ON ST. ANTHUSA, VIRGIN,
AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
UNDER CONSTANTINE COPRONYMUS.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
The cult, eulogies, and place in which she lived.
Anthusa, virgin, of Constantinople (St.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. P.
The Roman Martyrology announces this holy woman on the present day with these words: At Constantinople, of the blessed virgin Anthusa, who under Constantine Copronymus, for the cult of the holy images beaten with stripes, Her memory in the Roman Martyrology, and in the Greek Calendars and relegated to exile, rested in the Lord. Thus, I say, the said Martyrology announces her, which it took from the Menology, translated into Latin by the most eminent Sirleto, and published in Canisius: where it is thus reported: On the same day (the 27th of July) the commemoration of the blessed Anthusa under the emperor Constantine, surnamed Copronymus: with a eulogy; with which she is honored also in the Basilian Synaxarion. Our Supplement, as we call it, to the printed Greek Menaea, from the Sirmond-Chifflet manuscripts, cited by us several other times, commemorate the same Saint, but a little differently: Μνήμη τῆς ὁσίας μητρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀνθούσης, τῆς συγκειμένης εἰς τὸν εὐαγεστάτην τοῦ Μαντινέου. That is: The memory of our holy mother Anthusa, resting in the most holy monastery of Mantineum. And presently are subjoined these two following little verses: Ἀνεῖπε Χριστὸν Ἄνθουσα παρὰ πλάνοις, Καὶ Χριστὸς αὖθις Ἄνθουσαν παρ᾽ ἀγγέλοις. That is: Anthusa proclaims Christ before the deceivers; before the angels afterward Christ names Anthusa.
[2] The rather long eulogy which is subjoined, we shall give afterward in place of her Acts, it is reported. or Life, which, if it was ever written, certainly has not yet come to our hands. But to that last announcement there is consonant, almost word for word, the announcement which is had in our copies excerpted from the Ambrosian library. Behold it: Μνήμη τῆς ἁγίας Ἀνθούσης, τῆς συστησαμήνης τὴν ἀγίαν εὐαγεστάτην μονὴν τοῦ Μαντιναίου. That is: The memory of St. Anthusa, who built the holy and most sacred monastery of Mantineum. Of the eulogy which is attached, account will presently be had. The memory likewise of St. Anthusa is found in the Arabic-Egyptian Martyrology; that is, as it adds, "of the Rose." If the author himself, or whoever added it, had considered the Greek etymology, he would rather have said "of the Flowering," "Florida," or "Florence," from ἀνθέω, "I flower." This is worthy of observation, that the Turin β and the Turin α treat of this Saint on the following day, according to our Henschen at the end of the eulogy, excerpted from the Ambrosian library praised above. But why the Roman Martyrology, which we too have followed, announces the Saint at Constantinople, we know no other cause than that she is said to have suffered under Constantine Copronymus.
[3] Let the annual memory of St. Anthusa now be followed by her shorter eulogies. The eulogy from the Basilian Synaxarion And of that one especially must we take account, which is read in the Basilian Synaxarion, and whose Greek text was published in print by us at the end of tome 1 of the month of July; and which accordingly, that it may be understood by those ignorant of that language, will here opportunely be made Latin. Thus, then, it sounds: St. Anthusa was under the reign of Constantine Caballinus. But sending farewell to worldly things, and burning with the desire of Christ, she lived in the mountains and caves: and when she had found a certain holy priest-monk dwelling in the regions of Mantineum, she imitated him in the ascetic life, and reached such a point of virtue that she entered a furnace violently kindled, and was not burned. But after the death of Sisinnius, a most holy priest, when it became known to Caballinus that she honored and venerated the holy images, being compelled by those who were sent by him to renounce their cult, but refusing to obey, she was grievously beaten. But afterward she signified to the emperor's wife, who could not bear children, that she would bring forth two offspring, this one a male, that one a female. When this had happened, the Saint was freed from her torment; and rendered the empress so well disposed toward her that she held her in a mother's place: and thus she fell asleep. That Constantine Copronymus was called Caballinus by St. John Damascene, and why, Pagi hands down at the year of Christ 727.
[4] The eulogy published by Canisius mentions nearly the same things, differing from this in these, and the Menology in Canisius. that the Saint is said to have been made worthy of many miracles by God Himself; that Copronymus ordered his cousin's brother to be beaten with scourges, whom that blessed Virgin was exhorting to the veneration of the holy images; that she herself received the sacred images kindled above her head; that presently, as is added, she is sent into exile; that she foretold the life and condition of both offspring; that the queen herself (or rather the empress) bestowed many benefits on the monasteries which were under her: that finally in extreme old age she went to the Lord. But more things which pertain to the deeds of the Saint may be seen in the eulogy, which, translated from the Greek, we shall subjoin to this our Commentary.
[5] Another Anthusa does not seem to be anywhere distinguished from ours. Baronius treats of her at the year 775, on occasion of St. Anthusa, daughter of Constantine Copronymus; where from the Menology of the emperor Basil he reports that the name was given to that Saint from our synonymous elder Anthusa; as he calls her in the margin of his text; but we, in our Greek copy of the said Menology or Synaxarion, at this day of the 27th of July which Baronius cites, do not find that addition; concerning which likewise we read nothing on the 17th day of April, on which that Anthusa was given by us. Both Anthusas Du Cange does not seem sufficiently to have distinguished in the Byzantine Imperial Families, page 125, where he speaks thus: The Menologies relate that the holy Anthusa foretold to the wife of Copronymus that, when she gave birth, she would bring forth a son and a daughter, and predicted the fortune of both. But the Menaea too hold that Anthusa herself was a daughter of the same Copronymus, who bade farewell to marriage, her father still surviving, etc. It is a wonder that Du Cange could write thus indiscriminately, if he had inspected the Menology of Sirleto on this 27th day of July, and the Menaea on the 12th of April, which he cites. Gononus, among the Lives of the notable hermits of the East, page 12, mentions ours from the Menology of the Greeks, whom Arthur du Moustier also inserts on this 27th day of July in his Gynaeceum.
[6] The monastery of Mantineum causes difficulty, in which the Saint is said to rest above in number 1; The place in which the Saint lived, and presently in number 2 we saw that she built the monastery of Mantineum. Concerning the regions of Mantineum, where she found the priest-monk, etc., you have in number 3. In Sirleto it is Martineum, corruptly, unless I am mistaken, contrary to the cited copies, which read otherwise. The regions of Mantineum likewise recur below in the eulogy, number 1. What this monastery may be, or what region, and in what place they are situated, it is not ready for us to determine. The matter is not elucidated by those things which are mentioned in that said eulogy in number 2, namely that the Saint, her hair now shorn, is ordered by Sisinnius the wonder-worker to dwell in a small island of a marsh, which is near the village Perikile. From a small anonymous island, as also from an unnamed marsh, and from some village which is indeed named, but is either of obscure name or of inquiry, what may this grove lawfully lend us safely? We read indeed in Socrates, book 2, chapter 38, page 144 of the Valesian edition: When he (Macedonius) had heard that in the province of Paphlagonia, and especially near Mantinium (κατὰ τὸ Μαντίνιον), very many were addicted to the sect of the Novatians. And a little after: But those who inhabited Mantinium, etc. But if that place can be understood here, its situation in particular remains obscure; Christopher Cellarius confessing, in his Notice of the ancient world, tome 2, book 3, chapter 8, page 193, where he treats of Mediterranean Paphlagonia, that this place is uncertain.
[7] most difficult to find: Suidas has Μαντίνειον, but although that were the place which we seek, it could not help us at all: because he mentions only the name of the place, being silent about its situation: Mantineum, he says, the name of a place. But since here the inquiry is concerning Mantineum, what region or province it may be, therefore there is no place for the "division of the Mantineans," which in the same Suidas is thus set forth: The Lacedaemonians divided the city of the Mantineans into five villages: and this was called the division of the Mantineans. For the same reason there cannot be understood here Mantinea (Μαντίνεια), the Arcadian city, noted in Suidas. But do the Mantineans whom he names belong here? Who would define this? since he leaves the notion of the name in darkness, saying that it is a gentile name. More we do not heap together here: because concerning the distinct and particular situation of the place here in dispute we despair, being about to spend further labor in vain.
[8] the copy which we give. Now we subjoin the eulogy of the Saint from our Sirmond-Chifflet copies, which both agree in it between themselves; as Papebroch left noted with his own hand at the end of the Greek text, which, transcribed by him, we here present in Latin and in print. Likewise agreeing with that eulogy in some things is that which is excerpted from our Greek manuscripts of the Ambrosian library; but yet with that other one, which
we have printed in full, is far shorter. Where use shall have required it, we shall compare both between themselves. The author is unknown to us.
EULOGY BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR,
From the parchment manuscript Synaxarion of Father Sirmond, and the paper manuscript of Father Chifflet, collated with another, shorter, of the Ambrosian library.
Anthusa, virgin, of Constantinople (St.)
FROM THE MANUSCRIPTS.
Αὕτη ὑπῆρχε ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλείας Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ Κοπρωνύμου γονέων εὐσεβῶν Σρατηγίου καὶ Φεβρωνίας. Ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν μητρικῶν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ἀγκαλῶν ἡ Μακαρία τὴν ἀγνείαν ποθοῦσα, ἐν ὄρεσι καὶ σπηλαίοις κατὰ τὸν Ἀπόστολον διῃτᾶτο, πάντα μὲν τὰ βιωτικὰ μισοῦσα, μόνην δὲ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἀσπαζομένη καὶ στέργουσα. Κατ᾽ αὐτὰς δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας μοναχοῦ τινος πρεσβυτέρου Σισιννίου καλουμένου, τοῖς τοῦ Μαντινέου χωρίοις ἐπιδημήσαντος, καὶ πᾶσαν ἰδέαν ἀρετῆς μετερχομένου, εἰς ζῆλον αὐτοῦ καὶ μίμησιν ἡ Μακαρία διανίσταται. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τυποῦται καὶ κανονίζεται· καὶ εἰς κλίβανον εἰς τέλος ἐκκαέντα πρὸς αὐτοῦ κελευσθεῖσα ἐλθεῖν, ἀβλαβὴς ἐκεῖθεν ἐξέρχεται, καὶ ἑθέρας ἀρετὰς ὑψιλωτέρας καὶ τῷ Θεῷ ἐγγίζουσας ἐκμανθάνει.
[2] Προσηγγέλλει δὲ αὐτῇ καὶ τὸ μοναστήριον συνίστασθαι, καὶ ἑνακοσίων ἀδελφῶν προστασίαν ἀναδέξασθαι. Ἔπειτα κείρεται τὴν κόμην, καὶ ἐν τῷ νησιδίῳ τῆς πελαζούσης τῇ Περικιλὲ * κώμῃ λίμνης πρὸς τοῦ θαυματουργοῦ ἐκείνου γέροντος οἰκεῖν ἐγκελεύεται. Ἐγκρατείᾳ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ τῇ λοιπῇ σκληραγωγίᾳ σχολάζουσα ἡ Μακαρία, τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ὁμοουσίου Τριάδος καταγώγιον ἑαυτὴν ἀπειργάσατο. Σιδήροις γὰρ ἑαυτὴν καταδήσασα καὶ τριχίνοις ὑφάσμασι ἀμφιάσασα ἔξω σαρκὸς καὶ κόσμου τοῖσγε νοῦν ἔχουσιν ἐγνωρίζετο. Καί ποτε τῷ μεγάλῳ Σισιννίῳ παραβαλοῦσα, νεὼν τῇ μητρὶ τῆς Θεομήτορος αὐτῇ ἀναγεῖραι κατεδυσώπει. Ὁ δὲ πάμπολλα τέως αὐτῇ νουθετήσας καὶ διδάξας, καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα αὐτῇ συμβαίνειν προειπὼν, ἀπέστειλεν, τῆς ἑαυτοῦ μεταστάσεως τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῇ σημάνας.
[3] Μέχρι δὲ τῶν τριάκοντα ἀδελφῶν τῇ Ὁσίᾳ φοιτήσασαι, καὶ τοῦ εὐκτηρίου οἴκου δομηθέντος, καὶ εἰς τέλος ἤδη τῶν ῥηθέντων τῷ γέροντι καταπειγομένων προσελθεῖν, μεθίσταται τοῦ βίου ὁ θαυμαστὸς ἐκεῖνος Σισίννιος. Πειθομένην δὲ ἀδελφότητα ἡ μεγάλη Ἄνθουσα βλέπουσα, δύο ναοὺς ἐκ βάθρων αὐτῶν ἀνέστησε τῇ Θεομήτορι καὶ τοῖς Ἀποστόλοις· ὧν τὸν μὲν Θεομήτορος ταῖς μοναζούσαις· τὸν δὲ τῶν Ἀποστόλων τοῖς μοναχοῖς ἀπεκλήρωσε. Πολλοὶ δὲ τοῖς τῆς μετανοίας κέντροις νυττόμενοι, καὶ πάλαι μὲν πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον Σισίννιον περιεγένοντο, νῦν δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὴν μεγάλην Ἄνθουσαν, ὑπ᾽ αὐτῆς παιδαγωγούμενοί τε καὶ τυπούμενοι. Πλήρης γὰρ ὀρθοδοξίας καὶ δικαιοσύνης οὖσα, πᾶσαν νεωτεροποιὸν αἵρεσιν ἀπεστρέφετο, καὶ ἐκ τούτου περιβόητος γενομένη, μέχρι καὶ τῶν κρατούντων ἡ περὶ αὐτῆς φήμη διέδραμε.
[4] Κωνσταντίνος δὲ ὁ μισόχριστος καὶ εἰκονόμαχος, ὡς ὁ λόγος ἐδήλωσε, τὴν τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἐτυράννει τότε ἀρχήν· ὃς εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ πλάνην μεταστῆναι ταύτην διὰ σπουδῆς θέμενος, τῶν συμφρόνων ἕνα προσκαλεσάμενος, Πορεύθητί, φησιν, κατὰ τήνδε τὴν ἐπαρχίαν καὶ τὴν Ἄνθουσαν εἰς τῆν ἡμετέραν δόξαν ἀποκλῖναι μετάπεισον· καὶ εἰ μὲν πείθοιτο, εὖ ἔχει ἂν· εἰ δ᾽ οὐ, τιμωρησάμενος αὐτὴν τοῖς ἡμετέροις νόμοις, καὶ μὴ βουλομένην πεισθῆναι παρασκεύασον. Ὁ δὲ πολλοὺς καὶ ἄλλους μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ παραλαβὼν, καὶ κατασχὼν πάμπολλα τῶν ἁγίων ἐκτυπωμάτων, ὅσα ἐν πίναξι, καὶ ὅσα ἐν ῥάκεσι συναγαγὼν, καὶ τὴν Μεγάλην μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφιδοῦ, ὃς τῆς ἀνδρώας μονῆς τότε τὴν προστασίαν ἐγκεχειρισμένος ἦν, συλλαβὼν εἰς ἐξέτασιν ἄγει. Καὶ παραυτίκα μάστιξι μὲν ἐπὶ πολὺ ὁ ἀδελφιδοῦς καταξαίνεται, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς Ἁγίας προθυμοποιεῖται τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ ἐμμένειν, καὶ ταῖς βασάνοις ἐγκαρτερεῖν, ὃς ἐκλιμπάνειν μέλλων ἀπολύεται.
[5] Αὕτη δὲ ἐκ τεσσάρων τείνεται, καὶ νεύροις ὠμοῖς μαστίζεται, καὶ τὰς ἱερὰς εἰκόνας παμπόλλας οὔσας ἀναφθείσας κατὰ τῆς κεφαλῆς δέχεται, καὶ κατὰ τῶν πεδίλων ἄνθρακας πυρὸς τοὺς πόδας καυθησομένη· ὅθεν Χριστοῦ χάριτι ἄφλεκτος μείνασα ὑπερορίζεται. Ἔπειτα τοῦ βασιλέως μετὰ παντὸς τοῦ στρατεύματος κατ᾽ αὐτὴν δὴ τὴν ἐπαρχίαν ἐκδημήσαντος, ὡς τὴν Ἁγίαν ἑαυτῷ παραστησάμενος ἐξετάσαι, τῇ ταύτης εὐχῇ ἀορασίᾳ τοῦτον πεδησαμένη τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτῆς πρὸς αὐτοῦ μελετώμενα διεκώλυσε εἰς πέρας διελθεῖν· καὶ τῇ βασιλίσσῃ δυστοκούσῃ καὶ μελλούσῃ θνήσκειν, καλῶς ἔχειν αὐτὴν, καὶ δύο παιδία ἄῤῥεν καὶ θῆλυ ἀποτεκεῖν *, πρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἐρωτηθεῖσα ἐξεῖπε· καὶ ἑκάστου τὴν βιοτὴν καὶ διαγωγὴν προεμήνυσεν. Ὅθεν ἡ βασιλὶς ταῦτα ἀκούσασα, πλεῖστα ταῖς ὑπ᾽ αὐτὴν μοναχαῖς χωρία τε καὶ ἀναθήματα καθιέρωσε. Καὶ ὁ τύραννος τῆς κατ᾽ αὐτὴν ἐγχειρήσεως ἀπέστη. Οὕτως οἶδεν ἀρετὴ θῆρας μὲν ἐξημεροῦν, πολεμίους δὲ φίλους ποιεῖν.
[6] Ἔνθεν τῆς Ὁσίας μεγαλυνθείσης καὶ τοῖς ἁπάντων στόμασι ᾀδομένης, πολλοὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν οἱ μὲν εὐχῆς χάριν ἐφοίτων· οἱ δὲ ἀποτάξασθαι τῷ τῇδε βίῳ· οἱ δὲ ὧν ἕκαστος προσείληπτο νοσημάτων, τῆς θεραπείας τυχεῖν. Ἐν οἷς καὶ τις ἀνὴρ στρατιώτης τὴν τάξιν μετὰ γυναικὸς παρεγένετο. Μεταμείψας δὲ τὸ σχῆμα παιδίον πρὸς τῆς Μεγάλης αἰτήσων καὶ τοι καρποφορήσων, εἰ τοῦ σκοποῦ ἐπιτύχοιεν, παρ᾽ ἧς τὰ ἐνθυμήματα τῆς καρδίας ἀκούσας, καὶ διὸ παρεγένετο πληροφορίαν δεξάμενος, χαίρων οἴκαδε ἀντεπέστρεψεν. Εἰ δύναιτο δέ τις ἄμμον παράλιον, σταγόνας ὑετοῦ, βάθος θαλάσσης, ὕψος οὐρανοῦ, καὶ εὖρος γῆς διαγράψαι, δυνήσεται καὶ τὰ τῇ ὁσίᾳ Ἀνθούσῃ πραχθέντα γραφῇ παραδοῦναι. Ὅμως καὶ ταύτην ὡς ἄνθρωπον ἔδει θανάτου γεύσασθαι, καὶ ὑπνῶσαι ὕπνον τοῖς δικαίοις πρέποντα. Κατ᾽ αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς κοιμήσεως τοῦ μεγαλομάρτυρος Παντελεήμονος· τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῇ δι᾽ εὐχῆς ἦν τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ τελειωθῆναι· κατετέθη δὲ ἐν τῷ κελλίῳ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἐβίωσε, θαύματά ἐκτελοῦσα παράδοξα εἰς δόξαν καὶ ἔπαινον Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν. Ἀμήν.
That is: This woman lived under the reign of Constantine Copronymus a, sprung of pious parents, Strategius and Febronia. From her mother's very arms, so to speak, the Blessed one, burning with desire of chastity, The Saint is formed to virtue by the priest Sisinnius, set up her life in the mountains and caves, to use the Apostle's words, hating all the things of this life, and embracing and loving solitude alone. But when in those days a certain monk and priest, named Sisinnius b, was traversing the regions of Mantineum c, exercising himself in the practice of every virtue, the Blessed one resolved to imitate his zeal. And first indeed she is molded and instructed in rules by him: and at last, entering a furnace kindled by his command, she comes out thence unharmed; and learns thoroughly other most lofty virtues drawing near to God.
[2] And he foretold to her that she would both found a monastery, she excels in virtues, and take up the governance of nine hundred d sisters. Afterward her hair is shorn; and she is ordered by that wonder-worker to dwell in a small island of a marsh, which is near the village Perikile e. After these things the Blessed one, giving herself to abstinence and austerity, made herself a dwelling-place of the holy and consubstantial Trinity. For binding herself with iron, and clothing herself in hair-cloth, she was known to those who savor of things above the flesh and the world. And when once she met the great Sisinnius, she besought him that she might build a temple to the mother of the Mother of God. And he, after he had then instructed her with many precepts, and had foretold the things which would befall her, dismissed her, signifying to her the time when he was to depart from life.
[3] she gathers sisters, founds temples: But when as many as thirty sisters had come to the Holy one, and the oratory had been built, and the time was now near at hand for the things which the old man had said to reach their end; that wonderful Sisinnius departed from life. But the great Anthusa, seeing the community of sisters living under obedience, raised up two temples from their very foundations to the Mother of God and to the Apostles: of which that one indeed which was of the Mother of God she allotted to the nuns; and that of the Apostles to the monks f. And many, pricked by the goads of penitence, formerly indeed used to come to holy Sisinnius, but now also to the great Anthusa, being taught and molded by her: for, full of sound doctrine and justice, she turned away from every heresy contriving new things, and thence becoming renowned, the fame concerning her ran even to the rulers.
[4] She endures harsh things from Constantine Copronymus But Constantine, the hater of Christ and assailant of the images, as the account has shown, then tyrannized the empire of the Romans: who, being zealous to make her go over to his error, summoned one of those who thought like him, and said: Set out to that province; and persuade Anthusa to submit herself to our opinion. If she complies, well and good: but if not, having her tortured, force her, even unwilling, to obey our laws. He, having taken with him many others also, and having seized very many of the holy images, gathering both those on panels and those on cloths, and having arrested the Great one together with her nephew g, to whom the presidency of the men's monastery was then committed, leads her to examination. And immediately the nephew is scourged for a long time, and is made ready by the Saint to remain in his confession, and to persevere in the torments, who, being about to expire, is released.
[5] for the cult of the sacred images: but afterward his wrath is softened. But she is stretched out from four points, and scourged with raw sinews, and receives the sacred images, being very many, kindled above her head, coals of fire being lighted beneath her sandals to burn her feet; whence, remaining unburned by the grace of Christ, she is sent into exile. Afterward, when the emperor with his whole army had gone forth to that very province, in order to set the Saint before himself for examination, being bound by blindness through her prayer, he was hindered from bringing to their end the things he was contriving against her; and, questioned by the emperor, she declared that the empress h, laboring in childbirth and about to die, would fare well, and would bring forth two children *, a male and a female; and she foretold the life and conduct of each. Whence the empress, hearing these things, consecrated very many estates and offerings to the nuns under her. And the tyrant desisted from his attempt against her. Thus does virtue know how to tame wild beasts, and to make enemies into friends i.
[6] The Saint, thereafter renowned for many deeds, passes to the Lord. Thence the Holy one, magnified and sung in the mouths of all, and many flowed together to her; some indeed to ask her prayers; others to renounce the present life; others finally to obtain healing from the infirmities by which each was seized. Among whom a certain man, a soldier by profession, came together with his wife. And, changing his dress, he came to ask a child of the Great one, and to offer fruit thence, if they should attain their aim, and, hearing from her the thoughts of his heart, and for what cause he had come, and receiving assurance, he returned home rejoicing. And if anyone could measure the sand of the shore, the drops of rain, the depth of the sea, the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, he will be able also to hand down in writing the deeds done by the holy Anthusa. Yet she too, as a human being, had to taste death, and to sleep the sleep befitting the just. And it was on that very day of the falling asleep of the great martyr Pantaleon; for this was her prayer, to be consummated on it; and she was laid in the cell in which she also lived, working wondrous miracles, unto the glory and praise of Christ our God. Amen.
She lived, in the reign of Constantine Copronymus [a], sprung from pious parents, Strategius and Febronia. From her mother's very arms, so to speak, the Blessed one, burning with desire of chastity, The Saint is formed to virtue by the priest Sisinnius, set up her life in the mountains and caves, to use the Apostle's words, hating all the things of this life, and embracing and loving solitude alone. But while in those days a certain monk and priest, whose name was Sisinnius [b], was traversing the regions of Mantineum [c], exercising himself in the practice of every virtue, the Blessed one resolved to imitate his zeal. And first indeed she is molded and instructed in rules by him: and at last, entering a kindled furnace at his command, she comes out thence unharmed; and learns other most lofty virtues, drawing near to God.
[2] And he foretold to her that it would come to pass that she would both found a monastery, she excels in virtues, and take up the governance of nine hundred [d] sisters. Afterward her hair is shorn; and she is ordered by that wonder-worker to dwell in a small island of a marsh, which is near the village Perikile [e]. After these things the Blessed one, giving herself to abstinence and austerity, showed herself a dwelling-place of the holy and consubstantial Trinity. For binding herself with iron, and clothing herself with hair-cloth, she was known to those who savor of things above the flesh and the world. And when at some time she met the great Sisinnius, he persuaded her to build a temple to the mother of the Mother of God. And he, after he had then instructed her with many teachings, and had foretold the things which were to befall her, dismissed her, the time when he was to depart from life having been signified to her.
[3] she gathers sisters, founds temples: But when as many as thirty sisters had come to her, and the oratory had been built, and the time was now near at hand for the things which the old man had said to reach their end, that wonderful Sisinnius departs from life. But the great Anthusa, seeing the community of sisters living under obedience, erected two temples from their very foundations to the Mother of God and to the Apostles: of which that one indeed which was of the Mother of God she distributed to the nuns; but that which was of the Apostles, to the monks [f]. And many, pricked by the goads of penitence, formerly indeed used to come to holy Sisinnius, but now also came often to the great Anthusa, imbued by her guidance and instruction: for, full of sound doctrine and justice, she turned away from every heresy contriving new things: whence she became memorable, and her fame reached even to the emperors.
[4] She endures harsh things from Constantine Copronymus But Constantine, the hater of Christ and assailant of the images, as we have said, then vexed the Roman empire with his tyranny: who, striving zealously to lead this Virgin over to his error, called one of those who thought as he did, and said: Set out to that province; and persuade Anthusa to submit herself to our opinion. If she complies, well and good: but if not, force her, tortured, to obey our laws even against her will. He, having taken with him many others, gathered together very many holy images, which he had been able to collect both on panels and on linen cloths, and, having seized the Saint together with her nephew [g], to whom the prefecture of the men's monastery was then committed, leads her to examination; and immediately the nephew is long tortured with scourges, and is made ready by the Saint's exhortation to cling to his confession, and to persist in the torments, and, now about to fail in strength, is released.
[5] for the cult of the sacred images: but afterward his wrath is softened. But she herself is stretched out from four sides, and scourged with raw sinews, and receives many sacred images burning above her head, coals of fire being lighted beneath her shoes; where, remaining unharmed by the grace of Christ, she is sent into exile. Afterward, when the emperor had set out with his whole army to that region, in order to set the Saint before himself for examination, blindness, detaining him by her prayers, hindered the things which he was contriving against her from reaching their end. She also declared, being questioned by the emperor, that the empress [h], laboring in childbirth and about to die, was well, and had borne two children, a male and a female; and she foretold the manner of life and calling of each. Whereby it came about that, these things being heard, the empress consecrated very many fields and offerings to the nuns subject to her; and the tyrant kept his hand from her. Thus does virtue know how to tame wild beasts, and to render enemies friends [i].
[6] The Saint, thereafter renowned for many deeds, passes to the Lord. Thence the Saint, raised to great splendor of name, was celebrated in the mouth of all; and many flowed together to her; these indeed to ask her prayers; those to renounce the present life; others finally to obtain health from the infirmities by which they were held. Among whom one, a soldier by profession, came together with his wife. And, having changed his dress, asking a child of the great Saint, about to bring back fruit thence, if he should attain his aim, he heard from her the thoughts of his heart, and for what cause he had come: and, filled with the confidence he had conceived, he returned home rejoicing. If anyone could describe the sand of the shore, the drops of rain, the depth of the sea, the height of heaven, and the breadth of the earth, he too would be able to hand down in writing the deeds done by holy Anthusa. But by the common condition of men she too had to taste death, and to sleep a sleep befitting the Saints.
This happened on the very day of the falling asleep of the great martyr Pantaleon: for she obtained by her prayers that she should depart from life on that day. And she was laid in the little cell in which she lived, working unheard-of miracles, unto the glory and praise of Christ our God. Amen. k