ON ST. ABRAMIUS OF EPHESUS, BISHOP,
IN THE SIXTH CENTURY.
CRITICAL DISQUISITION.
Abraamus, bishop of Ephesus, founder of the monastery of the Abraamites. (S.)
BY H. M.
§ I. The announcement of Abramius in the calendars. The monasteries of St. Abramius and of the Abramites.
This law the Bollandists have laid down for themselves from the beginning, The reason of this disquisition being indicated, that they should grant a place in their work to no one whose cult lawfully received at some time among Catholics was not proved by certain monuments. Following this, as is fitting, we too were unwilling to treat of the blessed man Abraham or Abramius, bishop of Ephesus, where, in keeping with the age in which he lived, he should have been spoken of. For although the conjecture which, after attentively examining and weighing the announcements of the calendars, we had reached seemed probable enough, it was not adorned with such evidence as would dispel every doubt. Yet since, from those illustrated passages of the Greek fasti in which we judge that Abramius is praised, the knowledge of Christian Constantinople is not a little increased, and moreover a certain distinguished monument of Greek piety hitherto too much neglected can be set in a fuller light, it has seemed good to place our disquisition on Abramius, not among the passed-over, but at the end of the Commentaries of this day, by way of an appendix, and to subjoin to it, just as we are accustomed to do in the Life of the saints, those documents in which we suspect that the deeds of the blessed man are partly narrated.
[2] the announcement of Abramius and the Abramites in the sacred fasti is reported, Further it must be noted that all the matters that we shall examine in this Commentary pertain to saints whose cult is certain, but whose person and deeds are unknown, or at any rate to blessed men to whom it can altogether be assumed that ecclesiastical honors, according to the custom of the Greeks, were at some time paid. And thus it comes about that we do not stray from our purpose. It will suffice that ancient calendars of the city of Constantinople be again found, either to establish or to overturn our conjectures.
But since it is our intention attentively to separate the certain from the uncertain, those notices which we now propose to the reader will then with easy dealing be emended or supplemented. For the way is paved for better recognizing the truth, when the parts of a certain tangled question are clearly unfolded. Let us begin, then, from those fasti which are the cause of our whole discussion. At the 28th day of October we read the following in the Ostromir Calendar: Memory of the venerable Abramius and his companions, 73 holy confessors Kopitar, Glagolita Clozianus, p. LXIII; Acta SS. vol. XI of October, p. 262.. These words we think are to be referred both to those Abramite monks, whose cult Baronius showed to be known to him from the books of Cedrenus, when he praised the contests of those most brave athletes in the Roman Martyrology, and also to the founder of the monastery of the Abramites, Abramius, bishop of Ephesus, of whom we are about to dispute.
[3] whose cult indeed is proved from the continuator of Theophanes, Before we enter on the question, however, may it be permitted to emend two things in what our predecessors said more briefly than was right Acta SS. vol. II of July, p. 659.. First that, since Baronius, to establish the cult of the Abramites, used only the authority of Cedrenus, they did nothing else, having cited the words of the Byzantine writer, than note that the continuator of Constantine Porphyrogenitus agrees verbatim, nor did they point out that this author preceded Cedrenus and supplied the matter of his book. For he whom they call the continuator of Constantine, and we the continuator of Theophanes, all know to have written in the tenth century, under the direction of Constantine. The matter is of some importance for proving the cult of the martyrs, of which that anonymous author was an eyewitness: which I should not dare to assert of Cedrenus. The Abramites, defenders of sacred images, could not be publicly venerated before the year 842, in which the iconomach Emperor Theophilus died. A century later, when by order of Constantine Porphyrogenitus four books were added to the Chronography of Theophanes, the cult had not yet failed, as is established from these words: Their sacred bodies, long and much thrown about and cast forth at random on the ground, not obtaining the honor of burial, were kept whole and unharmed, until at length, recognized and carried out by the faithful, they were presented with the honor proper to those who have suffered for Christ Theoph. Contin., book III, no. 11, p. 63, Paris ed.. Hence the prototype of the Ostromir calendar, by which the church of Constantinople of the tenth century is represented to us, did not omit the Abramites. More probably the cult gradually ceased, so that Cedrenus toward the end of the eleventh century must be judged by no means to testify of it, but rather to have copied the anonymous author See below, nos. 9 and 18..
[4] but the monastery was different from the monastery of St. Abramius; The other error to be corrected by us consists in this, that the monastery of St. Abramius τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις Ἀβραμίου was judged by Giovanni Pinius to be the same as the monastery of the Abramites τῶν Ἀβραμιτῶν. How false this is is demonstrated by John Moschus, the book of Constantine Porphyrogenitus on ceremonies, the Byzantine anonymous who wrote in the thirteenth century on the antiquities of Constantinople, and George Codinus, a writer of the fifteenth century, from whom compared with one another we learn that the monastery of the Abramites stood in the city, but outside the walls of the city, near the Golden Gate, the house of ascetics of St. Abramius, the former founded by a certain Abramius after the year 500, the latter by Constantine. I shall recite the places from which we deduce all these things, deferring the place from the book of Constantine to the end of this paragraph: About the same time, Abbot Abramius, who afterward became bishop of Ephesus, and lately built the monastery at Constantinople called of the Abramites John Moschus, Spiritual Meadow, ch. 97.. It is not easy to determine to what year that about the same time should be referred. For John Moschus here narrates what he heard about the year 600 from Abbot John Rutilus, who himself hands down what was said by Stephen the Moabite Compare Fabricius, Bibl. Græca, Harles ed., vol. X, pp. 124 and 125.. Who can divine how many years elapsed after the story narrated by Stephen? Let us suppose even sixty years: this memory could scarcely go up beyond this space. About the year 520 perhaps the monastery of the Abramites would have risen in the royal city, which certainly, even if nothing were known of the origin of the monastery of St. Abramius, would stand in the way of our confusing the one with the other. For already in the year 518 there subscribed the monks' libel to the synod of Constantinople Antony, ἀρχιμανδρίτης τῆς μονῆς τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις Ἀβραμίου Labbe, vol. V, col. 174.. But these last words by no means suit a man still alive or not long deceased. They indicate a very well-known saint, such as at that time at Constantinople were only the holy patriarch of the Hebrews, and Abramius the ascetic, uncle of Mary, whom with Ephrem, the author of his life, we think is commemorated in the very ancient calendar of Naples at the 22nd day of December, although Martinov thinks otherwise. On the other hand the appellation of Abramites signifies rather the disciples or pupils of some distinguished man, not yet enhanced with public cult, just as the Studites drew their name from Studius the patrician.
[5] which is shown from the fortunes of the former building, That all that pertains to that monastery may be finished at once, I shall now bring forward the other testimonies met with among the Byzantines, following the order of times. What we read in Theophanes of the images destroyed or scraped off by order of the patriarch Nicetas in the year 759, ἐν τῷ Ἀβραμιαίῳ, is doubtful Chronography of Theophanes, p. 373, Paris ed.. For to which of the two buildings, or rather whether to either of the buildings of which we treat, this name is to be assigned, by which a hospice seems to be signified Compare Nicephorus Chumnus, in Boissonade, Anecdota, vol. II, p. 146., we do not dare to define. In whatever way this is explained, we suspect that about these times the Abramites were harassed by the impious emperors, most keen haters alike of monks and of images, and that their house was demolished, from a certain passage of the synaxarion of St. Anna of Euphemianus, of whom we shall treat at the following day. For there it is recorded that a certain place strewn with ruins, now called the monastery of the Abramites, τόπον ἐρείπιον, τὸν νῦν ἡ μονὴ τῶν Ἀβραμιτῶν λεγόμενον, was offered as a gift by the patriarch Tarasius, that a sufficiently ample house might be built, in which the people flocking to the holy wonderworker could be contained. In the year 787, in the Second Council of Nicaea, there subscribes Symeon ἡγούμενος τῶν Αβραμιτῶν Labbe, vol. VII, col. 153.. In the following century the Abramite monks strenuously resist the Emperor Theophilus, and bear off as the reward of their virtue the palm of martyrdom. The most holy inhabitants having been cast out of the city and removed by unjust death, I should believe that the monastery itself was demolished, or at any rate given over to profane uses, which indeed was the custom of the Emperor Theophilus. For when, says the anonymous author of his Life, he had decreed that monks should have no free entry into cities, and that they should be altogether kept away as pollutions of the world, and should not be permitted to be seen safely even in the country, he brought it about that their monasteries and places given to solitude were openly changed into common tombs and secular lodgings Theoph. Contin., book III, no. 10, pp. 62 and 63, Paris ed.. Thence also I think it came about that thereafter among authors and in common speech the monastery of St. Abramius and that which the Abramites had possessed were no longer distinguished, as will appear from the following paragraph.
[6] is shown by comparison with the history of the other. Of the monastery of St. Abramius we find the first mention in the Council of Constantinople under Mennas, in which was recited the monks' libel, written in the year 518, which we brought forward at number four. The Acts of that council, held in the year 536, were subscribed many times by Alexander, archimandrite of the same monastery Labbe, vol. V, pp. 34, 63, 108, and 134.. That it was founded by Constantine is recorded by the anonymous author who treated of the antiquities of Constantinople in four books. For after he has reviewed the churches and monasteries of the city, proceeding to those situated outside the city, he has this: The monastery Ἀχειροποίητος (or to which the name is Image not made by hand) was built by Constantine the Great, to place there the monk Abramius, whence it is called of Abramius In Banduri, Imp. orient., vol. I, part III, p. 56.. The first part of this assertion George Codinus copied De ædificiis, p. 55, Paris ed., omitting the mention of Abramius, which I judge was wrongly made here by the anonymous, because he did not distinguish the monastery of the Abramites, built by the monk Abramius, from that of St. Abramius. This indeed happened the more easily in that the buildings of the Abramites had by then been demolished, and the name had passed to the monks of St. Abramius by the nearness of the appellation. This suspicion is suggested to me by certain places of Leo the Deacon, a writer of the tenth century, and of him who enlarged the book of Constantine Porphyrogenitus on Ceremonies. For the former reports that Nicephorus Phocas, setting out from the shore of Asia, landed at the monastery of the Abramites, which they also call Ἀχειροποίητον Leo the Deacon, Hase ed., p. 47, in Migne, vol. CXVII, col. 729.. The latter most evidently demonstrates that here it is a question of that monastery of St. Abramius situated outside the city. For he describes Nicephorus passing through the suburban pomerium, and thence by the paved road entering the monastery of the Abramites called Ἀχειροποίητον, and at the third hour going on horseback to the Golden Gate of the city De cærimon., book I, ch. 96, pp. 438, 499, and 501, Bonn ed.. The memory then of the building constructed by Abramius adhered to those buildings which Constantine the Great had founded. So far we have reported on both monasteries true, unless I am mistaken, or at least likely things. What follows is of such a kind that we rather indicate by opinion what could have happened, than what certainly did happen.
§ II. Various Abramii recognized by the Greeks. Abramius of Ephesus the same as Abramius the Jew.
The memory of the founder of the Abramites has been preserved in the calendars, Just as the Studites kept every year the memory of their founder Studius at the 20th day of June, as we learn from a codex of the Praxapostolos, stored in the library of the Nani Greek codices at the Nani, Bologna 1784, cod. CLXX, p. 381., so it is to be believed that the Abramites also wrote the name of their Abramius in their fasti. For they could proclaim of him the same that the Studites did of Studius the patrician; Μνήμη τοῦ ἐν μακαρίᾳ μνήμῃ γεγονότος Στουδίου τοῦ πατρικίου τοῦ συστησαμένου τὴν μονὴν τῶν Στουδίου. There would have to be added also the elogium reported by John Moschus: Ὁ καλὸς καὶ πρᾶος ποιμήν, the good and gentle shepherd. Thence, however, since the honor shown to men who have deserved well of the church is joined by a close bond to ecclesiastical cult properly so called, to which one gradually comes from the former, unless express laws stand in the way, as has long been the case in the Latin Church, the memory in sacred rites of the blessed man will doubtless have passed to other churches or monasteries. But if this ever happened, it is natural to suspect that traces of this cult, though not everywhere received, lie hidden at least in some codices. Turning this over in my mind, all the things that are said in the hitherto published calendars of the Greeks of the cult of any Abramii whatever, accurately and (unless I am too much deceived by the desire of finding) not
in vain I have compared. On this matter a more certain sentence will be passed once all the Abramii who are venerated among the Greeks have first been reviewed.
[8] which we endeavor to prove, comparing the announcements of all the Abramii Besides that old patriarch Abramius, or rather Abraham, as his name is generally pronounced, who on the 9th of October in the calendars of Naples, Ostromir, and Grottaferrata, and in the Menaia both printed and manuscript, and on the Sunday before the Nativity of Christ almost everywhere, is commemorated, the Greeks celebrate the name of Abramius, bishop of Arbela, at the 4th day of February, and of Abramius, bishop of Carrhae, at the 14th of the same month. Now what pertains to these can easily be set apart. Nearer to our matter are the announcements in which ascetics or martyrs named Abramius are praised. Abramius the anchorite the Latins venerate on the 16th of March, while the old calendars of Naples and Grottaferrata do so on the 22nd of December, and now on the 29th day of October, as will presently be noted among the passed-over, all the Greeks and Slavs commemorate him. Moreover we find Abramius the ascetic inscribed at the 1st day of October in the Synaxarion of Sirmond, the Eclogadion of Grottaferrata, and the fasti of the Menaia of Milan and of Mazarin. The name of Abramius the martyr is read in the often-cited Eclogadion also at the 1st of October, in two Greek codices in Nevostruev, whom we know only from the words of Martinov At the 28th and 31st of October., and at the 28th of the same month in the Ostromir calendar, which gave rise to this disquisition. Finally on the 26th of March in the excerpts of Sirmond's codex we read these words: Μνήμη τοῦ ὁσίου Ἀβραάμ τοῦ εἰς τὸ λάτρος, which, having escaped the diligence of Martinov, and the Latin words having met with an altogether obscure writing, so that you might equally read Abraam in latro or Abraam m latro, are not rightly indicated in the Annus Græco-Slavicus. We pass over singular cases, such as Abramius the monk at the 25th of October in the Ephemerides of Papebroch, the same at the 29th of September, by an error of one month, in the fasti of Saxe-Gotha.
[9] was done at the days 1 and 28 October. Which, then, of these announcements shall we assign to the founder of the Abramites? I judge that to him pertains that memory of the 1st day of October, which I cannot attribute to Abramius the anchorite of the Hellespont, already praised at the 29th of October or the 22nd of December, although our predecessors thought so Acta SS. vol. I of October, p. 2.. I shall say more: for a bold conjecture in so obscure a matter is no fault, but rather an investigation of the truth. That in some way there is his own, both the announcement of this day in the Ostromir codex: Memory of the venerable Abramius and his companions, 73 holy confessors or martyrs, and also the mention of Abramius the martyr in the other calendars. For I think that first there were joined the names of the father, not a martyr, and of the sons who suffered for Christ, as we read them in that old Slavic calendar which represents the fasti of a certain church of Constantinople in the tenth century. Afterward, the memory of so great a man being blotted out, on account of the Abramites' buildings being razed or assigned to profane uses, the praise of Abramius the martyr and of Abramius the ascetic was preserved separately in some calendars, although Abramius had not been a martyr and was not to be distinguished from Abramius the ascetic. Someone will object that it could altogether have happened that a certain Abramius was at that time hegumen of the Abramites. I assent assuredly, yet things seem better settled by admitting the conjecture that we have put forward. But if, new calendars having at last been unearthed, the question has to be otherwise solved, yet we shall not have given useless effort, in comparing together many documents of the same kind and illustrating them according to our strength. Here however I shall note that nothing is at hand that explains the words of the Sirmond Synaxarion at the 26th day of March. Τὸ λάτρος is a word, I think, unknown to the lexicons and to investigators of antiquities, since something like it is met with once outside the place cited, namely in George Pachymeres, where he speaks of the church of St. Paul in Latrum, but of the second declension [De Andronico Palæologo, book II, ch. 6, p. 82, Paris ed. Compare du Cange, Cpolis christiana, book IV, p. 114, Paris ed.].
[10] Abramius of Ephesus is that Jew whose story Combefis has. But we think we should not stop here in opinion. For running through the lives of various Abramii, I came upon that Jew of this name who, converted to the Christian faith by a certain stupendous prodigy, was made a priest and built an oratory at the Tetrastyle, a great force of money having first been spent on adorning the church of St. Sophia, as a certain anonymous author in Combefis narrates at length Auctarium, later part, col. 711 ff.. Understanding that he was endowed with such excellent virtue, I could not, unless altogether denying credit to the monument itself, but wonder that this man remained unknown to the Greek fasti. Du Cange certainly erred when he said that this Abramius was spoken of among the Greeks at the 29th day of October, yet he judged with us that the honors of ecclesiastical cult were at some time paid to so great a man [Cpolis christiana, book III, p. 117, Paris ed. Compare the additions at this place.]. Examining his age from its circumstances I found that that Abramius more probably lived in the time of Justinian, and I suspected that one and the same was Abramius, afterward archbishop of Ephesus, who founded the house of the Abramites at Constantinople and the monastery of the Byzantines at Jerusalem, and that Jew who at about the same time so generously bound his goods to divine worship. If I could have fortified this opinion with due proofs, Abramius would have to be given his place among the saints. But, for want of proof, it has pleased me to dispute of him outside the order of the saints. Supposing, then, that both Abramii are one man, we shall go on in examining what is narrated of the conversion of the Jew to the faith, considering that all these things pertain also to the founder of the monastery of the Abramites.
§ III. The history of Abramius the Jew. From what source it is drawn and with what credit it is narrated.
[Abramius the Jew, beneficent toward Theodore the Christian, is converted to Christ,] In the reign of Heraclius there lived at Constantinople a certain very rich merchant Theodore, who, having poured out his whole fortune in fitting out a ship to set out for eastern regions, the loss of his goods having been incurred through a violent storm, fell into extreme want and was reduced to the utmost despair. Then he now resolved to send a farewell to the world and embrace the monastic life, now ran around the houses of his friends, seeking help to prepare a new voyage. He found no helper in his desperate situation, until on the counsel of a friend more prudent than rich, he approached Abramius the Jew, who at length, overcome by the prayers of Theodore and moved by the man's most firm faith, lent the Christian fifty pounds of gold. For, what is wonderful, Christ was given by Theodore and accepted by Abramius as surety, before whose bronze image, placed in the Tetrastyle, they stood making their agreement on the loan. Theodore sets out, the ship loaded with various wares, does business prosperously, heads back home, but not far from the city he first unwillingly throws his goods into the sea on account of a rushing tempest, and returns, the ship itself scarcely snatched from the waves. Back at Constantinople, then, more unlucky and more destitute than before, he is again restored by the Jew, helped, and fitted out and urged on to a new journey. Then assuredly he was not cheated of his hope: a most happy journey fell to him. Moved by which Abramius gave his name to Christ, was made a priest, and devoted himself to the oratory built with his wealth. In brief you have here the sum of the whole narrative, and the cause of the appellation τοῦ Ἀντιφωνητοῦ, or Surety, which was given to the image of Christ.
[12] as is narrated in a discourse held at Constantinople at the beginning of Lent, But indeed with what credit are all these things handed down, with which too many prodigies are mingled, as may be read in the narrative to be published after this Disquisition? Certainly it is likely that the whole narrative was drawn from the talk of the common people and from the memory of monks, not from written documents. For some recollection of these deeds at least would have survived among the Byzantines, if all had in fact been done so publicly and the conversion of Abramius so greatly celebrated by the emperor himself and the patriarch of Constantinople. Here then there are to be expected all the blemishes which things handed down by the common people, and transmitted orally even by learned men, are accustomed to be disfigured by, such as disorder of times and heaping up of prodigies. But unless a fraud of the writer is plain, what he has written is not rashly to be spurned. Let us see, then, what notes of age this document has, and for what end it was composed. First of all it appears from the beginning that it is an oration delivered on the day on which the memory of the Lord's miracles was recalled, which seems to signify the first Sunday of Lent, distinguished by the name τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας, or perhaps the second, to which I suspect the same appellation anciently fell. For an oration of like argument in Lambeck Comment., book VIII, col. 740, Kollar ed., beginning with almost the same words: Δεσποτικῶν καὶ παραδόξων θαυμάτων ἀνάμνησιν, bears this title: Κυριακῇ β᾽. Τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας β᾽. Whence I think that the Restoration of images was formerly commemorated on two consecutive Sundays, and that on one or the other the oration in question was recited before the people Compare annot. b after § I..
[13] in the church of St. Sophia, long indeed after the event, But if anyone, led into error by the translation of Combefis, should object these words, which savor rather of a narrative than of an oration: Of one, then, of those many and very great miracles, for the benefit of those who shall read … I am going here to compose a narrative, I would have him go back to the Greek: Διήγησιν ποιήσομαι θαυμάτων, πρός ὠφέλειαν ἐντυγχανόντων, where the word ἐντυγχάνοντες, in the manner of more recent writers, signifies rather readers than those present Compare Stephanus, latest ed., under this word, col. 1186.. But not only what kind of oration it is, and when it was pronounced, have we found by diligent examination, but also the church in which it was held. For toward the end, after the orator has narrated that silver, divinely made from lead and tin, was dedicated to adorning the sanctuary and ambo of the church of Sophia, he adds: As you see and it is conspicuous even until now. In which words I seem to myself to see the pious author of this narrative pointing with his hand to the sanctuary, equipped on all sides with silver plates. But as the place of the discourse is here disclosed, so also there is denounced the error of times admitted at the beginning of the oration. For these miracles are reported to have happened in the reign of Heraclius: but the matter cannot be reconciled with the certain knowledge we have of the church of Divine Wisdom. In the time of Justinian was finished that most splendid ornament of the sanctuary, which we most willingly admit was made at the expense of Abramius and Theodore, provided the age of these men is not determined by the assertions of the Byzantine orator.
[14] namely about the beginning of the tenth century. The author errs, then, in assigning the time, which is an indication that he lived rather a long time after Abramius and the restoration of the church of Constantinople by Justinian. And the same we deduce from the very occasion on which this oration was recited: for the solemnity τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας, or feast of the Restoration of images, we know to have been instituted while Theodora held the empire for her son Michael, in the year 842 [Theoph. Contin.
book IV, no. 6, p. 96, Paris ed.; Triodion, p. 144, ed. of 1839; Combefis, Auct., later part, col. 716 ff.; Baronius, at the year 842.]. Here now we set a term by which the age of this narrative may be defined. Since nothing is said in it that falls near the times of the madness of the iconomachs, and nothing is referred to the history of these heretics, I should think that the narrative was written at the beginning of the tenth century. It is not permissible to devise a more recent age, since it is found in a codex of the tenth century. For we read this in the Catalogue of the manuscript codices of the royal library of Bavaria: Codex CXLI. Parchment, the parchment old, the ink yellowing, the titles and initials red, in majuscule character, elegant and ancient … in double column. Possessed in the tenth century by Maria Palaeologina, etc. Hardt, Catalogus etc., Munich 1806, vol. II, pp. 110 and 119, compare p. 114.. Which indeed demonstrate the tenth century. It was customary for sacred orators on the day on which the Restoration of images was celebrated to discourse something on the veneration of images, as may be seen in the homilies of Macarius of Philadelphia Bibl. Coislin., p. 181, no. 4., Germanus II, patriarch of Constantinople In Gretser, Works, vol. II, p. 437 ff., Regensburg ed. 1734., Theophanes, archbishop of Taormina Ibid., p. 456 f., or on miracles worked through images, as is clear from the narrative of a certain anonymous writer in Combefis [Auct., later part, p. 716 ff.; compare Lambeck, Comm., book VIII, col. 739 ff., Kollar ed.].
[15] Abramius delivers silver for adorning the church, about 537; As he would surely brand with the censor's mark too harshly who should be of the opinion that not even one small particle of truth is contained in this oration, so also he would act too remissly who should accept everything indiscriminately. For preachers have always had the power of admitting more easily what has been handed down by the mouth of the common people and of mingling it with their discourses. We shall go more safely, then, by the middle: correcting what is opposed to history, we shall acknowledge the sum of the narrative as true. Now then is the place for us briefly to draw together the deeds of the blessed man, setting together all the things that we think pertain to him, yet omitting the history of his conversion, which will be briefly illustrated in the annotations. After he gave his name to Christ, he was made a priest and had the care of the oratory which he had erected at the Tetrastyle. These things happened about the year 537, for at this time was made the dedication of the church of Divine Wisdom Cpolis christiana, book II, p. 9, Paris ed., for the adorning of whose sanctuary he contributed a great weight of silver. Further, that that work was completed if not before the dedication, at least not long afterward, is witnessed by Procopius of Gaza, a Christian rhetor, who wrote in this manner: Now what precious furnishings of gold, silver, and gems the Emperor Justinian gave to this building I cannot recount: I leave it to the readers to make a conjecture from one thing. The sacred place of the church, inaccessible to anyone except the priests, which they call θυσιαστήριον, has forty thousand pounds of silver. It must further be noted that Procopius, renowned under Justin in the year 520, is a contemporary witness of what he here narrates. If then Abramius was a help in adorning the great church of the royal city, it follows that he withdrew from Judaism about the year 537.
[16] [he founds at Constantinople the monastery of the Abramites, in which he afterward had a cult;] Afterward he founded at Constantinople the monastery of the Abramites, whose excellent virtue in defending the veneration of images I greatly admire, and I cannot but turn my eyes to Abramius himself, debtor of so great a debt toward the image of Christ, and wonder at the memory living in the souls of his sons. For among those monks more probably the 1st day of October was sacred every year to Abramius. When under Theophilus the Abramites had laid down their lives for the defense of sacred images, adorned themselves too with ecclesiastical cult, they were inscribed together with their founder at the 28th day of October in the fasti of some churches. But the feast proper to Abramius, the monastery being destroyed, gradually vanished from the liturgical books, so that at length Abramius, falsely proclaimed as a martyr, and separated from Abramius the ascetic, as it were wandered through the month of October, commemorated at the 1st, at the 28th, and at the 31st in the calendars. But if anyone believes that the omission of the title of archbishop or bishop tells against our conjecture, let him recall the example of St. John Chozebite, bishop of Caesarea, who is treated in the present volume. For there, as was done also with Abramius, most of the books of the Greeks altogether passed over the episcopate, and praised the saint only as a monk. In the same way the memory of Abramius the monk remained longer at Constantinople, and outlived the report of his episcopate.
[17] he builds another house of ascetics near Jerusalem, But let us return to the things recorded of the blessed man by John Moschus, which we greatly grieve can in no way be illustrated from elsewhere. Having founded his monastery, Abramius set out for Palestine, where near Jerusalem he built new buildings, which obtained the appellation of the Byzantines. While he was applying himself to this work, he learned from the craftsmen that there was among the workmen a man acting altogether wonderfully; they said that he spoke with no one and kept a perpetual fast. They reported of him, says Moschus, and of his conduct to the holy Abbot Abramius τῷ ἐν ἁγίοις ἀββᾷ Ἀβραμίῳ. Then that divine Abramius ὁ θεῖος Ἀβράμιος summoned the workman to his cell, and questioned him. He narrated that he had lived with his brother in the cenoby of Theodosius, and had gone away from the monastery to accompany his brother, weary of the religious life and gaping after base pleasures. Which indeed he had done, not that he might become a sharer of his brother's sins, but that he might at length draw him back to a better way of life by the virtue of prayer and fasting. And for that reason he now labored daily with that wretched apostate, yet keeping severely the law of monastic fasting and silence. Hearing these things the great Abramius ὁ μέγας Ἀβράμιος said to the brother: And the Lord has given you the soul of your brother. Which prediction the outcome of the matter at once confirmed, as may be seen in John Moschus, some of whose words we have reported in order that it may appear with what a reputation of holiness Abramius was distinguished, altogether worthy to be publicly venerated.
[18] and at length he governs the bishopric of Ephesus with praise. Of Abramius the bishop of Ephesus nothing at all has met us in our reading, and although with long and wearisome labor we have rolled through the books of that time that are at hand for us, we have found not even the least trace besides what was already very well known. Since then Abramius was elected to the bishopric of Ephesus a sufficiently long space of time after the year 537, it is necessary to assent to Michel Le Quien, who set him in the thirty-fifth place among the bishops of Ephesus, before Rufinus, who is to be placed at the close of the sixth century from a letter of St. Gregory. The episcopate of Abramius more probably neither lasted long nor shone sufficiently in the weight or difficulty of affairs, for his memory not to escape the Greek writers. Whatever we know of him is contained in the talks of a certain old monk, who in chatting reports examples of virtue which as a younger man he either beheld or heard of in speech, to strengthen the minds of the brethren. These few things however give the holy bishop the most outstanding praise: he was an excellent and gentle shepherd, καλὸς καὶ πρᾶος ποιμὴν. Neither Fabricius nor Harles mentions any book or homily written by Abramius. Yet in the old catalogue of the royal library of Paris we find a homily on the presentation of our Lord in the temple noted at the numbers 1174 and 1190 Catalogue des Mss., Paris 1740, vol. II, pp. 231 and 245.. The beginning of this oration is reported in the Catalogue of the library of Turin, codex 148; the title and first words we here copy from it: Ἀβραμίου ἐπισκόπου Ἐφέσου λόγος εἰς τὴν ὑπαπαντὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος καὶ εἰς τὴν Θεοτόκον καὶ εἰς Συμεῶνα. Ἐπειδὴ ἔλεγξις τῆς συμπληρώσεως τοῦ τρίτου ψαλμοῦ αἱ λέγουσαι κ. τ. λ. Codicum manuscriptorum bibl. Taurinensis, Turin 1749, p. 239..
HISTORY OF THE CONVERSION OF ABRAMIUS THE JEW
from the new Auctarium of Combefis
Abraamus, bishop of Ephesus, founder of the monastery of the Abraamites. (S.)
aFROM THE AUCTARIUM OF COMBEFIS.
§ I. The orator's proem. The building of the Tetrastyle. The journey, shipwreck, and anxiety of Theodore the merchant.
[A certain wonderful power over minds is had by the recollection of prodigies worked through the image of Christ.] The memory of the Lord's miracles is recalled today b, and therefore it behooves the kindly assembly to give a hearing suited to the greatness of what is to be said. For if the decrees and decisions of Kings, brought forward and promulgated, draw all by a certain necessity to attentive and intelligent hearing, that they may thus be kept and observed: how much more, when the notable miracles of the supernal King are proposed for contemplation, ought we all to run together with eager mind to the spectacle, and to take from it a huge pleasure? Those indeed, as being temporal, bring some convenience to secular life; these, full of divinity, furnish not a little benefit to the soul itself. Further, I speak of the narrative and spectacle of miracles, not indeed of miracles written in the sacred Gospels, nor of those which the Lord himself, Christ, God, man, Word, worked while he was still in the flesh in the world; but of those which many years after his glorious Ascension into heaven were consummated with greater glory: of miracles, I say, not those accomplished through the divine apostles, or the renowned martyrs, or any other elect saints; but those wonderfully brought forth through the God-manly image of Christ: finally of miracles by which not only faithful men and pupils of the Church established the faith, but the very enemies bore testimony by a wonderful novelty. Assuredly it holds wonder, and seems incredible, that God in the flesh should converse with men, and by divine power bring forth those distinguished miracles; but certainly far more wonderful and incredible that through his God-manly figure these prodigies should be accomplished. For just as it is a thing full of miracle that those who had believed in him, in God, I say, man, Word, should do greater works than he, as the promise John XIV, 12. and, far more, the very experience of things shows: so altogether greater for astonishment that through his own painted image c he should work more excellent and stronger prodigies than those he worked through the fleshly dispensation of his earthly conversation. But the oration will now declare the matter.
[2] [The triumph of the Christian religion throughout the world is confirmed by the conversion at last of Constantine,] For after the glorious ascent of the Lord into heaven through a cloud, and the descent to earth of the Paraclete Spirit in the figure of fire, the apostles being sent forth into all the earth, and through them the saving word of piety being disseminated everywhere, the whole error of demons was routed from the earth, and the whole faith of divine knowledge was planted in the world, although the worship of idols prevailed, and impious tyrants administered the empire at that time. For the Churches of God spread through the whole world, attacked by persecutions and by war joined against them, were strengthened with greater robustness; and, victorious, shone the more. But when it pleased God, such is his clemency and kindness, that for the Christian people the most pious and most Christian
emperor should be anointed; the greatest, I say, and equal to the apostles, Constantine; the free light of piety shone around the whole circle of the earth. For his anointing and calling was not from heaven or through heaven; but from heaven he receives revelation through Christ. For when he had seen the precious figure of the cross shining brighter than the sun in the heavens, and had read in letters wonderfully expressed in a cluster of stars, in this conquer; he at once received the light of the knowledge of God in his soul, and fortifying himself with the faith of Christ as with a breastplate, he fashioned that life-giving figure, which had appeared, from the material of gold and silver d, ordering it to go before in wars; and with its protection, putting to flight all the barbarian nations, he was made a distinguished victor and triumpher over all foes and enemies.
[3] [who at Byzantium in the Tetrastyle erected an image of Christ, one miracle of which, out of many, will now be set forth] For the rest, the divine Power prospering him, and strengthened by the aid of the life-giving cross, he transferred the empire from elder Rome to this new Rome fortified by God, and, it having before been called Byzantium, founded it, called by his own name, with God as helper. Further, in the midst of this great city e he built a court supported on four columns, with a vault rising in a circle, covering it with bronze tiles, and he ordered the sign of the victorious cross to be placed there, on whose eastern part, fashioning a venerable image of the Lord's figure, he erected it to be seen and adored by all the faithful. From then on, and up to now f, this most sacred figure has been bright and celebrated, having glory from miracles and healings, and from all who venerate it with worship. Of one, then, of those many and very great miracles, for the benefit of those who are present and to make their faith sure, I am going here to compose a narrative; so that from the fringe, as the saying goes, the web may be made manifest.
[4] Theodore, a merchant, suffering shipwreck, falls into despair, There was a certain man in the reign of Heraclius g, known for piety and modesty, Theodore by name, abounding in many riches. He, having a very large ship indeed, carried on trade, fitting out with it sea voyages from the city of Constantinople to eastern regions h: and when he had once come there, and having done good business was returning to his city and homeland, he came to a certain place where two seas meet i, and caught by strong winds, fearing the most immediate danger, he made a loss of his whole cargo; and scarcely at length unharmed from so great a danger, the ship empty, he alone with the sailors landed at Constantinople. While he was then in great anxiety and affliction from this misfortune, he resolved, having sold the ship, to enter on the life of a monk. And, turning over this plan within himself, Theodore brought the whole matter to his wife. She, being of honorable morals and sober, gladly took up this excellent plan of her husband, and anxiously urged him to fulfill it, saying thus: Hasten, my lord, to fulfill a thing so acceptable to God, and do not put off your good purpose in longer delays l. For not rarely is delay of time accustomed to change counsel and obscure good things.
[5] but he is restored by the admonition of a friend, Setting out to sell the ship, he met a certain well-known and very friendly man. He, seeing him walking with great sadness and a mournful countenance, said to him: Ho, friend Theodore, why has your countenance so fallen, and sadness filled your heart, on account of the misfortune of the shipwreck? Have confidence, then, and be not sad, putting your whole hope in Christ, the caretaker and provider of all, that giver of life and bestower of all good things: in him, I say, for whom it is easy to bless your latter end more than your beginning, and to give back to you more than the former things. To this Theodore: Indeed, most loving brother, I approve all that you have said, and believe it to be so. For I judge, nay I am certain, that these things have happened to me through the providence of God, that I may draw benefit from them and take thought for the salvation of my soul. Understanding this and reckoning in my mind what most conduces to salvation, I have resolved within myself to sell the ship; and, freeing myself from the tumults and cares of the world, to serve God quietly apart. But he said: By no means, brother, should you be willing to do this because of an adverse misfortune: rather go to your close friends and acquaintances, and receive from them on loan such a sum of silver and gold as suffices for trade; and then according to your skill and custom do business. For God is able to increase you with manifold gain, that you may both restore what you have received at interest and recover what you have lost.
[6] [and, a prayer being poured out to the Blessed Virgin, resolved to implore the help of friends,] Persuaded then by these and such words, Theodore was moved from that desire and plan of his, yet forgetting nothing of his former piety and prudence. Again, judging that recourse must be had to God and his most immaculate mother, he went in swift course to the asylum of the world and most celebrated temple of Blachernae m, and throwing himself on the ground before the sacred and immaculate image, truly and properly of the Mother of God and of Christ our God born of her without seed, pouring out tears, he earnestly begged what would be good and conducive for him. After this, rising thence, he went to his wife, reporting to her what his friend had set forth. She, full of prudence, and unwilling to contradict her husband and head, acquiescing in his purpose and will, said thus to him: Whatever, my lord, is pleasing in your eyes, that do, provided you ever have the fear of God before your eyes.
[7] he approaches all his close friends, by whom he is repelled. Theodore then went off to his close and more sincere friends, with whom he had often associated and taken common food, and made various contracts for trade, from whom he hoped to find favor for favor in that afflicted misfortune and need of his. Beseeching, he asked to receive gold from them at interest, to fit out the ship and load it with wares. But they could by no means bear to hear him, and said: Indeed we will gladly, as friends to a friend, compassionately bestow necessary food and some modest comfort for present need; but gold for the sake of trade, and especially of sea trade, we cannot give. At this response from them Theodore, without resource, returned home very sad, because of the hardness of heart and unmerciful mind of those who seemed friends; and he said to his wife: Come! woman, let us fulfill the promise that we have vowed to God, and enter on the life of a monk: for, as I see, the men of the present time have greater affection for the table and the gullet than for love and faith. She to him: What pleases in your eyes, sweetest husband, let us do this: or rather, let the will of the Lord be done in us.
ANNOTATIONS.
we learn. On all these things see du Cange Ibid., pp. 114, 115, and 116, Paris ed. and Banduri Imperium Orient., vol. I, part III, p. 9, no. 22, and vol. II, p. 475, Paris ed., and our Acts at the 9th day of August Acta SS. vol. II of August, p. 428 ff..
§ II. Abramius the Jew accepts Christ as surety once and again. The prosperous journey of Theodore.
Lastly he approaches the Jew Abramius, who asks a surety, While meanwhile they are exchanging these and similar words, there came to Theodore's mind a certain Hebrew by name Abramius a, who had long known his affairs b; he, when in former times he saw him in rich fortune, and knew that he carried on trade with happy success, had asked him to receive gold from him, desiring to come into a share of the gains that should accrue to him. But Theodore refused to take as partner in trade one whom he did not have as partner in faith. He thought, then, of approaching the aforesaid Abramius at his house. As he passed, on his way, the said Tetrastyle, where the likeness of the sacred and lordly figure had been expressed with a certain divine appearance, his eyes fixed on it, and his hands spread out to heaven, praying intently, he begged the Lord Christ to direct and prosper his journey there. Going off thence to the aforesaid Abramius, he besought him to furnish gold, with which there might be supply for the ship necessary for trade. But Abramius, mindful of his former supplications, and how, having often asked in the past, he had by no means been heard, mocking and at the same time reproaching him, answers thus: Lord Theodore, when you were rich, and I asked you to receive from me as large a sum of gold as would suffice, you would not bear it, unwilling to admit a partner in a share of the gain; but now that you are reduced to the greatest straits and extreme poverty, how have you come to seek from me a loan for the sake of trade, and of sea trade at that? For if danger should occur at sea, and the gold you are seeking from me should perish, from whom shall I recover what is mine, you being a pauper so as to be unable to pay? But if you wish to attain your desire, furnish a surety who is able to pay and safe, and then you shall receive as much money as you need.
[9] when Theodore tried to furnish this, he was disappointed of his hope, Going out thence, then, Theodore goes to the friend who had first met him on leaving his house, and had induced him to receive gold on loan. He tells him all that had happened since, how those who seemed friends had repelled him, and how the Hebrew had promised to give a loan, requiring only a sponsor. But he said: You yourself know, most loving friend, how I am destitute of silver and gold with which I could bring some comfort to this affliction of yours: but again that Hebrew will not want me as surety, who himself knows my poverty. For the rest I do not refuse to do what is in my power for your help. See, I shall go with you, and together we shall ask the merchants known to us and friends; perhaps, out of respect, they will yield to our supplication, and become sponsors for you to the Hebrew. Both then go off to a certain illustrious and very rich man, formerly a friend of Theodore, and set forth the matter to him, narrating what the Hebrew had promised and spoken; and they ask him to be willing to go with them and pledge himself. But he repelled Theodore, saying: Go away from me, man: for so far am I from wishing to go to the wicked and faithless Jew, that I cannot even exchange a word with him or say hail to him. And when he had approached other intimates and friends in the same way, and had found favor with none, he returned empty to his house.
[10] and he resolves to invoke Christ as sponsor, Further he bore the affliction so hard, and such force of grief held him, that he tasted nothing meanwhile, and remained that evening without supper. When it had dawned, he went to pray at the most celebrated temple of the all-holy Mother of God, which is at Blachernae: and after finishing his prayers, he resolved to go back to the Hebrew. Going then, when he came nearer to the aforenamed Tetrastyle, throwing himself on the pavement before the sacred figure of the Lord, groaning and mourning from the bottom of his heart, he prays, saying: Lord Jesus Christ, hope of all the ends of the earth; help and refuge of all who flee to you, provider and caretaker of all who hope in you: do you, Lord, now also deign to be my helper and sponsor, although I am unworthy; and incline the heart of Abramius the Hebrew to hear my petition, and to furnish gold for trade; so long as this is pleasing to you and useful to me: for you alone are God, who know all things before they happen, and distribute to each what is useful for each, and to you is due glory forever.
[11] to whose image fixed in the Tetrastyle he leads the Jew. Having prayed thus, Theodore began to take courage and to exult in spirit, as if the sought sponsor were already found and he had attained his desire. He goes then to Abramius, and says to him: See, I have done according to what you said in promising, and I have found a sponsor, that terrible and very great one, who can provide safety in all things. Abramius to him: Let that man come, then, and make the guarantee of suretyship, and then you shall receive as much weight of gold as you wish. Theodore to him: It cannot be, O brother, that he should now be troubled to come and approach you; do you rather be willing to come to him with me as companion of the road: for this would be more expeditious. He, as though by a certain divine nod bent to goodness and pricked in heart, rising at once followed Theodore: and when both had come nearer to the aforesaid court of the Tetrastyle, Theodore asks Abramius to sit a little: and when he had sat opposite the sacred image of the Lord, with much confidence pointing to the image with his finger: I would have you know, friend, that though with much zeal everywhere I have sought and searched, I have been able to find no richer or greater sponsor. Know, then, that he is my guarantor and Lord: and I ask you to accept him, set up as surety and answerable for my slenderness and poverty.
[12] Abramius, wondering at the man's faith, accepts Christ as surety: But Abramius, amazed at the speech, yet admiring the man's faith, said to him: You are not altogether ignorant, O friend, how great is the difference of faith between Hebrews and Christians, which concerns above all that named Christ, whose character you now show me, and whom you propose as sponsor. Do you not say that he was fixed to the cross by our fathers and condemned to death? How then can I accept as guarantor so great an enemy, not only mine, but of the whole nation of the Hebrews? But indeed, although perhaps such a thing is not free of danger for me, and seems altogether inconvenient and absurd, nevertheless on account of that piety of yours and your faith in your religion I shall not suffer you to go away empty: rather I accept that surety of yours, and furnish gold as much as you desire. And these words being said, returning at once home, and pouring out fifty pounds of gold c (for so much Theodore said he would receive on loan) he counted and weighed it; and carrying that sum of gold by his servants, he came again to the Tetrastyle, and before the sacred character of the Lord, setting down the gold that he was bringing, he said to Theodore: See, before God and that sponsor of yours, I deliver the loan: do you now receive it.
[13] the money being taken on loan, Theodore sets out and, again shipwrecked, Theodore, receiving the fifty pounds of gold, bought with them a cargo suited to his ship; and filling it with different kinds of things for use, and hiring sailors in it, he sailed to the parts of Syria d. When he had come to Tyre and Sidon, he sold the wares he had brought at a high price: and having gained much money from that sale, buying with the price wares for sale in the East, he loaded the ship again with precious scents of spices and other excellent wares. Weighing anchor, then, he began to sail for Constantinople. But a violent wind blowing, the sea terribly swollen, and the waves rising vehemently, the ship was held in a grave storm and danger. Further the sailors, seeing this present necessity, made a jettison of the goods that were in the ship, trying to lighten it, if in any way they could provide for their safety. But when they saw themselves driven altogether into straits, all abandoning the ship, they got into the skiff: and the ship indeed, soon overturned, perished by wreck; but they, the providence of God protecting them, all escaped safe together with Theodore, for they were not far from land: and they gave thanks to Christ for their unexpected safety.
[14] scarcely with his ship saved, he returns to Constantinople. Further Theodore, placed in such a strait and so grave an affliction, bewailing in mournful lamentations, said: Ah wretched me, who have fallen into such calamity and such straits! Woe to the unlucky man, conceived and likewise born in sins! Ah man of sad fortune, who have lost others' money with my own! What will become of me, or what I should do, I know not. I am in doubt where to go, or what road to hold. See, I have become an evil tale to the world: a spectacle to friends; a joy to enemies, a reproach to neighbors. With what eyes shall I see that beneficent man? Or how shall I show myself, returned with empty hands? And with what confidence shall I lift my eyes to my sponsor and Lord, who, confounded and brought to the utmost straits, must be held altogether in disgust? Bewailing these things and things like these, Theodore moved all the natives who ran up to pity. And, when all had applied much labor and effort in helping, at length they could scarcely draw the empty ship from the waters. As then it was possible
with diligence, repairing it, they weighed anchor from there and came to the city of Constantine.
[15] Abramius treats Theodore mildly, For the rest, when Theodore's arrival became known to Abramius, and when he had learned all that had happened to him at sea, he came quickly to him. Finding him prostrate on the ground, and drenching the earth with tears, and all those standing around sad at this misfortune and consoling him with words, he too, moved with pity at the gravity of the evil, and consoling the calamity, addressed him in these words: Arise, brother, and do not lament or be dejected in spirit: rather, stopping your groans and laments, give glory to God, and come to me at home, and God will care for our affairs, as shall seem good to him. After some days Theodore rose and betook himself to Abramius. When then he drew near to the court of the Tetrastyle, falling before the sacred figure of the Lord, he adored with tears, stretched on the ground, giving many thanks for the providence of God toward him. And then coming to the house of Abramius, he entered with his face cast down to the ground, abject, confounded.
[16] and he lends him a new sum of gold. Abramius, seeing him so dejected and with a bearing set to sadness, again began to console him with gentle words, and said to him: Let not your heart fall within you, most beloved, nor be sad in spirit; rather bear all that has happened patiently and with manly constancy; and receiving from me again fifty pounds of gold, use once more your skill and knowledge in marketing. For God can through them supply not only the lost money, but also much more, and with a greater heap than that. And then drawing out the gold, and giving it to his servants to carry, he went with Theodore to that court supported on four columns, and said to him: Receive, lord Theodore, these fifty pounds of gold also, before your sponsor, and go in peace: and the Lord God will make your journey prosperous, and direct your way before you: knowing this, that you are held altogether bound with your sponsor to give back the sum e of a hundred pounds of gold. These things being thus said and done, Abramius returned to his house. Thus further God, the caretaker and provider of all, had the matter dispensed for the salvation of both, who indeed wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, as will be said in what follows.
[17] Setting sail a third time, Theodore is tossed here and there by the winds, Having bought diverse kinds of wares, as also before, and the ship being loaded and the sailors hired, now ready to set sail from the harbor, Theodore went first to the Savior of all, his sponsor; and falling before the sacred image of the God-man, with tears and groans he besought the Lord most abounding in the bowels of mercy to deign to be his companion, and to direct that journey of his and make it prosperous; and to keep him safe from the dangers of the sea and from evils of every kind. Then he went off to Abramius, to bid him farewell. He said to him: Keep yourself safe, O brother, and beware of committing yourself to the sea in winter time, you who know how the sea is deceitful and has many dangers. But if with God's help an easy sale of your wares should befall you, and you receive sufficient gold from them, send us some part of the sum received at interest, if only there should be any, by sea or by land, who could opportunely convey it to us. For this will be something of a comfort, if anything adverse and any misfortune should happen concerning the ship. Theodore to him: Let the Lord's will be done, for he has done and does whatever he has willed, in heaven and earth; in the sea and in all the depths. Having said farewell, then, and having gone on board, a favorable wind blowing, in a few days he was carried to the gulf that they call the Atlantic: but contrary vehement winds catching them, by their blast and force, or rather by the counsel of God foreknowing things to come, they were tossed for many days against their will. They found themselves then carried into places altogether unknown, not at all knowing where they were.
[18] until at length, carried to an unknown island, he trades most happily. While they were thus borne on an uncertain course, and were anxious, behold there appears before them opposite a certain island f, and having taken counsel together, it seemed good, by the nod of God, to land the ship at it, and to learn in what quarter of the world they were. When then they had disembarked, they then learned that they had coasted the western parts, that is, the extremes of the sea around the Ocean. Having had meeting with the inhabitants, then, and having talked of wares and exchange, they enter into an agreement to deliver to them their whole cargo: and to receive what tin and lead was stored by them; so that for one coin a hundred pounds of tin should come, of lead two hundred, and that they should accept the rest of such wares at the rate of gold. They filled then their ship with the aforesaid goods, and then, reckoning and counting, they found that to the just load of the ship there remained over fifty pounds of gold; so that the whole cargo had come to them as gain.
ANNOTATIONS.
§ III. Miracles that followed the faith of Theodore. Abramius is baptized; he is made a priest.
Theodore sends back through the waves of the sea the sum he had received, Further Theodore, thinking over what had happened, stood in doubt: but understanding that this whole thing was a prodigy of divine providence, and believing it so most certainly, and placing all hope entirely in the Lord of all Jesus Christ his sponsor, and driving from himself every human thought of doubt and unbelief, he fitted a little chest from wooden material, and fortifying and smearing it inside and outside with faith rather than with pitch, he put in it fifty pounds of gold; writing also a letter in these words: In the name of the Master and God, and Savior and Lord of all, Jesus Christ my sponsor: now as if he were alive and present I, humble Theodore, embrace, address, and greet my benefactor and creditor with God, the lord Abramius. I would have you know, lord Abramius, that we are all, God keeping us safe, in good health. But since by God's providence toward us the trade has turned out rightly and prosperously for us, see, I have sent you by my sponsor fifty pounds of gold. Receive these, then, from me, and mindful of us, farewell. Having sealed the letter, then, he put it on the gold inside the chest, and coating it accurately on every side, he stood on the shore of the sea, and looking to heaven, invoked God, and said: Lord and Master Jesus Christ, mediator of God and men; who dwell on high and regard the lowly; who do all things for the salvation of men, hear the voice of the prayer of your servant today; and you who have been a suitable sponsor for me, do you yourself, by your divine power and providence, give back this gold also to my benefactor and creditor Abramius. For trusting in you, clement Lord, and relying on your power, with undoubted faith, I commit this little chest to the sea a.
[20] [relying on divine help, by which through a dream it is shown at the same time to him and to Abramius.] When he had prayed these things with groaning and tears from his whole heart, doubting nothing, he cast the chest into the sea; and returning to his lodging, he narrated the whole matter and deed in secret to his most faithful chief shipmaster. He, wondering beyond measure at the man's undoubted faith, remained dumb for many hours, amazed and at the same time glorifying God. When then evening had come, they turned to sleep: and now as day was dawning, Theodore, calling aside the aforesaid most faithful man, narrated to him the vision which he had seen that night, speaking thus: I thought, he said, that I was standing at Constantinople, in the Tetrastyle, before the sacred image of Christ the Lord, who pledged himself for me: and I seemed to see standing nearby my benefactor and creditor Abramius. Meanwhile I see the little chest which I cast into the sea, as if suspended in the air; on recognizing which, I was turned to amazement: and soon a voice breaking forth from the image said: Receive, Abramius, my pledge. And he, stretching out his arms, took up the box: and forthwith
awaking, I felt myself trembling: And now, by God's grace, I am altogether more certainly persuaded that the gold has come through unharmed, and has been given back into the hands of Abramius my creditor. Likewise also Abramius, on the same night, saw a very wonderful dream, and was wholly seized with amazement. At dawn, then, summoning his most faithful servant, he began to narrate in this manner what he had seen in his sleep: I saw, he said, that I had come this night to the Tetrastyle, and was standing near the image expressed there. And I saw Theodore, that Christian merchant, to whom also I furnished the loan, standing with me, and giving me gold, and saying: Receive this sum from me, in the presence of my sponsor: and I thought that I received it and held it in my hands: and behold I tell you, my son, that gold has really been sent by him, which I ought to receive today. But come, let us go to the shore, if perhaps we may see any ship coming from anywhere.
[21] Abramius, amazed, receives the gold, Both going then to the seashore, they stood for a rather long time looking around: and no ship indeed did they see returning: but intently they contemplated the waves more swollen that day. Further Abramius approached to wash his feet in the waters, and he sees something dark swimming on the waves, which glides down to him. Summoning then his servant-companion, he showed what he had seen, and ordered him to take it. He, going forward a little into the waters, seized the thing, and lifting it in his hands, saw indeed that it was a box, and felt also the weight of the cargo, and said to him: How good a dream has now come to pass for our Lord! For I think that this box is full of money. Abramius, surveying it from all sides, and seeing it smeared on every part with bitumen and pitch, and diligently sealed, thought that it belonged to a merchant who had come into danger at sea. Taking up the little box, then, they hastened home; and opening it, they see above the bag a sealed letter marked with a triple cross in place of an inscription. Counting the gold, they found the sum of three thousand six hundred solidi b. Then at last Abramius, unfolding the letter and reading it, remained for no short time wholly agape, his voice hindered by much wonder and amazement; coming back then to himself, and understanding the greatness of the miracle, he fell on his face, crying out and saying: Great indeed is the God of the Christians; who alone does great wonders; and great is the faith of his faithful. All his household being amazed at that cry, and so great and sudden a change, Abramius disclosed how the matter stood, reading the letter in the sight of all. And all with one mind glorified God.
[22] but when Theodore returns, Having placed the gold in the box together with the letter, then, Abramius held that great miracle in ever-living memory; amazed at the almighty power of Christ, and awaiting the arrival of Theodore. After the spring solstice, then, Theodore, weighing anchor from that island with a favorable wind blowing, came to Byzantium in the space of a few days. When Abramius heard that he had come, he betook himself to him, hastening and rejoicing: and both having exchanged greetings, they sat down gladly. Theodore began to report all that had happened in the voyage; how they had been cast even against their will on the said island, and how he had done there the trade in lead and tin, receiving besides a sum of fifty pounds: how likewise, making a little box, he had put in it the said sum of gold, a letter also being added, and coating it diligently had placed it in the sea, and sent it to him: among these words, this also inquiring and seeking, on what day he had received such a deposit.
[23] [to test him, he denies that he has received anything, and so, brought to the Tetrastyle,] But Abramius, wishing to test him, pretending complete ignorance, feigned that he knew nothing of those things at all, nor had received anything whatever. Theodore, endowed with undoubted faith, and holding firm hope in Christ Jesus, who had pledged himself for him, said to him with much confidence: Indeed, brother, I believe surely, and am altogether certain, that you have received the gold that I sent to you by sea in a chest, Christ the Savior caring for and providing it, who offered himself as surety for unworthy me; but if you yet assert and say that you have received nothing, come, let us go together to the sacred character of the Lord, who pledged himself for me, and say before him that you have received no gold, and then I shall believe the statement you make. Abramius promised that he would do this with a ready mind, not as going to deny altogether, but that he might know the matter more accurately and clearly. When both had come to the sacred Tetrastyle, Theodore threw himself on his face before the sacred figure of the Lord, giving thanks to Christ, who had saved him and prospered him; and who had so well governed his affairs with so useful a dispensation.
[24] and struck with a ray of divine light, he professes Christ and is baptized; Then rising, and spreading out his hands to the sacred figure of the God-man, he cried out with a loud voice: My sponsor and my Savior, have you given to my creditor Abramius the gold that I consigned to you? While Theodore was saying this, Abramius at once sees a certain power, like lightning, flashing from that divine and immaculate image, and shining around him; and falling on the ground he became as if dead. Theodore, taking water, sprinkled it on his face, and roused him, crying out and saying: Great is the God of the Christians: you, Lord Christ, alone are God, who do very great wonders. And Abramius said: The Lord lives, and blessed be God: I shall not enter my house until I am made a Christian. Meanwhile the matter was noised abroad among all who inhabited new Rome, that great city: indeed the report penetrated even to the very ears of the emperor, namely Heraclius, then wielding the scepter of the empire. He then, summoning the men, and learning diligently from them the divine prodigies that had happened, himself also glorified God the worker of miracles, who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth: and soon summoning Sergius, who at that time was bishop, he ordered him to baptize Abramius with his whole house. When then he had taught the rudiments of the faith to all his household, in number seventy-five souls, he baptized them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
[25] then a solemn supplication is made to the Tetrastyle. After seven days, the emperor commanded that the whole city be gathered in one place, and that a procession be made to the Tetrastyle. Further the Emperor Heraclius himself also, together with Sergius, archbishop of Constantinople, and the whole multitude of clergy and people accompanying, went forth: and intent prayer being poured out, at the emperor's order, the box with the gold was brought, and the letter, which also he commanded to be read in the hearing of the whole people. When it had been brought and read, the wonders of God became more clearly known to all, and the great faith of Theodore in Christ the common Savior of all. Heraclius commanded this also; namely that the chest should be placed and kept before the sacred image of the Lord, for a perpetual memorial to future generations, never to be abolished. Indeed the God of miracles, who does all things, and changes them by his will alone, now also, as always, showing his excellent power, heaped up another new prodigy on the former very great and unaccustomed miracles. For after the divine regeneration of water and the Spirit of the most God-loving Abramius with his whole house, taking him, truly according to the meaning of his name, that Theodore came to the ship, to unload it of the wares brought.
[26] Afterward they consecrate to God the silver divinely made from tin and lead Considering, and looking diligently around, they saw the wonderful works of the great God. For the tin was found changed into silver of the first and most excellent quality, which they call five-times stamped and refined: and the lead into inferior silver: yet assayed; so that it too had nonetheless been changed into silver of the second grade. Wondering then, and both being more vehemently amazed at the mighty works of God, by prudent counsel and pious concord they resolved to repay God's wonderful gifts to God, and to offer a gift to the sacred house of the great Wisdom of the clement God [c]. Together with this counsel and purpose the work also followed: for the whole cargo of the ship, changed by a certain secret manner from tin and lead into silver, they offered to the divine and very great temple which is named with the title of the Wisdom of God the Word. Melting it then, and drawing it out with hammers, by the work of goldsmiths and silversmiths skilled in metalwork, they coated the whole most sacred sanctuary, together with the ambo, with silver d, as you see, and it is conspicuous even until now; and since they thought that nothing else worthier or of greater price could be repaid for so great and magnificent gifts and favors of God, they offered themselves wholly to Christ, the Lord of all.
[27] [Theodore and Abramius, of whom the former embraces the life of a monk, the latter of a priest.] And Theodore indeed, renouncing the world and the affairs of the world, together with his wife, entered on the monastic institute of life, and both, having lived well and honorably, finished their life e. Abramius, driven by divine zeal, in the hemispherical Tetrastyle itself, where the sacred figure of the Lord was expressed, built an oratory for God f. This being known, Archbishop Sergius, betaking himself there, dedicated that recently built oratory, and placed the altar with relics, ordaining for the sacred ministry in it and the divine liturgy Abramius as priest; and his two sons, now perfected not only in faith but also in works, as deacons. Magnificently, then, and splendidly a banquet and joy being made on that day, as many as had flocked together glorified the Lord surpassing in all glory, who does great and glorious and amazing wonders, of which there is no number: with whom may we all also, rejoicing spiritually today, most beloved, offer glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit: for to him is glory and power, forever and ever. Amen.
ANNOTATIONS.
c. See annot. a.