ON SAINT TRIPHYLLIUS,
BISHOP OF LEUCOSIA IN CYPRUS.
ABOUT CCCLXX.
PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY.
On his Episcopate, cult, age, & Acts of his life.
Triphyllius, Bishop of Leucosia in Cyprus (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR D. P.
[1] Cyprus, the most named island,
in the age of Constantine the Great two distinguished
Bishops illuminated; S.
Spyridon or Spiridion of Trimithus, of Leucosia,
already from the times of Galerius Maximianus ennobled with illustrious
confession of faith & miracles; & his disciple
& almost individual companion of his journeys, Triphyllius,
Bishop of Leucosia. That this is the present-day
Nicosia, formerly the Seat of Kings, but now still
metropolis of the island, I think is said by no vain conjecture
in the Atlas of Blaviano, & so in the name thus changed,
in part may have been renewed the old name Callinices,
which it had in the beginning, the Life of S. Triphyllius soon to be given asserts;
but there is lacking an ancient author to confirm that name
. There was however, when this Life was being written, Leucosia
the greatest & first of the Cyprian cities; Trimithus
indeed, is today a small village, commonly Tremiteuge,
with Stephanus Lusignanus as witness. otherwise Bishop of Nicosia, Yet Carolus a S. Paulo,
in his Sacred Geography, among the Episcopates of Cyprus passes over
Leucosia (although in the ancient, which afterwards
he subjoins & attributes to Hierocles, notice of the Provinces,
he names the city Τριμηθούντων in the 14th place, Λευκοσίαν 15th &
last) & for it substitutes Ledra, by Jerome
& Sozomen attributed to Triphyllius: but
whether to this one, of whom we treat? When Nicosia first
began to be named, I do not find: but since I hear the Greeks
did not use that name, I suspect it was done when
Guido Lusignan they had established King there as Crusaders
who had subdued Syria, near the end of the XII century, & the name
taken from Victory pleased.
[2] The Life of S. Spyridon which exists in Lipomanus & Surius for XII December
in Latin, praised in the Life of his master S. Spyridon, but in Greek written by the Metaphrast,
praises Triphyllius indeed,
as perfect soon to be & similar to his Master;
but in the present, when both at Antioch
saw the Emperor, esteeming greatly those things which are in the world,
as one who was still in his youth.
But the Metaphrast did not rightly express the sense of the author,
whom he was polishing; for in the original & much
older Life, which from a Florentine Ms. we shall give,
the same matter is far otherwise narrated; & the Saint is said
to have had with him Triphyllius the disciple, μαθεῖν θέλοντα
τῆς ζωῆς τὰ φάρμακα, ὃς καὶ ἦν σὺν αὐτῷ ἐν κόπῳ καὶ ἀσκήσει, καθ᾽ ἡμέραν διδάσκων τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπερ ἐκεῖνος περὶ τοῦ δικαίου ἐμάνθανεν,
wishing to learn the medicines of life; as one
who was with him in the labor of the same exercise,
daily teaching others those things which he learned from
the Just one. Although at that time he was not yet
in a dream) God had already before shown in the midst of innumerable people
luminaries, who would know how to heal his evil; namely
Spyridon & Triphyllius; the first of whom soon
from his appearance the Emperor recognized, such as had been shown him
; of the other afterwards no mention is made as recognized; verisimilarly
because he was represented in that which then he was not
wearing as habit, but would wear, made afterwards
Bishop. So certainly the Author of the Life to be given soon understood
the matter, & more expressly the Metaphrast, when he says, that they themselves
also were similar to Bishops, & seemed to be
Leaders & Presidents of others: & that one of them,
who had appeared as a Bishop, had not yet truly become
so.
[3] The author of the older Life going to narrate the approach of the Saints
to Antioch, he was present at the Council of Sardica in the year 347 Ἦν δὲ, he says, ὁ καιρὸς τ᾽ βασιλείας Κωνσταντίνου. It was the time when Constantine reigned,
He understood this to be the Great, the one who wrote the elogium
of S. Triphyllius to be given below: but the Metaphrast in
Surius better, Recently indeed Great Constantine,
having left the Empire had departed from the living, (in the year
namely CCCXXXVII, on the day XXI May: but his sons
(Constantine, Constantius, Constans) had divided it.
And Constantius indeed, to whom by lot it had happened that he should
hold the empire of the East, in the great city of Coelesyria,
namely at Antioch resided. But here also
there is some error, when instead of Constantius the second-born,
to whom the East fell, is named the first-born Constantine,
Emperor of the West: an error however quite frequent,
even in the Theodosian Code, where not rarely
to Constantine & Constans are ascribed laws,
published by Constantius & Constans; as Jacobus Gotthofredi
observes on the Theodosian Code in
the Chronology of laws, where he teaches the division of the Empire was made
in Pannonia, where then the Caesars were. Thence Constantius
suddenly set out into Syria against the Persians
was, hence also when he returned to Syria, Laws
were given at Antioch in the year CCCXXXVIII, V Id. October
& VI Kal. January: whence the same Gotthofredi infers,
that fits with this year or the next, that
Constantius is said to have been cured at Antioch from a disease by Spyridon
on XII September. Which reasoning of the time certainly
is sufficiently convenient.
[4] How young Triphyllius then still was, it is not
easy to divine: & subsequently was corrected by Spyridon: the first notice of him as Bishop
is had about eight years later in the Council of Sardica,
celebrated in the year CCCXLVII at which he is known with Spyridon
to have been present. Nor immediately from entering the Episcopate
was he so perfect, that Spyridon would not subsequently carp & correct him in some
things. So this one in his Life is read to have seen through & rebuked
the hidden thought of the disciple, by which he wished for his Episcopate
& others, from Sozomen book 1 chap. 11, whether also concerning excessive zeal for eloquence: that after
the Collecta was celebrated, Triphyllius being asked to preach
to the people, when he had need to bring into
the midst that saying of the Saviour, Take up
thy pallet & walk; changing the word for
Pallet (Grabatus) he said Scimpodium. But Spyridon, moved
with indignation; Art thou, he said, more excellent
than he who said Grabatus, that thou shouldst be ashamed to use his
words? With which said he leapt from the Episcopal seat
with the people looking on; the man, on account of eloquence carrying
himself more proudly, by this means recalling to modesty.
[5] But this seems to me to be another Triphyllius, Bishop of Ledrai
, a most eloquent man, & who because of the
study of Roman laws had long resided in the city of the Berytians
, as Sozomen prefaces. For what
has Ledra to do with Leucosia? it is ascribed to the Bishop of Ledra, But our Triphyllius,
though praised for the eloquence, with which he had been imbued
by his father at Constantinople; yet young came into Cyprus
to Spyridon. Different also are the writings attributed to each
. For Suidas, treating of this our one,
says, that he described the miracles of S. P. N. Spyridon,
as is written in his Life, in Iambic verses,
& this also the prefaced older Life of Spyridon indicates
at the end. But of the Ledran Jerome
says, He was most eloquent of his age & under King Constantius
most celebrated. I have read his Commentaries on the Canticles,
& he is said to have composed many other things, which
have not at all come to our hands. But of this one
the same Jerome seems to speak, Epistle 84 to
Magnus, naming Triphyllius the Cypriot among those,
who stuff their books with the doctrines & opinions of the Philosophers
so much, but as the place & writings, so also the persons seem different, that thou knowest not what in them
thou first oughtest to admire, the erudition of the age or
the knowledge of the Scriptures. But that in the book on writers
chap. 92 he is said to be the Bishop of Ledra or Λευκωσίας
, I think needs correction, & should be written
Λευτρῶνος; but the passage I continue to seek in others,
although I scarcely hope to find it.
[6] Meanwhile, however these things stand, Triphyllius could,
He seems to have died about the year 370, who wrote the miracles of S. Spyridon,
& had been present at the Council of Sardica, have nearly reached the times of Julian the Apostate
. The body of the deceased remained so
incorrupt, that having his head taken off by the Saracens,
invading Cyprus under Heraclius (think after Egypt and Syria were occupied
about the year DCXL) it is said to have flowed with blood by the writer of the Life, which does not seem to have been written before the IX century
, & has been found by us in
the Synaxaria of our Parisian & Divion Colleges,
not accustomed otherwise to relate such prolix narratives:
whence I take an indication, or rather conjecture, not
so long before the said Synaxaria were written, were found
enclosed within a wall half-burnt the Relics. the life however written in the 10th century.
The Author of the aforesaid Life testifies to have seen such things himself;
but in that place mutilated; where he could have explained, with what certainty
he narrated those things which he had said done about the body.
Meanwhile those Synaxaria disagree; for the Divion one,
places this Life on XI June, together with this distich:
Ἔστηκε Τριφύλλιος Ὑψίστῳ πέλας, Ὁρῶν τὸ τριπρόσωπον ἡλίου σέλας.
Near the Most High Triphyllius has stood, Referred elsewhere to the 11th,
Beholding the threefold ray of the Sun.
But this XIII day the Parisian Synaxarion holds, on which
day also after S. Aquilina is prescribed to be venerated S.
Triphyllius in the Typicon, bearing the name of S. Sabas; but generally by the Greeks 13 June, & in
another Parisian Synaxarion, which was Cardinal Mazarin's:
nor except by mere carelessness, of the Great Menaea
collectors, does it seem to have happened, that to the preceding
XII were carelessly joined these two bare names,
τῶν ὁσίων Σήνωνος καὶ Τριφυλλίου Ἐπισκόπων, Of the Saints
Zeno & Triphyllius Bishops. Indeed
also in the figured Ephemeris of the Muscovites, formed from the use of the Constantinopolitan
Church, Aquilina & Triphyllius,
on this XIII compounded are found, as also in
the Horologion of the year MDCVII; also among the Latins but more recent, when in the Rhodologion of the year
MDCI alone is found Triphyllius, & in the metric Ephemeris
alone Aquilina. From similar books of the Greeks,
when only manuscript were had, Triphyllius
also received the first of the Latins Molanus,
in the Additions to Usuard of the year MDLXXIII; &
four years after followed him Genebrardus, in the Latin Calendar,
illuminated by the testimonies of sacred historians,
placing before it the Hebrew, Syriac, & Greek translated by him
into the Latin language. Followed Finally the Roman
Martyrology under Gregory XIII Recognizers,
from the year MDLXXXIV, as also in his Notes to it
Baronius.
LIFE
From a Synaxarion Ms. CP. of our Parisian College.
Triphyllius, Bishop of Leucosia in Cyprus (S.)
TRANSLATOR D. P.
[1] We celebrate the memory of our Father among the saints Triphyllius, Bishop of Leucosia, now the metropolis of Cyprus. He came forth from afar from Rome, but proximately from the New Rome, the reigning Constantinople of all cities. For when the renowned and equal-to-the-Apostles among Kings, Great Constantine, having happily built the city named after himself, & surrounded it as a most beautiful bride with the greatest adornment from inanimate things, that the eyes of beholders might be turned toward it. It was thought necessary also this, to honor the new Rome with those distinguished in word & prudence & otherwise in renown, & to put on it another adornment, that in these she might lack nothing of the Elder one. Therefore he brought thence the twelve most distinguished Magnates, granting them greater gifts in the bestowal of monies & of properties; & this to such an extent, that by the abundance of these he prepared them to come to forgetfulness of their former things. Of these one was also the father of the great Triphyllius, like a certain star shining in the midst of his fellow citizens. Therefore having nourished the new shoot with words & the rest of his moral excellence, & by the watering of the divine doctrines with accuracy, his foliage with the fruits of piety he prepared, giving delight as if by certain leaves not untimely from the good words, & to the fruit shelter not ignoble; & this from providence I think, that the matters might agree with the name.
[2] His father lately having departed from among men when he was just born, he plans together with his mother to depart from Constantinople, by a divine love no doubt, & to visit Jerusalem, making the journey thither a work of inquiry, & devoting his vow to God. Having therefore said farewell to glory & wealth & nobility of family, & having taken a substantial purse & having crossed the seas, he sailed to Cyprus. There having come, finding Spyridon, & his grace, presiding as Bishop over Trimithus, but as a sun lighting up the world by the light of his miracles, by whose rays warmed, he knew that he must, after his return from Jerusalem, devote himself as to some other sanctuary to the wonder-worker, for thus the Cypriots out of their great faith deemed him worthy to be called. Therefore frequenting him, the sacred Triphyllius, forgetful of his country, was instructed not so much in the science of words, but in another philosophy founded on faith & virtues in the Holy Spirit, in soul indeed is purified & sees God, as far as possible spiritually dwelling in it; & receives gifts, as it were fruits of deification, the energy of miracles.
[3] Therefore making always ascents to the better by the prayers of his catechist, he came into the measure of the stature of Christ, & being to take providence for souls as an excellent shepherd, by divine vote he is appointed of the formerly Callinicensian, but now of Leucosia, metropolis;
(continuation of the Greek Vita and Latin translation of S. Triphyllius)
and the greatest & most beautiful of the remaining Cyprian cities, splendidly preeminent, by his prayers was enriched, divinely elected to preside over this city even from afar. So not in passing must be read the vision shown to Great Constantine, when to the Emperor suffering in head, & seeking healing from God, was shown Triphyllius, as a Bishop sent forth even before the throne, & at the same time to the Great in a dream coming, announcing healing to him.
[4] Having mounted the throne therefore, ordained by apostolic statutes & the sacred hands of Spyridon, he followed in the footsteps of his master in teaching, & expounding the sacred Scriptures, & strengthening souls by spiritual bread, providing drink to those thirsting for living water, which from the rivers of the spirit he was able to draw; & this not at intervals of certain days, but each day setting forth the daily bread spiritually, as the Master commanded us to ask, explaining the word to a higher meaning. Hence therefore a custom going forth into law, he says, is observed up to today done there from the autumnal equinox to the spring equinox, in no way enduring each day to neglect this discourse set forth, not wishing to explain the power of the sacred scriptures to the people. And this I think of the Apostolic exhortation, Let one speak, said he, let the others be silent. Thus the roots of the doctrines of the sacred Triphyllius going down deep, & by the watering of the Holy Spirit being raised up into a great tree exceedingly tall, growing to this place by his own prayers, with fruits & leaves showing that under it the whole people of that metropolis can dwell, & be addressed spiritually, plucking the fruit of the evangelical commandments, refreshed by the histories as leaves of the glorious Martyrs, & the rest of the choir of the Saints.
[5] But what fountains of miracles he, even while still living, had as riches, from which he caused to flow forth abundantly to those approaching him, who shall tell? Therefore he was made the artless successor of Spyridon's character, & also of the gracious miracles, as the Word made Elisha heir of Elijah's mantle, & also of the wonders; the divine man was therefore even truly blessed, dwelling for the most part publicly in the field, living with poverty, easily providing all things to the needy with his own hand, the noble & son of nobles digging out & wrapping those buried by the earthquake, & giving his substance; engaging in continuous fasts & prayers, that he might be a model to his own flock. Having built a convent for women at his mother's expense, then having persuaded her also to take up the way of monastics, he established a rule, what kind soever of monastic life, by the love of the sacred places setting out from the royal city to dwell there, easily receiving hospitality, going & returning. Which boundary observed unto today is shown there, having well measured out her life, his mother Domnica, holily laid up, this being a fountain of miracles for the faith of his way. He also raised up the now sacred enclosure, being very great, into the catholic gathering-place of the city, where also is his coffin.
[6] To those approaching the form of him was a comfort having beauty set upon it & from afar a noble herald; fair-haired, white in skin, gray in his eyes, gracious & most pleasing in conversation, of fair height in the whole body's stature, having his beard moderately set toward straightness; another Aaron clothed in the long robe, & like Samuel at dawn fixed on God & praying for the flock. Having come to old age, & having become full of days of the spirit, he went departing to Christ, of whom being deacon, walking in his footsteps he was shown; whom the Father of lights honoring in the heavens, as the promise, he received as ambassador for his own country & its flock. It is not unpleasing to add this also as evidence of the blessedness which received him.
[7] The race of the Hagarenes in the times of Heraclius having made use of pirate ships, & having ravaged many islands, the permission of God let the harm from them come even to the Cypriots; they came therefore even to their dwellings. When they had come to the coffin of the Saint, fixing their unholy eyes on it, they fed themselves on hopes of finding the gain of gold within, perhaps the holy garments being in the sacred place. As therefore far from hopes they easily had been, they behold the great one (O wonder even after such a course of years!) as if sleeping, & his attire fragrance preserving, & otherwise adorned according to Spyridon, they raised him up, & yielding to madness with the sword they separated his sacred head from the body. But (Oh of the greatest portent, which has only those unconvinced who are ignorant of Christ, & his power) blood immediately flowed forth, God himself I think besides other things also weaving for him a crown of martyrdom, which he indeed sought, taken with the love of Christ, but the torch of great Constantine in piety toward Christ did not provide it to him. Therefore having dragged his corpse before the temple, & having kindled a pyre, they tried to make a work of fire; but it did not in any way yield to be obedient to fire, until one of the barbarians seeing cried out, saying, In the name of Jesus thy Christ, endure to be burnt with fire. And I am a witness of this, who have composed this history, having seen his sacred half-burnt head, & the pieces of relics, showing the food of fire, which on the third of May are set forth for partaking of sanctification, on which day these things were dared by the lawless.
[8] And of God, after a course of certain years, that one being kept hidden in the wall, on which the pillar of the Great is set up, & his coffin underlying unto this day is shown; by whose intercessions may we be delivered, now indeed from the flames of the dread things of Belial, & after departure also from eternal fire, abiding eternally with Christ our Lord & God, as Saviour & chief Shepherd, in eternal & incorruptible blessedness; whose beauty intellectually enjoying, in him we shall see the Father without beginning, & the co-eternal & life-giving Spirit, who from the Father proceeds & through the Son to us has been shown to men, the one essence & divinity, hymned & glorified in three perfect hypostases, as being to us incomprehensibly Trinity in Unity, which is also paradoxical, that to the super-essential & inaccessible God all things together beyond word & thought, & be characterized only by faith & love.
[1] We celebrate the memory of our Holy Father Triphyllius, Bishop of Leucosia, which now a is the Metropolis of Cyprus. He originally arose from Rome, namely the New one and queen of all cities, Constantinople. Born of a father transferred from Rome to Constantinople, For he who under good auspices founded that city, the venerable Among Emperors and equal to the Apostles Great Constantine, intending to make that city named after himself, surrounding it as much as possible with the adornment of inanimate things, that like a bride splendid with surpassing beauty it might turn the eyes of all beholders to itself, added this also, that with men distinguished in eloquence, prudence or other prerogative, he might furnish it also, and make it not yield to ancient Rome in this part too. Therefore he transferred hither from thence twelve more illustrious Roman Chiefs, granting them greater advantages of possessions, resources & honors; so that abounding here, they would easily forget the former things they had possessed there. Of these one was the father also of the great Triphyllius, & well instructed, like a most luminous star shining among his fellow citizens: who by speeches as well as examples and other aids tending to the formation of good morals cultivated the new plant, & watered it with the assiduity of divine doctrines, & took pains to adorn it with the fruits of piety as with pleasant leaves; that he might present not only no unpleasant beauty, which comes from exercised reason, but also that his fruit be covered with no ignoble shelter: and this I think from divine providence, that the deeds might correspond to the name derived from leaves.
[2] But his father having been snatched from human affairs, it occurred to him together with his mother, him being dead he goes with his Mother to Jerusalem: that having left Constantinople for the love of God he should migrate to Jerusalem, going to make his arrival there memorable to histories, & to offer sacrifices of prayers to God. Therefore worldly glory & riches & nobility of race being despised, he took a full purse, & crossing seas sailed to Cyprus. Having landed there when he had fallen in with Spyridon & his grace, ruling the church of Trimythus by Episcopal right, but illustrating the whole world by the rays of his miracles like the sun; he recognized that after his return from Jerusalem he must cling to him as to another temple, the Wonder-worker; for so the Cyprians were accustomed to name him, on account of his wonderful faith. So frequenting him forgetful of his country Triphyllius, was not taught the art of eloquence by him, thence in Cyprus a disciple of S. Spyridon, but he learned that Philosophy, which consists in the composition of faith & virtues; & in mind indeed lifted up on high, he saw God, as if spiritually dwelling in him; & he received as a gift, like a fruit of Divinity, the power of working miracles.
[3] Therefore when, aided by the prayers of his instructor, he was advancing daily to the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ, going to bear care of souls, & Bishop of Leucosia, as a best Shepherd of the Callinicensians of old, but now of the city of Leucosia, by divine suffrage he is chosen: & by his prayers further enriching the one which was the greatest & most beautiful of the Cyprian cities, he made it also boast of a more excellent Bishop, as one who already long before had been divinely destined for that Prelacy. So it appeared the vision was not at all useless once offered to great b Constantine, when to the Emperor, suffering in head & seeking remedy from divine help, Triphyllius was demonstrated, as a Bishop sent to him, & through a dream approaching the Great one, announcing healing to him, before he was promoted to the throne.
[4] But when he ascended that Chair, ordained according to the Apostolic rule by the hands of Spyridon; he began to teach, following in the footsteps of his master. For expounding the divine Scriptures, he comforted the souls of his hearers with spiritual bread, & to those thirsting he gave to drink living water, which from the rivers of the spirit he made flow: He expounds the sacred Scriptures to the people & this he did not do at intervals of defined times; but proposing the daily bread spiritually, as the Lord commanded to ask for it, he brought forth the word of God with higher understanding. And from here they say came the custom, which passed into a law, that from the autumnal c equinox to the vernal, not at all
does the Bishop cease from proposing the word, nor to the people is it conceded to scrutinize the interpretation of divine Scriptures by themselves. And this very thing I think to be from Apostolic institution, by which it is said, Let one interpret d, but let the others be silent. 1 Cor. 14, 27 In this manner when holy Triphyllius's doctrine had driven down deep roots, & watered by the Holy Spirit had grown into a very lofty tree, & the histories of the Saints. by his prayers it appeared such with fruits & foliage, that under it the whole people of that great Metropolis could dwell, & spiritually be said to pluck from it the fruits of the Evangelical mandates, & as if by leaves to be delighted by the histories of the glorious Martyrs and of other e Saints.
[5] He is famous for miracles; But who shall narrate from what a fountain of miracles he flowed while still living, from which copiously gushing forth was permitted to draw to those approaching him? For he was Spyridon's heir, as of morals, so also of miracles: just as Scripture narrates Elisha to have received together with the mantle the power of prodigies from Elijah. But this divine & truly blessed man by his praiseworthy morals, for the most part lived in the field f … & lived with great poverty; he founds a monastery for women: himself with his hand willingly offering all things to the needy, & those who by an earthquake had nearly been absorbed, digging out & clothing, & granting from his substance, as he was a noble born of nobles: he also gave time to assiduous fasts & prayers, that he might be an example to his flock. Moreover at expenses supplied by his mother, he erected a monastery for receiving women, in which he persuaded her also to take up the monastic habit; with the help of his mother there consecrated to God that she might be a norm of whatever kind to religious women, & them, going for the love of visiting sacred places to Constantinople, returning, & going she might more easily receive in hospitality. This law therefore, accustomed to be observed there today, demonstrates that there yet lives mother Domnica, a good dispenser, & holily laid there, to be a fountain of miracles, which display the testimony of her holiness. He builds a Cathedral:
[6] To those approaching him his very face was a consolation h, on which grace sat, even from afar emitting an indicator of his nobility. & at last he migrates an old man to God. In hair fair, in color white, in eyes blue, gracious & sweet in address, tall in the whole circumference of the body, having his beard for meeting very well composed, as another Aaron, clothed in the long robe, & as Samuel at dawn deprecating God for his flock. Then advancing into old age & full of days of those done from the spirit, to Christ he eagerly departed, whose servant he had been, pressing close in his footsteps: whom the Father of lights according to the Evangelical promise honoring in the heavens, received, an intercessor for his country & for the entrusted flock. It would not be amiss, in demonstration of the blessedness which received him, to add what follows.
[7] When the nation of the Hagarenes, in the time of the Emperor Heraclius, The body long incorrupt borne in by pirate ships, was ravaging very many islands i, the providence of God permitted that their violence should reach even to Cyprus, where they also invaded the houses of the inhabitants themselves. But after they came also to the tomb of the Saint, & turned their sacrilegious eyes to it, they began to delight their mind with the hope of finding gold within, which would not yield to the rest of the sacred furniture of his temple. But, beyond what they had imagined, they saw that great man (O miracle, more stupendous after so many years' cycles! & his head cut off by Saracens, flows with blood,) as if sleeping, & instead of all adornment fragrant with sweet fragrance, & in the manner of Spyridon, so to speak, clothed. They therefore raised him, & by the innate rage in them with the sword cut off his sacred head from the body. Then indeed (O! admirable thing, to be incredible only to those, who are ignorant of Christ & his power) immediately blood flowed forth: God, as I think, to other crowns for him plaiting the crown of martyrdom, which always indeed, drawn by the love of Christ, he had desired, but the fervent affection of Constantine toward pious religion had withdrawn. Then dragging the corpse before the temple; & kindling a pyre, they were trying to consume him in flames: & he is burnt: which they would not have obtained from the fire, unless one of the barbarians present had cried out; In the name of Jesus thy Christ, allow thyself to be burnt. Of this thing I am a witness, who am writing this history, & I saw his sacred half-burnt head k, & fragments of the relics displaying manifest injury of fire; as the author saw the burnt relics, which on the third day of May are proposed for viewing for the communion of sanctification, on the very day perhaps on which the impious perpetrated these things on the Saint.
[8] But God after the lapse of several centuries made this treasure manifest to the sons of the Saint, hidden within a certain wall, when long afterwards they had been found. in that place where the column of that great man stands, under which his ark is shown unto today. By whose prayers may we now indeed be freed from the grave fires of Satan; but after we have migrated from here from eternal fire: Christ, our God and Lord helping with him, as our Saviour & Shepherd, abiding in everlasting & unfading blessedness: whose beauty spiritually delighting us, in him we shall see without beginning God & Father, & the coeternal & life-giving Spirit, who proceeds from the Father & through l the Son has appeared to us men, the one essence & deity glorified in three perfect persons, as the Trinity incomprehensible to us in unity: which mystery, since it is in God altogether super-substantial, & inaccessible, altogether transcending reason & thought, is circumscribed only by faith & love.