Parthenius. [another from ^a serpentine spirit, by rebuking it; another by the laying on of hands and prayers] Having rebuked the spirit, he cured her and sent her back to her family. And ^a certain Synodius of Abydus had ^a virgin daughter who was afflicted by an unclean spirit in the mountains. Her parents, seizing her, brought her to the Just Man; and when he had laid his hand upon her and prayed, he cured her.

[14] Also ^a certain soldier named Axanus, who had all parts of his body paralyzed, he heals ^a paralytic with holy water and prayers; he raises ^a dead man was brought to the servant of God, Parthenius. Moistening him with water and praying, he sent him home walking on his own feet. And another man, named Alanas, ^a Syrian by race, by the operation of the evil demon that dwelt in him, was suspended from the upper level of the catechumens' gallery of the holy church which the holy man Parthenius had built, thrown down, and killed. The servant of God, coming to the corpse, raised him also to life by his prayers and drove the demon from him. A certain man named Eutropus, from Parium, brought his wife to the Saint, who had an unclean spirit, and he earnestly asked him to pray for her, he cures ^a possessed woman by breathing into her eyes that she might be healed of the demon that tormented her. The holy man, yielding to his entreaties, having received her and breathed into her eyes and prayed over her head, freed her from the demon. Then her husband, glorifying God, went to his house with her.

[15] another who was poisoned And ^a certain woman named Acacia, from the village called Celaeus, who was afflicted by an unclean spirit, was brought to him; and by the grace and power of the Lord Jesus, he dismissed her healed. A certain woman named Eucheria, wife of Agapius, ^a Magistrianus of Heraclea, who had been attacked by sorcery and whose intestines were being gnawed, was brought to the Saint; and when he had prayed for her for three days and given her to drink of the oil of the saints, he sent her home healed.

[16] A certain man named Maximus, from the city of Byza in Thrace, who was ^a disciple of one of those who are among us as Deacons, named Pserta -- he raises ^a dead man by his prayers this Maximinus, therefore, having fallen ill with dysentery, had been given up by all. When his parents learned of this, they came from Byza to Lampsacus to bury him. And having taken him with his bed, led by faith, they brought him into the holy church and placed him at the entrance of the Bishop, through which the servant of God was to pass. When the holy man Parthenius had come to that place and seen him lying lifeless on his bed, and his parents lamenting, and all who were with them weeping, he too wept. And bending his knees, he prayed to God for him, and by the power and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, his spirit returned to him; and immediately he who had been dead sat up and began to speak. And giving him his hand, he made him rise, and restored him healthy to his parents, so that the entire city praised God for the miracle that had been done.

[17] A certain woman, ^a Deaconess named Theophila, from the village of Asermus in the Chersonese, and with her ^a young girl Ruffina from the same village, he heals two possessed women with holy water who had been loosened and made paralytic by an unclean spirit, were brought to the holy man. Sprinkling them with water for ^a few days and praying, by the power of the Lord he sent them home healed to their families. The only son of ^a certain Presbyter Hilarius, from Ausadia, named Thalassius, who had been driven out of his mind by ^a malignant spirit, was carried to the Saint. Having received him and praying for seven full days, he restored him to his natural state, and sent him back to his homeland with his father, giving thanks to the Lord. likewise three others by his prayers And ^a certain poor old woman named Calliope, and with her ^a girl named Cyriaca, who were both being chastised by an unclean spirit, were brought to the Saint, who cured both through his prayers to God. And having given them also the things necessary for sustenance, he dismissed them in peace.

[18] Beyond these and the other miracles of this holy man that cannot be narrated, he casts ^a demon out of ^a dye workshop it happened that the workshop in which purple was dyed was being impeded by an unclean spirit that had settled upon it, and it was not producing the dye it used to; indeed, the unclean demon was appearing to the dyers and would not allow the Emperor's work to be completed. The result was that from this cause the servants and dyers were sustaining great danger and loss. When, therefore, the man of God, Parthenius, learned of this and was asked by them, he came to the place of the workshop with ^a prompt and eager spirit. And having summoned the unclean demon at work there and rebuked it with the terrible and holy name of Christ, he commanded it to depart from that place, as it cried out for all to hear that it was being driven by fire into the Gehenna of fire. When the Saint had given the command, the dyers filled the vats and, in his presence, immersed the wool. From that time it received the proper dye without any impediment, even in the future. And so both those who administered public affairs and all the dyers were freed from the danger that had threatened them from the Emperor.

[19] Hear also another great miracle that was performed by our holy Father Parthenius. During the season of tuna fishing, the fish were indeed being seen by the fishermen, likewise he drives away one interfering with the fishing, with holy water as though they were already in their hands; but when the nets were cast, they caught nothing, and they endured fruitless labor. This was an impediment from ^a diabolical influence, not in one or two markets only, but throughout the entire maritime region all the way to Abydus. All gathering together, they asked the just man to pray to God on their behalf. While he prayed with fasting and weeping, God revealed to him the cause and the satanic operation. Rising, he went without delay to each market all the way to Abydus; and blessing the water and casting in salt and invoking God, he ordered the nets to be brought and, in his presence, to perform the customary catching of fish. Then, casting their nets with great joy, by the power of the Lord and the prayers of the Saint, they obtained such abundance in the catch that they made up for the shortfall of the past time. While the holy man was sitting in the market near Ptelea and the fish were being caught and the net was being drawn, ^a very large tuna, leaping from the net, threw itself at the feet of the Saint. Having blessed it and prayed to God, he ordered it to be cut up and distributed to the brethren, to the glory of God.

[20] Once ^a certain man of Heraclea, named Callistus, whose feet had been paralyzed by ^a diabolical operation, he heals ^a paralytic; likewise one covered with ulcers was brought to the blessed Parthenius. Having cured him by the power of the Lord, he sent him home walking on his own feet, rejoicing and glorifying God. And another man, named Lesbius, from the island called Oa, was brought to the man of God. He was indeed covered with ulcers from his feet to his head, differing in nothing from ^a leper. Anointing him with oil and praying for three days, he sent him back healed to his family.

i. Greek: "Azanon."

k. Greek: "Alaban."

p. So the Greek manuscript. Gentianus has "Pageleoti." For the term and office of Magistrianus, see the Glossary of Meursius, where it is explained as "Agens in rebus" (agent in affairs).

q. Greek: "the oil of the saints." Whether this was oil sanctified by blessings, or flowing (as often) from the relics of Saints, or taken from ^a lamp suspended before relics or an altar, I cannot determine.

r. Byzia, ^a city of Thrace named by Ptolemy (book 3, chapter 11), the citadel of the Kings of Thrace, "hateful to swallows because of the abominable crime of Tereus," says Pliny (book 4, chapter 11). It is called Byza by others; here in the Greek it is "from Byzē." Gentianus translated "from Bizye."

s. I think the Chersonese of Thrace is meant, in which Sestus is situated, separated by ^a sea of seven stadia from Abydus, ^a city of Asia.

t. Greek: "from Sausadia."

v. Gentianus makes both of them old women.

x. "Many tuna teem in the Propontis," says Pliny (book 9, chapter 15), where he writes much about their capture.

y. Greek: "in the market near Pteleae." Gentianus: "in the market of Catapteleae."

z. Gentianus: "Lesbum."

aa. Greek: "called Oas."

CHAPTER III

Deeds at Heraclea in Thrace; various predictions; the death of Saint Parthenius.

[21] From the great and many miracles, therefore, which were performed by our holy Father Parthenius through the grace of God, I have made known to your charity ^a portion, as best I could -- not as one composing ^a discourse about ^a Father and Doctor in order to adorn him, on account of what is said: "The Lord will destroy all who speak falsehood"; but the deeds themselves bear witness, even those which occur after his death. He once went, while he was still alive, on business to the metropolis of Thrace, Heraclea; and meeting the Archbishop who was there, named Hypatianus, who had been brought almost to his last extremity, he inquired about the cause of his illness. When, however, the blessed Parthenius had learned through divine revelation that he was being chastised on account of avarice -- a Bishop, avaricious and therefore gravely ill in that he had usurped the goods of the poor and deprived them of these -- he went again the next morning to visit him and said to him: "Arise, great Lord. For you are not laboring from ^a bodily infirmity, but you are being chastised on account of ^a disease of the soul. Cast off this disease, therefore, and you shall again become well." The sick man answered and said: "I too know that I am ^a sinner, and that I am therefore being chastised. But pray for me, I ask you, that I may be relieved of my iniquities." Saint Parthenius said to him: "If ^a man sins against another man, perhaps prayer may be heard concerning him; but your disease tends toward God. What belongs to the poor, therefore, having effectively persuaded him to generosity toward the poor restore to God, and you shall always be healthy in soul and body." Then, coming to himself, he said: "Truly, Father, I have sinned against my Lord; but the Lord is just." And immediately, summoning his steward, he ordered all the gold that had been collected from the poor to be brought out into the open. When ^a sufficient amount of gold had been brought, the Bishop asked the Saint to distribute it to the poor. But he declined, saying: "When God gives you strength, you yourself restore to them what is theirs." Then he, sitting in ^a litter, went to the temple of the holy Martyr Glyceria; and having gathered all the poor of the city, he distributed to all abundantly. Now the benign and merciful God, who did not despise the widow's two small coins, and who again found acceptable the wealthy widow's offering in the time of the Prophet Elijah, he heals him by his prayers and who did not turn away from the tears of the poor and sinful harlot, and who approved the sigh of the publican -- he himself also, having found acceptable the repentance of the aforesaid Archbishop, within three days granted him perfect health.

[22] The servant of God, Parthenius, daily visited the sacred houses of the city, another, withered, anointed with holy oil performing his customary prayers in them. On ^a certain day, in the martyrium called "Near the Chilas," he found there ^a certain man lying completely withered. Having compassion on him, he asked for oil, and bending his knees, prayed with tears for him to the benign and merciful God. And when he had risen from prayer, gradually and little by little softening him with holy oil, he immediately, at that very hour, made him rise up healthy, and commanded him to return to his family on his own feet, glorifying God. When this miracle, which surpassed all expectation, was performed in the city of Heraclea, many other sick persons whoever suffered from any illness ran to the man of God, Parthenius, and by the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, all returned healthy.

[23] At the same time, Hypatianus was also with him -- he who at that time was Archdeacon of the city of Heraclea when these miracles were being performed. Having seen them, he fell at the feet of the holy man, asking him with tears and saying that in his estate many things had indeed been sown, but on account of the lack of rain, all had withered. "But come to the place," he said, "O venerable Father, he obtains rain by his prayers and tears and pray to God that he may send rain upon the earth, so that our entire homeland may be preserved." The venerable and holy man Parthenius went with ^a prompt and eager spirit. And when he had come to the place and seen everything withered, he wept; and bending his knees, praying for ^a long time with tears, he besought the merciful God to send rain upon the earth for the production of fruits. But the benign and merciful God, who always does the will of those who fear him, while the prayers were still in his mouth, covered the sky with clouds and sent down much rain and satisfied the earth. When they had entered the field, he sought ^a dwelling in which to perform his prayers. The Archdeacon Hypatianus, who was also the owner of the field, brought him into one of his rooms. He spent the night there in prayers; and when in the morning he had summoned the Archdeacon, he predicts the episcopate for ^a certain man, exhorting him to almsgiving he said to him: "Take heed to yourself, O Brother, for you are not unaware that your Bishop was chastised on account of avarice. For God has shown me this night that in not many days you shall become Bishop. See to it, therefore, that you always take care of the poor, for this pleases God above all things."

[24] The Archdeacon asked the Saint to come to his estate and bless the fields and vines. When the blessed man entered ^a very large region that had nothing growing, he said to him: "Why did you not sow it, likewise an abundance of grain from ^a barren field since it is so large?" The Archdeacon, weeping, said: "It was sown indeed, O good man, but my sins and the failure of rain have dried it out, as you see." The Saint said to him: "How many modii did God provide you from this region?" He said: "A thousand, O good man." The Saint said to him: "Do not be sorrowful, O Brother. All things are possible to him who believes. But God says to you through me, ^a sinner, that if at harvest time you thresh only the fruit that grows from this field, you shall find, as you said, ^a thousand modii; and of wine from ^a vineyard eaten by worms for it is easy in the sight of the Lord to do these things." He also brought him into ^a newly planted vineyard, which was entirely dried out and eaten by worms due to the lack of rain; the place was large enough to receive ^a sowing of eighty modii. The blessed man, casting salt, sprinkled the entire vine and said to the Archdeacon: "Be of good courage, for God gives you from this place ^a sufficiently great blessing, as it pleases him."

[25] When they had entered the city, he went to the Bishop to bid him farewell and to set sail. But the Bishop came forward to meet him and embraced him. likewise the Bishop's death When they sat down, the Saint said to the Bishop: "I announce to you, O Lord, that after not many of these days, you shall depart from the body and migrate to the Lord. For behold, Christ calls you -- he who is our true God -- and you shall leave ^a good successor, as the Lord has revealed to me: the Lord Hypatianus, your Archdeacon." The Bishop said: "The will of the Lord be done." And when they had kissed one another with ^a holy kiss, the holy Parthenius sailed from Heraclea and came to his own city of Lampsacus.

[26] It came to pass not many days afterward that the Bishop of Heraclea, seized by illness, fell asleep in Christ. all of which came to pass In his place the Lord Hypatianus the Archdeacon was made Bishop, in accordance with what the servant of God Parthenius had said. When it was summer, Bishop Hypatianus went out to his field to gather the fruits of the earth, and reaping what had grown from the dried and barren region, he found ^a thousand modii full of grain, in accordance with the word of the servant of God Parthenius. Likewise also in the time of the grape harvest, from the planting of the dried vines, God gave ^a great quantity of wine. When he had received by experience the fulfillment of what the Saint had predicted, he placed ^a tithe of both kinds of fruit -- both dry and liquid -- on ^a ship and brought it to Lampsacus, to offer it to the Saint, giving him the greatest thanks. But the Saint would not accept it, saying to the Lord Bishop Hypatianus: he orders the tithes of said fruits, offered to him, to be given to the poor "Giving thanks to God in all things, distribute them to the brethren." And when they had saluted one another, the holy Bishop returned to Heraclea and distributed the grain and wine to his brethren, as the man of God had commanded. Bishop Hypatianus, therefore, did not cease until the end of his life to narrate to all the great works of God which he had done for him through his servant Parthenius.

[27] When, therefore, the servant of God and venerable man Parthenius had shone forth upon the earth in this pious and angelic life, and had converted many from images to the living God, he was seized, as it were, by illness, and called by God, he rested in peace. having died, he is honorably buried by the Bishops The aforesaid Bishop Hypatianus, therefore, when he heard that the illustrious and venerable Father, our Parthenius, had migrated to Christ, leaving all that he had in hand, departing from the city of Heraclea, with ^a favorable wind, since God so commanded, arrived at Lampsacus that very night. Similarly also the Bishop of Cyzicus, and the Bishop of Melitopolis (where he had been born), and the Bishop of Parium named Eustathius, and the rest from the surrounding cities; and so, with psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, they laid him to rest near the church in the oratory which he himself had built.

[28] The holy servant of Christ, Parthenius, fell asleep on the seventh day of the month of February, according to the Roman reckoning, but according to the Asiatic, on the fifteenth; leaving us no small instruction through his perfect and immovable faith in God. Even after his death, he does not cease through his supplication to God to perform miracles, and is distinguished by miracles expelling demons, cleansing lepers, and healing every disease and infirmity, through the power and grace of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory and adoration, together with the most Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.