ON ST. PETER THE MARTYR
AT CONSTANTINOPLE IN THE BLACHERNAE.
CommentaryPeter the Martyr at Constantinople in the Blachernae (S.)
D. P.
George Codinus on the Constantinopolitan origins p. 48, The Blachernae, he says, were called as if βλάχνα, because the place with ferns was planted; or as if λακέρνα, because the place was full of pools and abounded with waters; The place's celebrity from the garment of the B. V. or on account of of a certain Blachus the slaying. There, the great, he says the same, church of the Blachernae Marcian and Pulcheria built, and with various and precious marbles adorned: and from then celebrated to be the place began, made then more celebrated, when there was deposited the holy chest, containing the garment, or the little cloth of the garment of the Mother of God the Virgin. Done this under Leo the Wise and Gennadius the Patriarch; and of it there deposited the feast most solemn was kept at Constantinople on July 2, of the Dedication indeed the memory on the last day of the same month. To this place in the MS. Synaxary, where with ox-hides cut Peter, which in the possession of Peter Francis Chifflet our at Dijon we found, is attributed on this day Peter with the sinews of oxen cut, in these words, "he in the Blachernae Peter, with ox-sinews being struck, is perfected." and is added a distich; "Unshaken truly of faith Peter the rock, To whom the sinews papyrus: this of the Word is the work." The unshaken certainly Peter is of faith the rock, To whom for papyrus the sinew: this of the Word is the work. It is signified moreover not of more Peter to have made the ox-hides, than the light papyrus, than which nothing more delicate and more fragile, inasmuch as of the Egyptian reeds the pith. Relates about Constantine Copronymus Theophanes, that in the year of his Empire 21 Andrew a venerable monk, Calybites called, at the Blachernae dwelling, "with scourges" bruised, in St. Mamas's Circus he killed, because his impiety he reproved, Valens the Younger and Julian him calling. His moreover body into the sea's flood to be cast he had commanded, but Andrew's sisters him carrying out in the Leucadius emporium to burial committed. In the year then of his Empire 27 he seized Peter a venerable Stylite, not obeying his dogmas, and with bound feet dragged through the middle of the city, he commanded living into Pelagia to be cast. These two into one person to have conflated, and from the one indeed the place of habitation and the kind of death, perhaps under Copronymus, from the other the name to have received he could. Nothing also is repugnant from either diverse another, Peter by name, in the Blachernae either dwelling or buried, with ox-hides cut under the same Emperor, to have died. Under this certainly the thing done rather I would understand, than that in the said Synaxary I should believe to be treated of that Peter, whom under Michael St. Theodora's son mentions Leo the Grammarian, in these words: Michael a horses' stable, with marbles adorned and with waters' abundance watered, he constructed. It finished Peter a certain, whom the Poor-master they called, a man ingenious and witty, was in the city. Him calling Michael led him into the stable, showing to him the inept of the house constructed adornment; as if by him to be praised wishing, and saying perpetual himself of name fame to hope on account of such a work's construction. for he who under Michael, was not a Saint. He indeed to the Emperor answered, Justinian a great church, with gold and marbles precious it adorning, built; and no now of it memory survives: you indeed, O Emperor, a dunghill making and of brutes a receptacle, say therefore yourself to be about to be memorable? Then of the hoped from him praise's fruit frustrated Michael and angered, the Poor-master beaten and dragged by him expelled. These things Leo, therefore not to be believed about him to treat, whom the Synaxary commemorates, because Peter that one neither for faith's cause that injury suffered, nor otherwise for virtue is praised; but "learned and scoffing" is called; and by the very surname "of-the-Poor-master" enough to be distinguished seems from the other, "he in the Blachernae" called.