The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian church/Tir

by Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Tir

Tir 1 (January 9)

On this day Stephen, the Apostle, Archdeacon and Protomartyr, became a martyr. This holy man, as the Book of the Acts of the Apostles testifieth, was full of grace, and of the Holy Spirit, and of power, and he used to perform signs and miracles among the people. And the Jews were envious of him, and they seized him and brought him into their synagogue, and they said, “We found him blaspheming God and Moses, and saying that Jesus shall change the Law of Moses, and shall overthrow this holy place.” And those who were sitting round in the Sanhedrin looked at the face of the blessed Stephen, and saw that it was like unto the face of an angel of God. And they said unto him, “Is this thing true which is said concerning thee?” And the saint answered and said unto them in a loud voice, “Hear ye, O our fathers and brethren. The God of praise appeared unto our father Abraham in the country between the rivers (Mesopotamia), before he had left Harran, and He said unto him, Get thee out from thy country and from thy kindred, and come into the land which I will show thee; and he went forth from Harran as God commanded.” And again God commanded him to speak, and then Stephen talked to them about the birth of Isaac, and concerning Jacob and his sons, how they sold Joseph, and how Joseph knew his brethren when he was chief. And Saint Stephen talked with them until [he came to] the building of the sanctuary. And then he lifted up his voice and said unto them, “O ye stiff- necked men, ye dense of heart, at all time do ye resist the Holy Spirit, even as did your fathers who persecuted the prophets who prophesied, and who preached concerning Christ, Whom ye killed, and Who hath risen from the dead.” And when they heard this they gnashed their teeth upon him. And Saint Stephen being full of faith, and of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven, and he saw the glory of god, and Jesus Christ at the right hand of God His Father, and he said unto them, “Behold, I see heaven open, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God His Father.” And when they heard [this] they shut their ears, and took him that they might stone him with stones, and they deposited their apparel with Saul, that is to say Paul. And they took Stephen outside the city, and stoned him, and he prayed to God on their behalf, and he knelt down on his knees and said, “Receive my soul unto Thyself, O God.” And he said, “Let not this sin be reckoned unto them”; and he was like unto his Lord. And when he had said this he died, and certain believing men came and carried away the body of the saint, and they lamented for him with a great lamentation, and buried him. Salutation to Stephen.

And on this day also Saint Lavendius (Leontius) became a martyr. This saint lived in the days of the Emperor Maximianus, the infidel, in the country of Syria. When the Emperor heard about him, and knew that he was a fighter of the spiritual fight, and that he worshipped God, he sent and had him brought before him. And he offered him very much money, and tried to persuade him to forsake the worship of God, and to serve his idols. And Saint Lavendius (Leontius) laughed at him and spurned his gifts, and his money, and his honors, and despised his punishments, and cursed his unclean gods. And straightway the Emperor was wroth exceedingly, and he commanded his soldiers to hang him up on the wheel, and to torture him severely; and they did to him as the emperor commanded, but God brought him out sound and uninjured. Then the emperor commanded them to beat him with clubs, and to boil oil and fat in a large cauldron, and to cast the saint into it; and they did this to him. And the saint endured all these tortures, for our Lord Christ make him strong, and enabled him to endure, and He raised him up whole and uninjured. When the emperor was tired of torturing him, he commanded them to cut off his head with the sword, and thus he received a crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And many signs and wonders were made manifest through his body, and the fame of him was heard throughout Syria; and they built churches and monasteries in his honor. In one of his monasteries Saint Severus, Archbishop of the city of Antioch, was baptized when he was a child. Salutation to Lavendius (Leontius).

And on this day also died Saint Macarius, the sixty-first Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. When Abba Michael, the Archbishop, his predecessor, died, the bishops, and chief priests, and elders of Egypt, gathered together, and they all went up to the desert of Scete, and they took up their abode in the monastery of Saint Abba Macarius, and they enquired carefully of the desert monks, and the righteous men who dwelt in cells and caves, and asked them who was fit for the honorable office of archbishop; and one of the righteous men told them about this saint. And the priest Macarius, who dwelt in the monastery of Saint Abba Macarius, said, “He is better than all others for this office”; and they searched for him, and seized him against his will, and as they bound him, he cried out “I am a sinner and am not fit for this work”; but they did not hearken to his words, and they made him archbishop against his will. And he appointed bishops and priests in every district of Egypt, and he restored many churches, and in his days all Christians lived in peace and safety, for twenty-seven years and thirty-one days, and he was well pleasing to God, and died in peace. Salutation to Macarius.

And on this day the saints of Akmim became martyrs, and their history is as follows: There was a certain man of the men of Akmim who was a judge, and he was rich in gold and silver, and his name was El-Sidmalyos, and he begot two sons whose names were Dioscurus and Saklabius (Aesculapius), and they were reared in the fear of God, with fasting and prayer. And when their father died they wished to adopt the monastic life; and the angel of God appeared unto them and [commanded] them to go to the monastery of Abba Moses, the desert monk; and having gone to him they put on the garb of the monk, and they fought the spiritual fight strenuously, and performed signs and wonders. And after a few [days] Dioscurus was made a deacon [and] priest, and Saklabius a deacon, and then it happened that Diocletian denied the God of heaven, and commanded Arianus, the governor of Ensena (Esneh) to slay [all] the Christians who would not sacrifice to his gods. And Arianus arrived in Akmim and he seized Peter, the bishop, Abba Bunudyas, and he bound him, and came into his city. And Michael, the angel of God, appeared unto Dioscurus and Saklabius, and told them that they were to receive the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens, and on the twenty-eighth day of the month of Tahsas they and twenty-four monks went to Arianus. And when they arrived in the city of ‘Akmim they found the Christians, together with their wives and children, in the church of Christ our Redeemer, ready to celebrate the festival of the Glorious Birth and to die for His Name; and Abba Benudyas (sic) the bishop came with them. And on the following morning Abba Benudyas read the Liturgy, and when he came to the passage wherein is said “Holy,” the angels cried out, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.” And the saints saw our Redeemer sitting upon the Tabot (tabernacle) and the angels standing round Him raising the Offering, and He placed the Offering in the hand of the priest that he might present it to those assembled there. When Arianus heard [this] he was filled with great wrath, and he came into the church, and seized the two elders of the city whose names were Behwafa and Wenin, and cut off their heads with the sword. And after that he killed the deacons, and the sub deacons, and the singers, and the steward of the church, and he left neither woman nor child alive; and at length their blood ran out of the door of the church, and flowed down the road for a distance of twenty cubits. Then [the officer] took Abba Bunudyas (sic) the bishop, and Dioscurus and Saklabius, and the brethren who were with them, and carried them before Arianus, who persuaded them to worship idols. And when they refused to do so, he commanded soldiers to beat Dioscurus and Saklabius until their bones were shattered, [and they did so], but the angel of God appeared unto the saints, and healed them. And Karyon and Philemon, the chief officers of the guard of Arianus, and the forty soldiers who were with them, saw this miracle, and they believed on Jesus Christ. And the governor commanded his soldiers to cast them into a red-hot oven, and they finished their martyrdom on the thirtieth day of the month of Tahsas. And several of those who were gathered together there cast themselves into the oven, without any man compelling them to do so, and they finished their martyrdom. And on the first day of the month Ter, whilst Dioscurus and Saklabius were shut up in prison, Michael the Archangel appeared unto them and made them strong to finish their martyrdom. And on the following day Arianus held converse with them concerning their worshipping idols, and when they refused to do so, he commanded the soldiers to gouge out the eyes of Dioscurus, and the saint took up his eyes and put them back in their sockets, and they were as they had been before [they were gouged out]. And Lucius, an officer, and his company of soldiers believed in Christ, and the governor cast them into a pit, and they completed their martyrdom. And then Arianus commanded the soldiers to kill the saints, and whilst they were praying the Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto them and gave them the covenant that whosoever invoked their names, and commemorated them, and wrote a history of their strife should be numbered with the company of the righteous. Then the soldiers came and cut off the head of Saint Dioscurus with the sword, and Saklabius they cut in halves, and the four and twenty monks they split in twain, from their heads to their feet, and they were crowned on the first day of the month Ter. And Samuel, who was a kinsman of theirs, swathed their bodies for burial, and he buried them in the church, which was consecrated in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. And the number of the martyrs who were slain is eight thousand one hundred and forty. Salutation to Dioscurus and Saklabius.

And on this day also became martyrs, excepting those who died the day before, whom Diocletian killed, sixty priests, one hundred and thirty deacons, fifty-three singers, eighty stewards (i.e. vergers) of churches, forty-two judges, one hundred and fifty sub deacons, eight thousand four hundred and ninety members of the laity, and their elders Ledianus (Lydianus), and Tadres (Theodore), and Paul. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 2 (January 10)

On this day died Abel, the righteous man, whose blood was shed by violence; and he was the first-born of the dead, whom Cain his brother slew. And the cause of this was the fact that Adam transgressed the command of God, and ate of the tree, although he was commanded not to eat of the tree, and death obtained dominion over him, and over his sons, and he became a slave of sin, and Satan was given permission to lead him astray forever. Then when he went out from the Garden, and descended into the low- [lying] land, he continued for one hundred years to weep and to lament, because he was stripped of the glory of his honor, and was driven out from his inheritance. When his lamentation was ended, he knew his wife Eve, and she conceived by him and she bore him Cain and Elyud his sister. And then he knew Eve again, and she bore him Abel and ‘Aklima his sister. And when the children were become young men Adam said unto Eve, “Behold thy children have grown up, let Cain marry ‘Aklima, who was born with Abel, and let Abel marry ‘Elyud, who was born with Cain.” And Cain said unto Eve his mother, “It is right that I should take my sister, who was born with me, and that Abel should take his sister, who was born with him”; now this [he wanted] because ‘Elyud who was born with Cain was more beautiful than ‘Aklima the sister of Abel, and she was like Eve her mother. And when Adam heard this, it was exceedingly grievous unto him, and he said, “This is against the Law, and it is not right for thee to do this thing, and to take to wife thy sister who was born with thee.” At that moment envy (or jealousy) entered into the heart of Cain, and he wanted to kill Abel. Then Adam said unto Cain and Abel, “Get ye forth and offer up an offering to God, and whichever He pleases let it be to Him.” When they had offered their offerings God looked upon the altar of Abel, and accepted his offering, and He rejected the offering of Cain. Then the jealousy and anger of Cain were increased, and Satan came upon him, seeking a pretext for killing him. And when he had gone down into the valley Satan visited Cain, and he said unto him, “Why art thou sorrowful?” And Cain said unto him, “Because my father hath commanded me to give my beautiful sister to my brother Abel.” And Satan said unto him, “Hear my voice, O my friend, and listen to my admonition. Rise up and follow thy brother, and thou wilt find him drinking water; smite him on his head with a stone, and when he dieth thou canst marry both thy sisters.” And the advice of Satan was good in Cain’s sight, and he burned with the lust for fornication, for he was the son of perdition. And then he took up a stone and smote the head of Abel, who died by the hand of his brother through jealousy of a woman. This was the beginning of sorrow, and the cause of death in the world. And concerning this God said unto Adam and Eve when they were in the Garden, “Ye shall not eat of this tree, for in the day wherein ye eat thereof ye shall surely die” (Gen. ii, 17); and these words referred to Abel before [he was born]. And God said unto Cain, “Where is thy brother Abel?” And Cain said unto Him, “Am I my brother Abel’s keeper?” And God said unto him, “The blood of thy brother hath come to Me. Cursed shall the earth be because she hath opened her mouth to drink the blood of thy brother; and do thou tremble, and be terrified all the days of thy life.” And this curse was exceedingly heavy upon Cain, and at length his seed was destroyed from off the face of the earth by the waters of the Flood, because of Abel. And Enoch saith, “I heard the blood of Abel crying out, and accusing his brother.” And our parents, the children of Adam, before the waters of the Flood, used to swear by the blood of Abel, and our Lord said unto the scribes and Pharisees, “Which of the prophets did not your fathers kill? Therefore there cometh upon you the blood of all the righteous which hath been poured out upon the ground from the blood of Abel the Just to the blood of Zachariah the priest, the son of Berachiah, whom they slew in the midst of the sanctuary” (Matthew xxiii, 35). And Paul saith, “The sacrifice of Abel was better than [that of] Cain, by reason of the faith which he brought to God, and it became a witness concerning him that he was a righteous man, and the sacrifice which he offered to God also testified concerning him; and [although] he is dead it yet speaketh.” And he saith also, “Jesus, the lamp and guide of the new covenant, and the sprinkling of the blood of the prophet, which speaketh better than that of Abel” (Hebrews xi, 4; xii, 24). And then, when Adam missed Abel, his son, he said unto Cain, “Where is thy brother?” And Cain answered him angrily, saying, “How should I know where by brother is?” And Adam ran into the valley and found Abel, and he took Abel’s head in his arms, and said unto him, “Who killed thee?” and Abel said, “Cain killed me.” And Adam and his wife wept for Abel for four weeks of years. And as soon as Abel was dead angels came to Adam and said unto him, “Good tidings for thee, O father of the world! Thy son Abel reposeth in peace among the trees of thy Garden, and his soul hath ascended to God as a sacrifice, which hath been accepted. As thou wast the first to [bring in] death, so he is the first to enter into the holy place.” When Adam heard this he was comforted and he buried Abel in the Cave of Treasures. Salutation to Abel the accepted sacrifice.

And on this day also Hellanicus, the bishop [of Weshim], became a martyr. When the Emperor Diocletian, the infidel, heard the report that Saint Hellanicus was teaching the people to reject his gods, he sent envoys to seize him, and to torture him severely. And when the blessed Hellanicus heard of the arrival of the envoys of the emperor, he gathered together the people who were in his city Weshim, and he consecrated the Offering, and administered unto them the Holy Mysteries, the Body and Blood of Christ, and then he said unto them, “After this time ye will never again see my face.” And they all wept with a bitter weeping, and they were unable to hold him back against his will. Then he went out and delivered himself up to the envoys of the emperor, and they took him and gave him to the governor of Antinoe to torture. And the governor tortured him severely, and God gave him strength and enabled him to endure the torture; and then the governor took him with him to the city of Edku and there also he tortured him severely. And when he was tired of torturing him he commanded the soldiers to cut off his head with the sword, and to cut through his body to the shoulders; and they cut through his head down to the shoulders; and the governor took him with him to carry him to the city of Tukh. And as they were traveling in the boat, the saint, knowing that his death was near, commanded one of the sailors, who was a believer, saying, “When we arrive at the port (or quay) and I am dead, cast out my body on a hill”; and having said this he died. And they arrived in port, and straightway the sailor took the body of the saint and cast it out on a hill. And immediately certain believers, who had been commanded to do so by the angel of God, came and took his holy body, and swathed it for burial, and hid it among them until the end of the days of persecution. And they built a church, and laid his body therein, and great signs and miracles took place [therein] through it. Salutation to Hellanicus whose shoulders were cut through.

And on this day also died the holy father Theonas, the sixteenth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This saint was learned, and wise, and strong in the True Faith, and good in every action of his life; and all men loved him because of his learning and wisdom. And he built in the city of Alexandria the church of our holy Lady the Virgin Mary; [until that time] the Christians and the believers were only able to pray and to receive the Eucharist in cells (or caves) secretly because of their fear of the infidels. And this saint persuaded the people until they let him build beautiful churches, and he converted many of them, and baptized them with Christian baptism. At the end of the [last] year of his office he baptized the blessed Peter, who became archbishop after him; in the fifth year of his office he made him a reader, in the twelfth year of his office he made him a deacon, and in the sixteenth year of his office he made him a priest. In the days of this saint there appeared in the city of Alexandria the infidel Sabelus, who believed and said that Father, Son and Holy Spirit are one Person; and this father anathematized him and brought his evil faith to naught. And in his days Cosmas, and Damianus, and their mother suffered martyrdom. And this father finished a good life, and pleased God, and having sat for eight and twenty years he died in peace. Salutation to Theonas, who baptized Peter.

And on this day was consecrated the church of our holy Lady the Virgin Mary, in the monastery of Abba Sinoda. Salutation to the consecration of thy church, O Mary.

And on this day also nine thousand seven hundred souls became martyrs with Philotheus, and Sabela the daughter of Hercules, the interpreter of dreams. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 3 (January 11)

On this day were slain the innocent, the holy and righteous children and martyrs, [who were in number] eighteen thousand. [In the Bodleian MS. 144,000.] When Herod, the wicked, had waited for the diviners to return to him, and they did not do so, he became exceedingly angry, and he sent his soldiers and they killed the children in Bethlehem, and in Judea, and in all the region round about, whose days were two years and less, according to the time when he enquired of the diviners. The Holy Gospel saith that when the diviners departed the angel of God appeared unto Joseph in a dream, saying, “Rise up, take the Child and His mother and depart to the land of Egypt, and remain there until I tell thee to return, for behold, Herod is seeking for the Child to kill Him.” And Joseph rose up and took the Child and His mother by night, and departed to the land of Egypt, in order that might be fulfilled the words of the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt have I called My Son” (Matthew ii, 13; Hosea xi, I). And Herod, the accursed, was wroth, and he wished in his mind to kill the children, thinking that our Lord Christ might be one of them, and that he would kill Him. And our Lord Christ, Who performed every human act, the committal of sin alone excepted, fled from the face of Herod, in the operation of His wisdom, and if Herod had found Him and killed Him, according to what was meet for the might of His Godhead He could not have died, or men might have thought that His Incarnation was an inferior thing. Therefore our Lord fled to the land of Egypt so that prophecy might be fulfilled, and that He might teach us also to flee from evil, and might destroy the idols of the country of Egypt. And how was Herod able to kill these very many children? He invented pretexts, and he sent messengers into all the cities, saying, “An Imperial Edict hath reached me from Caesar, who hath commanded to be counted all the little children whose days are two years and less, so that he may give unto them money and apparel and they may belong to his army.” And because of this many children were gathered together with their mothers, and Herod sent out ten hundred soldiers to them and they murdered them on the hills in one day. And then was fulfilled the prophecy of the prophet who saith, “A voice is heard in Rama, weeping and lamentation. Rachael weepeth for her children, and refuseth to be comforted, because her children are wanting” (Jeremiah xxxi, 15; Matthew ii, 18). Now Bethlehem is named after Rachael. And Saint John the evangelist, ‘Abukalamsis, saith that he saw the souls of these holy children, and that they cried out, saying, “How long shall we remain unavenged for the violence done unto us? And Saint John saith, “I saw a vision, and behold there was given unto each one of them white apparel, and one said unto them, ‘Rest now until your brethren the martyrs who are in the world shall finish their martyrdom.’” And he saith also, “The praise wherewith the Four Beasts and the priests of heaven praise [God] none knoweth except these eighteen thousand little children who have not defiled their bodies with lust; and they shall dwell with God always. Blessed are they and blessed are the wombs that bare them.” Salutation to the children whom Herod killed, thinking that he would kill Christ among them. Salutation to Isaiah who foretold clearly the birth of Christ.

And on this day also died Saint Libanos, who is [called] “Mata’a.” The name of the father of this holy man was Abraham, and the name of his mother was Negest, and they were rich in gold and silver. And on the day when they brought a wife to this saint, the angel of God, Gabriel, called him in the night, and brought him out from the house of his father, and took him to the monastery of Abba Pachomius, where he became a monk. And then he departed to the country of Ethiopia, and he dwelt there and fought the spiritual fight for many days. And he brought water out of a rock, and performed many miracles; and he died in peace. Salutation to Libanos.

And on this day also is commemorated Abba Ammon, who was always cursing the hair of women, and who could never abase the instrument of sin. Salutation to Ammon. [Omitted in the Bodleian MS.] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 4 (January 12)

On this day the departure of John the apostle and evangelist took place. When the lot went forth that this saint should go to the country of Asia, he was sad and wept, for he knew that the people there were wicked, and heretics, and stiff-necked; but then he received from our Lord power and consolation. And he went forth to the country, which was his lot, and with him was his disciple Prochorus. They embarked in a ship, and intended to go to the city of the Ephesians, but the ship was wrecked, and each man clung to a plank of wood from the ship. And the waves of the sea washed Prochorus, his disciple, to an island, but Saint John remained among the waves of the sea for forty days and forty nights. At length God commanded, and the sea carried him to the place where his disciple Prochorus was living, and he gave thanks to God that they had met again. And they rose up and went into the city of the Ephesians, but they were unable to preach in the Name of our Lord Christ, because the men there were wicked, and perverse, and invented pretexts [to harm them]. And John became the furnace-man, and tended the fire of the bath of a woman whose name was Romna, and Prochorus, his disciple, became a washer of clothes. And the mistress of the bath afflicted them sorely, and treated them with cruelty, and contumely, and she used to beat them with sticks and curse them with many, many curses because of their alien origin and poverty. And she treated them as her slaves, and she wrote labels whereon their prices for sale were written, and attached them to their persons. And they remained with her in great wretchedness until the son of the governor of the city came into the bath to wash. Now there had been in the bathhouse a power of the Satans from the time when it was built, and this power strangled the son of the governor, and he died straightway. And when the men of the city gathered together to see the young man who had died, Saint John came with them, and he stood still and looked on like everyone else. And when Romna saw him, she cursed him and said, “Hast thou come hither to laugh at me, and to rejoice thyself over the death of the son of my lord?” And the saint answered her gently, and said unto her, “Fear not, neither be thou sorrowful”; and he drew nigh unto the dead man, and made the sign of the Life-giving Cross over him, and he breathed on his face, and the young man came to life again straightway. And the men of the city cried out, and came to worship Saint John, and first and foremost among them was his mistress Romna; and she was weeping, and beseeching him to forgive her all the faults, which she had committed against him. And when Dioscorides the governor heard that his son was dead, he was smitten with fear and died; and when they told John this, he made the sign of the Cross over him, and raised him up from the dead. And he believed on Jesus Christ, and was baptized with all the men of his house in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And when John reviled the men of the Ephesians because of their worship of idols, anger seized them, and they stoned him with stones, but the stones came back and broke their idols. And when they prayed to their god there was a noise, and an earthquake took place, and three hundred men died; but Saint John prayed and raised them up from the dead. And the men of the city believed, and were baptized in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And a certain woman whose son had been seized by an unclean spirit, came to him, and asked him [to help her], and he took the right hand of the young man and made the sign of the Cross over him, and he rose up, being freed from the unclean spirit, and he glorified God. And there was another man who had lain upon a bed for twelve years, and when he saw John he cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Have mercy upon me, O apostle of the Lord Jesus Christ.” And when John saw his confidence, he said unto him, “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ rise up”; and the man rose up quickly, and believed on Christ. And when Satan saw all these signs and wonders he was filled with craftiness and envy, and he took the form of a soldier of the emperor, and came into the city weeping. And two men who were passing by found him, and they said unto him, “Why dost thou weep?” And he said unto them, “The emperor hath given me two men who are magicians, and whose names are John and Prochorus; if ye can seize them for me I will give you gold.” And straightway the two men seized John and Prochorus, and wanted to kill them secretly, but when Dioscorides the governor heard of this he delivered them. And John performed many signs and wonders before them, and all the men of the city believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, except the priests of the idols, and they did not believe and they wanted to kill Saint John. And Satan stirred them up against him to kill him, but God Who protecteth His chosen ones [saved him]. And Saint John labored hard and suffered great tribulation until at length he converted them all to the knowledge of God. And the apostle Saint Paul is a witness concerning them, and concerning the denseness of heart of the men of Ephesus, and concerning their excessive love for idols. And with great toil Saint John brought them all into the True Faith, and he set over them a bishop, and priests, and deacons. And he went forth to all the cities, and traveled through all the country of Asia, and he converted all the people and brought them into the knowledge of God. And the blessed John lived ninety years, and grew very old, and he did not taste death by the sword like all the [other] apostles, but because of his virginity and purity they are all equally to be praised. And he wrote a Gospel and ‘Abukalamsis (the Apocalypse) which he saw in the island of Patmo (Patmos), which is full of mysteries. And he wrote three Letters, which are written in the Book of the Apostle, and it was he who reclined on the breast of our Lord at the time of the Supper, and he said unto Him, “My Lord, who is he that shall betray Thee?” And it is he who, at the time of the Crucifixion of our Redeemer, stood with our holy Lady, the Virgin Mary; and our Lord said unto the Virgin, “Behold thy son,” and to that disciple He said, “Behold thy mother.” And he it was of whom Peter spoke when he said, “And this one, what of him?” And our Lord said unto him, “If it be that I wish him to be [here] until I come, what is that to thee?” And when the blessed John knew that the time of his departure from this world was nigh, he summoned the people, and he brake bread, which is the Body and Blood of Christ, and gave it to them so that they might be strong in the True Faith; and he comforted them and blessed them. And he then commanded his disciple Prochorus, and some of the other brethren to take digging tools, and to follow him. And he went a short distance outside the city of Ephesus, and he commanded them to dig a pit, [and they did so], and he went down into it and stripped off his apparel, leaving upon him only a tunic and a napkin; and he lifted up his hands and prayed. And he bade the brethren farewell, and sent them away to return to the city, and he told the brethren to be strong in the Faith of Christ, and to do good works, because God would assuredly reward each and every man according to his work. And he also said unto them, “I am innocent of your blood, for I have never omitted to tell you of the least of God’s commandments, and there is no ordinance of His which I have not told you. After this time ye shall never again see my face.” And when he said this they wept and they kissed his hands and his feet, and left him in the pit and departed; and the saint knelt down upon his knees and prayed. When the people knew of this their hearts burned and they were exceedingly sorry, and they all went out, but they could not find his grave, only his sandals and a garment; and they glorified God Who had made His disciple to rest in this splendid manner, and they marveled at His work. Salutation to John.

And on this day also are commemorated George, and Matena the Archbishop, and Theodora the martyr, and Abba Likanos, and Abba Nardos of Dabra Bizan, who killed a serpent by means of his prayer and did not smite it with a stick, and who stood up in prayer until his feet decayed. Salutation to Sabela (Sybil), the interpretress of the dreams of the nine wise men of Rome, when they made them known unto her. [Wanting in the Bodleian MS.] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 5 (January 13)

On this day died Saint Eusegnius, the martyr. This holy man was a soldier in the days of the Emperor Constantine, and he served God, and his charities and alms to the poor and the needy were very many. When the fighters of the Cross-among the stars of heaven appeared unto Constantine, before he believed in our Lord Christ, he did not know what the sign portended. And this Saint Eusegnius went to him, and said unto him, “This is the sign of our Lord Christ”; for there was no one else in Constantine’s army who dared to mention the Name of Christ except this holy man. And when Constantine had conquered his enemies by the sign of the Honorable Cross, he became a Christian in truth, and he lifted up the horn of the Christians and of their Faith. And this soldier lived on after Constantine, and after the son of Constantine, until the days of Julian the infidel, and at that time his days were one hundred and ten years. And one day when he was walking about in the open places of the city of Antioch, he found two men fighting together, and he wanted to separate them and to make peace between them; now he was an old man who was held in honor, and he made joy and peace to be between them. And a certain man went to the emperor and made an accusation against this holy man, and he said unto him, “Eusegnius hath become a judge and governor of his own free will.” And the emperor had this saint brought before him; and he rebuked him and said unto him, “Who hath appointed thee [a judge and governor?” And Saint Eusegnius answered and said unto him], “Why hast thou forsaken the worship of God, the God of heaven, in Whose hand is thy soul, and dost bow down to unclean idols, and dost not follow the kings who were before thee? I was a soldier under Constantine like thee, for twenty years, and also under his son, and neither of them had the evil habit which thou hast; for thou hast forsaken God and dost worship unclean idols.” And the emperor was exceedingly worth with him, and he commanded his soldiers to hang him up, and to apply lighted torches to his sides; and they did all these things, but the saint endured them all through the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And when the emperor was tired of torturing him, he commanded them to cut off his head with the sword. And when the soldiers arrived to cut off his head, he begged them to wait whilst he prayed, and when he had finished his prayer they cut off his honorable head, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens together with all the saints. Salutation to Eusegnius, who interpreted the mystery of the Cross to the Emperor Constantine.

And on this day also died Abba Matthew, the eighty-eighth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This father Matthew had parents of the race of Israel, who believed in Christ and were perfect in good works. The name of his father was Simon and the name of his mother was Barbara, and God gave them two children, and the name of the elder was Jacob and the name of the younger was Matthew. And whilst this Abba Matthew was in his mother’s womb, Abba Peter, Bishop of the city of Abures, met her, and when he saw her he got off his donkey and kissed her belly, and said unto her, “Blessed art thou, O woman, and blessed is the fruit of thy belly. Behold there shall go forth from thee a bright star who shall shine in his preaching like Mark the evangelist.” When Abba Matthew was fifteen years old his father died, and then he went to Abba ‘Abrem, and Komos of the monastery of Saint ‘Abufana, and he asked him to array him in the garb of the ascetic life; and the abbot said unto him, “Obtain the consent of thy brother, who is older than thou art, and come back.” When Abba Matthew heard this he went back in sorrow of heart, and on the way the angel Michael, who was in the form of a monk, met him, and told him that he should become Archbishop [of Alexandria], and that signs and wonders should be wrought through him. And having come to his brother, he urged him to let him become a monk, and when he refused Abba Matthew went to the monastery of Saint Abba ‘Amoni, of the monastery of Tona, and took refuge in the church. And when the brethren had entreated his brother, he allowed him [to become a monk], and he went to the monastery of Saint Abba ‘Abufana, and Abba ‘Abrem made him a monk; and he fought the spiritual fight with fasting and prayer until he attained the power of the monks. And after a year Abba Peter went out to Abba ‘Abrem, and he saw Abba Matthew, and his patience and his prudence, and he asked Abba ‘Abrem to give him to him so that he might be his disciple. And the bishop took him with him against his will, and he dwelt with him, and he kept vigil all night long from the time of sunset to sunrise. And when it was eighteen years since he was born, the bishop took him and made him a priest against his will. And when Satan observed his vigils he entered into the heart of a certain beautiful woman, who showed him her person, and solicited him with evil desire; and Abba Matthew seeing her prayed to God with tears, and even asked for death. Then he went in to the bishop and entreated him to send him away to his monastery. And when the bishop prevented him he came into the Episcopal treasury and took a priestly vestment of great price, which belonged to the bishop, and he slit it into strips, every part of it, with a razor, and then he restored it to its former place. And on the following day the bishop said unto Abba Matthew, “Bring me the priestly vestment, for I must officiate at the Eucharist this day”; and when he brought it to him, it fell down before him like wooden shavings. When the bishop saw this he was very wroth, and he said, “Who hath done this thing?” And Abba Matthew said, “I did it, because thou didst prevent me from going away. Is doing this a greater sin than falling into fornication?” And the bishop sent him away in wrath, and he wrote an order of excommunication concerning him to the men of the monastery, ordering that he should perform two hundred prostrations each night and day, and that he should dwell neither in a cell nor in a house, but in the church at the time of prayer; and Abba Matthew fought this spiritual fight for two years. When the bishop heard of his patient endurance he sent him his blessing and removed the ban of excommunication. And then his brother Jacob came to him, and became a monk, and he fought until he had conquered Satan. And then Abba Matthew went to the monastery of Abba Anthony, and he dwelt there, fighting strenuously. And there was there a certain righteous monk whose name was Jacob, and he saw a vision in which it seemed that a shining angel came unto Abba Matthew, and embraced him, and gave keys into his hands. And when Abba Jacob awoke he told this to Abba Matthew who straightway, because he hated empty praise, wandered round the country from city to city. One day whilst Abba Matthew was officiating in the office of the Eucharist, he saw our Lord Christ sitting upon the altar, and He lay in the paten like a little child. And at the time when he broke the Offering, he stood up for a long time with his hands stretched out and covered with blood, and he continued to weep abundantly, and he was afraid: and he told this vision to no man. And his teacher saw him and he marveled at his standing still so long a time, and then he prayed to God to reveal to him this matter. One day when they were consecrating the Offering as usual, our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto them, lying upon the paten in the form of a child, and He was broken up by the hand of Abba Matthew like bread. And straightway he marveled and said, “Glory be to Thee, O God, Who hast given unto us sons of men this great gift.” When Abba Matthew saw this he fetched some iron nails, and drove them into his knee every Friday until a worm came out there from. Thence he departed to Dabra Kueskuam, and he dwelt there, and he fought so strenuously that at length when he gazed upwards he could see our Lord Jesus Christ sitting on the right hand of His Father; and when he looked downwards he saw Him in the abysses in great glory. When Abba Gabriel the archbishop died they (i.e. the bishops and priests) appointed Abba Matthew to succeed him as archbishop against his will, and when he refused they set guards over him, and the following day all the bishops told him that they had seen a vision and that he was suitable for the office of archbishop. When Abba Matthew heard this he knew that they would not let him go, and he took a razor secretly and drew it across his tongue and cut if off. And that night our Lady Mary came to him, and anointed his tongue with oil, and healed it, and it became as it was before [he cut it]. And they took him to the city of Alexandria, and when they were enthroning him on the sixteenth day of the month Nahase (Aug.-Sept.), the day of the festival of the death of our Lady Mary, a voice was heard from heaven, saying, “He is worthy, He is worthy, He is worthy.” And they brought the head of Mark the evangelist that they might lay it in his breast, and the head flew up and kissed his mouth. And from that time he never sat upon his throne at the time of the Offering, and he never entered into the house of any man on the Fourth and Sixth Days of the week. And he prophesied that David (i.e. David I, who was abdicated A.D. 1411, and died 6th Oct. 1413) would reign as King of Ethiopia though his brother Wedem ‘Asfare (or Germa ‘Asfare, who reigned till 1382) was reigning. And this father performed many miracles in his days, and he healed the sick, and raised the dead by the bandlet, which was on his head. And in his days there was appointed a deputy governor over Mesr (Cairo) who was a wicked man, and he imposed a tax on the archbishop to which he had never been submitted before; and when he refused to pay it he beat the archbishop severely, and carried him into his habitation. That night Abba Matthew entreated our Lady Mary to received his soul from the torment of this world, and she appeared unto him, and held converse with him, saying, “Be not sorrowful; after eight days thou shalt rest.” And on the following day Abba Matthew called the bishops, and priests, and deacons, and all the people, and he told them about his [coming] death, and he exhorted them about the word of the Faith and blessed them. And when his sickness increased he took a picture of our Lady Mary, and prayed a long time, and he kissed the picture and made the sign of the Cross over his face, and he blessed all the people of the city who believed in Christ, and he died on the First Day of the week. Salutation to Abba Matthew, the doubly blessed.

And on this day also became martyrs Yarewenyos, and many men and women, and Negirus (Longinus) of Rome, Alexandra who visited Arsenius, and ‘Awshia. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 6 (January 14)

On this day our Lord Christ came into the place of circumcision and fulfilled the Law of the Torah, even as the Apostle Paul, the perfumed tongue, saith, “Christ received the circumcision of His flesh so that He might fulfill the covenant of the fathers”; now many have imagined that our Lord Christ did not enter the chamber of circumcision, and that He was not circumcised. If it was as these people thought, would not the Jews have found in [His uncircumcision] a greater pretext than that which they put forward [for attacking Him]. And the Holy Gospel saith, “The Jews searched for men who would bear false witness against Him, and they found them not.” Our Lord Christ fulfilled all the Laws of Moses, and came into the chamber of circumcision according to the Laws of the Torah. And for us He hath ordained in its place Christian baptism and the eating of unleavened bread, and for us He hath ordained in its place His Holy Body and Honorable Blood, and the abrogation of the Sabbath of the Jews, and for us He hath ordained in its place the First Day of the week, which is the Day of His Holy Resurrection. And when eight days had passed since our Lord Christ was born, that is to say when it was the sixth day of the month of Ter, Mary the pure Virgin said unto Joseph, the just man, “Go and bring me a skilful circumciser that he may circumcise my Son according to the Law of Moses, and let us give Him the Name of ‘Jesus’”; and Joseph went and brought a skilful circumciser. And when the skilful circumciser came he found our Lord Christ in the bosom of the pure Virgin Mary, and he said unto them, “Hold the Child; I shall be able to circumcise Him without wounding Him.” And the Child Jesus answered and said unto him, “O skilful man, I wish to see thy skill, and thy power, and thy work, for how wilt thou circumcise Me? No blood shall flow from Me in this world, except the blood, which shall flow from My right side. When one shall pierce Me with a spear in the place of the skull (Golgotha). When I am on the wood of the Cross, blood shall flow from Me, and shall run down upon the earth, and it shall be for the salvation of Adam and all the world.” And when the skilful circumciser heard the words of the Child Jesus, he gathered together his razors and the iron instruments, and brought them into their house; and he rose up and bowed down at the feet of the Child Jesus. And straightway his razors melted and became like water, and he said unto our Lady Mary, “Pure and blessed art thou more than [all other] women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. This thy Son is not of the seed of Adam, but He is the Son of God. If He worketh a miracle like this when He is a child, what will happen when He attaineth the age of manhood? Peradventure He is the Messiah, Who is called Christ, about Whom the prophets prophesied, saying, ‘Behold a virgin shall conceive, and shall bear a son, and His name shall be called “Emmanuel,” which is, being interpreted, “God with us.”’” And our Lord Christ answered and said unto him, “Behold, I am He. Wilt thou circumcise Me or not? If thou wilt not I will do as My fathers and My grandfathers did.” And the circumciser said unto Him, “Who was Thy father? Who was Thy grandfather?” And our Lord Christ said unto him, “They were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the fathers of the nation, and they lived before God gave them circumcision”; and the circumciser said unto Him, “I am not able to talk with Thee, for the Holy Spirit is upon Thee.” And straightway our Lord Christ lifted up His eyes to heaven, and He said, “O Father, give me the circumcision which Thou didst give to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the earliest times, without the hand of man”; and straightway there appeared in Him circumcision without the hand of man. And the circumcision of our Lord was an incomprehensible mystery, even as was His going forth from the belly of Mary without destroying her virginity, and like His entrance to the Apostles in the Hall of Zion, through doors which were shut, and like the revelation of His power when in the operation of His wisdom He wished that not the smallest portion of His Body should be cut off in circumcision. But it was not so when the blood and water flowed from His side on the wood of the Cross, so that He might save Adam, and the blood flowed from Him, without addition or diminution of its substance, but by His wish so that He might fulfill the Law which He commanded in olden time. And when the circumciser saw this miracle and heard His words he marveled exceedingly, and he bowed down thrice at the feet of our Lord Christ and said unto Him, “Thou art the Son of God and the King of Israel.” And the circumciser went to his home, and he began to tell the children of Israel what he had seen and heard. And to our Lord and God and Redeemer Jesus Christ, be honor and worship with His Good Father and the Holy and Life-giving Spirit, now and for ever and ever. Amen.

And on this day also died our father Noah who belonged to the tenth generation from Adam. This Noah from his earliest years used to contemplate divine mysteries, and to observe that sin was increasing, and evil growing to the full, and the righteous diminishing, and that all that was flesh would be destroyed by the waters of the Flood. Because of this he lamented, and wept, and his face became furrowed, and he preserved his virginity for five hundred years; and he continued to minister to the body of our father Adam, and to keep the commands of his God. And then God commanded him to marry a wife and He told him that He was going to destroy all flesh by the waters of the Flood, and that there would be left upon this earth none except his own seed. And Noah married a wife whose name was Haykol, the daughter of Abu Zir, and he went in to her three times, and she brought forth Shem, Ham and Japhet. And then God said unto him, “Cut down trees on this holy mountain, and make an ark three hundred cubits long, and five hundred cubits broad, and thirty cubits high; and make inside it three stages. The first stage shall be for the beasts, and the second for the birds and for everything that creepeth, and the third stage for Noah, and his sons and their wives. And he made inside it a cistern for water, and a store-chamber (or pantry) for their food. And he made a trumpet of Kashyan wood, the length of which was three cubits, and the breadth one cubit and a half, which was to be blown three times a day. The first time was at dawn to gather together the workmen for their work, the second was to assemble the people for their meal, and the third time was to send the people to bed. When the children of Cain saw Noah making an ark for the water of the Flood, they mocked at him and began to say, “Behold this old man is mad, or why would he say that the waters will rise above the tops of the mountains?” Then Noah took the body of our father Adam and embraced it. And Shem his son took gold, and Ham took myrrh, and Japhet took incense, and carried them into the ark with the body of our father Adam. And [Noah] took in with him clean beasts, and animals, and birds, seven of each kind, and of the unclean beasts, and animals, and birds, two of each kind. And Noah placed the body of our father Adam facing the east side, and he laid the three offerings upon his breast; and Noah, and his sons, and his wife, and their wives occupied the west side. And then God, by His power, shut the door of the ark on Noah, and He commanded the doors of heaven to be opened, and the storehouses of the deep, and the cataracts of the winds, and there went forth storm, and mist, and fog, and darkness, and the sun and the moon and the stars withheld their light, and never before was there such a terrible day. When the children of Seth, who had committed fornication with the children of Cain, saw this, they knew that God was angry with them, and that the words which Noah had said unto them were true. And they all ran to the ark to ask Noah to open its door to them, but they were unable to ascend the holy mountain, because the stones thereof were like fire; and the ark was closed and sealed by the power of God. And the angel of God used to dwell in the ark, and he became a chief to Noah and his sons. And the waters of the Flood increased and they began to overpower the children of Cain, who were drowned. By the force of the water the ark was lifted up above the earth, and every being of flesh that lived on the earth perished. And the waters rose above the tops of the mountains for a space of fifteen cubits, and they bore the ark and carried it down to the Garden; and Noah and his sons and all who were in the ark worshipped in the holy Garden. Then the ark sailed over the waters, by the force of the winds, and it continued to go onwards for one hundred and fifty days, and it appeared on Mount Ararat, on the twenty-seventh day of the month of Tekemt (Oct.-Nov.). And the waters being assuaged on the twenty-seventh day of the month of Genbot (May-June), on that day, the day on which he went into the ark, Noah came out from the ark; and this day was the First Day of the week. And God sent His voice to Noah telling him to take large beasts and to offer up an offering on the altar before Him. And Noah sent out the animals from inside the ark, and God promised Noah that He would not destroy the earth again, and as a mark of His promise He set a bow in the heavens so that all people might see it. And God blessed Noah and his sons, saying, “Increase and multiply and fill the earth”; and He commanded the earth to bring forth grass according to its custom, and the beasts and cattle, and the fowl of the heavens, and everything which moveth [to bring forth young]. And after Noah had gone out from the ark he planted a vine, and drank of the wine thereof, and he became drunk and stripped himself naked. When Ham has son saw him he made a mock of him, and told his brethren, but they turned their faces from him, and covered him with his apparel. And when Noah recovered himself, and knew what his son Ham had done he cursed him. And after he had divided the whole earth among his sons, the day of his death arrived, and he died in his nine hundred and fiftieth year, and was buried on Mount Ararat.

And on this day also is commemorated the ascension of Elijah the prophet into heaven, being alive in the body. This zealous prophet lived in the days of Ahab the king, and his soul was in travail each day, and all day, because of the deeds of the king and his abominable wife. Then his soul became angry, and he stood up before the king and said unto him, “Why hast thou forsaken the God of heaven, thou and thy wife Elzabel (Jezebel), in Whose hand is thy soul, and [why] do ye worship the idol Baal? And why have ye taken the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite? By the life of the Lord God of Israel, I swear that no rain shall descend upon the earth from heaven except at my word.” And straightway, whilst yet the words were in his mouth, the rivers dried up, and the green herb withered, and there was a famine in all the land. And when God saw that Elijah the prophet by reason of his jealously for His honor afflicted himself concerning the famine, He commanded him to go to Dabra Karen (?), and a raven used to bring him food every day; and God willed to perform the wish of the prophet, and He did not permit his word to be made a lie. And God willed and sent to him a raven with food, but Elijah would not receive the food from the bird, because, according to the Law of the Old Testament, the raven was an unclean bird. Did he perchance spare himself because of the famine, and command rain to fall? And the prophet took the food from the raven and it defiled him not. And God commanded the stream from which he used to drink to dry up, so that, peradventure, when he was thirsty he might have compassion upon men, and command rain to fall. And in this matter the prophet did not spare himself, and moreover, he came nigh to die through hunger and thirst. And God commanded him to go to Sarepta of Sidona where he was fed by widow woman. And God thought that by [making him do] this he would journey through the cities, and see the bodies of the dead cast out on the road side, and would have compassion on the people in his heart, and command the rain to fall. And when Elijah went to Sarepta of Sidona, he found that widow woman gathering firewood, and he asked for bread from her that he might eat. And she said unto him, “As God liveth and as thy soul liveth I have only a handful of flour in my house, and I am going to make it [into bread] for my son, and we shall eat it and die; and also I have a little fat in a pot.” And the prophet said unto her, “Bring me a little water that I may drink, and a little bread that I may eat, and afterwards do thou eat.” And the woman said in her heart, “Even if I am to die it is better for me to make it [into bread] for this pilgrim as he wisheth, and I will make merry and think that I have eaten it myself.” When the prophet knew the beauty of her mind and the integrity of her nature, he had compassion in his heart, and he asked God for rain. And God accepted the word of the prophet because he had done this on account of his jealously for Him. And Elijah said unto her, “Believe me, and go and do as thou thinkest, but make for me first a cake baked on the ashes, (then make one for thyself afterwards,) and bring it to me, and afterwards thou shalt make one for thyself and thy son, for thus saith God, “Thy flour barrel shall never become empty, and the fat in thy pot shall never finish until [the day] when God shall send rain upon the earth’”; and it came to pass even as the prophet said. And the woman went and made [the cake], even as the prophet commanded her, and he dwelt with her until the days of the famine had ended. And the woman had a son who fell sick and died, and she rent her garments and made lamentation, and took the child and carried him to Elijah into the upper chamber, and she wept and entreated Elijah, in God’s Name, on behalf of the child. And Elijah laid his face upon him, and the child came to life straightway; and it is said that this child was Jonah the prophet. Then Elijah sent his disciple to Ahab, King of Israel, and he said unto him, “Behold the descent of rain from heaven is nigh.” And the king searched for Elijah and wanted to kill him, because he had shut up the heavens so that no rain fell for three years and seven months. And then Elijah took the prophets of Baal and slaughtered them with his own hand. When Elzabel (Jezebel), the wife of Ahab the king, heard this she was wroth, and she sent messengers after Elijah and she wished to kill him because he had killed the prophets of Baal. And Elijah was very sorry because of this, and he said, “O God, they have slain Thy prophets, and have overthrown Thy altars, and I only am left, and they wish to kill my soul.” And God said unto him, “Fear thou not, for I have left unto Me seventy men who have not worshipped the idol Baal. As for thyself, who can take away thy soul? I will take thee up into heaven whilst thou art living in the body.” When Ahab the king was dead, his son reigned in his stead, and he did evil before God. And he fell sick of a disease, and he sent messengers to the idol Afron to ask him whether he would recover from his illness or not. And Elijah the prophet met the messengers of the king, and he said unto them, “Say ye to the king: Thou shalt died of this disease.” And when they told the king this, he knew that the man [who spoke this] was Elijah, the prophet, and he sent him a captain, and fifty soldiers with him. And Elijah was sitting on the top of a mountain, and the captain said unto him, “O prophet of God, descend and come to the king.” And Elijah the prophet said unto him, “If I be a prophet of God, let fire come down form heaven and consume thee”; and fire came down from heaven and consumed him, and those who were with him. And the king sent unto him a second captain, and there were fifty soldiers with him. And he said unto him, “O prophet of God, descend and come to the king.” And Elijah said unto him, “If I be a prophet of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume thee”; and straightway fire came down from heaven and consumed that captain and those who were with him. And the king sent a third captain to him, and that captain came to him humbly, and he bowed down before the prophet, when still some distance from him, and he asked him, saying, “Have mercy on my soul”; and Elijah came down and went with him to the king, even as God commanded. And he rebuked the king for his evil deeds, and the king died on his bed. Then Elijah went to the River Jordan, and with him was Elisa his disciple, and he threw his garment on the River Jordan and divided it into two parts, and passed over. And behold there came a mist, and an earthquake, and flashes of lightning, and horses of fire, and they carried off Elijah the prophet, and bore him up into heaven. And then his disciple Elisa wept and said, “O my father Elijah, [behold] the chariots of Israel! Let a double portion of thy spirit rest upon me.” And Elijah rent his garment into two parts, and threw [them] on Elisa, and the spirit was doubled upon him. And all the miracles which Elijah performed Elisa his disciple performed also. Elijah passed over the River Jordan once, and Elisa passed over it twice; Elijah raised from the dead one dead man, and Elisa raised two. And Elisa his disciple performed many miracles, for the Holy Spirit which was on Elijah was doubled on him. And Elijah the prophet and Enoch shall come together in the last days, and they shall rebuke the false Christ, and they shall kill his people, and their bodies shall be cast out for three days and a half, and then they shall be raised up, and the resurrection of the dead shall take place. This prophet Elijah was a righteous man, and he was the first to live in the Garden in the days of the Old Testament.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Makaryanu (Marcianus), the eighth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This saint was appointed Archbishop after the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ; and one hundred years after the second destruction and pillage of Jerusalem, in the ninth year [of his office]. And he remained in his office for nine years, teaching the people and confirming them in the True Faith; and he converted very many of the infidels and pagans, and brought them into the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he baptized them with Christian baptism, and illumined them with the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Law of Christianity. And this father pursued a good course life, and walked prudently, and he pleased God and died in peace.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Basil, Bishop of Caesarea. The name of the father of this saint was Esderos, and he was a priest, holy and pure, and was a man of the city of Antioch. And he begot four sons, Basil, and Gregory Peter, and Cherion, and Macrinus; and they were all holy and perfect men. And this saint was filled with the Holy Ghost, and he composed the well-known Liturgy which beareth his name. And God performed very many signs and wonders by his hands, which are written down in the history of his strife, and of them are the seven following. FIRST MIRACLE: The story of Peter, the brother of the Bishop of the city of Sebastia, and how he had a wife, and how the people reviled him because of this wife, and how Basil came to him, and revealed his spiritual fight to the people, and the mystery of his relations with his wife, and how Peter and his wife were virgins, and had no knowledge whatsoever of the operation of sin. And Basil informed the people how he saw the angel of God overshadowing them [in bed], and how the people saw Saint Peter, and the blessed woman his wife, with the angel of God overshadowing them, and how the people marveled and glorified God, and bowed down at the feet of the blessed Peter, and asked him to forgive them their transgression, and how he forgave all those who had slandered him. SECOND MIRACLE: Concerned the church which the heretics and schismatics seized by violence, but were unable to open the doors thereof; but when the believers prayed the doors were opened through the prayer of Basil. THIRD MIRACLE: The story of Saint Abba Ephraim, who saw a pillar of light which reached from the earth to heaven; and he heard a voice, saying, “This is Basil.” And Saint Ephraim came to the city of Caesarea, and he saw the virtues and the righteousness of the blessed Basil. And Saint Basil appointed Ephraim a deacon, and prayed over him, and he made him to speak in the Greek tongue. FOURTH MIRACLE: The story of the wise astrologer, who never made a mistake in his computations. When Saint Basil was sick, and he knew that the time of his death [was nigh], he summoned that astrologer and said unto him, “When am I going to die?” And the astrologer said unto him, “Thou wilt die in the evening, and thy soul shall go forth from thy body [at the time].” And Saint Basil said unto him, “If I remain [alive], and do not die until the morning, wilt thou became a Christian?” And the astrologer said unto him, “Yea.” And Saint Basil entreated God, and God added three days to his days, and that wise and learned Jewish astrologer, who was the greatest of his class, believed, and Saint Basil baptized him and all the men of his house with Christian baptism, and then he died in peace. FIFTH MIRACLE: The story of the man who denied Christ, and who wrote his denial of Christ with his own hand upon a paper, and gave it to Satan. And Saint Basil shut up that man in a certain place, and he prayed to God so earnestly that at length Satan brought back that paper which the man had written; and thus Saint Basil saved him. SIXTH MIRACLE: The story of the priest who was a virgin, and his wife, who had with them a man who was sick of dire disease, and how Basil knew of the integrity of the priest and his wife, and how he slept with the sick man that night, and how he prayed to God on his behalf, and how the man was healed of his sickness straightway. SEVENTH MIRACLE: The story of the honorable lady who wrote down a list of all her sins on a piece of paper, and sealed it and gave it to Saint Basil, and asked him to pray on her behalf to God until all her sins, which were written down on that sealed paper, were blotted out. And Saint Basil prayed on her behalf until all the sins, with the exception of one, were blotted out; and the blessed Basil commanded her to go to Saint Abba Ephraim, so that he might pray for that sin to be blotted out. And when she went to Saint Abba Ephraim, he spoke to her, saying, “Hasten and get thee back to the blessed Basil before he dieth, and he will forgive thee, for he is the chief of priests.” And when she returned she found that Saint Basil was dead, and the bearers had lifted him up and were carrying him on his bier to bury him. And the woman wept with a bitter weeping, and she laid that paper upon his body, and that sin which was written on the paper was blotted out from it. When all the people who were there saw this miracle they marveled exceedingly, and glorified God, Who giveth such grace to those who fear Him. And Saint Basil performed many signs and miracles besides those which we have written here in this book. And he composed many beautiful Homilies and Instructions for monks, and he translated many Books of the Old and New Testaments, and he drew up Canons which are to be found in the hands of believers unto this day. Salutation to Noah and his wife and sons. Salutation to Basil. Salutation to Abba Moses, who dwelt in the desert sixty winters. He gazed at the hearts of the saints until he became stupefied, and his face changed and became coals of fire. Salutation to Makaryanu (Marcianus), the eighth Archbishop of Alexandria. Salutation to the circumcision of our Lord. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 7 (January 15)

On this day died Saint Abba Sol-Petros (Silvester), Archbishop of the city of Rome. Because of the strenuousness of his spiritual fight, and his virtues, and his devotion to the ascetic life, and his knowledge, and his righteousness, they appointed him Archbishop of the city of Rome, after the death of Meletianus, Archbishop of Rome, his predecessor. He was appointed in the eleventh year of the reign of the Emperor Constantine the Great. And being seated on the throne of Peter, the chief of the Apostles, he baptized Constantine with Christian baptism. Now Constantine did not repent, and was not baptized until the eleventh year of his reign, because up till that time he was occupied in working and fighting against unbelievers, and in killing them. And he pulled down the houses of idols, and built churches to the honor of God. And the striving of this father Sol-Petros (Silvester) shone exceeding brightly, and he taught the people frequently, and he removed the doubt and the evil thought of the Satans from their hearts, and he explained things which were obscure to them, and made them to understand them; and he disputed frequently with the Jews and the Greeks. And he converted many of them and brought them into the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he baptized them with Christian baptism, and his name was respected and feared by believers. And he composed many discourses and vanquished [his opponents], and he wrote books on the knowledge of God and on the Incarnation of the Son, and through them he gave drink to the soul of the man who was thirsting for the knowledge of God. In the seventh year of his archiepiscopate the assembling of the General Council of the Three Hundred and Eighteen Holy Fathers in the city of Nicea took place. This holy father Sol-Petros (Silvester) anathematized Arius, and he excommunicated him and all those who believed his words. He sat for eleven years, and finished his strife nobly, and he pleased God and died in peace. Salutation to Sol- Petros (Silvester), who baptized Constantine, the Inventor of the Cross.

And on this day also is commemorated Saint Abba Ephraim. Salutation to Ephraim, the father was filled with wisdom.

And on this day also are commemorated Mosolon (Salomon), and Gregory, and Mark, and Antianus, and Luya, and Maylen, and Sosyas, and Marteya Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 8 (January 16)

On this day was consecrated the church of Saint Abba Macarius, of the desert of Scete, by the hand of the honorable saint Abba Benjamin, the thirty-eighth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This took place after great tribulation had come upon him through Makokaz (Makawkas), the heretic, the Melchite; and Abba Benjamin fled into Upper Egypt, [and stayed there] till the end of ten years. When God had destroyed that heretic Makokas (Makawkas), and the churches and the Christians were at rest and in peace, Abba Benjamin returned to his throne, and lived in his own house. And the chief monks of the holy desert of Scete came to him, and they asked him to go with them and consecrate the new church, that is to say, the church of Abba Macarius; and he rose up and went with them in great joy, and he consecrated the church. And when he began to anoint the table of the altar with the holy Meron oil, the saint saw the hand of God anointing it with him, and he fell upon his face in great fear. And one of the Cherubim raised him up and said unto him, “Rise up, be not afraid, and write for this place a holy rule, for it is God’s mystery. And no man shall enter it in pride of heart, nor by bribery, but only him that is appointed thereto; and no man shall dare to speak a vain word therein, for it is a house of the holy things of God. This Canon shall be the rule in this sanctuary for ever. For behold the days shall come when they shall destroy the commandments which their fathers ordained, and they shall not discharge their obligations, and the holy place shall become a place of scoffing.” And Abba Benjamin said, “Verily this is the house of God, and this is the door of heaven.” And as he was holding converse with the Cherub, he looked towards the west of the church and saw an aged man with a beautiful face, and a long beard, and his countenance was shining like that of an angel. And Abba Benjamin was pleased when he saw that [old man], and he said within himself, “If one of the bishops were to die, I should make this old man bishop in his stead.” And the Cherub said unto him, “O Benjamin, whouldst thou make this old man bishop? This is Abba Macarius, the father of all archbishops, and bishops, and monks, and he hath come in the spirit this day to rejoice with his sons; and not an archbishop who was appointed by him, and not one of his sons, will be absent, neither will the spiritual fruits of his monasteries be wanting.” And the Cherub said unto him, “If his sons have kept his commandments, and have followed in his steps, they will be with him where he is in glory; but if they have transgressed his commandments they shall not share [his] inheritance with him.” And Abba Macarius said unto the angel, the Cherub, “My lord, do not decide about my sons in these words; but if there be left in the bunch only a single grape, the blessing of God shall be on it. If there be left in them love for each other I believe that God will not drive them away from His kingdom.” And the Archbishop Abba Benjamin marveled at the mercy of Abba Macarius; and Abba Benjamin wrote a Canon and placed it in the church for a perpetual memorial. And he asked our Lord Jesus Christ that his death might take place as it were to-day, and in consequence he died on the eighth day of the month of Ter.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Andronicus, the thirty-seventh Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This holy man was a deacon, and a son of one of the elders of the city of Alexandria, and he was a wise and a merciful man, and he was learned in the Books of the Church. The son of his father’s brother was governor of Alexandria, and because of his office, and the size of his house, this saint did not live in monasteries as did all the archbishops his predecessors, but he lived in his nephew’s house in the city of Alexandria all the days of his life and archiepiscopate. And this father was appointed archbishop in the tenth year of the reign of Heraclius, Emperor of Rome, in the nine hundred and thirty-third year of the kingdom of King Alexander (A.D. 621-2). And in the days of his father Kesra (Khusrau), King of Persia, rose up, and he was an infidel and worshipped the sun. And he gathered together his armies, now they were many, and he invaded the country of Rome, and the countries of Syria and Palestine, and he laid waste these countries, and carried off their goods. Then he attacked the country of Egypt and came to the city of Alexandria, [round about which] there were two hundred monasteries, which were full of monks, and also full of goods and possessions wherewith the monks lived lives of pleasure. And because of this God gave the King of Persia a dominion over them, and he plundered the monasteries, and slew all the monks who were in them, and only the few were left alive who hid themselves from him and escaped; and to this day these monasteries have neither been [re]-built nor [re]-consecrated. And when the men of Alexandria heard what the Persians had done, they opened to them the gates of the city. And Kesra (Khusrau) the king saw in a dream and it seemed as if one said unto him, “Behold, I have given this city into thy hand. Thou shalt not lay it waste, but slay the strong men who are therein, for they are men of violence. And take the king of the city, and bind him in fetters, and send him away.” And he ordered the men of the city to bring unto him the strong young men, the days of whose years were from eighteen years up to forty or fifty years, so that he might give each of them twenty dinars in gold, and might enroll them as soldiers to serve in his regiments and armies, and protect the city. And the people imagined that what he said was the truth, and eighty hundred men went out to him. And when he began to count all their numbers, they imagined that they were going to receive gold; but as soon as he had finished counting them all, he slew them with the sword. And then he went up into Upper Egypt, and came to the city Nikyus (Pshati, in the province of Menu). and he heard that in the cells, and in the monasteries and religious houses, there were seven hundred monks whose works were evil, and he killed them all with the sword. And when Heraclius, the Emperor of Rome, heard of what the King of Persia had done, he gathered together his army, and marched against him, and slew all his army, and plundered all his country. And the spiritual fight of this Abba Andronicus was exceedingly good, and he sat for seven years, and he pleased God, and he died in peace in the three hundred and forty-seventh year of the martyrs (A.D. 631), before the kingdom of the Arabs [was established] in the country of Egypt.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Benjamin, the thirty-eighth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This was a man of the city of Barset, and the son of one of the wealthy men thereof, and he became a monk, in his early years, with a certain holy man whose name was Tewenas (Theonas), in a monastery to the west of the city of Alexandria. And he grew continually in good works, and he became very learned in the Scriptures, and in the Books of the Church. One night he saw a vision and it seemed as if one said unto him, “Rejoice, O Benjamin, for thou shalt pasture the flock of Christ.” And he told his teacher that he had seen a vision, and his teacher said unto him, “Beware of Satans, lest they lead thee astray by pride.” And he added to his virtues and to his righteousness, and then his teacher took him with him, and carried him to Abba Andronicus, and told him of the vision which his son Benjamin had seen; and Abba Andronicus made him a priest, and delivered to him the charge of the church, and he continued to administer the church rightly and well until Abba Adronicus died, and then he was appointed archbishop. And great tribulation fell upon him while he held office. And before the great tribulation came upon him, the angel of God appeared unto him, and told him what would happen unto him, and commanded him to flee, and to take his bishops with him. And this father consecrated the Offering and administered to the people the Holy Mysteries, and he commanded them to be strong in the True Faith, and he made them to know what was going to happen. And then he sent letters to all the bishops, and to all the heads of the monasteries, and commanded them to take to flight. Then he departed into the desert of Scete, to the monastery of Abba Macarius, and from there he departed into Upper Egypt. And Heraclius, Emperor of Rome, had dominion over the churches, and over the believers, and he punished very many of them. And he seized the brother of Abba Benjamin, whose name was Minas, and he tortured him, and burnt his sides with fire, and afterwards he had him drowned in the river. And in those days the Emperor Heraclius saw in his sleep that one said unto him, “Behold there shall come upon thee many people who are circumcised, and they shall overcome thee, and shall rule over the country.” Now he imagined that these people would be Jews, and that he would baptize many of them, but the vision which he saw referred to the kingdom of the Muslims. And they were Muslims, and they came to him from the land of Yatreb which is a district and a kingdom in the land of Syria. And in those days ‘Amr, the son of As, came to the land of Egypt, and he ruled over it, and dwelt therein for three years. In the one hundred and nineteenth year (sic) of the martyrs ‘Amr came to the city of Alexandria, and he destroyed the fortress thereof, and he burned many churches, and he burned the church of Saint Mark the Evangelist, on the sea-shore, which is known to be now under the earth (i.e. submerged). And he likewise burned the monasteries and the churches which were round about the city of Alexandria, and he carried off as spoil all the goods which were in them. Then the captain of the soldiers brought ships to the church of the Blessed Mark, and he thrust his hand into the sarcophagus and found the body of Saint Mark and carried it to this ship. And when ‘Amr, the son of As, learned the story of Abba Benjamin, and why he had fled, he wrote his letter and sent it into every district in Egypt, saying, “Come, be not afraid, and govern thy people and thy churches.” And Abba Benjamin came forth from the place whither he had fled in the tenth (?) year of the reign of the Emperor Heraclius, and in the third year of the kingdom of the Muslims. And ‘Amr, the son of As, honored Abba Benjamin with great honor, and he commanded his soldiers to give back the churches, and all their possessions, and all their lands to his priests. And he said unto him, “Pray for me, for I am going to the country of the West, and I will become the king over the Five Cities, and when I come back I will do whatsoever thou desirest.” And Abba Benjamin said unto him, “God shall make straight thy path”; and he told him everything that would happen unto him. And when ‘Amr wished to go away, they brought nigh the ships so that the soldiers might depart, and outside the port they took all the ships, except the ship in which was the head of Saint Mark the Evangelist, for that would not go out of the port. And all the sailors gathered together, and tied ropes to that ship, and to these they tied other ropes and hauled, but the ship would not leave the port. And ‘Amr, the governor, said, “Burn this ship,” but the captain was afraid to do so, and he told ‘Amr that he was afraid, because of the head of Saint Mark the Evangelist which was in it, and he revealed the matter to him. And the governor sent to Abba Benjamin and told him about the head of Saint Mark the Evangelist, and that night Abba Benjamin saw a vision, and in it Saint Mark said unto him, “Prepare for me a place with thee.” And when Abba Benjamin heard these words he rose up, and went to the governor, and told him [about the vision], and he said unto him, “This is the head of Saint Mark the Evangelist.” And as soon as Abba Benjamin had taken from the ship the head of Saint Mark, that ship left the port immediately. When the governor saw this he marveled exceedingly, and he gave Abba Benjamin much money, and commanded him to build a church for Saint Mark; and Abba Benjamin built a beautiful church for him, and laid the head and body of the saint in it. And this father fought strenuously with the pagans, and he converted many of them, and brought them into the True Faith and confirmed them. And in the days of this saint God brought a great and severe famine upon all countries, and no famine which had ever been before it was so dire. And countless people died of this famine, and their bodies were cast into the highways and market-places of the cities. And Abba Benjamin suffered from a disease in his foot for twenty years, and he died in peace; and all the days of his archiepiscopate were nine and thirty years.

And on this day also [died] Melkeyas (Malachi) the prophet and righteous man, whom they call “Malak.” This prophet was born after the people returned from the Captivity, in a place which is called Sufas. When he was a young man he followed a good course of life, and all the people honored him for his righteousness, and for this reason they called him “Melkeyas” (Malachi), which is, being interpreted, “angel” (or “prince”), because his appearance was exceeding goodly; and he described in his prophecy everything which was to come to pass. And the angel of God used to appear unto him by night, and hold converse with him, but the people never saw the angel, and they only heard his voice; now some of them were worthy to see his face openly, even as it is written in the Book of Judges. And being still a young man he died and was buried with his fathers in his own field. Salutation to Melkeyas (Malachi). Salutation to Andronicus, who after living on the top of a pillar for seventy years died before the coming of the Muslim kings into Egypt. Salutation to Abba Benjamin who was so learned in the Scriptures that he was made Archbishop of Alexandria. Salutation to the consecration of thy house [O Mark the Evangelist], by Abba Benjamin. [These salutations are omitted in the Bodleian MS.] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 9 (January 17)

On this day died the holy father Abba Abraham. The father of this saint was a merciful man, and he loved the poor. And in his days there was a great famine in the land of Egypt, and he gave all his money to the poor; now he was a very rich man. And because of his integrity and his trustworthiness, all the crops of all the fields of every village which were round about his city, and all the crops of his own fields were entrusted to his care, and they were all in his hands. When the famine came he gave all the grain which he had by him to the poor and needy. And God placed compassion in the hearts of the rulers and noblemen, who sent to him and demanded from him the grain which they had deposited with him. And he went to them, and they said nothing whatsoever to him about the grain, and they wrote him a paper to the effect that he had brought to each of them their grain. Now his mother was a God-fearing woman, and Satan was jealous of her, and he brought great tribulation upon her. And he entered into the heart of a certain evil man, and he gave information against her to the men of Persia, and they made her captive and carried her off to Persia. And one night she saw a vision wherein the man who had laid information against her was bound with a chain of fire in Sheol, and one said unto her, “Dost thou see what God hath done, and how I have taken vengeance on the man who laid information against thee?” And she said unto him who was showing her this, “My lord, I do not wish suffering and tribulation to come upon him, for he died, and went to Sheol.” And he who was showing her this vision said unto her, “As for thee, thou shalt certainly return to thy country, and dwell in thy house”; and this actually came to pass. And when her husband died, and Saint Abraham was an orphan, his mother wished to get him married, but he did not wish this to happen at all; and she rejoiced in him exceedingly. And when he sought to go and become a monk, she went with him outside the city to set him on his way and to bid him farewell, and she lifted up her hands to heaven, and prayed, and she committed her son to God, and said, “O my Lord, accept from me this offering.” And Abba Abraham departed and traveled through the desert of Scete, and came to the monastery of Saint Abba Macarius, in the days of Abba John, the Abbot of the desert of Scete; and he came to him and was to him as a beloved son, and he fought a great and a good fight. And one day the roof split open, and he saw our Lord Christ, Who came down to him sitting upon the throne of the chariot of the Cherubim, who were singing his praises. And he was afraid and trembled, and made haste and bowed down to Him and our Lord blessed him, and went up into heaven with great glory. And the miracle of the split roof of the house through which our Lord Jesus Christ came down is remembered unto this day. And Abraham’s abode was near that of his spiritual father, Abba John, the abbot, and it is called to-day “Begbig.” And the angel of God used to summon him frequently, and he would reveal unto him many mysteries. And then Abba Abraham, and he continued in that illness for eighteen years. And when his death drew nigh he asked them to administer to him the Holy Body and Honorable Blood of our Lord Christ, and they administered to him in the spirit, and told him, saying, “Behold, God inviteth thee to the great marriage-feast”; and then he died in peace, his days being eighty years. And their house existeth to this day, and their tombs are known to this day. Salutation to Abraham. Salutation to thee, O thou who dost hide in the city of Nazareth.

And on this day also are commemorated the holy fathers George, and Nosmes, and Diskres (Dioscurus). Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 10 (January 18)

Our learned fathers of the Church who were before us, the chiefs of the Councils, have laid down the law that believers should fast on this day until the evening, and that they should eat no kind of moist (or, fatty) food whatsoever, and only that kind which is eaten during the Great Fast of Lent. And the reason why the fathers ordained that believers should fast on this day until the evening is this: The holy Apostles commanded in the Canon, saying, “If the festival of the Birth or the festival of the Baptism fall on the Fourth Day of the week, or on the Sixth Day of the week, let them eat in the morning every kind of food which is eaten at Pentecost, for these two festivals are to God, so that men may not imagine that we regale ourselves with the luxuries of this fleeting world. And let us not make our feasts with meats and drink like the festivals of the Jews and pagans.” Therefore our learned fathers of the Church, who were before us, have commanded us to fast these two days, namely, before the festival of the Birth and the festival of the Baptism. And these two days shall take the place of the Fourth Day of the week and the Sixth Day of the week when the festival of the Birth and the festival of the Baptism fall on them, and two matters shall be fulfilled by us, the matter of fasting and the matter of the festival; and this is ordained in the churches of the Egyptians. And if the day of Bayramum fall on the First Day of the week, or on the Sabbath of the Jews, one shall fast on the Fourth Day of the week preceding it until the evening, and shall only eat what it is meet to eat during the Great Fast. And if the festival of the Birth and the festival of the Baptism fall on the Sabbath, or on the First Day of the week, or on the second day, it is impossible to fast on the day preceding the Sabbath and the First Day of the week, but they shall eat what is eaten during the Great Fast. And on the night of the festival of the Baptism they shall rise up before midnight, and pray over the water and dip themselves in it. And the reason why they must rise up before midnight is that the young may not be cast away in the water when they are baptized. And they shall consecrate the Offering before the day dawneth, and they shall come into the church very early, even as the Apostles commanded in the holy Canon. And the Melchites, if the festival of the Birth and the festival of the Baptism fall on the day before the Sabbath, on the First Day of the week, fast on the sixth day of the week preceding the festival until the ninth hour, according to their frequent custom. And on the day before the Sabbath; and before the First Day of the week, they ordain the consecration (of the Eucharist), at the third hour or earlier, they eat a young . . . and drink if they wish. And then the priests sit in the church, and pray the prayer of the hours, and read the prophecy which is suitable for the festival. And they pray over the water at the time of evening on that day, which is the tenth day of the month of Ter. But this is not according to what the Apostles commanded in the holy Canon, for the pure Apostles commanded them to keep the festival of the Epiphany, which is, being interpreted, the “appearance of our God” on the seventh day of the month of Ter. And the Melchites transgress the command of the holy fathers, the doctors of the Church, and they eat on the day of the festival, in the morning if it fall on the Fourth or the Sixth Day of the week, and they do not fast on the day before it instead of it. As for us, we ask our Lord Christ to cleanse us from all our sins, and to reveal the glory of His Godhead in our hearts even as He revealed it in the River Jordan--to Him be glory, etc.

And on this day died Abba Tawbentos (Theopantus). This saint was brought up from his youth in the house of Abba Tauna (Theonas), Archbishop of Romya, and it was he who arrayed him in the garb of the monastic life. And when the archbishop saw that he was endowed with wisdom and strength he made him a bishop, and the head of a monastery outside the city of Alexandria in a place which is called Tinadiran; and the number of the monks who were subject to his rule was seven hundred. And after this when Tawbentos (Theopantus?), the bishop and preacher and the brethren who were with him, heard of the commotion which was taking place through the Emperor Diocletian, the heretic, and worshipper of idols, he fled and departed to Dabra Sihat, and took up his abode with a God-fearing virgin, and he lived hidden in her house for a long time. At the beginning of his stay he found that she worshipped idols through fear of the emperor, but he converted her from error to the Faith of Christ. And from there he went to Dabra Tarnut and Dabra Marmus, wishing to hear the histories of the churches of Egypt, and he lived in each monastery hidden for two or three days (?), submitting himself to fasting, and prayer, and many vigils. And all the brethren testified that the gift of the Holy Spirit had descended upon him, and God wrought signs and miracles by his hands, and he even converted many thieves and robbers to the service of Christ, and made them monks. And having grown very old and grey, and knowing that the day of his departure was nigh, he exhorted his children to be strong in the True Faith, and to keep his commandments, and he died in peace.

And on this day also are commemorated Abba Kinaria (Cynarius), and Batrika (Patricia) the queen, and Tomiani the martyr. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 11 (January 19)

On this day our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. And the festival which is kept on this day is called in the tongue of the Greeks “Ipiphany,” which is, being interpreted, “the appearance of the Godhead,” because on this day appeared the mystery of the Holy Trinity--the Father, saying from heaven, “This is my Son Whom I love, in Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.” And the Son was standing in the Jordan, and the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, was standing on Him, even as John the Baptist was a witness of this, saying, “Our Lord Christ, having been baptized, went up out of the water; and straightway the heavens were rent, and the Holy Spirit came down upon Him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, saying, This is My Son Whom I love, with Whom I am well pleased. Hear Him.”

And on this day our Lord revealed Himself, (now, for a period of thirty years He had not revealed Himself to anyone), and on this day He revealed Himself to the children of Israel. And John the Evangelist was a witness, and John the Baptist was a witness to Him before the people, and he openly said unto them, “This is the Lamb of God Who taketh away the sin of the world.” And His pronouncement I do not understand, and only that He appeared unto Israel, and because of this I came out to baptize Him with water. And at this festival the glory of Christ appeared, as that of the Son of God, and His own glory as the Lamb of God, Who taketh away the sins of the world. Because of this the festival this day is a great festival among all Christian peoples, and they cleanse themselves with holy water in imitation of the Baptism of our Lord Christ; and they received during this festival remission of their sins, provided that they continue in the purity which they have received. Therefore it is meet for us to keep, and serve, and glorify the abundant grace of our God and Redeemer Jesus Christ, Who became man for our sakes, and delivered us from our sins.

And on this day also Saint Anatolius became a martyr. This saint was one of the men of Persia, and he was made a general of the army of Rome, and he continued in his office for fifteen years. When the Emperor Diocletian denied Christ, this saint chose the kingdom of heaven, and rejected the honor of this fleeting world. And he came and stood up before the Emperor Diocletian, and he unfastened his belt [and cast it away from him], and he cursed the emperor and his idols; and the emperor was amazed at his daring. And when the emperor learned that he was a Persian nobleman, he spoke to him fair and persuaded him [to reject Christ], and he then handed him over to Khermanos, the general, that peradventure he might be able to convert him from the Faith of Christ. And when Khermanos was unable to change his thoughts from the Godhead of Christ, he brought him back to the emperor who condemned him to be tortured with every kind of torture. And our Lord Christ sent His angel to him, and he comforted him in every tribulation. And the emperor tortured him for many days, and doubled his tortures, and he hung him up on the wheel, and beat him several times; and the soldiers flayed him, and cut out his tongue, and they threw him to the ravening beasts, and then they cast him into a dark place. And he delivered up his soul thrice, but God raised him up. And when Diocletian the infidel was wearied with torturing him, he commanded them to cut off his head with the sword, [and they did so], and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens.

And on this day also died Saint Abba John, the seventy-fourth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This father was a merchant before he was made Archbishop of Alexandria, and he traded with the country of India, and he was always traveling on the sea. First of all he became a deacon in the church of Saint Mercurius, the martyr, in Mesr (Cairo). And he became a scribe, but he abandoned the scribe’s profession and became a merchant. And [the bishops] elected him archbishop, and they enthroned him on Sunday, the fourth day of the month of Yakatit (Feb.-March) in the nine hundred and fifth year of the martyrs (A.D. 1189); and he protected his flock well. And he had very much money before he was made archbishop, that is to say, a sum of twenty thousand dinars in gold. And he gave all his money in his lifetime to the poor Christians, and to the churches and monasteries, and all his money came to an end before his death, and he died in debt to his brother’s son. During the days of his archiepiscopate he never ate bread at the expense of any Christian person, or at the expense of any nobleman, or any poor man; and he never accepted a present (or fee) from any of them. He held his office for eight and twenty years, and he died on the day of the festival of the Baptism (i.e. Epiphany), on the eleventh day of the month of Ter in the nine hundred and thirty-second year of the martyrs (A.D. 1216).

And on this day also died Saint Justus, and Saint Fayos.

And on this day also died the holy father and fighter Abba Wakris. This saint was brought up with Basil the Great, and he made him a priest; and he was of goodly appearance, and his face was very pleasing. As a young man his first act was to desire the governor’s wife, for he loved her dearly, and she loved him, and they made a plan together to go to another place where they could fulfill their desires. And whilst they were taking pains to arrange this matter Wakris saw himself in a dream bound in fetters, and standing up before the governor’s tribune, and there were many bound in fetters with him, and each one of them was being questioned concerning his sins. And he said in his heart, “What is the meaning of my being fettered? Can it possibly be because of this woman, with whom I wish to defraud her husband, who will lay information against me and have me brought to this serious state?” And whilst he was feeling disturbed over this matter there came unto him a man in the form of an old friend, and he said unto him, “What is the meaning of this thy being fettered?” And Wakris wished to hide himself, and was ashamed of his sin. And when his friend pressed him, he said unto him, “O my friend, thus and thus have I done. It seemeth to me that so and so hath laid an information against me, because of his wife, and because of this I am afraid and am troubled.” And the angel who had come unto him in the form of his friend, said unto him, “O my beloved, swear unto me by the Gospel that thou wilt not do this thing, and [then] thou shalt not go back to it a second time; I will be surety for thee.” And Wakris swore to him by the Gospel. And when he woke up from his sleep he knew that the vision which he had seen was true, and he therefore left his city and departed to Alexandria, where he found a certain God-fearing woman, whose name was Helani; and when they were holding converse together he told her everything which was in his heart. And she said unto him, “Abandon thy splendid apparel, and dress thyself in a humble garb, and make thyself a close follower of God.” And from there he went into the desert, and he dwelt there and lived upon the herbs thereof until his belly became dried up, like a stone, and exhaustion seized him, and at length our Lord came and healed him. And the devils used to tempt him and afflict him severely, but he fought strenuously with fasting and with prayer. And in the winter time he used to stand naked under the falling rain, and in the summer he was afflicted by the burning heat of the sun, and by the cold at night, and at length the gift of the Holy Spirit was given unto him. And the angels used to come unto him and feed him with the bread of heaven, and give him to drink out of the heavenly cup, and he was worthy of divine vision so that he might know hidden things. And he composed three homilies, one on those who dwell in the desert, and one on the company of the brethren, and one on the priesthood. One day there came unto him a certain dweller in the desert whose name was Bula, and they embraced each other, and Bula said unto him, “O my brother Wakris, do not live alone. Make a few of the brethren to come and live with thee, to comfort thee, and thou shalt be delivered from the war of Satan”; and he did so. And one day there came to him three Satans who had taken the forms of the heretics of Arius, and Nestorius, and Mani, and he disputed with them about their faiths, and he vanquished them by the words of the Holy Scriptures, and by the doctrine of the Orthodox Fathers; and he worked many miracles, and his miracles were innumerable. One day having arrived at the church he wished to go in, but found it closed, and the brethren searched for the keys and could not find them; and having made the sign of the Cross over the gates they opened to him by his will. And this Wakris is he of whom it is said, that when the brethren said unto him, “Thy father is dead,” he replied to them, “Ye lie; my father is a heavenly being and cannot die.” And behold his history is written in the narrative of his strife, and in the Book of the Histories of the Holy Fathers. And having grown very old and grey, he departed to God Whom he loved. Salutation to Thy Baptism by which every man is cleansed of his sins. Salutation to Thy Baptism which took place at the end of thirty winters. Salutation to Justus, and to Guedet. Salutation to John, who gave twenty thousand dinars in silver and gold to the poor and needy. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 12 (January 20)

On this day is celebrated the festival of the glorious angel, Michael the Archangel.

On this day God sent Michael the Archangel to Jacob-Israel when he was afraid of his brother Esau, and he delivered him from him, and brought him over the River Jordan. And Jacob went to Laban his mother’s brother, and married two of his daughters Leah and Rachel. And Michael brought him back, and smoothed his way to safety, and to peace with his brother, together with his possessions and his children. And his brother Esau welcomed him with peace and love. Therefore is celebrated the festival of Michael the Archangel.

And on this day also Theodore Banadlewos (the Anatolian?), the strong and mighty man from the East (?), became a martyr. This great fighter was of the men of the city of Antioch, and he was a kinsman of the royal family. His father’s name was ‘Adrakos, who was a general in the emperor’s army in the days of Numarnos, the pagan, the Emperor of Rome; and the name of his mother was Patricia, that is to say, “free born lady,” who was the sister of Basilides the general. When the Emperor Numerianus died in the was against the Persians, (now his son Justus was engaged in war), the empire remained without an emperor. And ‘Adrakos, the father of Theodore, and Basilides, administered the kingdom until Diocletian the infidel reigned. Now Diocletian was formerly ruler over Egypt, and he married the daughter of the Emperor Numerianus, who was a sister of Saint Justus, and she made him emperor. And Saint Theodore having arrived at man’s estate was strong and mighty in the wars in which he engaged, and he conquered his enemies, and they fled before him; [and he was so greatly feared] that when the Persians said [to their fellows] “Behold Theodore hath come,“ their hearts (i.e. courage) would break, and they would flee. And some of the men who were there said, “Theodore is the god of the men of Rome, and it is he who raised up twice Nigomidos (Nicomedes), the son of the King of Kuez (Khuzistan), because of whom Diocletian denied Christ, and worshipped idols. Now Diocletian had deposited Nigomidos (Nicomedes) with the Archbishop [of Antioch], to be kept in safety, and the archbishop took from his father gold weighed in a balance, as much as the young man weighed, and he sent it back to his father. And Saint Theodore was fighting on the river which is called Bunabesi; and he had a friend who was called Lavendius. And one night he saw, as it were, a ladder which reached from earth to heaven, and at the head of the ladder was our Lord sitting upon a great throne, and there were round about Him thousands of thousands [of angels], and tens of thousands of angels were standing before Him. And he saw under the ladder a great serpent, which was Satan. And he who was sitting upon the throne said unto him, “O Theodore, the Anatolian, Dost thou wish to become a son to Me?” And Theodore the Anatolian said unto Him, “Who art Thou, my Lord?” And He said unto him, “I am Jesus the Word of God, and, as for thee, needs must that thou shalt shed thy blood for My Name’s sake.” And then Theodore saw one of those who were standing there take him and dip him in the Lake of Fire three times, and his whole person became like fire, and he was like unto those who were standing round the throne. And Theodore the Anatolian said unto our Lord, “My Lord, I do [not] wish to be separated from my friend Lavendius.” And our Lord answered and said unto him, “Not Lavendius only, but Banikoros, the captain of the army of Kuez (Khuzistan) also.” Then Theodore the Anatolian saw those angels seize Lavendius and [Ba]Nikoros, and dip them into the Lake of Fire; and they gave them to Theodore the Anatolian, and he rejoiced with great joy, and they embraced each other. Then the might of God carried them to the place where was [Ba]Nikoros, the captain of the army of Kuez (Khuzistan), and he welcomed them, and embraced them, as if he knew them; now they had never seen him [before]. Then Banikoros described to them that vision, even as they had seen it, and they marveled exceedingly. And Banikoros said to Theodore the Anatolian, “Know, O my brother, that they have given me and my brother into thy hand.” Then they rose up straightway, and came to their soldiers, and they all rose up and made an agreement together to shed their blood for the Name of our Lord Christ. And it came to pass that at this time the emperor sent and summoned Theodore the Anatolian to him, and he informed him that he had made peace with the King of Kuez (Khuzistan). When the Emperor Diocletian denied our Lord Christ and worshipped idols, the King of Kuez (Khuzistan) rejoiced exceedingly. And Saint Theodore the Anatolian said unto them, “He who wisheth to save his soul from the sword, let him depart; and he who wisheth to fight for the Name of Christ our Lord, let him dwell with us.” And they all cried out with a loud voice, saying, “The death which thou diest we will die with thee, and thy God is our God.” And the blessed Theodore the Anatolian said unto them, “If that which ye say be true, get ye all down into the river and dip yourselves in the water thereof, in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” And straightway they stripped off their raiment, and went down into the river, and they dipped themselves therein thrice, even as he told them. And as they were coming up out of the water they heard a voice from heaven saying, “Be ye strong, O My martyrs, and be ye conquerors, for I will be with you.” And when Theodore the Anatolian drew nigh unto the city of Antioch, he left the soldiers outside, and he went in with his two friends Lavendius and Banikoros, and the emperor welcomed Theodore the Anatolian with gladness, and he asked him questions about the war and about the army; and Theodore told him everything that had happened. And after this the emperor reminded him to worship Apollo in his presence, and Saint Theodore the Anatolian rebuked the emperor; and the emperor cursed him and his friend Lavendius and his companion Banikoros, and they cursed the emperor. And Sidrakos, the father of Saint Theodore the Anatolian, died. And the emperor was wroth, and he commanded his soldiers to carry away the saints Lavendius and Banikoros to the country of the Menadaweyan, so that they might be tortured there; now Diocletian was afraid of the Persians, because Banikoros was captain of the Persians. And they tortured Lavendius and his friend Banikoros, and they received crowns of martyrdom on the twelfth day of the month of Ter. And as for the Anatolian, the emperor commanded the soldiers to drive one hundred and fifty-three great long nails into his body, and they laid him upon a komol tree, and drove those nails into his body. And God sent His angel Michael the Archangel to him, and he comforted him and strengthened him in his tribulation. And at that time our Lord Christ appeared unto Saint Theodore the Anatolian, and He said unto him, “Peace be unto thee, O My chosen one, Theodore the Anatolian! Bear thou patiently all this suffering. And now, dost thou wish Me to take out all these nails from thy body, and to heal thee, and to put to shame this perverse emperor?” And Theodore the Anatolian said unto our Lord Jesus Christ, “Behold, it is better for me to die for Thy Name’s sake.” And our Lord Jesus said unto Theodore the Anatolian, “Behold, I have prepared three crowns for thee: one for thy virginity, and one because thou hast labored for My beloved, and one for thy death for My Name’s sake. If a man be in grief and sorrow which is very grievous, and tribulation hath fallen upon him, and he pray to Me in thy name, I will relieve him, and will deliver him, and will make him glad and will bless him. And if a man be in tribulation at sea in respect of his ship, and he pray to Me in thy name, I will deliver him. And if a man go into the battle, or go into a fight, and he call upon thy name, I will deliver him, and will be his helper. And if a man build a shrine for thee, or write a book of thy strife, or commemorate thee, or bring a gift in thy name, I will receive him and make him to be glad in the kingdom of the heavens. And if a man give alms to the poor and needy, or to the orphans, or to the prisoner, or to the pilgrim, I will forgive him his sin, and I will reward him in the kingdom of the heavens. And him that doeth a good deed on the day of thy commemoration and for thy name’s sake, I will receive.” And after this our Lord Jesus Christ gave Theodore the benediction of peace, and went up into heaven. And Theodore saw three angels who gave him three crowns, and then he died, and he delivered up his soul into the hand of God, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And after his death the Emperor Diocletian sent to the soldiers of Theodore heathen priests carrying idols, and a herald went round proclaiming thus: “Whosoever loveth the emperor let him worship the glorious gods.” And all the soldiers cried out, saying, ”There is no king except our Lord Jesus Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords.” And when the emperor heard this he sent his soldiers and they cut off the heads of these men with the sword, and they were in number two hundred and fifty thousand. And the air was filled with beings of light who placed crowns upon their heads. Salutation to Thy loving going, O Lord, into the house of the marriage-feast to make water into wine. Salutation to Michael the Archangel who went to help Theodore. Salutation to thee, O Theodore, thou shoot from the country of the East. Salutation to the two hundred and fifty thousand men who suffered with Theodore. Salutation to Lavendius and to his companion Banikoros.

And on this day also are commemorated Julian the martyr, and Daniel the monk, the son of Isaac. [Omitted in the Bodleian MS.] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 13 (January 21)

On this day is commemorated the miracle which our Lord wrought at the marriage at Cana of Galilee, even as saith the Holy Gospel; this miracle was the first which the Lord wrought in Galilee. And by His Divine command He changed water and made it into sweet wine, and not thin wine, but wine sound and good to the taste, and of pleasant perfume. To this fact the master of the feast testified, when he called the bridegroom, and said unto him, “Every man maketh the wine which is good to be drunk first of all, and when [the priests] have drunk freely, he giveth them wine which is inferior to drink; but thou hast kept back the good till the last, even unto this moment.” And in that place His glory appeared, and His disciples believed on Him.

And on this day the Seven Children whose names are ‘Arsalidas, Duamedos (Diomedis), Eugenius, Demetrius, Bernatius, Stephen and Irakos (Cyriacus); these men were sons of nobles of the city who were strong in the Faith of Christ. And it was reported unto the wicked Emperor Decius that they were Christians, and he had them brought to him, and he pressed them to worship his idols; and when they refused to do so he appointed them a time wherein they could take counsel together about the matter, and Decius went to his palace. And these Seven blessed Children went to their houses, and they distributed all their goods among the poor and needy, and the dinars which were left they took with them for their necessities, and they [went and] hid themselves in a cave to the east of the city. And Duameyosis, a young man of wisdom and understanding, used to go on errands for them in the city, and buy their food for them, and he told them the talk which he heard. When the Emperor Decius returned to the city he sought the Seven Children, and when the people told him that they were in a cave, he commanded the soldiers to block up the mouth of the cave with stones. And when these holy Children fell asleep in the evening God took their souls and made them to rest in the Garden, and they slept for three hundred and seventy-two years. And there were two faithful servants of the emperor whose names were Therodore and Macedonius, and they took two tablets of lead and wrote upon them the memorial of the saints, and placed them at the mouth of the cave. And after the Emperor Decius died, many emperors reigned. And in the days of Theodosius, the spiritual emperor, there rose up certain heretical men who denied the resurrection of the dead. And there was a certain nobleman whose name was Aldius, and he wanted to build a pen for his sheep, and he commanded the workmen to bring stones for this purpose. And they opened the cave, and those saints woke up, and they sent Duamedos (Diomedis) to buy food for them. And when the men of the city saw that the dinar was inscribed with the name of Decius, they seized Duamedos (Diomedis), thinking that he had found a buried treasure. And they brought him before the magistrates and the bishop, and when they examined him he told them about the young men; and when they had gone there they found them seated and sending forth rays of light like the sun. And the bishop took the lead tablets and read their history which was written upon them, and when [the magistrates] heard that they had fallen asleep in the days of Decius they marveled and glorified God. And they sent a message to Theodosius the emperor, and when he arrived he saluted the saints, and was blessed by them. And having conversed with him, and blessed him, they fell asleep on the ground and delivered up their souls to God; and the Emperor Theodosius wept over them and buried them in that place. Salutation to the Seven Sleepers.

And on this day also are commemorated Karnos (Carinus) the martyr, and Minas of the cell (i.e. the anchorite).

And on this day also died Abba Nakaro. This holy man was a spiritual fighter, but no man knew it. He used to put thorns under his shirt so that he might not sleep soundly, and he kept vigil by day and by night, and because of his excessive humility they made him a doorkeeper. And there was in that monastery a certain monk, an anchorite, who was able to see hidden things by the spirit. One night in his sleep he saw that he was standing on a high place, and below him was a garden [filled with] fruits of all kinds, and streams of water ran round about through it, and in the midst of them was Abba Nakaro, watering this plot and that. And that monk said unto him, “O my brother Nakaro, Unto whom belongeth this garden?” And Nakaro said unto him, “I planted it.” And the monk said unto Nakaro, “I wish thee to give me some of the fruits thereof.” Then Nakaro cut off three pomegranates, and gave them to him, and he tied them up in his garment; and when he awoke from his sleep he found the fruit. And he went to Abba Nakaro and he found him standing in the doorway, and he said unto him, “O my brother, hast thou seen me this [past] night?” And Nakaro said unto him, “Yea, I saw thee, and I gave thee three pomegranates.” And when the monk went into the monastery he told the monks and the abbot everything which had happened, and he showed them the pomegranates, and the brethren marveled at the holiness of Abba Nakaro, for it was then summer time, and not the season for pomegranates. And the monks were sorry that they had appointed Abba Nakaro to such a lowly position as that of doorkeeper, and they wanted to give him a higher position; but when they went to him they could not find him, and they sorrowed for him with a great sorrow. And the pilgrims told them that he died as on this day. Salutation to the blessed Abba Nakaro. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 14 (January 22)

On this day the most excellent Mehrael, the virgin, became a martyr. She was a native of Tomawiha, and she had God-fearing and Christian parents; her father was a priest and his name was John, and [the name of] her mother was Hilaria. They had no children, and because of this were very sad, and they prayed to God, and after they had waited some days, Hilaria was rewarded with a beautiful daughter, whom she named “Mehrael.” And when the maiden was twelve years old she began to work many signs and wonders, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, which dwelt upon her. And then when the wicked Diocletian was reigning she went out one day to the river bank, and she found a ship and she embarked in it, and she departed with those who were going to martyrdom. When she arrived at the city of ‘Ensna (Esnah), they set her before the governor, whose name was Philipianus. And when he saw her, he had pity on her for her tender body, and he wanted to set her free; but as soon as she knew that he was going to release her, she cursed him with great boldness, and reviled his unclean gods. Therefore was the governor wroth, and he commanded her to be tortured severely. When he could not persuade her to abandon the True Faith, he commanded the hunters to collect all kinds of serpents, and scorpions, and vipers, and reptiles which sting, and to throw them into a corn sack and to put the saint into the sack with them; and the soldiers did so. Thereupon the angel of God appeared, and gave her a promise; and after this she delivered up her soul, and finished her martyrdom, and received her heavenly crown. Then they took her out of the corn sack and buried her in that place. When her father and mother heard of it, they set out with very many natives of their city, and when they arrived at the place where her body was, they took it up, and made it ready for burial with great honor, and they built over her a shrine, inside the house, in a secret place, and many miracles were made manifest there.

And on this day also four and forty soldiers of the company of Saint Cyriacus [and Julitta] became martyrs. [The Bodleian MS. has five thousand four hundred and thirty-four.]

And on this day also died the holy father and spiritual fighter Archilides. This holy man was one of the patricians of Rome; the name of his father was John, and that of his mother Sandalika. And they both were righteous before God, and they walked in the commandments of God without blemish. And when the days of Saint Archilides were twelve years, his father died, and his mother wanted to marry him to a wife, but he did not wish this. And his mother advised him to go to the emperor, so that he might receive the office which his father had held, and she sent two of his servants with him, and also many gifts to give to the emperor. And when they were on the sea a mighty storm of wind broke on them, and the waves rose high, and the ship was broken in pieces, but Saint Archilides hung on to one of the planks of the ship and it carried him to dry land. And when he was going up from the sea he found the dead body of a man which had been cast into the sea, and he sat down and wept over it and remembered the transience of the world. And he rebuked his soul, and said unto it, “What have you and I to do with the goods of this fleeting world? After I am dead I shall return to dust.” And straightway he rose up and prayed, and entreated the Lord Christ that he might go in the right way, and then he walked on and arrived at a monastery of the country of Syria, which was built in the name of Saint Romanus. And he gave to the abbot the two hundred dinars in gold which he had left, and he begged him to array him in the garb of the monastic life; now the Holy Spirit had told the abbot about Archilides before his arrival, and when he came he rejoiced in him with a great joy. And he gathered together all the holy brethren and monks in the church, and the abbot prayed over Saint Archilides, and he arrayed him in the garb of the monk, and the brethren rejoiced in him with a great joy, because, manifestly, the grace of God was upon him. And Saint Archilides, having become a monk, devoted himself to the narrow way, and he fought a great fight. And he always fasted seven days at a time, and he prayed day and night, and God gave him the gift of healing the sick; and the people brought unto him all those that were sick, [and he prayed] over them and healed them. And he made a covenant with our Lord Christ that he would never look upon the face of a woman. And being without information concerning him for a period of twelve years, and not knowing what had become of him, his mother sorrowed for him, and thought that he was dead; and she mourned for him greatly. And she built a fine house for receiving strangers, and she added to it a house wherein the pilgrims, and the poor, and the needy, might lodge; and she herself lived in an upper room of the house for strangers (i.e. her guest house). And one day she heard certain travelers talking among themselves about the fame of Saint Archilides, and his holiness, and his spiritual fight, and the grace of God which was upon him, and they also described his miracles and the beauty of his appearance. And when she heard them talking, her heart burned like fire, and she knew that they were talking about her son, and they told her all about him, and she knew that her beloved son was alive. And she rose up straightway and traveled until she came to the monastery of Saint Romanus, and she sent a message to her son Archilides and said, “Behold, I have arrived, and I wish to see thy face; I am thy mother.” And he sent a message unto her, saying, “I have made a covenant with my Lord Jesus Christ that I will never look upon the face of a woman again, and I cannot break the covenant which I have made with my Lord Jesus Christ.” Then she sent a second message unto him wherein she begged and entreated him that she might see his face, and she said unto him, “If thou dost not show me thy face I will go into the desert, and the wild beasts shall devour me.” And when Saint Archilides knew that she would not leave him, and he, on his part, was unable to break his covenant with God, straightway he prayed to God and asked Him to receive his soul. And he said unto the gatekeeper, “Go to my mother, and let her come in to me”; now God had accepted his prayer and heard his petition, and had taken his holy soul. And when his mother came in she found that he had delivered up his soul, and she cried out with a loud voice and wept; then she asked God to take her soul, and He heard her petition also and took her soul. And when the monks wanted to make them ready for burial they tried to separate the body of Saint Archilides from the body of his mother, but a voice came from the body of Saint Archilides, saying, “Bury my body with the body of my mother in one grave; I did not give her heart’s desire; let her see me.” When they heard this voice they marveled exceedingly and glorified God, and they buried the two of them in one grave. And God made manifest from his body a great power for the healing of all sick folk.

And on this day also Saint ‘Emrais became a martyr. This blessed maiden had honorable parents who held firmly the Faith of Christ, and she was brought up in the fear of God. And one day when she was going down to the river to draw water, she saw the bishops, priests, and deacons who were bound in fetters for Christ’s sake. And she asked the scribe to write her name down with theirs, and they brought her to Quilquilianus the wicked governor, and he persuaded her with many words to worship idols. And when she refused to do so he commanded the soldiers to cut off her head, [and they did so,] and she finished her martyrdom with all those who were her companions.

And on this day also died Maximus, the brother of Saint Damatheus. And behold we have written the account of his strife with that of his brother in the section for the seventeenth day of the month of Ter. Salutation to the blessed Mehrael who finished her martyrdom in a corn sack; and salutation to her brother. Salutation to Archilides who was buried with his mother. Salutation to ‘Emrais, who left her water-jar, and joined the company of fettered men who were to become martyrs. Salutation to Maximus who fought the spiritual fight from his youth up. Salutation to ‘Abdeyu, the follower of Elijah. Salutation to the four thousand and thirty and four soldiers who asked that they might be beheaded outside the city. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 15 (January 23)

On this day died ‘Abdeyu (Obadiah), the prophet and righteous man. This prophet was the son of Hananya, and he prophesied in the days of Jehoshaphat. And God spoke by the voice of this prophet concerning His Resurrection, and concerning the day of retribution, and what would happen to the children of Israel, and to those who remained among the Gentiles; and he made strong the people of Israel, and rebuked them often. And he was the third captain whom Ahab sent with fifty men to summon Elijah to him. Now, fire having come down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains who preceded him, and the men who were with them, at the word of Elijah the prophet, when ‘Abdeyu (Obadiah) came to him he did not behave with arrogance or show himself proud like the two captains who came before him. But he was humble, and he came to Elijah the prophet, and knelt down upon his knees before him, and he asked him not to destroy him, like the two captains and the men who came before him, and those who were with him. And when he said this Elijah the prophet had compassion upon him, and he came down and went to Ahab with him. And after Elijah came down and went with him [to Ahab], this just man knew within himself that the service of Elijah was greater and more honourable than the service of the kings of the earth, and that the service of Elijah appertained to the service of the King of heaven; and he forsook the service of King Ahab and followed Elijah the prophet, and ministered unto him. And the grace of God descended upon him, and prophecy, and the power to prophesy; and all the days of his prophesying were twenty years and more, and he prophesied nine hundred years before the coming of our Lord. And he died in peace and was buried in the tomb of his fathers in the field which was known as Bet Kherum.

And on this day also the Christians of the country of Syria celebrate the festival of the death of Saint Gregory. This father Gregory was perfect with his fathers in every virtue, both of mind and body. He learned all science and doctrine, and he was very wise, and he was well acquainted with the language and writings of the Greeks, and he was exceedingly zealous in the True Faith. And all these things being perfect in him, and being of a good disposition, [the bishops and priests] elected him against his will, and made him Bishop of the city of Naksesa, which is Daset. And he protected the flock of God over which he was set, and he illumined their souls and minds with his discourses, and his wise exhortations, and his rebukes; and he translated (or, interpreted) the Old and New Testaments. And when the Emperor Theodosius assembled the Council of One Hundred and Fifty Bishops in the city of Constantinople because of Macedonius, the infidel, who was Archbishop of the city of Constantinople, this father was one of those who gathered together to the Council. And he put to shame the infidels Sabellius, and Macedonius, and Apollinarius; and behold their denial is written in the section for the first day of the month of Yakatit. And this father destroyed the schism of those infidels, and he cut through with the sword of his eloquence the devices of the heretics. And he departed in peace with the General Council, and with those vanquished men and those infidels who had been put to shame. And he arrived at a good old age and he pleased God and died in peace. And behold, we have written the rest of his history in the section for the twenty-first day of the month, which is the day of his death according to the Egyptians.

And on this day also died Peter, and Sophia, and ‘Admira, and Isaac.

And on this day also were martyred Saint Cyriacus and Julitta his mother, and eleven thousand four hundred and thirty-four men in the days of Alexander, the governor. And Julitta was a God-fearing woman from her youth, and hearing that a persecution had broken out, she took to flight through fear of the governor, and she came to the country of Terses, in Celicia, and she dwelt there. And the governor came into that city seeking for Christians, and the guards seized her and took her to the governor, and told him that she was a Christian. And the governor, said unto her, “Offer sacrifice to the gods.” And she said unto him, “I will not offer sacrifice to unclean gods, but only to my Lord Jesus Christ.” And the governor said unto her, “O woman, tell me of what nation thou art, and where thy city is, and what thy name is.” And Saint Julitta said unto him, “As for my nation (or, people) [my father was] Isawiros, the chief of the people of the city of Nikyos, I am a rich and noble woman, and my name is ‘Julitta.’ Behold I am in thy power now, but assuredly I will not sacrifice to unclean [gods].” And the governor said unto her, “Offer sacrifice so that thou mayest not die under severe torture.” And she said unto him, “If thou art pleased to do this, send men into the city, and let them search there for a boy three years old, and let them bring him to thee, and he shall tell us whom we are to serve and worship.” And the governor sent men to search for a boy three years old, and they found the boy Cyriacus, who was three years old, less three months. And they took him to the governor, saying, “We think that this boy will not fail to speak, for his is of Christian origin.” And when the governor saw that the boy was handsome, and of goodly appearance, he said unto him, “O handsome boy, rejoice!” And the boy said unto him, “Joy is with me, but joy is not with thee. God saith, There is no joy for the wicked.” And the governor said unto him, “What is thy name? Tell me that thou mayest not die.” And the boy said unto him, “I am a Christian, and my baptismal name is Cyriacus.” And the governor said unto him, “Sacrifice to the gods, so that I may honor thee, and give thee money.” And the boy said unto him, “Get thee far from me, O messenger of Satan, and enemy of Righteousness.” And when the governor heard this he became exceedingly angry, and he commanded the soldiers to carry him away and to beat him with fifty stripes; [and they did so] until his blood flowed like water. And when Saint Julitta saw the endurance of her son she gave thanks to God. Then the governor commanded them to bring salt and mustard, and to open the nostrils of the boy and thrust these things into them. Then the boy cried out and said, “Thy word is sweeter to my throat than honey and sugar, yea, sweet to my mouth.” And the governor then commanded them to bring fourteen sharp, red-hot rods, and to thrust seven of them into the body of his mother, and seven into the body of Cyriacus, two in his ears, two in his eyes, two in his nostrils and one in his heart; but by the Will of God the fire was extinguished and the rods became like frozen snow. Then the governor commanded them to shut him up in the prison house and to be bound with fetters. And as Cyriacus was praying there, Satan came unto him in the form of an angel to lead him astray; but when the boy made the sign of the Cross over him Satan disappeared like smoke. Then the governor commanded a blacksmith to make terrifying instruments of torture wherewith to torture the boy and his mother. When Satan knew that Cyriacus was eager to receive the crown [of martyrdom], he entered into the heart of the governor and made him dumb. Then the boy said unto the blacksmith, “Couldst thou make for me some instruments of torture which are more hurtful than those wherewith they have been torturing me?” And the blacksmith said unto him, “I can.” And the boy said, “Make me two knives as sharp as razors, each a cubit long, and make me instruments to break the head, and twist the neck, and pierce the ears, and [separate] the members, and scrape the sides; and [make me] a brass crusher, and an instrument for pulling out the sinews and muscles; and make me three pointed stakes, as long as I am high, and write on them, saying, ‘The Holy Trinity, which is neither divided nor separated from those who call upon it.’ And make me an instrument for twisting [the neck], and a saw, and a frying-pan, and a cauldron, and a wheel, and a roller, and a bender of the neck; and an iron hook wherewith to draw out what is in the belly. These are the instruments wherewith I would be tortured.” And when the blacksmith heard these things he marveled, and was silent, and he and his disciples (i.e. workmen), the blacksmiths of the city, finished them in forty days (?). And the governor commanded his servants to shave the head of Cyriacus with a razor, and to pour red-hot coals upon it, and they did so. And they drove four rods through his shoulders and straight down his body, to the soles of his feet. And the angel of God came and removed from him the pains of the tortures. And they also cast him into a [boiling] cauldron and kept him there from dawn to the seventh hour, but they were unable to cause him pain; and then our Lord appeared unto him, and comforted him. And the governor said unto the boy, “If thou wouldst perform a miracle take up my sandal, and make it to live.” And when the boy had prayed, the sandal turned into a great bull, out of the neck of which went forth a kid, and they killed it, and eleven thousand and four men ate of it. And the governor was wroth, and he ordered the soldiers to cut out the boy’s tongue, [and they did so] and brought back to him the tongue. And the governor commanded them to bring a red-hot cauldron and to cast him into it; and when Julitta saw this she was afraid. And her son prayed, and God gave him divine power to such a degree that she and her son went into it and came out there from alive and uninjured. And the governor also commanded the soldiers to cast them into a machine, and to drag them about with ropes so that the flesh might be torn off their bodies, [and they did so], until the angel of God came and delivered them. And when the governor found that he was unable [to vanquish] them, he commanded the soldiers to cut off their heads with the sword. And our Lord Jesus Christ came down from heaven, and said unto the boy, “[Tell me] the things which ye wish for.” And Cyriacus said unto Him, “Let not my body be buried on earth. And whosoever shall call upon my name, or celebrate my commemoration, or build a martyrium for me, or write the book of my strife, or read it, or bring an offering into my church, or shall pray therein, grant such their desires and forgive them their sins.” And our Redeemer said unto him, “Everything which thou hast asked of Me I will give thee, and thou shalt be with Me on My right hand, and I will set thy body in the chariot of Elijah.” And when the boy heard this he rejoiced greatly, and he gave thanks to God and was crowned with his mother during the night, and our Redeemer crowned him with incorruptible crowns, and took his soul up with Him, in glory which is indescribable and inexplicable. Salutation to Cyriacus. Salutation to Gregorius who was present at the Council of One Hundred and Fifty Bishops in Constantinople. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 16 (January 24)

On this day Saint Philotheus, which name being interpreted is “lover of God,” became a martyr. This saint was a man of Antioch, and his parents worshipped a bull which was called “Maraged.” And they fed the bull on fine flour, which was boiled and mixed with fat, and seed-oil, and the honey of bees, and they anointed him with scented unguents thrice daily, and gave him wine and seed-oil to drink; and they built one house for him to live in during the winter and another for the summer. And they placed a collar of gold round his neck, and rings of gold on his fore legs and hind legs. Now this saint was of very goodly appearance. And when he was ten years old his parents talked to him, and told him that he must worship the bull, but he would neither listen to their words nor do this thing, and because of their love for him, and because they did not wish to annoy him, they let him alone. Now Saint Philotheus did not know Christ, and he thought that the sun was God. And he stood up before the sun, saying, “I beseech thee, O sun, if thou art God, to tell me so”; and a voice came unto him from above, saying, “I am not God, but I am the servant and messenger of God Whom thou knowest, and thy blood shall be shed for the Name of God--Glory be to Him!” And when God saw the integrity of heart of the boy Philotheus, He sent His angel to him at that moment, and the angel informed him about the mystery of God, and opened his heart so that he might understand what he said unto him; and when he had told him everything, beginning with the creation of the world, and ending with the Incarnation of our Lord Christ, the heart of the boy rejoiced and his spirit was glad. From that day he fasted, and prayed many prayers frequently, and he ate bread and salt only, and he gave alms to the poor and needy. And when a year had passed his parents determined to give a feast to his friends and companions, and they required of their son to offer incense in honor of the bull, before they ate and drank. And the boy Philotheus stood up before the bull, and said unto him, “Is it true that thou art a god whom men worship?” And a voice came forth from the bull which said, “I am not a god, but Satan hath entered my heart and I have become a deceiver of men.” Then the bull rose up and attacked the parents of the saint, and he gored them with his horns, and killed them. And the saint commanded his slaves to kill the bull [and they did so], and they burnt him in the fire, and scattered [his ashes] to the winds. And the parents of the saint were lying there dead, and God gave grace to Saint Philotheus, and he prayed over them, and their souls returned to them, and they rose up straightway and told him how they had seen the punishments which were [inflicted] in Sheol. And after this Saint Philotheus and his parents were baptized with Christian baptism in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. And God gave him grace and power and he healed many sick folk by his prayer. And the report of him reached Diocletian the emperor, who sent and had him brought to him. And he said unto Saint Philotheus, “Cast incense to Apollo”; and he promised to give him many things if he would do so; and the saint rejected his promised things and his words. And the emperor commanded the soldiers to punish him with every kind of torture, [and they did so]. They first beat him with whips, and then they laid stones on his belly, and they did everything they could; but he was strong in the strength of God our Lord Jesus Christ. And he cursed the infidel emperor, and his unclean gods, until they smote him on the mouth, and cut out his tongue and broke his teeth; and when they had done all these things to him he would not hearken to the voice of the emperor. Then the emperor began to persuade him, and to use words of blandishment and flattery to him, but Saint Philotheus laughed at him, and promised that he would worship that idol; and the emperor rejoiced at this and imagined that he would really do so. And he commanded his servants to bring Apollo, and the men and priests of the idols, and a herald went through the city who cried out, saying, “Come, O all ye people, so that ye may see Philotheus worshipping Apollo”: and all the people gathered together about the tribune. And as they were bringing the idols along the road, Saint Philotheus asked our Lord Christ that the earth might open her mouth, and swallow up the idols and their priests. And straightway the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the idols and their priests, and there was a great outcry round about; and when the people saw this, many of them believed on our Lord Christ. And the emperor was wroth, and he commanded the soldiers to cut off the heads of them all with the sword, [and they did so,] and they received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens, and entered into life everlasting. As for Saint Philotheus, when the emperor was tired of torturing him he commanded them to cut off his head with the sword, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens.

And on this day died the holy father Palladius, the fighter. This saint lived for fifty years in his cell without going outside of it, and he never looked upon the face of a woman. And the gift of prophecy and the power to work signs and wonders were given unto him in such a remarkable degree, that his fame was heard all through the country. And there was a certain merchant in the city of Mesr (Cairo), and he departed to make a journey in a ship, and the waves rose up and were about to sink the ship. And when hope failed, this merchant cried out, saying, “I take refuge in the prayer of Abba Palladius; if ever I escape from this death I will give him one hundred dinars”; and straightway he saw Saint Palladius steering the ship with his cross, and he brought it into port. And when the merchant arrived in the city he took one hundred dinars, and hired a horse and set out to go to Abba Palladius. And when evening fell upon him he arrived at a certain city, and he took up his abode in the guest house, and he found there a man whose name was Morik, and he told him everything which was in his heart. And Morik said unto him, “I know his place, and I will bring thee to him.” And on the following day the two of them set out, and they came to Abba Palladius, and saluted him, and the merchant gave him the gold which he had brought with him, and spread it out before him. And Abba Palladius looked at it and blessed him; and said unto him, “I have no need of this gold. Go and distribute it among the poor and needy so that thou mayest gain usury from it before God.” When the merchant heard this he fell down at his feet and begged and entreated him to accept it as a gift. When Saint Palladius saw that he made most earnest entreaty to him, he took one dinar, and said unto him, “I will accept this from thee as a blessing; as for the rest, do as I command thee, and distribute it among the poor.” And having taken the gold the merchant buried it in the ground. And when he came to the river, Satan entered into the heart of Morik, and he wanted to take the merchant’s money; and he leaped upon the merchant in anger and killed him. Then he carried away the dead body by night, and cast it down at the door of Abba Palladius. And on the following day he went to the governor and told him about the murder. When the governor came, he bound Abba Palladius in strong fetters, and he questioned him about the dead man, and Palladius said, “I did not kill him.” And when they brought him to the coffin containing the body, he took hold of the body and prayed for a long time, and he said, “I command thee, O dead body, in the Name of God to rise up and to declare who it was that killed thee.” And the dead man rose up and said that Morik had killed him for his money. When the governor saw this miracle he bowed down before Abba Palladius, and he was dismayed because he had entreated him evilly; and intending to kill Morik he released Palladius. And having fought strenuously Palladius died at a good old age.

And on this day also fifteen hundred soldiers [or, ten thousand five hundred] and their three prefects who were companions of Saint Philotheus became martyrs.

And on this day also two thousand and four soldiers [or, ten thousand four hundred] who were companions of Saint Cyriacus, and his mother Julitta became martyrs.

And on this day also is commemorated the blessed Saint Sahma, one of the Nine Saints, who fought a good fight, and pleased God.

And on this day also died the holy father, the pure virgin, John, the forty-eighth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This father became a monk in his early years in the church of Saint Abba Macarius, in the desert of Scete; and he fought a great fight and devoted himself to fasting, and prayer, and vigil, and God elected him, and the Archbishop Abba Michael made him a priest in the church of Saint Minas the martyr, and he gave to him all his money and his land as a gift, and the votive offerings which the people brought to the church, and he followed peacefully a right course in that church. When Abba Minas, the archbishop who preceded him, died, the bishops, and priests, and learned men gathered together in the city of Alexandria to elect an archbishop, and they wrote down on pieces of paper the names of several men. And a certain righteous man said, “Why did ye make Saint John administrator of the church of Saint Minas?” And they all said, “Verily he is worthy of this office.” And one wrote his name on a piece of paper, which was thrust in among the other pieces of paper, and they laid them on the altar; and they continued in prayer and the singing of hymns for three days and three nights. And they brought a child from the church, and he drew a paper from among the papers, and they found that the name of this saint was written upon it. Then thy took that paper and thrust it in again among the other papers, and they brought another child, and he also drew that paper; and when a third child was brought he drew that same paper, and the name of this saint was found to be written upon it. Then straightway they knew that God had chosen him for his office, and they seized him and against his will they made him Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. And having been appointed he protected his flock, and he read to them frequently the Books of God, and he confirmed them in the doing of good in the True Faith, and his charities and alms to all men were very many. In his days a great famine took place in the land of Egypt, and they sold one measure of grain for two dinars in gold, and each day many poor folk of every nationality gathered together at the door of his house, asking for food. And he put his disciple Mark in charge of the money of the church, and he gave to all the poor what they needed both morning and evening, until God removed His wrath from men. And this father built many churches, and adorned them with suitable adornments. And because of the numerous works of charity which he carried out, and his alms and his gifts, this father was called “John the Merciful.” and indeed he was merciful to the poor, and the wretched, and the widows and the orphans. When the day of his death drew nigh, he told the priests the day whereon he would die. And he said unto them, “I was born on the sixteenth of Ter, and I was named archbishop on that day, and on that day I shall die”; and when he told the bishops this they wept, and they said unto him, “Our father, who will be appointed archbishop over us after thee?” And he said unto them, “Mark the priest, my servant, for our Lord Jesus Christ hath elected him to this office.” And on the sixteenth day of the month of Ter this father died, having sat as archbishop for twenty-three years. In his days died David who had been made Archbishop of the city of Antioch by force, and his predecessor George, having passed ten years in prison, was appointed. When this father was appointed Abba John wrote to him an Epistle on the True Faith, and when Abba George died a certain just man whose name was Yarikos was appointed in his stead. And he wrote a letter and sent it to Abba John, who received him in the Holy Spirit, and rejoiced in his letter, and sent to him an answer to the same.

And on this day also died Mar Daniel, the Syrian, of the city of ‘Amed. The father of this saint was rich in gold and silver, and when his father died Abba Dionysius, Bishop of the city of ‘Amed, brought him up, and taught him the Books of the Church, and then made him a deacon and priest, and arrayed him in the garb of the monastic life. And Mar Daniel continued in fasting and prayer, and he never ate food between one Sabbath and the next, and at length the gift of healing was bestowed upon him; and he made a vow to himself that he would never look upon a woman. When his mother heard of the report of him she came to him, and wished to see him, and when she sent a message to him he said unto her, “I have made a vow that I will never look upon a woman.” And she said unto him, “I am thy mother. Why dost thou treat me like other women?” When he refused [to see] her, she pulled off her veil and cursed him, saying, “God maketh me to see thee laughing, and two women wrapped up in a single garment shall look upon thee.” After a few days a certain man took three hundred dinars of gold to give them to Mar Daniel, and in the evening, when he arrived at the gate of the cell of the saint, his companion rose up against him, and slew him through his love of money. When the King of ‘Amed heard the story about a dead man being found at the door of Mar Daniel, he commanded [his soldiers] to bring the saint before him. And when the women who were bathing in the bath-house heard the story about Mar Daniel, two of them rushed out to see him, and because of their great haste they had only a single garment to cover them both. And Abba Daniel laughed when he knew that his mother’s curse had come upon him. When the king questioned him about the dead man Saint Daniel said unto him, “I did not kill him”; and through the prayer of Abba Daniel the dead man rose up and declared who had killed him. When the king and all the people saw this, they worshipped the God of Saint Daniel and they killed the murderer. Then the king gave unto Abba Daniel much money, and when he refused to accept it he built a monastery for him, and many monks gathered together therein. And then growing old and fighting strenuously, he became a little sick, and he died in peace. Salutation to Daniel who vowed that he would never look upon a woman. Salutation to Julitta, the mother of Cyriacus. Salutation to the five thousand martyrs who suffered with Cyriacus. Salutation to Philotheus. Salutation to the fifteen hundred soldiers and their three prefects, the companions of Philotheus, who suffered martyrdom. Salutation to Palladius, and two-fold salutation to his disciple Theophilus. Salutation to John, the revealer of mysteries. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 17 (January 25)

On this day are commemorated the honourable Saints Maximus and Dumatheus, his brother, the sons of Lavendius, who was King of the country of Rome. And this king held the True Faith, and feared God, and he executed righteousness and judgement; and because of this God gave him these two saints, and from their youth up, by reason of their purity, and their humility, and their fear of God, they were like unto the angels of God. And they prayed and read the Books of the Old and New Testaments by night and by day. And they decided in their minds to reject this world, and to assume the garb of the angels, that is to say the garb of the monastic life. And they worked upon their father to allow them to go to the city of Nicea to pray in the place, wherein the Three Hundred and Eighteen Bishops who formed the Council assembled; and when they told him he rejoiced greatly, and sent them away with slaves and soldiers. And when they arrived in the city of Nicea, and had received a blessing in the holy place, they sent back the soldiers to their father, and they sent with them letters to him wherein they said, “O our lord the king, we wish to dwell here for a few days.” Then they opened their minds, and held converse with a holy and righteous monk, and they said unto him, “We wish to assume the monastic garb under thy direction.” And he said unto the, “I am afraid of the emperor your father. But go ye to the country of Syria, for there liveth there a righteous monk, a priest of the True Faith, whose name is ‘Agabius.” Having said these things unto them they accepted the counsel of that monk, and they departed to the country of Syria. And they came to Saint ‘Agabius, and revealed to him their minds, and he arrayed them in the garb of the monastic life, and they lived with him until he died. Before his death he spoke unto them, and told them that he had seen a vision wherein Saint Abba Macarius the Great came to him, and said unto him, “Command these two young men Maximus and Dumatheus to come to me in the desert of Scete, and they shall be my sons before thy death.” And Abba ‘Agabius told them what he had seen, and he said unto them, “O my sons, I have long had the desire to see this father Macarius in the flesh, and behold, I have seen him in the spirit.” And he said, “After my death go ye to him.” And when he was dead they dwelt in the land of Syria, and God gave unto them the gift of healing the sick. And the report of them was heard in all countries through the merchants who traveled by sea and by land. And the saints learned to make the roofs (i.e. awnings) of ships, and they lived upon a small part of what they earned by the labor of their hands, and the rest they gave away to the poor and the needy. And by reason of the multitude of the signs and wonders which God performed by their hands, many of those who were possessed by many [evil] spirits, were cured immediately they heard the names of Saints Maximus and Dumatheus, by the might of our Lord Jesus Christ. And there was a very large snake which lived near the high road, and it destroyed very many men, and some of the men of the city came to Saints Maximus and Dumatheus, and asked them to deliver them from that venomous serpent. And Abba Maximus took a sheet of paper and wrote upon it as follows: “In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, the Word of the Father, God of hosts, the God of Abba Macarius, the blessed, and our honourable father ‘Agabius, who was indued with the Spirit, the holy priest, when this paper cometh to the door of thy cave, thou shalt go forth and shalt die, and the fowls of heaven shall devour thee.” And a certain man took that paper and laid it at the door of the den of that serpent, and straightway it came forth and died; and all the people marveled exceedingly and they glorified God. And God performed very many signs and wonders by the hands of Maximus and Dumatheus. One day a certain nobleman went out to his father, who was near the sea-shore, and looking up at the awning of one of the ships, he saw written thereon the names of Maximus and Dumatheus, and he asked the captain of the ship, saying, “What are these names?” And the captain answered and said unto him, “These are [the name of] two holy monks and brothers, and because of my confidence in them I have written their names upon the awning of my ship, so that God may save me from sinking in the sea through their prayers.” And the nobleman said unto him, “What are they like in person?” And the captain said unto him, “One is perfect, and the other hath no beard”; and then the nobleman knew that the young men were the sons of the emperor. And he took that merchant and brought him to the emperor, the father of the saints, and he asked him about his sons; and the captain told them what they were like, and everyone knew that they were indeed his sons. And he sent their mother and their sister to them, and when they came to them, with many soldiers, and saw them, they cried out and wept freely and embraced them; and their mother asked them to come to her and to their father the emperor. And they said unto her, “We cannot destroy [our] covenant with God, for we have vowed ourselves to God, and we pray for thee and for our father, by night and by day, that God will deliver you from all harm.” And with these words they consoled her, and she left them and returned sad and sorrowful, and she wept because she was to be separated from them; and she told the emperor and the soldiers what had happened to them. And the emperor said unto his wife and his soldiers, “Let them alone so that they may become treasure with our God and Lord Jesus Christ, and may make entreaty to Him for us in their prayers; for everything which is in this world, and the glory thereof, passeth away like a dream, and they will gain a kingdom which doth not pass away.” And in those days the Archbishop of the city of Rome died, and the bishops and all the priests gathered together so that they might take counsel and appoint an archbishop. And they remembered the blessed Maximus, and they said, “Verily this man is well fitted for this office, for God hath given unto him the great gift of healing the sick, and God hath wrought many signs and wonders by his hands. And although he is young in days, still Christ dwelleth in him, and he is perfect in knowledge and in good works, and in all the Law of the Church.” When his father and mother heard this they rejoiced exceedingly, and they sent certain officers together with their troops, and they sent with them a letter which they had written to the governor of the country of Syria commanding him to send Maximus and Dumatheus to the city of Rome. When the saints heard this they were exceedingly sorry, and they remembered what their father, the monk Abba ‘Agabius, had commanded them. And they rose up straightway, and they changed their apparel, and they departed, not knowing where they were going, and they wandered to the shore of the Red Sea. And being athirst God changed that bitter water and made it sweet for them, and He sent forth power from Him, and it carried them from the country of Syria and brought them to the desert of Scete; and they came to Saint Abba Macarius, and told him that they wished to dwell with him. And when he saw that they were sons of grace, he thought that they would not be able to live in the desert, and he told them about the difficulty of the desert, saying, “Ye will not be able to dwell here.” And they answered and said unto him, “O our father, if we cannot live here we will go away.” Then he taught them how to plait palm fiber, and he showed them a valley wherefrom they could obtain the palm leaves, and he helped them until they had built a cell for themselves. And he brought to them a certain native to buy from them the objects which they made with their hands, and he brought them bread. And they lived in this way in the desert for three years, and they held converse with none, for they would go into the church holding their peace, and received the Holy Mysteries, and return to their cell. And our father Saint Macarius wondered at their behavior and why they had neither come to him nor visited him during this period of three years; and he asked God to reveal the matter of them to him. And he rose up and went to them, and they rejoiced in him exceedingly, and he dwelt with them that night. And when he rose up to pray he saw Saints Maximus and Dumatheus rise up to pray, and when they prayed he saw as it were a rope of fire which went up from their mouths to heaven. And Satans thronged about them like flies, and the angel of God drove them away from them with a sword of fire. When the morning had come he arrayed them in the garb of the angels, and he departed from them, saying, “Pray for me”; and they bowed low before him, saying, “Bless us, O our father, and pray for us.” And when they had finished their fight, and God wished to give them rest from the labor and sorrow of this world, Maximus fell sick of fever and his body became like fire. And he sent a message to Abba Macarius asking him to come and see him, and when Macarius arrived he found him sick. And Maximus said unto him, “Bless me, O my father”; and he blessed him, and said unto him, “Fear not, for this illness shall depart from thee.” And Maximus said unto him, “O my father, I know that this day I shall depart from this poor body of mine; I ask thee to pray for me, and I shall find help”; and having said these words he wept bitterly. And at that moment Abba Macarius saw the Company of the Saints, Prophets and Apostles, and John the Baptist, and the Emperor Constantine, and they came and surrounded Saint Maximus, until his soul went forth in honor and glory. And Abba Macarius wept and said, “Blessed art thou, Maximus.” And Dumatheus wept bitterly for his brother, and he asked Abba Macarius, saying, “Pray for me that God may take my soul and bring me to my brother.” And three days after Saint Maximus was buried, Dumatheus fell sick, and one told Saint Macarius about him, and he rose up to go to him. And as he was journeying along the road, he saw the saints, and he saw the Company, who came and received the soul of Saint Maximus, take the soul of his brother Dumatheus, and carry it up to heaven. And when Abba Macarius arrived at their cell he found Dumatheus dead, and he took him and buried him with his brother Maximus, in the same grave. The death of Maximus took place on the fourteenth day of the month of Ter, and that of his brother on the sixteenth day of the month of Ter. And Saint Abba Macarius commanded that monastery to be called by their names, and similarly that monastery is called to this day Dabra Barmos (Baramas). And they have everlasting remembrance in the kingdom of heaven, and in all the ends of the world. Salutation to Dumatheus and his brother Maximus. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 18 (January 26)

On this day took place the burning of the bones of the blessed Saint George (Gregory), the fighter, and chief of the martyrs.

And on this day also died the holy father, the fighter and ascetic, Abba Jacob, Bishop of the city of Nisibis, the teacher of Saint Ephraim. The saint and fighter was born and brought up in the city of Nisibis, and he was a Syrian; from his early years he adopted the garb of the monastic life. He wore sackcloth made of hair, and he fought the fight by night and by day, with fasting, and prayer, and prostrations, and vigils, and the heat of summer, and the cold of winter, and he never took off his apparel of hairy sackcloth. His food was the herbs of the earth, and his drink was rain-water only, and for this reason his body shone, and his soul sent forth much light, and God gave him the gift of prophecy, and the power to work signs and miracles. And he used to tell people what was going to happen before it happened, and this power he possessed to a remarkable degree. One day he saw a number of women laughing and playing together in a lewd manner by a fountain of water, and he dried up the fountain of water and made the hair of their heads turn white. And having repented and made entreaty to him, and bowed low before him, they begged him to restore to them that fountain of water, and he restored it to its former state; but the hair of their heads remained white, so that they might be patient and not magnify themselves [in future]. One day whilst he was journeying along the road he found a number of men who were laying out and covering for burial a man who was not dead, and they asked the saint to give them cloths wherewith to swathe him, but the saint by his prayer made the dying man to live. When the men came back and found the dead man [alive], they entreated him, and repented, and he healed them. And the virtues and the righteousness of this saint becoming known, the priests chose him to be Bishop of the city of Nisibis. And having been appointed he protected the flock of the Lord Christ, and he ruled them well, and he guarded them well against the Arian wolves. When the Emperor Constantine gathered together the Council of the Saints in the city of Nicea this father was with them, and he excommunicated Arius and drove him out of the church; and he drew up the Prayer of the True and Holy Faith with the holy Fathers, and it is the Sign to all believers and Christian people. And he raised a man from the dead at the coming of the Emperor Constantine, even as the Book of the Council testifieth. And when the King of Persia came to the city of Nisibis and attacked it, this holy man brought a dense and smoky cloud over their horses and buffaloes, and it caused them pain, and they backed and broke the ropes which held them, and stampeded. When the King of Persia saw this he was afraid with a great fear, and he rose up and fled and departed as far away as possible from the city of Nisibis. And this saint having finished his strife, and illumined his own soul, and the souls of his flock, he died in peace, and went to God Whom he loved, and inherited everlasting life. Salutation to Jacob of Nisibis. Salutation to the burning of the bones of Saint George (Gregory). Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 19 (January 27)

On this day were found the bodies of the saints Abba Behura and Abba Basora, his brother, and ‘Enira their mother. These saints and fighters were man of the city of Sobes, ad they became martyrs in the days when idols were worshipped, and their bodies were laid in the church of the city of Sobes. In the nine hundred and thirty-seventh year of the pure martyrs (A.D. 1221), in that year [I say], Frankish soldiers attacked the country of Egypt, and they captured the city of Damietta, and ruled there. And they also captured many of the large cities, which were round about Damietta. And King Komel (Kamil), that is to say, the King of Egypt, gathered together very many soldiers from all the land of Egypt, and he went forth to fight against the Frankish soldiers, and as they marched they destroyed many churches. Among such churches was a church of the city of Sobes, wherein were the bodies of the holy martyrs. And one of his soldiers took the coffer wherein where the bodies of the saints, and he opened it thinking that he should find therein money of this world wherewith to enjoy himself. And he found precious pearl- stones of great price, that is to say, the bones of the holy martyrs, but he did not know their value, and he scattered them by the walls of the church, and carried away the coffer, which had contained their bodies and sold it. And God, the Most High, Who is patient and most merciful, forbore with that man until he came to the Frankish army. And the Franks and Egyptians fought and that man was killed at the very beginning of the fight, according to the testimony of his companions who were looking at him when he was killed, and who on their return to their country proclaimed the glory of God, and declared and spoke to every man, saying, “This man was the first to be killed. A sword pierced his neck and cut off his head, and destroyed its sides and he died an evil death.” Now when that man cast away the bones of the saints there was a certain believing woman, the wife of a priest, who stood watching him, and straightway she gathered them up and rolled them in her head-cloth with joy. And because of her fear of the Muslims, she went into the church, and laid them down in a corner of the church, tied up in her head-cloth, and she covered them over with tiles; and they remained covered over with the tiles in the corner of the church for a period of twenty years, and the woman forgot their history. And God having willed to reveal them for the benefit of the Christian people, two men mentioned them before the woman, and the woman remembered them, and straightway she told the priests and the believing folk about the place where the bones were. And the priests went into the church, and they took the bodies (sic) of the holy martyrs, and bore them with great honor, and they made a beautiful coffer for them, and laid them in it; and they made a great festival, with prayers and psalms, and hymns, as it might be at this day, and they laid them in the church. And Abba Gabriel, Bishop of this city, commanded the people to make a festival for them, and to hold this day in honor, and to write their names down in each Egyptian city for the festival; and they did as the bishop commanded. And many signs and miracles appeared through these bones, among them being the following: There was a certain woman who had a blind daughter, and she had lost all hope of her daughter ever being able to see; and the blessed woman prayed to the bones of the saints, and straightway her daughter rejoiced, and she was able to see with her eyes as well as formerly. And she glorified our Lord Jesus Christ Who honored the martyrs with so great honor. Salutation to the woman who found the bodies (sic) of the martyrs. Salutation to Abba Yafkerna ‘Egzi’E, who finished his fight. Salutation to the consecration of your church, [O Abba Behura and Abba Basora]. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 20 (January 28)

On this day died Saint ‘Abrokoros (Prochorus) the Apostle, whom the Lord chose to be of the number of the Seventy-two Apostles, whom our Lord chose and sent forth to preach, and to whom He gave power to heal the sick and to cast out devils. This saint was with the Apostles in the upper room of Zion, and was filled with the gift of the Holy Spirit Paraclete. And he it was whom the Apostles chose to be among the number of the Seven Deacons concerning whom the Book of the Acts of the Apostles testifieth that they were filled with the Holy Spirit and wisdom. And he was the disciple of Saint John the evangelist, the apostle who proclaimed the Godhead, and he went with him to many cities, and Saint John laid his hand upon him and appointed him Bishop of the city of Nicomedia, of the country of Betania (Bithynia). And he preached the Faith of our Lord Christ therein, and he converted many of the Greeks and those who worshipped idols, and he brought them into the True Faith, and baptized them in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, and taught them to keep the commandments of the Holy Gospel. And he built a fine church for them in that city, and appointed priests and deacons for them, and then he went out to the cities which were round about that city, and preached in them the preaching of the Holy Gospel and baptized many of the people. And he taught even many Jews, and turned them from their error, and baptized them with Christian baptism; and great tribulation came [upon him] and persecution for the Name of Christ. And having finished his fight he died at a good old age, and he pleased God and inherited the kingdom of heaven and everlasting joy.

And on this day ‘Aklog (Eclogius) the priest became a martyr. This saint was a man of the city called “El-Neft,” in the country of Egypt, and his father’s name was Dioscorus, and his mother’s name was Euphemia; they belonged to a noble family and were very rich in gold, and silver, and cattle, and sheep, and horses, and camels, and lands. And they had no son, and were therefore very sad, and they prayed to God continually to give them a son; and God heard their prayer and gave them this holy son, and they called him “’Aklog” (Eclogius), which is, being interpreted, “pleasant to God.” When he was eight years old his parents gave him to a teacher so that he might instruct him in the Law of God, and each day he went to the church, and heard the praises and prayers before he went to his teacher. One day he left is teacher to ride his horse, and two servants followed him. As he was riding along he saw many men and women gathered together, and uttering cries, and he went up to them to see [what the matter was], and he found that a child whom a serpent had bitten had fallen down in their midst, and was night unto death. And Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) cried out, and he remembered the words of the Holy Gospel which said that those who believed on our Lord should make miracles manifest, that they should cast out devils in His Name, that they should take up vipers in their hands and that they should not harm them in any way, and that they should lay their hands on the sick and heal them. And straightway he took hold of the child’s hands, and made over him the sign of the Cross in the Name of the Father and the Son [and the Holy Spirit], and said, “O child, I tell thee to be healed of the bite of this wicked, lying reptile. For our Lord saith with His pure and righteous mouth, ‘Behold, I have given you power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and every power of the Enemy, and they shall in no wise injure you.’” And straightway the child recovered and became like one on whom no evil whatsoever had come. When the people saw this miracle they marveled exceedingly, and they praised God, the Worker of miracles, by His saints; and the report of this miracle was heard in every city. And when Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) had arrived at his twelfth year and was still under his teacher’s care, he knew by heart the Four Gospels, and the Fourteen Epistles of Paul, and the Seven Apostolic Epistles, and the Book of the Acts of the Apostles, and the One Hundred and Fifty Psalms of David. And he read each of these every night of the First Day of the week, and he devoted himself strenuously to fasting and prayer. When the men of his city saw his spiritual fight, after his parents’ death, they asked the bishop to appoint him their priest so that he might pray for them. He fasted two, or three, or seven days at a time, all the days of his life; and he prayed day and night; and he wore hairy sackcloth under his apparel next to his flesh. And the grace of God called the blessed ‘Aklog (Eclogius) to be a priest. And the bishop seized him against his will, and made him a priest. And when he was being appointed the people heard a voice crying out and saying, “Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) is worthy, is worthy, is worthy of the office of the priesthood”; and the people glorified God. And after those days a great persecution of the Christians broke out in all the land of Egypt under Diocletian the infidel, who destroyed the churches; and many people became martyrs. And God summoned Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) to become a martyr, and he stood up and looked up into heaven, and cried out, saying, “My Lord, and my God, and my Redeemer, Jesus Christ, the Sustainer of the Universe, let Thy mercy and peace be over the people who are in my city everywhere, and bless them and deliver them from Satans, and send an angel unto me to strengthen me until I have finished my fight for Thy Name’s sake; for Thine is the glory and the power for ever and ever, Amen.” When Saint ‘Aklog (Eclogius) had said this he turned to the people who were round about him, and said unto them, “Whosoever loveth [me] let him come and go with me”; and there followed him his own family, and slaves, and people of the city, three hundred and forty men; and they stood upon a high place and they cried out loudly and boldly, saying, “We are Christians.” When the captain of the emperor’s soldiers heard this he was sorry, and he bound Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) in fetters and sent him to Arianus the governor. And Arianus said unto him, “Worship the gods of the emperor so that thou mayest received great honor”; and ‘Aklog (Eclogius) said unto him, “I will never worship unclean idols, and I will only worship my Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom belongeth glory, and power, and majesty.” When Arianus heard this he condemned Saint Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) to severe torture in a red-hot oven, but God sent His angel and made the fire [as cool] as dew; and the saint stood up in the red-hot oven and prayed. Then Arianus the governor said unto the hundred and forty men, “Come ye and worship the gods.” And they answered and said unto him, “We will not worship the gods, but only Jesus Christ.” And Arianus commanded the soldiers to cut off their heads with the sword, and they did so, and the saints received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And in those days the son of Arianus the governor died, and he mourned for him greatly. And Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) said unto him, “If I do good for thee, and pray to the Lord my God on thy behalf that He may raise up thy son alive, what honor wilt thou bestow upon me?” And Arianus said unto him, “I will make thee captain over one hundred soldiers, and I will send thee to thy city with great honor.” And Saint Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) said unto him, “I do not wish for this thing, but I want thee, when thou hast tortured me, to send my body to my city; if thou wilt do this for me I will raise up thy son for thee.” And the governor swore to him that he would do all that he wished. And Saint ‘Aklog (Eclogius) prayed unto God, saying, “I beseech Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, to hear my petition this day, and to raise up this boy from the dead, that he may glorify Thy Name for ever and ever, Amen.” And having said this, he made the sign of the Cross over him in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and straightway the child rose up alive. And when the people saw this they all cried out together, saying, “We are all Christians, and we believe in the God of Saint Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius).” When the governor heard this he was exceedingly wroth, and he commanded the soldiers to take them outside the city, and to dig a large pit, and to light a large fire therein, and when the flames reached to a great height, to cast them into it; and the soldiers did so, and the men finished their martyrdom in the peace of God. Now they were in number eight hundred and nine souls. And Arianus the governor commanded the soldiers to torture Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) severely, and to send to his own country his head [after it was cut off with] the sword. When the saint heard this he rejoiced greatly, and he stood up and prayed, saying, “How [long], O my Lord Jesus Christ, wilt Thou hearken unto the petition of me, Thy servant? Let Thy mercy come upon my city, and upon all the men who dwell therein. Bless the work of their hands, and bless their women, and their children, and their cattle, and their fields, and deliver them from all trials and tribulations, by Thy Divine Power, O my Lord Jesus Christ. Give Thou grace to my body, and grant that every sick person who shall come to my church, and shall intercede before my body in Thy Name shall be healed of his sickness. And he who writeth the book of my strife and celebrateth my commemoration, do Thou write his name in the Book of Life. When a man giveth an offering on the day of my commemoration, or incense, or unguent, or oil, or wine, give Thou him his reward in the kingdom of the heavens. Whosoever shall swathe my body for burial in clean cloth, do Thou array him in the apparel of light, for Thine is the glory and the power for ever and ever, Amen.” And when he had said this, behold our Lord appeared unto him and said unto him, “Peace be unto thee, O my elect and beloved, and beloved of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius), I have come unto thee, and I will give thee the reward of thy labor, and I will make thee to rest in My kingdom. Three crowns have been prepared for thee: one for thy virginity, one for thy torture, and one because thou hast rejected the world for My Name’s sake. Come unto Me, O My beloved Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius), so that I may give thee the reward of thy labor, and that I may take thee up into My kingdom, and that I may do for thee everything which thou hast asked of Me this day, in return for what they have made thee to suffer for My Name’s sake. I will give thee an abode in the kingdom of the heavens. I will make the angel hosts to serve thee, and thou shalt rejoice with all the saints at My table in the life, which is forever. Verily I say unto thee, O My chosen one Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius), whosoever shall make intercession by thy body, and shall seek for thine intercession because of the labor which thou hast performed for My sake, if he be in tribulation, or in sickness, or in any trial and sorrow, I will deliver him. And whosoever shall call his son by thy name, that child will I bless, and rear happily, and preserve from evil. Whosoever shall give an offering to the church on the day of thy commemoration in thy name, to him will I bring the Bread of Life in the kingdom of the heavens. Whosoever shall give a cup of cold water to a thirsty man, him will I make to drink from the cup of the Water of Life. Whosoever shall plant a vineyard or sow fields with grain, and pray to Me for them in thy name, I will make him grow old, and multiply him, and bless him.” And when our Lord Christ had finished His converse with the blessed Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius), He made the sign of the Cross over his body, and delivered it from all his toil, and He embraced him, and blessed him, and went up into heaven in great glory, whilst the saint was looking at Him. After this the saint turned to the soldiers, and said unto them, “O my brethren, finish that which the governor hath commanded you to do.” And the soldiers, seeing that his face was shining like the sun, feared greatly his majesty and his light, and they were unable to approach him. But one of them, a man dense of heart and unmerciful, stretched out his hand to the saint, and smote him on the neck with the sword and cut off his holy head; and the saint finished his martyrdom on the twentieth day of the month of Ter. And the angels took his soul and carried it up into heaven singing as they went. And the soldiers left the body of the saint on the riverbank, and they embarked in their ship and departed. And certain young men were there, and they went into the city and told the people why, and how, the martyrdom of Saint Abba ‘Aklog (Eclogius) took place. And the people and the priests gathered together, and went and carried his body, with great honor and with singing of psalms and dirges, until they brought it to the city and laid it in a good resting place. And great signs, and miracles, and healings of the sick took place through it.

And on this day also are commemorated Saint Behnu, the martyr; and the consecration of the church of John, the possessor of the Golden Gospel, in the city of Rome, and the translation of his body thereto. Salutation to John.

And on this day the strife and martyrdom of Abba Noha (Noah) took place, and the manifestation of his miracles.

And on this day also are celebrated the consecration of the church of Mar Mehnam, and also ‘Alvanus (Silvanus), and Abba Nabyud (or Nabdeyu) of Sihat (Scete), and Anna Benwah, the martyr. Salutation to ‘Abrokoros (Prochorus). Salutation to Abba Kaluz, the martyr, of the city of Fant. Salutation to Abba Nabyud. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 21 (January 29)

On this day took place the assumption of the body of our pure, and holy, and honorable Lady, the Virgin Mariyam, the God-bearer, who is indeed the Lady of all the women of this world. And our Lady prayed continually at the holy grave of our Lord Christ; the Holy Spirit made known to her that she was to depart from this fleeting world, and then told the virgins who were with her from Dabra Zayt, even as our Lord told them. Then our Lady Mary prayed, saying, “O my Lord Jesus Christ, hearken Thou unto me, and unto my prayer at this time, and unto my petition, and bring unto me thy disciple, John the evangelist, and likewise all Thy disciples, both those who are living and those whose souls Thou hast taken, for Thou art the God of the living and of the dead, and unto Thee belongeth glory for ever and ever, Amen.” and behold a cloud straightway took up John in the spirit from the city of Ephesus, and brought him to our Lady the holy Virgin Mariyam; and when he stood before her she glorified our Lord Jesus Christ. And John said unto her, “Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace, who didst bear our Lord Jesus Christ.” And the Holy Spirit spoke by his mouth, saying, “Thou shalt go forth from this world with great honor and glory, and after many great signs and wonders which our Lord and God shall make manifest by thee.” When our holy Lady the Virgin Mariyam heard these words, she rejoiced exceedingly, and she prayed, saying, “Glory unto Thee, O my Lord and God Jesus Christ, Who hast granted unto me what I asked. And now, honor me by Thy coming with Thine angels, so that they may take my soul and bear it up with Thee into the heavens.” And straightway the voice of the Holy Spirit from heaven was heard, saying, “At this time all the angels shall come from heaven, and the Apostles from all the ends of the earth, riding upon the clouds, and they shall come to Bethlehem, for the sake of the holy and blessed Virgin Mariyam, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ.” And straightway all the Apostles came, for those who were dead rose up from their graves, and they stood before our holy Lady the Virgin Mariyam, and said unto her, “Rejoice, O thou who art full of grace, for our God was born of thee. He shall take thee out of this fleeting world with great glory even as He promised thee.” And straightway our Lady Mariyam sat down upon her bed, and said unto the Apostles, “Now do I know that my God and your God, Jesus Christ, will come to me, and that I shall see Him as I see you, and then I shall depart from this world. And now I desire you to tell me whence ye knew that I was to depart from this world, and so hastened your coming to me.” And Peter and all the Apostles said unto her, “The Holy Spirit commanded us to come unto thee, and straightway we mounted upon a cloud of light, and we arrived where thou art in the twinkling of an eye.” When our Lady Mariyam heard this from the Apostles, she lifted up her voice and said, “I praise and hymn Thy Holy Name, O my Lord Jesus Christ, my God, because Thou hast seen my suffering, and hast revealed unto me wonders, for Thou art Almighty; henceforth all generations shall hold me blessed.” And when the Virgin had finished her prayer and supplications, she said unto the Apostles, “Bring me incense and a censer, and summon our Lord Jesus,” and they did as she commanded them; and straightway our Lord Jesus Christ came. And thousands of thousands, and tens of thousands of tens of thousands of angels, surrounded Him, and archangels, and our Lord Jesus Christ comforted her, and told her of the rest and joy which were prepared for her. At that moment many miracles took place; the blind received their sight, and the dumb spoke, and the lame stood up straight and walked, and the lepers were cleansed, and from those who were possessed of devils the evil spirits went forth quickly. And all those who were suffering from sicknesses of divers kinds, as soon as ever they came to the place where was our holy Lady the Virgin Mariyam, were healed straightway of their sicknesses, no matter of whatever kinds they were. Then our holy Lady the Virgin Mariyam said unto her beloved Son, “O my Lord Jesus Christ, I am afraid of the awful and terrifying angels who are in the air of the Land of Fire.” And our Lord said unto her, “Which of them can have dominion over thee?” When the time for her to depart from her body drew nigh, the Apostles and the virgins who were there weeping asked her to bless them, and she laid her hands upon them, and blessed them. And straightway our Lord Christ took her pure soul in His Divine Hands, and He wrapped it up in a cloth of light, and took it up with Him to the habitation above. And her Son, our Lord, commanded the Apostles to bury her body in a fitting manner, and they carried it to Gethsemane. And before her soul departed, our Lady looked and saw a great light, which it is impossible for the tongue of man to describe. And our Lord Christ said unto her, “Henceforth thy body shall depart to the Garden of Delight, and thy soul shall dwell in the abode of joy, wherein the angels shall praise [God] before thee.” And our Lady said unto Him, “I beseech Thee, in the operation of Thy wisdom, to hearken unto my petition. Whosoever shall pray unto Thee in my name do Thou in Thy mercy receive his petition. Whosoever is in tribulation and shall pray to Thee in my name, deliver Thou him from all his tribulation, for Thou art Almighty in heaven and on earth. Bless everywhere those who shall celebrate the commemoration of my name, and accept the offerings of all those who shall offer gifts in my name.” And our Lord Jesus answered and said unto her, “Behold, I have done for thee all which thou didst ask of Me. Rejoice, for every gift and every honor I will give thee from my holy Father. And everyone who shall pray unto Me in thy name henceforward shall never perish, neither in this world nor in that which is to come, for I will be to him a kindly intercessor with My heavenly Father.” After our holy Lady the Virgin Mariyam was dead the Apostles prepared her for burial, and they carried her on a bier so that they might take her to Gethsemane, as our Lord commanded. When the Jews heard of this and they knew that it was our Lady Mariyam [on the bier], they went out to her, and one of them seized her bier with his hand in order to throw her off from it on the ground; and the angel of God smote him with a sword of fire, and cut off his hands, and they remained hanging on the bier. And then the Jew believed on our Lord Christ, and he entreated our Lady Mariyam with tears and repentance for what he had done, and he wept bitterly, saying, “Verily, O pure Virgin, thou art the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, Thou God in truth, I beseech Thee to have compassion upon me.” And through the prayers of the holy Apostles his hands were restored to their former positions. When the Apostles had buried her they remained there three days; now her death took place on Sunday, the twenty-first day of the month of Ter. And our Lord Jesus sent angels of light, and they carried her body away from the grave, and laid it under the Tree of Life, which is in the Garden of Delight. Now Thomas the Apostle was not present at the time of her death, but as he was coming on the cloud, he found her body with the angels. And one of the angels said unto him, “Make haste and salute the body of the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mariyam”; and he made haste and saluted her. And when he came to the Apostles they told him how our Lady Mariyam was dead, and he said unto them, “I did not know it until I saw her body, even as ye made me to know when I doubted the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. And when he came to the grave to see the body of our Lady Mariyam, and they opened the grave, they could not find her body; and they were amazed and marveled exceedingly. And straightway Thomas told them how he had saluted her holy body as the angels were carrying her up [to heaven]. And the Holy Spirit said unto them, “God doth not wish her body to lie in the earth.” And God made a covenant with the Apostles that even as He had shown Himself, so He would show her to His servants a second time, and He bade them wait until the seventeenth day of the month Nahase (Aug.- Sept.); and He fulfilled the covenant. And all the days of her life were sixty years; twelve years she lived in the Temple, three and thirty years she lived with Joseph, and after the Resurrection of our Lord Christ she lived for fifteen years in the house of John the evangelist, even as our Lord commanded her when He said unto her, “Behold thy son,” and to John, “Behold thy mother.” Salutation to the going forth of thy soul from the body without fear of death. Salutation to the going forth of thy soul, and to thy death, which was like unto a marriage.

And on this day also died the righteous woman Hilaria, the daughter of the Emperor Zeno. Her father was of the True Faith, and he loved the Church. He begot two daughters, namely this saint, and another, but he had no son. This saint, from her earliest years, used to love to sit by herself, and she determined in her heart to adopt the ascetic life and to wear the garb of the angels. And she went forth from the palace, and changed her apparel, and put on a man’s attire, and departed to the land of Egypt, and thence to the desert of Scete. And she found there a certain righteous elder whose name was Abba Bamu, and she told him her mind, and informed him that she was a woman, and he hid her secret, and brought her into a cell, and he visited her frequently for twelve years. And she dwelt in her cell, and as no beard appeared upon her face, the holy elders thought that she was a eunuch, and they called her “Hilarion (sic) the eunuch.” And an unclean Satan took possession of her sister, whom she had left with her father, and her father gave much money to the physicians, but they were unable to cure her of her sickness. And his fellow- nobles advised her father to send her to the desert of Scete, to the holy elders, for the report of their holiness had reached the country of Rome. And her father sent her off with nobles, and officers, and slaves, and handmaidens, and he wrote a letter to the holy elders, saying, “O my holy fathers, I will tell you what hath happened to me. God gave me two daughters, and one of them hath fled and I know not whither she hath gone, and of this one, her sister, an unclean Satan hath taken possession. I have always thought that she would be a comforter to me. I beseech your holinesses to pray on her behalf so that God may heal her of her sickness.” And when the saints had read the emperor’s letter, they prayed that God would heal her of her sickness; and the holy elders continued to pray on her behalf for many days, but she was not healed of her sickness. Then they called “Hilaria the eunuch.” who was her sister, and said unto her, “Take this daughter of the emperor and pray over her.” And Saint Hilaria said unto them, “I am a sinner and I am not able to do this difficult thing,” but they urged her until she took her. And Hilaria carried her off to her cell, and prayed for her, and she was healed in a few days and that unclean Satan fled. Now Saint Hilaria knew that the maiden was her sister, but the maiden did not recognize Hilaria, and she embraced her, and kissed her. And Hilaria went outside [her cell] and wept, and then she brought the maiden to the holy elders, and said unto them, “Behold, through your prayers I have healed her sickness.” And the saints rejoiced, and they sent her to her father in peace; and when she arrived and stood up by him he rejoiced in her greatly; and all the people in the palace rejoiced, and gave thanks to Christ. And the emperor asked her, saying, “What manner of life didst thou lead with the holy elders of the desert of Scete?” And she told him about Saint Hilarion (sic), who healed her of her sickness, and she said unto him, “He loved me very much and kissed (?) me.” when the emperor heard this his mind was greatly disturbed, and he said unto her, “Is it seemly for a monk to kiss a woman?” And straightway he sent a letter to the holy elders in the desert of Scete, saying, “Send hither to me Saint Hilarion, who healed my daughter, so that I may be blessed by him.” And the saints called Hilaria and commanded her to go to the emperor, and she wept bitterly and prostrated herself at the feet of the desert monks, and said unto them, “I am unable to go there.” And they said unto her, “This righteous emperor is a lover of the Church, and it is not seemly for us to transgress his commandment, even as the Holy Scriptures command us”; and they urged her, and she departed to the emperor her father against her will. And when she arrived he saluted her, and all those who were with her. When the people had gone, and the emperor was left alone with Saint Hilaria, he asked her, saying, “I have been disturbed in my mind because I heard that thou didst kiss my daughter, and I wish thee to explain the matter to me”; now only the emperor and empress were there with Hilaria. And she said unto them,, “Bring me the Holy Gospel, and swear unto me that if I tell you ye will not prevent me from departing to the desert of Scete”; and they swore to her even as she asked. Then she spoke unto them, saying, “I am your daughter Hilaria.” And she told them how her going forth took place, and how she had changed her apparel, and put on a man’s attire, and she showed them the marks on her body. And straightway they cried out loudly, and all wept [bitterly], and there was a very great outcry in the palace, and [her parents] said unto her, “We will never let thee go.” And Hilaria said unto them, “Remember the oath which ye swear to me on the Holy Gospel”; and she passed the Great Fast of forty days with them, and [then] went to the desert of Scete. And from that day the Emperor Zeno, her father, commanded the [governors] to give to the holy men who dwelt in the desert of Scete the tax of the land of Egypt for one year, and after this they gave the monks what they needed according to the emperor’s command. And the monks rejoiced, and they became numerous, and they built nine hundred churches near the monastery of Abba Macarius, and seven hundred churches near the monastery of Abba John, and five hundred churches near the monastery of Abba Besoy (‘Ebsoy). And Saint Hilaria lived in the mountain of Scete for five years after she came from her father, and she died [in peace], and none knew that she was a woman until she died. Salutation to thy going into the desert of Scete, O Hilaria.

And on this day also died the holy father Saint Gregory, the brother of Basil, Bishop of Dasyat. Now behold we have mentioned the commemoration of his father and of his brother in the section for the seventh day of the month of Ter. This blessed man Gregory was appointed Bishop of the city of Dasyat, and he was a most honorable and learned man; and behold, we have written a little about his strife in the section for the fifth day of this month Ter. It is said of him that when he was consecrating the Offering, he used to see the Holy Spirit descending from heaven upon the altar, and then he saw one of the Cherubim embrace his head, and clasp him to his bosom; and then Gregory would come out of this sleep, and rest himself on the altar; and all the people used to think that this was merely the sleep of the body. When he had completed three and thirty years in his Episcopal office, Saint Basil his brother came to him to visit him, for he was sick of a grievous sickness which was caused by excessive fasting; and Gregory welcomed him and rejoiced in him. And when Saint Gregory welcomed him and rejoiced in him. And when Saint Gregory went up to the altar to consecrate the Offering, according to his wont, our holy Lady the Virgin Mariyam appeared unto him, and she said unto him, “This day thou shalt come with me.” After he had finished the Liturgy, he asked his brother Basil to admonish the people to keep fast hold upon the True Faith. And he became like one who was asleep, and when [they tried] to rouse him they found that he was dead. And Basil commanded them to make a coffin for him, and they did so, and he buried him with many prayers, and psalms and dirges. Salutation to Gregory.

And on this day also are commemorated Nicolaus the martyr, and Abba Victor the bishop.

And on this day also Paul the governor, and Silas the priest became martyrs in the days of Marcion, the Emperor of Rome, the Melchite heretic. When all the faithful were gathered together at Gethsemane, on the festival of the death of our Lady, Julian the infidel came and surrounded them, and killed them, leaving not one of them alive.

On this day also Bakhayla Maryam became a martyr in Dabra Matmak. Salutation to Jeremiah, who prophesied and was rebuked, when Israel loved to worship gods of wood and stone. He destroyed wild beasts and fierce lions by the power of his prayer, and therefore his festival is celebrated in Egypt. Salutation to Paul the governor, and to Silas the priest. Salutation to John, whom the Virgin Mariyam promised should depart from this world without seeing the terrors of death. Salutation to Kawestos. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 22 (January 30)

On this day died the great and holy father Abba Anthony, the father of all the monks. This holy father Abba Anthony was a man of the city of Keman, in the land of Egypt, to the south of Mesr (Cairo). His parents were Christians, and from his youth up there was no impiety in him. He went, without hesitation, to the church with his parents, and they partook of the Holy Mysteries, and he did not laugh and play with the [other] boys, and he never danced; and when he was a little older, he bowed before his parents, and obeyed them, and when he was seven years old he learned the Books of the Church. Now at that time the office of Archbishop of Alexandria was held by Abba Theonas, and when he heard the report of Abba Anthony’s childhood, he sent a messenger and had him brought to him, and he blessed him and prophesied concerning him, saying, “This child shall become great before God, and the report of him shall go up into all countries”; and he laid his hand upon him and made him a deacon. Then his parents died and they left him a little sister. Six months after his parents died he went to the church according to his custom, and the love of the Holy Spirit entered his heart, and he said, “Consider how the Apostles forsook their business and followed our Lord and Redeemer Christ. They sold their possessions, even as it is written in the Acts of the Apostles, and they brought the price thereof and placed it at the feet of the Apostles, so that they might give it to those who were needy, and that the hoped-for things which God had prepared for them in the heavens might be doubled.” And he was always meditating upon this in his heart. And then he went to the church and heard our Lord saying to the rich man in the Holy Gospel, “If thou wishest to be perfect, go and sell all thy possessions, and give [their price] to the poor, and lay up for thyself treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me.” And Anthony derived his holy mind from the Lord, for he thought that those words had gone forth for him; and forthwith he went out from the church. Now his father possessed good broad lands, and these he gave to the men of the city, and the goods which his parents had left him he gave to the poor and needy, and he took his sister and deposited her with the virgins. And he loved fasting and prayer, and the life of self-abnegation, and the spiritual fight. Now the word “monasticism” had not appeared in those days, and if any man desired to devote himself to God he went a little way outside the city, and dwelt by himself, and lived an ascetic life. Even thus did the great saint Abba Anthony. And Satan, who fighteth by means of the [sinful] impulse of the flesh, and the committal of sin, used to bring a woman’s person to Anthony in a dream, in such a way that she seemed to be sleeping with him; but he overcame all these things by the help of God, which was with him. Then he departed to a tomb on the seashore, and he dwelt therein and closed the doors of the tomb on himself, and fought a great fight [therein]. And his kinsfolk and acquaintances used to visit him and bring him food. When the Satans saw Saint Anthony fighting in this way, they were jealous of him, and they came to him and beat him with very severe beatings, which caused him great pain, and then they would leave him prostrate. When his kinsfolk came to visit him they would find him lying on the ground like a dead man, and they would lift him up and carry him to the church, and God would heal him of his sickness. When his soul awoke he would command them to lift him up, and take him to his own place, and they would do so. And when Abba Anthony had conquered the Satans there came to him from below a multitude [of fiends] in the form of wild beasts, and lions, and wolves, and serpents, and scorpions, and each one of them would rear itself up against him to terrify him. But Abba Anthony would laugh at them, and say unto them, “If there be any among you that hath dominion over me, let him conquer me”; and straightway they would be scattered before him like smoke. And God gave him victory over the Satans, and He gave him rest from the suffering and temptations, which they caused him. Twice a year he made bread for their (i.e. the monks’) food, and the sun dried it. He allowed no one to come into his cell to him, but [his visitors] stood outside, and he hearkened to their words; and he continued to devote himself to the ascetic life and the spiritual fight for a period of twenty years. Then God commanded him to comfort the people, and to teach them the perfect fear of God and His holiness. And he departed to the district of the Fayyum, and made monks of many of the brethren who were there, and he confirmed them in the Law of God (now there were there many religious houses that were [full of] monks and spiritual fighters), and then he returned to his mountain. At that time the days of persecution came, and many men received crowns of martyrdom. And he wished to become [a martyr], and he forsook his mountain and departed to the city of Alexandria, and confessed the Lord Christ; but no man seized him; and he used to visit the believers who were in prison for the Name of Christ, and comfort them. When the governor saw that Anthony was not afraid of him, he commanded that no monk should ever be allowed to approach the governor’s tribunal. But Anthony appeared there continually, and spoke to him often so that he might exasperate him, and make him angry, and cause him to beat him and torture him, so that he (i.e. Anthony) might become a martyr. But the governor would not talk to him, and he did no harm to him whatsoever, for God preserved Anthony for the benefit of many. And when the time of persecution was ended, the blessed Peter, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, the perfection of the martyr, became a martyr, and Abba Anthony returned to his mountain, according to the Will of God. Now the apparel, which he wore, was made of hairy sackcloth, and he never washed himself with water all the days of his life. And many sick folk came to him, and he prayed over them and healed them. And when the many people who came to him heard his doctrine, they would not let him live by himself as he wished, and he feared that he would become arrogant of heart because of what God performed through him. And he determined in his heart to go to Upper Egypt, and live in a place where none knew him; and he took a little bread from the brethren, and he sat down by the side of a stream of water to wait for a ship on which to embark and depart. And whilst he was thinking thus, a voice came to him from heaven, saying, “Anthony, whither wilt thou go? What dost thou wish for here?” And he answered and said, “Many people come here, and they prevent me from living in solitude, and therefore I wish to go to Upper Egypt.” And the voice answered and said unto him, “If thou wishest to go to Upper Egypt, [go, and thou wilt find] that thy annoyance will be doubled. But if thou dost indeed wish to live alone, go a journey of three days into the Inner Desert.” And having seen certain Arabs who themselves wanted to travel that road, Anthony went to them, and asked them that he might go with them into the desert, and they welcomed him with joy. And he journeyed with them for three days, until they came to a very high mountain, where there was clear, sweet, and very cold water, and palms, and date-palms, and fruit trees in abundance; and Anthony loved the place which God had prepared for him, and to which He had called him from the sea-shore. And he dwelt in that place, and the Arabs used to bring him bread. And there were in that place many noxious beasts, but through the prayer of Anthony God drove them away, and they returned not again to that desert. And he used to go to his mountain, which was beyond the seashore from time to time, and visit the brethren who were there, and comfort them, and then he would return to his mountain in the desert. And the report of Anthony was heard of by Constantine the righteous emperor, and he wrote to him a letter praising him, and asking him to remember him at the time of prayer; and the brethren rejoiced at the emperor’s letter. Now Saint Anthony did not send back a written answer to the emperor’s letter, but he said unto the brethren, “Behold, the letter of the King of kings is read to us every day, but we neither submit to its commands nor hearken to it.” And the brethren answered and said unto him, “This righteous emperor is a lover of the Church, and it is meet for thee to comfort him.” And he wrote a letter to him, and comforted him, and blessed him, and his kingdom, and all his soldiers. And the report of Anthony was also heard by a Frankish king, namely the King of the country of Barkinon, which was situated at a distance of seven months’ journey from the country of Egypt. And the Frankish king sent unto Saint Abba Anthony, saying, “I beseech and entreat thee, by the Passion of our Lord Christ, to come to us, and bless us, and all our city, and our army.” When Anthony heard these words he was exceedingly sorry because the king said, “by the Passion of our Lord Christ.” And Anthony stood up and prayed, saying, “I beseech Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, to do Thy Will in me. If Thou wishest me to go to the Frankish country of Barkinon, give me a sign of Thy Will.” Whilst he was saying these words, behold a cloud of light appeared, and it carried him and brought him during the night to the Frankish country. And the king rejoiced in him with a great joy, and all his soldiers and people likewise rejoiced, and they brought to him those who were sick and the blind and the lame, and he healed them by his prayer forthwith. And he dwelt with them for seven months, teaching them the way of righteousness and life, and he arrayed many thousands in the garb of the monastic life. And each Sunday the cloud of light bore him away and brought him to his monastery, and he went among his sons and comforted them, for on the following day that cloud would bear him away, and take him back to the Frankish land. After this, by the Will of God, he returned to his monastery, riding upon the cloud. One day laziness (or inertness) came upon him and there came unto him a voice which said, “Get thee outside the city so that thou mayest see.” And he went outside [the city] and he found there the similitude of an angel who wore the garb of the monastic life, and the girdle, and the cord of the cross, and on his head was a skullcap like a helmet; and he was sitting down plaiting palm leaves. Then he rose up and prayed and sat down again, and continued to plait palm leaves. And a voice came unto Anthony, saying, “O Anthony, act in this wise, and thou shalt have rest from war against Satans.” And Anthony took the angel who was dressed as a monk as an example, and from that day neither inertness, nor the war of the Satans attacked him. And our Lord Christ appeared unto him many times, and comforted him and strengthened him, and said unto him, “Verily, I say unto thee, O My chosen one Anthony, because of thy labor, and thy fighting, and thy devotion to God alone by thyself in this desert, and because of thy love for Me, I will magnify thy name, and will exalt thy horn in all the ends of the earth. And I will make the desert places and the monasteries like the habitations of doves, and they shall be full of monks, especially thine own monasteries, which shall endure until the end of the world. Whosoever shall celebrate thy commemoration, and shall give alms or incense, or an offering in thy name, I will blot out all his sins and he shall never see punishment. And I will exalt exceedingly the monastery wherein thy body shall be buried, and I will place therein-righteous monks like angels. and they shall never lack a head until the end of the world. And I will make the kings, and judges, and rulers of the earth to bring gifts, and to give them to thy monastery, and to thy children the monks who shall keep thy commandments.” And when our Lord had said this He went up into heaven with great glory. And Abba Anthony rejoiced with great joy. And he prophesied concerning the spoliation of the Church, saying, “Those who doubt the Faith (i.e. heretics) shall have dominion over it, and then it shall return to its former state.” And he prophesied concerning the monks, how they would be many, and would become exceedingly numerous, and how they would abandon the houses and monasteries in the desert, and would dwell in the towns and villages among those who were in the world. It was Anthony who arrayed Abba Macarius in the garb of the monk, for he was his disciple and son, and he comforted him and confirmed him, and made him to know what would happen unto him. And he went to Abba Bula (Paule) the Great, the first of the dwellers in the desert, and it was he who buried him in the garment of Athanasius the Apostle. When Saint Abba Anthony knew that the time of his death had drawn nigh, he commanded his sons to hide his body, and to give his staff to Abba Macarius his son, and his head cloth to Abba Athanasius, and his sheep-skin cloak to Abba Serapion the Bishop, his son. And he lay down on the ground and delivered up his soul into the hand of God. And all the companies of the holy angels came to it, and they met it with great joy, and they took it up to everlasting rest in the heavens. And Anthony’s children hid his body as he commanded, for he used to rebuke those who showed the bodies of the holy martyrs with the object of getting much money and possessions thereby, and of keeping these possessions for themselves. This holy and blessed Anthony lived to a good old age and became very old indeed, but his body, and strength, and power remained unchanged, and nothing fell from his shoes(?). And he never washed in water all the days of his life. And he departed to Christ, Whom he loved, and all the days of his life were one hundred and twenty years. Salutation to Anthony the solitary. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 23 (January 31)

On this day Saint Timothy the Apostle became a martyr. This saint was born and brought up in the city of Lystra; his father was a Greek and worshipped the stars, and his mother was a Jewess, under the shadow of the Law of Moses. When Paul the Apostle preached in the city of Lystra, this saint Timothy heard his preaching, and his teaching, and he saw the signs and miracles which God wrought by his (i.e. Paul’s) hands (now the learned men and philosophers among the people of Lystra were amazed at these wonders, and were unable to do any one of them); he came to Paul the Apostle and believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, and was baptized in the Name of the Holy Trinity. And he rejected the gods of his father, and abandoned the observance of the Law of his mother also, and he became a disciple of Paul the Apostle; and he followed him into many cities, and labored with him. And the Apostle Paul made Timothy Bishop of the city of Ephesus, and having entered therein he preached to the men thereof in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he converted very many of them to the True Faith, and baptized them with Christian baptism. And he preached in many cities, both in those, which were round about Ephesus, and those, which were far off. The Apostle Paul wrote two Epistles to him, teaching and exhorting him to teach the people continually, [so that] they might received the way whereby he became bishop, and priest, and deacon, and. . . .And he said unto him, “Beware of lying prophets,” and he commanded him not to lay his hand upon any person unworthy of the office of the priesthood, or before he had tried him. And he called him “son,” and his “beloved Timothy,” and he sent four epistles by his hand. And observing and protecting the flock of Christ over which he had been appointed, he illumined their hearts by his frequent teachings, and admonitions, and discourses. And he rebuked and cursed the Jews and the Greeks, who were all jealous of him, and they gathered together against him in the city of Ephesus and killed him. And some of the believers among the Ephesians buried his body as it might be on this day. And when the Emperor Constantine reigned he determined to translate the body of the saint from the city of Ephesus, and he brought it to the city of Constantinople, on the twenty-third day of the month of Ter; and they celebrated a great festival in his honor on that day. Salutation to Paul (sic) who was appointed deputy by the Epistle of Paul, of the country of Rome.

And on this day are commemorated Athanasius, and Kerlos (Cyril), and Theodosius, the righteous emperor. Salutation to Theodosius. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 24 (February 1)

On this day died Maria, and sainted woman and spiritual fighter. The parents of this saint were Christians of the city of Alexandria, and though certain noblemen of the city of Alexandria desired her, she did not wish [to give herself]. When her father and mother died, all the possessions, which her father had left her, she gave to the poor and needy, with the exception of a very little money. And she entered one of the houses for women, which were outside the city of Alexandria, and she assumed the holy garb of the nun, and she fought a great fight. For twelve years she fought against sleep, and at length having killed [the desire for] it she never slept during the day; and during the whole of that period of twelve years she fasted continually until the evening, according to the Rule of that nunnery. Then she asked the abbess to allow her to shut herself in a cell to try whether she could endure it or not. And the abbess said unto her, “Shut thyself up in thy cell.” And she went into the cell and shut her door, and she dug a little hole in it through which she could take in her food, and also receive the Holy Mysteries, and she dwelt in the lower part of the cell for two and twenty years. And during all those days she stood up and prayed continually, and ceaselessly from morning till night. During the night she slept a little, and the rest of the night, until dawn, she passed in prayer. She fasted two days at a time, and ate bread soaked in water. During the days of the Great Fast she never are bread at all-- until the forty holy days of our Lord were ended--but she fasted three days [at a time] and then ate beans soaked in water. When the festival of the Holy Baptism [of our Lord] arrived on the eleventh day of the month of Ter she would ask them to bring her some of the holy water. When they brought it to her she washed her hands and her face therein, and [then] received the Holy Mysteries, and drank that holy water. And she fell sick, and laid herself down on her bed until the twenty-first day of Ter, when she received the Holy Mysteries for the second time that day. And she called the abbess and besought her, with many entreaties, to put her feet near her, and when the abbess did so, she embraced them and laid her face upon them and said, “I bow to thy feet which have brought thee to our Lord Christ.” Then she called all the virgins, and asked them to come and visit her after three days; but when the three days had passed, and it was the twenty-fourth day of Ter, they visited her and found that she was dead. And they lifted her up and took her to the church, and they prayed over her, and they made her ready for burial and laid her with the bodies of the [other] holy virgins. Salutation to Maria.

And on this day also is commemorated Abba Absadi, of whom it is said that he had in him the virtues of purity, and that because of this God protected him, and caused the memorial of him to live in all the world.

And on this day also became a martyr the great Saint Abba Bifa, of the city of Seft, in the country of Egypt, in the district of Teha.

And on this day also are commemorated the righteous men who pleased (?) God. Salutation to Bifa. [Wanting in the Bodleian MS.] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 25 (February 2)

On this day died the blessed Peter, the ascetic. This saint was a tax-gatherer, and as he sat in the office of the tax-gatherer he was a man who was dense of heart (i.e. understanding), and without any compassion, and he lacked the quality of mercy to such a degree that the people used to apply to him the evil epithet of “merciless.” And He Who desireth not the death of a sinner had compassion upon him, and sent to him a certain poor man to ask alms of him. And at that moment his servant came carrying bread, and he took one of the bread- cakes from his servant and threw it to the poor man, not as an act of mercy, but in order that he might drive him away from him and that the poor man might never come back to him; and the man having taken the bread-cake departed to his house. That night, whilst this Peter was sleeping he saw in his sleep as if there were many beings who wished to weigh him and as if they had a pair of scales in their hands, and many of the beings were black, and they had exceedingly foul faces, and they stood on the left of the scales. And there were many shining angels of beautiful appearance, who were wearing glorious white apparel, standing on the right of the scales; and they were sorrowful and were thinking what they could lay in the right pan of the scales. When they found nothing at all, one of them brought that bread-cake which Peter had thrown to the poor man, and the angel who brought the bread-cake said, “We have not found one good thing about him except this.” And his fellow-angels answered and said unto him, “What good will this be when set against his multitude of sins?” And as he was looking on at this he awoke from his sleep, and he was afraid, and trembled, and was dismayed. And he reproached himself and was sorry for his soul because he had done what was evil; and from that day onwards he became very merciful, and he gave his house and his goods to the poor and needy, and he changed his character. When he learned that many praised him and honored him for the good deeds, which he had done, he fled from the world and went into the desert of Scete, and entered the monastery of Saint Abba Macarius and became a monk therein. And he devoted himself to the ascetic life with great strenuousness, and he fought a good fight and pleased God with his deeds. And on the day of his death he called the aged monks, and embraced them, and he died straightway and departed to God. Salutation to Peter.

And on this day also Saint Sebastianus became a martyr. The father of this saint was Emperor of Rome, and he was brought up in the admonition and fear of God. When his father died Diocletian and Maximianus reigned, and they appointed this saint to be their deputy-governor, and they honored him as they honored his father. And he walked with wisdom and knowledge, and he healed many sick by means of his prayers, and he opened the eyes of the blind. When Diocletian denied the God of heaven he tried to force Saint Sebastianus to worship idols. When he refused to do so he commanded the soldiers to tie him to a withered tree, and to shoot at him with countless arrows; [and they did so] and thought that he was dead. That night certain believing men found him alive, and they untied him and carried him away into the midst of an island, and set him down there. When Diocletian heard this he had Sebastianus brought to him, and he commanded the soldiers to beat him with rods of iron, and they beat him for many days, and he delivered up his soul. And he appeared in a dream to Saint Ludsena and told her where his body was; and she took it and buried it in the grave of Peter. And God made a covenant with him that whosoever called upon his name or celebrated his commemoration should never be attacked by the plague. Salutation to Sebastianus.

On this day also Saint ‘Askel became a martyr. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 26 (February 3)

On this day nine and forty holy fathers, the elders of the desert, became martyrs, and they sent to the emperor and his sons the reasons for their martyrdom which took place in the days of the Emperor Theodosius, the son of the Emperor Arcadius, the Just. Now Theodosius had no son, and he sent unto the holy elders of the desert of Scete, asking them to beseech God to give him a son. And among them was a certain elder, who was very great, and his name was Bisudura, and he wrote to the emperor and said unto him, “God doth not wish a son to be begotten by thee, so that he may not associate with the doubters in an unclean Faith.” And it came to pass that when the king had read the letter of the saints he thanked God, and held his peace. And certain wicked men advised him to marry a second wife so that by her he might beget a son to inherit his kingdom after him. And the emperor answered and said unto them, “I will do nothing whatsoever except by the command of the holy elders of the desert of Scete in the country of Egypt.” Now their fame had reached all the ends of the world. And the emperor sent a second messenger to enquire of the saints concerning this matter. And that messenger had a son who asked his father to take him with him, and he took the boy with him, so that he might be blessed by the holy elders. And when the messenger and his son came to the elders, and they read the emperor’s letter, they took the messenger of the emperor, (now Abba Bisudura was dead,) and brought him to the body of Abba Bisudura, and they said unto the body, “O our father, behold a letter from the emperor hath arrived and we know not how to answer it.” And straightway Abba Bisudura, the elder, rose up, and said, “Did I not say unto thee, Tell the emperor that God will not give him a son, so that he may not defile himself by associating with those who doubt. And if he marrieth ten more wives God will not give him a son?” And having said these words the blessed Bisudura turned and lay down. And the holy elders wrote a message to the emperor according to what Saint Bisudura had said, and they gave the paper to the emperor’s messenger. And when the messenger had gone forth to depart, the pagan barbarians arrived. And a certain great elder, whose name was John, stood up and said unto the brethren, “Behold the barbarians have come and they wish to kill us. He who wisheth to become a martyr let him stand up with me, and he who is afraid, let him go up to the fortress.” And some of the monks fled, and those who were left with Abba John were nine and forty elder monks; and the barbarians came and slaughtered all the nine and forth elder monks. And the son of the messenger of the emperor turned back from the road, and he saw the angels laying crowns upon the heads of the elder martyrs; now the name of that young man was Deyas. And he said unto his father, “Behold, I see the angels of the spiritual beings laying crowns on the heads of the elders. And now, I myself will go and receive a crown like them.” And his father answered and said unto him, “I will go with thee, O my son,” and they went back and revealed themselves to the pagan barbarians, who slew them, and they received crowns of martyrdom. After the barbarians had departed the monks came down from the fortress, and they collected the bodies of the saints, and they made them ready for burial and laid them in a cave. And they prayed before them each night, and sang psalms and hymns, and were blessed by them. And certain men came and stole the body of Saint Abba John, and took it to the city of Bitanun; and the saints waited a few days, and then took him and brought him into his place, and the others [they took] to the Fayyum. And they stole the body of the young man, [the son of the emperor’s messenger,] and when they brought it to the Fayyum, the angel of God snatched it up, and brought it back to the body of his father. Many times did the monks try [by night] to separate the body of the young man from that of his father, but in the morning they found the two bodies together again. At length one of the elders saw the messenger in a vision, who said unto him, “Glory be to God! When we were in the flesh we were never separated, and why should we be separated when we are with our Lord Christ?” From that day none separated them. When the barbarians pillaged the desert of Scete the monks were afraid for the bodies of the holy elders, and they removed them from their places to the pit of the church of Saint Macarius. And they made for them a large shrine there [in the form of] a cave, and they built over it a church in their names in the days of Theodosius the archbishop. And when Abba Benjamin came to the desert of Scete he established for them a festival on the fifth day of the month of Yakatit, the day when his body and theirs appeared. And the church, which existeth to this day, is well known, and its name in Coptic is “Behama Bakasit,” that is to say, “nine and forty martyrs.” Salutation to the nine and forty martyrs.

And on this day also died Saint Anastasia. This holy woman was a daughter of the palace of the city of Constantinople, and she was exceedingly beautiful. The Emperor Bastianus wished to marry her, but she did not wish this, and she never imagined it in her heart, for the emperor already had a wife living; on the contrary she made known to the wife of the emperor that the emperor wanted to marry her. And the wife of the emperor sent this holy woman out of the palace secretly, and she caused her to be taken by ship to the country of Egypt, and she built her a religious house outside the city of Alexandria, and that house was called by her name. And when the emperor knew that Saint Anastasia had departed to the land of Egypt, he sent after her and searched for her. And when Anastasia knew this, she put on a man’s dress, and disguised herself as a judge (or officer), and fled to the desert of Scete, and took refuge with Abba Daniel, the abbot, to whom she revealed her secret. And he took her and placed her in a cell by herself and no one knew that she was a woman, but Saint Daniel commanded a righteous elder to draw a vessel of water for her once a week, and to set it down by the door of that cell. And she lived there for eight and twenty years, fighting the fight, and leading the ascetic life with fasting, and prayer, and prostrations, and vigil. And when the elder died who used to draw water for her, Abba Daniel commanded his disciple to do as the elder used to do. And the holy woman used to write her will on a tile and set it down by the door of her cell, and the disciple of Abba Daniel would take the tile to his teacher knowing nothing whatsoever about what was written upon it. One day he brought the tile to his teacher, and when Abba Daniel had read it, he wept, and said unto his disciple, “Rise up, O my son, let us go and bury the body of this saint, for he wished to be free from his body.” And they went and came to the cell, and they received a blessing from Anastasia, and she said unto Abba Daniel, “For God’s sake do not wrap me up for burial in anything except this garment which is on me”; then she prayed and said, “I commit myself to the keeping of God,” and she lay down on the ground and died. And they wept over her, and took thought for burying her. When the disciple of Abba Daniel drew near to her to swathe her, he saw that her breasts were like unto dried fig leaves; (now they became like this through excessive ascetic practices,) and Abba Daniel marveled, and was silent. When they had buried her they returned to their cell, and his disciple fell down at the feet of Abba Daniel, and he entreated him, saying, “For God’s sake, tell me the story of this saint, for I saw that she was a woman.” And Abba Daniel began to tell him how she belonged to a noble and royal family of the city of Constantinople. And how she gave herself to Christ, and how she abandoned the glory of this fleeting world, and how this woman fought the great fight which she fought against Satan, and how she cast aside a woman’s weakness, and overcame the might of strong men, and pleased God, should serve as admonitions to us who are men. Salutation to the nine and forty monks who became martyrs, and the emperor’s messenger and his son, and to Anastasia.

And on this day also are commemorated Mesratius (Masterius), and Sernius (Sorenus), the martyrs, and Joseph, who loved the poor. Salutation to Joseph, who was like unto Tabitha, and gave away all his possessions. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 27 (February 4)

On this day Saint Sarabyos (Serapion) became a martyr. This saint was a man from the city of Bebnusi, in the north of Egypt, in the district of Lower Mesr (Cairo). He had much money and possessions, and flocks, and he loved to give alms, and was very charitable. When the day of persecution came, he heard that the governor Romanus was going about seeking for Christians to torture, and this saint went forth from his city seeking the governor. And he had a friend whose name was Theodore, and a certain shepherd, who tended his flocks, and whose name was Sorma, and these followed the saint, and they drew nigh unto Romanus, governor of the city of Alexandria, and confessed before him the Lord Jesus Christ; and the governor shut Sarabyos (Serapion) up in prison. When the men of the city heard of this, they gathered together with the soldiers, and they came to the governor, bringing their weapons of war with them, and they wanted to kill the governor and to take the saint from him. And the saint prevented them, and said unto them, “I came of my own free will to shed my blood for the Name of Christ, our Lord.” And the governor embarked on a ship and departed, and the saint went with him, and when they arrived at the city of Alexandria the governor commanded the soldiers to torture the saint severely on the wheel, [and they did so]. And they cast him into a red-hot furnace, and boiled him in a cauldron of pitch and bitumen, and they cut the tendons of his body, and they laid him on a [red-hot] iron bed, and they drove iron nails through his body. And the saint bore all these tortures patiently, for the angel of God sustaineth him that is tortured. Then they hung him upon a tree, and shot at him with arrows, but the angel of God brought him down, and he bound the governor with fetters, and hung him up in the place of the saint and shot at him with arrows, whilst the governor cried out, “I am Romanus the governor.” And Saint Sarabyos (Serapion) said unto him, “As God liveth I will not bring thee down from this tree until thou hast set free all those who are in prison; and thou shalt write an account of their strifes, and thou shalt command the soldiers to cut off their heads.” [And the governor did so,] and they received crowns of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens; now they were in number five hundred and thirty souls. And Romanus commanded a certain nobleman, whose name was Harneus to take the saint with him to his city, and to torture him there and, if he would not turn from his unclean opinion, to kill him; and the nobleman took the saint with him in the ship. When night came they arrived in port, and they slept, (now, by the Will of God the ship came to the native city of the saint,) and when the sailors woke up in the morning and found that the place where they arrived had been changed, they marveled exceedingly. And a voice came to Sarabyos (Serapion), saying, “Behold, this is thy city.” And they brought him out of the ship, and tortured him severely, and they cut off his head with the sword, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And Romanus brought down his apparel, and swathed him for burial, and gave him to his kinsfolk. Salutation to Sarabyos (Serapion) the martyr.

And on this day also is commemorated the translation of the body of Saint Timothy, the Apostle, from the city of Ephesus to the city of Constantinople; it was translated by the righteous Emperor Constantine who translated many of the bodies of the holy apostles and martyrs to the city of Constantinople. When he heard that the body of Saint Timothy was in the city of Ephesus, he sent certain faithful priests, and they translated it to the city of Constantinople, and they laid it in the Sanctuary of the Holy Apostles. Salutation to the translation of thy body, O Timothy.

And on this day also is celebrated the festival of Suriel, who is called “Safori,” who was with the righteous man Ezra, and told him hidden mysteries. He prayeth always on behalf of sinners. Salutation to Suriel.

And on this day also Saint Abba Bifamon became a martyr. This saint was a virgin from his youth, and he loved God, and he was merciful to the poor and the needy; and he abandoned this fleeting world. His father, whose name was Anastasius, belonged to a noble family, and his mother’s name was Sosna (Susannah); and they were Christians, and they loved almsgiving, and they kept the festivals of our Lord Christ, and of our Lady Mary, and of the holy martyrs; and they gave to the poor whatsoever they needed. And they lived in the city of Wesim in the district of Mesr (Cairo). And God gave them this saint, whose form was exceeding goodly, and they rejoiced and added to their good works and benevolence. When he was grown up, and his days were nine years, they handed him over to a certain God-fearing priest that he might teach him; and the priest took him and taught him literature, and philosophy; and he admonished him, and made him strong in the knowledge of the Books of the Holy Church. And he attended church devotedly, and fasted, and prayed, and kept vigil, and made prostrations; and God wrought many signs and wonders by his hands, of which the following are examples: There was a certain poor man who was sick of a disease in his hands and feet, and he begged the saint to give him alms, and the saint stretched out his holy hands to give the beggar money, and straightway he was healed of his disease, and he became whole and without a blemish, and all his limbs became sound. And on another occasion when he was reciting the Psalms of David, a certain man there, whom an unclean spirit had thrown down, cried out, saying, “O saint of God, let me destroy him, for his parents oppress men”; and the saint prayed, and made entreaty to God, and the man whom the Satan cast down was healed. And the angel of God appeared unto the teacher of the saint, (now he was a righteous man,) and he informed him about all that would happen to the young man Bifamon, and said unto him, “He shall become a martyr”; and the priest and his mother Sosna (Susannah) paid him greater honor than before. And as he grew up he continued to do the works of excellence, and works of the spirit, without ceasing, and at length the report of him was heard in all countries. And our Lord Jesus Christ used to appear unto him with His holy angels, and our Lady Mary used to comfort him. And he lived with his teacher for eight years. And he used to remain without eating for seven days and seven nights at a time, and he ate once a week only. And his parents spoke to him about marrying a wife, and he said unto them, “What is the good of a wife to me in this fleeting world, for it shall pass away and all the desire thereof?” And his parent rejoiced in him, and they added to their good works from that day onwards. Six months after this his parents died, and the saint gave alms to the poor, and he devoted himself to the Church, and strove to fulfill all the commandments of the Holy Gospel. And in those days certain men of the Persians rose up against Rome and they slew Numerianus, the king, in battle, and the empire of Rome remained without an emperor; now Numerianus left only two daughters and one son, whose name was Justus, and who became a martyr. And the chiefs of the palace gathered together, and they took counsel together, and they sent messengers into every country to collect for them strong men for the war. And when the messengers came to Upper Egypt, they found a strong and powerful young man, with a bold heart, pasturing sheep, and his name was “’Agripada”; and he had been a habitation for Satan from his youth up. And the messengers rejoiced exceedingly, and they took him with them to the city of Antioch, and when ‘Agripada arrived the officer, who was captain of the royal horses, rejoiced in him. One day ‘Agripada took a couple of reeds tied together and played upon them like a flute, and Satan entered into the horses, and they capered about and cried out with loud cries. And the daughter of the king who had arrived at woman’s estate, heard the noise, and she looked out of her window in the upper room of the palace, and ‘Agripada pleased her with his playing. And Satan thrust into her heart the desire for fornication, and she summoned him to her, and she married him, and arrayed him in [royal] apparel, and called him “Diocletian,” for they used to change the names of men when they became kings. And when the younger daughter of the king saw what the elder had done, she became jealous, and she married an officer whose name was Maximianus, and she arrayed him in royal apparel, and made him a king; and Maximianus and Diocletian were equals in the kingdom of the city of Antioch. And Satan appeared unto them and said, “I am he who set the idea of fornication in the hearts of the king’s daughters, who have made you kings. If ye will obey my commandment, I will make all men on the earth to submit to you. Henceforward bow down, and worship me. Make models [of men and women] in gold and silver, and call them gods, Apollo, Artemis, and the like, and command all men to perform the ceremony of incense before them. Shut the churches, and open the houses of idols, and command ye all the men who are in the palace to do this. Whosoever will not obey you and worship the gods shall die an evil death; cut off his head with a sharp sword.” And they answered and said unto Satan, “We will obey thee, and will do as thou tellest us.” And they worshipped him straightway, and they did all that Satan commanded them to do in every country of their kingdom. And they appointed a certain nobleman, whose name was Romans, governor over the city of Alexandria, and all the region round about, and they made Arianus governor over the city of Antinoe and Egypt, and they commanded them to carry out these orders in all the towns and villages. When Abba Bifamon heard this report, he was exceedingly sorry, and he hid himself until he knew what was going to happen. And he called his friend Theodore, and they talked together for a day about what they had heard, and they were exceedingly sad. And they multiplied their prayers, and entreated God to save them from evil. And Saint Bifamon increased his good works, and report of him was made to the infidel king, and to Maximianus, by the deniers of Christ. And they told them, saying, “A certain man whose name is Bifamon, of the city of Wesim, on the border of Mesr (Cairo), is a Christian magician, and he trangresseth the commands of the kings, and he curseth the gods.” And straightway the king wrote a letter and sent it to Arianus, and commanded him to take the saint and to torture him until he worshipped Apollo and Artemis, and if he would not obey, to cut off his head with the sword. And the angel of God appeared unto Saint Bifamon and told him what had taken place, and he informed him that he and his mother would become martyrs. And he showed him the crowns, which were prepared for himself and his mother, and he commanded him to depart, and to take with him his slave Diganes. And straightway Saint Abba Bifamon rose up and came to his mother, and told her all that he had seen, and she told him how she had seen the same vision; and the saints Abba Bifamon and his mother rejoiced together. And the saint went to his abode and prayed until the morning. When the morning had come he sent again to his friend Theodore, who came to him, and Bifamon told him what he had seen. And he said unto him, “After the days of the persecution have passed by thou shalt be appointed bishop of this city”; and he commanded to build a church for him, and then they embraced and bade each other farewell. After a few days Arianus the governor came to the city of Wesim, and he had the head men of the city brought to him, and he questioned them concerning Bifamon, the judge, and said unto him, “This man curseth the gods”; and the head men of the city were sorry on account of Saint Abba Bifamon, for he was beloved by them. At that time Abba Bifamon rose up, and put on beautiful apparel, and prayed for a long time, and then he embraced all the men of his house, and mounted his white horse, and he went to the place where all the head men of the city were gathered together; and when they saw him they paid him honor and went with him to Arianus the governor. And when Arianus saw Abba Bifamon, he rejoiced in him, and he rose up and embraced him and said unto him, “Peace be unto thee.” And the saint answered, “Why dost thou say ‘peace’ to me? for the interpretation of ‘peace’ is ‘joy.’ Verily I rejoice, and am glad, because I am going to the Lord my God and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.” As for thee, however, the Book saith of [such as] thee, “There is no joy for the wicked” (Isaiah xlviii, 22). And Arianus said unto him, “I did not come for thee to speak words of insult to me, but I came to thee with an order from the emperor commanding thee to offer sacrifice to the gods.” And the saint said unto him, “God forbid! But it is right that I should worship the True God, and not the work of the hand of man, as the prophet saith: ‘The gods of the nations are of gold and silver, the work of the hands of the children of men. Mouths they have and they speak not, hands have they and they handle not, feet have they and they walk not, eyes have they and they see not, ears have they and they hear not, noses have they and they smell not; they speak not with their throats, and there is no breath in their mouths’ (Psalm cxv, 4 ff.). May all those who make them become like unto them. I will worship none save my Lord Jesus Christ.” When Arianus heard these words from him he was exceedingly angry with him, and he tortured him with every kind of torture; and he tied him to the back (tail ?) of a horse, which he made to gallop through all the city. And when his mother and his servants heard of this they all came [to him], (now his servants were five hundred [in number,]) and the saint rebuked them and spoke unto them, and his mother with them, many words from the Holy Gospel. But they all cried out, saying, boldly, “We are Christians,” and they overturned the throne of Arianus the infidel. And the governor commanded the soldiers to dig a large pit, and to fill it with fire, and to cast them all into it alive; and they did as he commanded them; and Saint Abba Bifamon encouraged them, and exhorted them, and made them to endure [their sufferings] until they finished their martyrdom. And the mother of the saint asked him to pray for her, and he made the sign of the Cross over her, and said unto her, “Depart in peace”; and straightway they cast her body into the fire, and she received the crown of martyrdom with those martyrs. And Arianus sent the saint to Maximianus the emperor, and straightway the emperor said unto him, “Art thou Bifamon the sorcerer? Thou hast transgressed our command, and hast not worshipped the gods.” And the saint said unto him, “I will not worship thy gods. Only Jesus Christ our Lord will I worship; as for thee, thou canst go to Ghannum.” And the emperor was wroth, and tortured him severely, and when he was tired of torturing him he sent him to Romanus, who sent him to Arianus. Now the saint neither ate nor drank the whole time he was on the journey. And Arianua took the saint, and drove sharp nails through his hands and his feet, and he said unto him, “If thou wilt not worship the gods I will destroy thee”; and the saint reviled him and his gods, and cursed them. And Arianus commanded the soldiers to drag him through the city, and to burn him outside the city of Antinoe, and they did so, but our Lord Jesus Christ took him out of the fire uninjured. Now when the saint was standing in the fire much blood flowed from his feet. And there was standing there among the people a certain blind leper, and he took some of the blood and smeared it on his eyes and on his body, and straightway he became able to see, and his body was cleansed from his leprosy. And he cried out, and confessed our Lord Jesus Christ, and said boldly, “I am a Christian, I believe on my Lord Jesus Christ.” And Arianus commanded them to cut off his head with the sword, and they did so, and he received the crown of martyrdom. And Saint Bifamon called his servant Diyoganos (Diogenes) and commanded him secretly to anoint his body and to swathe it with fine linen, and to relate the story of his fight to the believers who were in the city of Wesim, and to tell them that the days of persecution would pass; and he made over his body the sign of the Cross, saying, “In the Name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost, One God.” And the saint approached the soldiers and said unto them, “Do ye what the governor hath commanded you [to do].” And the soldiers took him away from the governor to a place where they would be with him alone, and they cut off his head, and he received the incorruptible crown of martyrdom. And much blood flowed from his neck, and his servant Diyoganos (Diogenes ?) spread out the fine linen napkin which he had laid up by him, and caught the holy blood therein, and so sweet a perfume filled that place that the soldiers marveled, and were dismayed, and great fear fell upon them. And when the soldiers departed many believers came, and they and his servant prepared the body of the saint for burial in a splendid manner, and they brought sweet-smelling unguents ad anointed it, and sang many psalms and dirges over it. And straightway they carried it outside the city to the west, and they buried it there, and many miracles were made manifest at his grave. And the servant of the saint took that napkin and laid it upon him. And when he wished to depart to his city he fell into doubt and wondered what he should do. And Saint Bifamon appeared unto him, and told him to make known his story to his friend Theodore, and to the men of his city. And God sent unto him certain believers who carried him with them in the ship, and whilst he was with them in the ship God made manifest many miracles through that napkin. And his servant Diyoganos (Diogenes ?) told them all that had happened to Saint Bifamon, and they marveled exceedingly and glorified God. Then he came to his city Wesim, and he told his friend Theodore everything, which had happened to Saint Bifamon, and he gave him the napkin through which very many signs and wonders took place. And this napkin was kept by them until the infidel Diocletian died, and Constantine the righteous reigned. And the days of persecution came to an end, when the Christian people enjoyed rest and peace in [all] the cities. And God wished to reveal the body of Saint Bifamon, so that it might be a hope to the believers, and a consolation, and strength. Now he became a martyr in the city of Kaw, in Upper Egypt, in the district of Tema, on the twenty-seventh day of the month of Ter. And God made manifest from his body signs and wonders, and great healings, and especially in the church in the city of Demonu, on the twenty-seventh day of the month of Ter. On that day many people assemble therein, and God maketh manifest in them great healing through the martyrdom of Bifamon. Salutation to Abba Bifamon.

And on this day also are commemorated Theophilantus and Sarnis (or Sosa), the martyrs.

And on this day they [angels] carried away Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, the son of Henok (Enos), the son of Seth, the son o Adam, with the rushing of stars, and of lightening and of winds, and they took him up above the heavens and seated him between two spiritual beings. And he is called the scribe of the commandments of God. And he said, “I will answer on behalf of the righteous, and of him that goeth forth, holy and great, from the habitation of God.” And thence he treadeth upon Mount Sina, and appeareth with the armies and mighty powers from heaven, and everyone feareth him when he is on the waters. He judgeth Dan, which is on the right hand of the Arabs, and he reciteth the memorials of their petitions until the sleep of a dream calleth him, and visions of all are upon him; and they revile the watchers of heaven. And he drew nigh a house which was built upon a stone of crystal, and the walls whereof were inlaid with slabs of stone. And he saw another house which was larger than this, and all its doors were open, and it was built on a tongue of fire, which uttered praise and glory. And he looked and saw a high throne, and the appearance thereof was that of ice, and the circle thereof was like the sun; and the voice of a cherub was going forth under the throne. And he saw seven mountains, three facing the east and three facing the south, and the middle one projected upwards into the heavens. And he saw one hundred and forty wings, and the lord of the winds, and he saw four other faces. And he prophesied concerning Christ, saying, “With the Head of Days was going another, and His face was like the face of a man, and it was fitted with grace like one of the holy angels.” And he also saith concerning Christ, “And in that day the Son of man shall be called before the Head of Days, when as yet the sun shall not have been created, nor the stars made.” And he also saith, “He shall be a staff to the righteous, and a lights of heaven and described them, one by one, each to its people, each to its dominion, and each by its name. And he spoke concerning the doors of heavens; one in the west, one on the right hand, and one on the left.” And he spoke concerning Adam, “Behold, a bull went forth from the earth, and this [bull] was white.” And he spoke concerning Eve, saying, “There went forth a calf, a female.” And he saith concerning the Temple: “I saw them overturning this ancient house, and they brought out all the pillars, and all the plants (?) and beauty of this house.” And concerning the Church he saith: “God brought sheep into a new house, which was larger and higher than the one before it, and He set them in the front one, which was veiled, and all the pillars thereof were new, and the beauty thereof was new, and greater than that of the former house which was rejected, and all the sheep were in the midst thereof.” And he speaketh concerning the believers: “These sheep were all white, and their wool was abundant and pure, and all those who were scattered and the wild beasts of the desert, and the fowl of the heavens, were gathered together into this house, for they were all chosen, and they returned to his house.” Salutation to Enoch, who was caught up into heaven. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 28 (February 5)

On this day Saint Clement became a martyr. This saint was the son of a widow who was a believer whose name was Akrosia, and who lived in the city of Kiras, in the days of Aranius and Lucius, Kings of the Galatians. And the boy grew up, and his mother taught him all the law and doctrine of the Church. When his days were twelve years, he fought a great fight with fasting, and many prayers, and he devoted himself to the ascetic life. He ate nothing which had been cooked by fire, and he never ate meat, but he lived on the produce of the earth, like the Three Children. When he was appointed deacon he increased in knowledge and wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. When the report of him reached Diocletian he had him brought to him, and he persuaded him earnestly, and promised him to make him his son, if he would obey his commandment and sacrifice to his idols. When he would not hearken to his commands, he tortured him with every kind of torture, but God gave him strength under the torture, and He raised him up unharmed, and He put the wicked ones to shame. Thus was reckoned to him the first of the seven martyrdoms which he suffered at the hands of the tribunes, namely that suffered at the hands of Diocletian, who tortured him to death a second time. When Diocletian wearied [of him] he sent him to the Emperor of Rome, and he wrote to him, saying, “This is a sorcerer, whose like I have never seen, and the like of whose sorcery I have never seen. And behold I have sent him to thee that, peradventure, thou mayest be able to persuade his heart to sacrifice to our gods.” When he came to the governor of Rome, they brought to him apparel of gold, but he would neither take the garments nor look at them. And the governor was wroth with him, but the saint was not afraid, and the emperor tortured him severely on the wheel, and he beat him and cut off his limbs; but God raised him up whole and uninjured, even as he was at first. Third martyrdom: And when the governor was tired of torturing him, he sent him to Maximianus in the city of Nicomedia, and he tortured him severely, but God put him and all his enemies to shame, and raised him up whole and uninjured. Fourth martyrdom: When Maximianus was tired to torturing him he sent him back to the governor of Kiras, the city in which he had been reared, and the governor tortured him very severely. Fifth martyrdom: The governor of Kiras sent him to the Emperor Tatianus, and the saint found many confessors there, and he comforted them, for the saint was perfect in his speech, and the grace of God was upon him; and the emperor tortured him severely. Sixth martyrdom, by the hand of Maximianus: And when they took him there, the saint found Ganikalawos, and many martyrs, and Maximianus tortured him severely. Seventh martyrdom by the hand of Lucian the governor, who tortured him severely, and then cut off his head; thus the saint received the crown of martyrdom. And a certain believing woman whose name was Sophia came and took his body, and prepared it for burial and buried it. Salutation to Clement.

And on this day also Saint Abba ‘Akaweh became a martyr. This holy man came from the country of the Fayyum, from a city the name of which is Bamay, and he fought a great fight in the ascetic life. And Satan appeared unto him boldly, and the saint seized him by the hair of his head, and punished him very severely; and Satan adjured the saint, saying, “By the Passion of Christ, release me.” And the saint sent him away and he disappeared in the form of smoke. Then the saint went to the governor’s house during the time of the persecution, and he cried out boldly, saying, “I am a Christian,” and the governor tortured him severely, and after this he cut off his head with a sword; and the saint received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And his body is at the present day in the monastery of Naklon, and many signs and miracles appear through it. Salutation to Abba ‘Akaweh.

And on this day eight hundred (sic) men of the company of Saint ‘Akaweh became martyrs. Salutation to you, O ye eight hundred martyrs. Salutation to you, O ye company of men who pleased God, from among whom sprang Clement. Salutation to Abraham, the servant of God, and Isaac, His friend, and Israel, His beloved.

And on this day also died Saint Joseph, son of the Jew Mahawe, This saint was an Israelite, and he grew up in the Jewish Faith, and learned the Books of the Jews. One day he saw the Christian children learning from a book, and he asked his mother to let him join them, and she permitted him to do so, and he learned all the Christian Books, and the Faith of Christ entered his heart. One day he met a young man who was a Christian, who loved him greatly and taught him the Christian Law at the time of the Eucharist, and Joseph received the Holy Mysteries. And on the following day [the children of] the readers, and the psalm-singers gathered together to Joseph, and they made with their apparel the similitude of a tabernacle and a shrine, and they brought bread from their parents’ houses, and they appointed an archbishop and bishops from among their number. Then they amused themselves, and celebrated the sacrament of the Offering, and then they went and ate and drank in the house of the priest, and he taught them and they remained thus. When the father of Joseph heard of this he was filled with wrath, and he bound the arms of his son behind him, and he took him into the tavern, and cast him into the red-hot oven which was there, and shut the door upon him; but the angel of God extinguished the fire and cooled [the oven]. And the mother of Joseph missed her son, and she wept and lamented and she did not know what to do. And after seven days and seven nights had passed, a certain John heard the story of Joseph, and how he was in the oven, and he went with his companions, and they wept for him, and cried out to him by his name. And Joseph said unto them, “Weep ye not, O my brethren, I am alive by the help of our Lady Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it was she who hid me in her apparel in the red-hot oven.” When they heard this, they told the archbishop, and he went with the priests, and a Book of the Gospel, and a Cross, and censers, and he came into the oven, and made a prayer, and brought out Joseph unscathed from the midst of the fire, and untied his bonds. And Joseph asked him for Christian baptism. And when his father Mahawe heard of this, he fell down at the feet of the archbishop, and he believed on Christ, together with the men of his house. And Joseph continued to fast seven days at a time until he was eight and twenty years old, when he entered his cell. When he knew that his departure was nigh, he came into the church of Saint George the martyr, and he stood before the picture of our holy Lady, the Virgin Mary, and entreated her to make intercession for him with her Son. And she spoke to him from out of the picture, saying, “Rejoice, O Joseph, on the third day, at the third hour of the day, thou shalt die.” Salutation to Joseph.

And on this day also are commemorated Tabela and her three sons.

And on this day also God blessed seven (sic) loaves, and a few fish, even as it is said in the Gospel [Matthew xiv, 19]. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 29 (February 6)

On this day died Saint ‘Aksani (Xenae), which is, being interpreted, “stranger.” This holy woman was the daughter of rich and noble parents of the city of Rome, and she was their only child. And she fought the spiritual fight from her youth up, and she fasted and prayed frequently by day and by night, and she went to a certain house of virgins in the city of Rome, and devoted herself to them. What food the servants used to bring her from her father’s house she gave to the poor and needy, and she ate the food, which the virgins ate. And she was always reading the histories of nuns, and she made many petitions to God that He would made her a companion to them. And her father betrothed her to a certain nobleman of the city of Rome, and they arrayed her in glorious apparel, and adorned her with jewels of gold and silver. And when the day of the marriage-feast and the marriage arrived, he said unto her mother, “O my mother, when ye have given me in marriage, for some time I shall not be able to go to the nunnery. I wish to go to visit them now, and to embrace and salute them, and I will return quickly.” And her mother said unto her, “Go, my daughter, and tarry not.” When her mother said this to her, ‘Aksani (Xenae) took all her ornaments of gold and silver, and her royal apparel, and with her two handmaidens she departed and went to the sea, where she found a ship which was sailing for the island of Cyprus, and she with her handmaidens embarked in the ship and arrived in the island of Cyprus. And she called herself ‘Aksani (Xenae), which is being interpreted, “stranger.” And she went to Saint Epiphanius, and told him all her business, and he sent her to the city of Alexandria. And when she arrived there the Apostle Paul appeared unto her in a dream and told her everything, which she was to do, and called her by her name. And on the following day she visited Saint Theophilus, the archbishop, and she shaved off the hair of her head, and he arrayed her in the garb of the men. And she sold all she had with her, both her silver ornaments and her apparel, and she built a church in the name of Saint Stephen the Protomartyr. And she and certain of the principal virgins and nuns all lived in that church, and this holy woman fought a great spiritual fight. She ate nothing else except herbs. She slept upon the bare ground and had no mattress, and she lived in this way, and carried on her good fight, and the working of righteousness for a period of more than eight years. Then she fell sick a little and died, and on the day of her death God, the Most High, revealed that she was blessed by the grace of heaven in the following manner: At the time of her death, at noon, the people saw a cross of light, and the brilliancy thereof exceeded that of the sun, and brilliant stars surrounded the cross like a crown, and it continued to shine in this wise until they had laid the body of the saint with the bodies of the virgins, and then it disappeared. And the people who were there knew that the cross and the stars had appeared because of the holy woman. And straightway the two handmaidens told the archbishop and all the people about the strife of this saint, from the beginning until the day of her death, and how she changed her name and called herself ‘Aksani (Xenae), and how she conjured them to conceal her and her secret, and how she always behaved towards them as their sister and not as their mistress. And the archbishop and all the people marveled at this, and they wrote an account of her strife from the beginning unto the end thereof.

And on this day also is commemorated Cyriacus, the martyr and fighter.

And on this day also are commemorated the pure women of Rome, and Philemunma, and Juliana, and Sarabamon, and Abba Gabra Nazrawi of Kawat, and the righteous men of Dabra Dagi (Degua Me’Elaa).

And on this day also is commemorated the festival of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ by our Lady Mary, the holy Virgin.

And on this day also is commemorated Abba Stephen Falasi (the “stranger”) of the desert of the Fayyum. This holy man was a fighter, and he sought after the manner of the saints who were in the desert. One day whilst he was wandering about in the desert, he found a skull, which had been cast out, and this lay by itself, and it had no flesh on it. When Saint Stephen saw it he asked God to make it to inform him concerning the history of the man to whom it belonged, and what kind of faith he had. And straightway there came forth a voice from the skull, saying, “I was a merchant, but did not travel to make money, I knew nothing about alms, and I was satisfied with the multitude of possessions which I had. One day as I was traveling on a journey to a far country I came to a desert place wherein there was no water, and as the heat of the place became very great the camels died, and the servants fled, and I was left alone. On the third day mine eyes became heavy, and I heard as it were a whistling sound, and my spirit went forth from me, and took me into a place of punishment to be rewarded according to my works. And I said unto the judges ‘grant me permission to tell you of my doings,’ but they would not listen to me. And now I pray that thou wilt pray to God to have mercy upon me for thy sake.” And the saint prayed to God for him, and that he might not return to the place of torment. And he heard a voice, which said unto him, “I have spared him for thy sake.” When Abba Stephen heard this he went into his cell weeping, and beating his breast, and he continued his fight until he died. [This text is faulty in several places.] Salutation to Thy Birth, O Lamp of the Darkness. Salutation to ‘Aksani (Xenae) the stranger. Salutation to Stephen, of the desert of the Fayyum. Salutation to Cyriacus the fighter. Salutation to you, ye white ears of wheat of Dabra Dagi (Degua Me’Elaa). Salutation to Gabra Nazrawi. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Tir 30 (February 7)

On this day became martyrs the holy and blessed virgins Pistis, Elpis, ‘Agapis, and their mother Sophia. This blessed mother belonged to the people of the city of Antioch, and was of noble family, and she brought forth these three daughters and called them by the three above names, the interpretations of which are, “Faith, Hope, and Charity (i.e. Love)”; and the interpretation of the name of their mother is “Wisdom.” And when the maidens had grown a little, she took them to the city of Rome, and taught them goodness, and piety, and the fear of God, and the doctrine of the Church. And when the report of her came to the Emperor of Rome, Arianus, the wicked, he commanded [the soldiers] to fetch them and to drag them to him by the hair of their heads; and the soldiers did as the emperor commanded. And their mother exhorted them, and taught them, and urged them to endure patiently, and she encouraged them in the Faith of Christ, and said unto them, “Take good heed to yourselves, O my daughters, that your hearts become not weary through considering the honor of this fleeting world, so that ye may not be far from the glory which is everlasting. Endure, O my daughters, so that ye may be with your Bridegroom Christ, and may enter with Him to the heavenly marriage-feast.” Now the days of Pistis, the eldest daughter, were twelve years, and the days of Elpis were ten years, and the days of ‘Agapis were nine years. And when they had brought the maidens before the emperor, he commanded them to make Pistis the eldest come near to him, and he said unto her, “Hearken unto me and I will give thee in marriage to one of the nobles of my empire, and I will show thee much favor; worship Apollo.” And Pistis reviled him and cursed him. And he commanded the soldiers to beat her with rods, and to cut off her breasts, and to boil pitch and bitumen in a cauldron and to cast her into it; and they did this to her. And she stood up praying in the cauldron, and the fire never touched her, and the interior of the cauldron became like the dew in the mouth of the morning. And the people who were there marveled, and many of them believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, and the soldiers cut off their heads as they praised God. Then the governor commanded them to cut off the head of Pistis with the sword, [and they did so,] and she received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And her mother took away her body. Then they brought forward the second daughter whose name was Elpis, and the soldiers scourged her and beat her very severely, and cast her into the boiling cauldron, but the heart of the flame became like snow. Then the emperor commanded them to take her out, and to cut off her head, and they did this to her, and she received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens; and her mother took away her body. And Sophia was afraid for her youngest daughter lest she should become terrified at the torture, and she encouraged her to endure. And the governor commanded them to torture her on the wheel, and they did so, and she cried out to our Lord Jesus Christ to strengthen her and enable her to endure; and God sent an angel, and he smashed the wheel. And the emperor also commanded them to cast her into a red-hot oven, and she made the sign of the Cross over her face, and she threw herself into the oven, and straightway it became as cool dew. And those who were there saw two men in white apparel going about her, and they marveled exceedingly; and many of them believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, and the soldiers cut off their heads and they became martyrs. Then the governor commanded then to make iron rods red-hot in a furnace and to lay them upon her, and God strengthened her to endure and the fire did not touch her. Then he commanded them to cut off her head, and they did so, and she received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And their mother took the bodies of her three daughters, and made them ready for burial, and brought them to a place outside the city, and she sat down and wept over them; and she besought them to ask God to take away her soul, and God received her petition and took it. And certain believers came and made her ready for burial, and they took her body, and the bodies of her three daughters, and buried them. And as for the wicked emperor, God sent upon him a disease, and his eyes protruded, and his flesh split open, and his bones appeared, and his hands dropped off, amid blood and pus, and worms fell [from him], and all his body rotted, and he died an evil death, for God slew (?) him because of the virgins.

And on this day died Abba Minas, the forty-seventh Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. Great tribulation came upon this holy man during the period of his office. He finished a good fight, and he endured many tribulations, and he pleased God, and he protected his flock for nine years and died in peace. Salutation to Minas.

And on this day also Saint Thecla, and the four virgins who were with her, became martyrs. And with them there was a certain sinful man, a priest, whose name was Pola, and one reported to the governor that he was a rich man, and he commanded [the soldiers] to seize his riches. And Pola came to the governor, and entreated him to restore to him his possessions, but he refused. And he brought the holy virgins to the governor who ordered them to worship the sun, and when they refused the governor said unto Pola the priest, “If thou wilt eat a dead body, and drink blood, I will give back to thee thy possessions.” And Pola did as the governor commanded him, and he denied Christ. And when pretexts to kill Pola were wanted by the governor he said unto him, “If thou wilt make the virgins deny their Faith I will give back to thee thy possessions.” And Pola talked to the virgins, and told them what the governor said unto him, and they reviled Pola, saying, “Thou son of Satan, thou enemy of righteousness, seeing that thou art out teacher, how canst thou advise us to deny Christ?” When the governor heard their words he commanded the soldiers to beat them with whips, but they neither made answer to the governor, nor did they fear his tortures. And the governor spoke again unto Pola, saying, “If thou wilt kill the virgins I will give back to thee thy possessions.” When Pola heard this, he worked up his courage and he went to kill the virgins, for his heart was filled with love for gold, like that of Judas Iscariot. And the virgins said unto him, “O wicked shepherd, how canst thou destroy thy sheep because of thy love of money? We have received from thy hand the Body and Blood of Christ.” And whilst they were saying these words, he cut off their heads with the sword, after the manner of a man who is killed in war. And the governor saw madness of Pola, and he slew him with the sword and he died, having lost his money and his Faith. Now the names of the virgins were Thecla, and Maria, and Martha and her handmaiden, and Abeya. Salutation to Thecla and to the four virgins who were with her.

And on this day also Saint Irene became a martyr. The father of this saint was Emperor of Rome, and his name was Marcianus, and he worshipped idols; and her mother was a Christian woman. And having begotten this holy woman her parents built a tower for her, and they brought her there with twelve virgins, who wore ornaments of gold and silver; and they sent up with her ninety-seven idols for her to worship, and they sealed the door upon her, and she remained inside for seven years and seven months. One day when she lifted up her eyes towards the east she saw a dove with an olive branch in her mouth, and she threw the branch on the table; and the saint lifted up her eyes again towards the west, and she saw a raven with a serpent in his mouth, which he threw on the table; and she also saw a hawk with a crown in his mouth, which he threw on the table. And the vision being finished she marveled. And when her teacher, whom her father the emperor had given her, came and she had related to him the vision, he said unto her, “The dove is the wisdom of Rome, and the olive branch is the seal of baptism; and the hawk is a strong king, and the crown is good works, and the raven is a weak king; needs must that thou shalt suffer for the Name of Christ.” When the saint had grown up her father and mother went up to her, and they talked with her concerning the matter of her marriage; and Saint Irene said unto them, “Wait for me [to answer] seven days.” And then she prayed to God that He would direct her into the way, which was right. And the angel of God came and said unto her, “Be strong, and of good courage, and put on strength, for Timothy, the apostle of Paul, shall come unto thee, and he shall baptize thee with Christian baptism, and thou shalt become a martyr. And Timothy came, and having rent the walls of the house, entered her presence, and taught her all the commandments of the Gospel. Then he brought water, and prayed over her, and baptized her in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and he departed from her. And having risen up Saint Irene smashed all the idols of her father. After seven days her father and her mother came unto her and talked to her as before, and Saint Irene answered and said, “I have been called by the heavenly King, Jesus Christ, and I have been baptized in His Name.” When her father heard his daughter’s words he was wroth, and he took her down from her upper room and dragged her away, and her mother followed her, scattering ashes upon her head as she went. And he commanded his servants to bring four houses that were bound in chains, and to tie her to them by the hair of her head. And one of the horses shied because one of the chains cut him, and he cut off the right hand of the emperor, who fell down and died. And Irene having risen up and prayed, lifted up the dead, and she made his hand to be as it had been formerly. And when the people saw this they and her father believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, and three thousand souls were baptized by her hands. When the Emperor Decius heard of her he came into that city and seized Saint Irene, and he commanded the soldiers to hang her up by her hair, and they did so. Then he commanded them to cast her into a deep pit filled with serpents and scorpions; and by the power of God they all died. And he also commanded them to saw her in halves with a saw, but the saw broke and the wicked emperor died. And when the son of the emperor heard this he attacked the city, and he seized Saint Irene, and he commanded the soldiers to drive sharp nails through her hands and her feet, and to heap up a great quantity of sand on her back, and to tie her to the tails of four horses, in order to destroy her body; but they were unable to vanquish her with all these tortures. As for that wicked man, the angel of God killed him with a spear of fire. And Saint Irene healed the sick, and even raised the dead. And a fourth emperor who heard about her, had her brought into his presence, and he pressed her to offer to the gods; and when she refused to do so he commanded them to cast her into the fire, and she came out of the fire and cursed the emperor. And when he saw the miracle he himself believed on Christ. And the King of Persia came to the city, and he seized Saint Irene, and drove his spear into her with his own hands, and she died; and the angel of God came and raised her up, and she came into the city preaching in the Name of Christ. And after a few days she was caught up into the Garden of Delight. Salutation to Irene.

And on this day also died Gregory the Theologian.

And on this day also died Abba ‘Akresteros (Christopher) the fighter. This saint lived in the desert of the Jordan, and one of the monks bowed before him and entreated him, saying, “O my father ‘Akresteros (Christopher), do me an act of grace, and describe to me all thy manner of life and work so that I may profit thereby.” And the elder said unto him, “O my son, when I became a monk I was a young man, and I used to go by night to the sanctuary (or, church) of Saint Theodosius to pray there. In it were eighteen steps, and on each step I used to make one hundred prostrations until they blew the horn. Then straightway I would go into the church, and finish my Rule with the brethren, and I continued to do this for ten years. One day after I had finished my usual prayers, my mind was carried away captive, and I saw two men in white raiment trimming the lamps; one half of them they left lighted and the other half they extinguished. And I said unto them, ‘What is this thing?’ And these fathers said unto me, ‘The lamp of the man who loveth his brother burneth.’ And I said unto them, ‘Of which kind is my lamp?’ And they said unto me, ‘Thou lovest thy brethren, and we keep thy lamp alight.’” Then ‘Akresteros (Christopher) went into the monastery of Sina by himself, and he dwelt there for fifty years, the whole time fighting the spiritual fight. And a voice came unto him, saying, “Return to thy monastery so that thou mayest be with thy fathers”; then he returned to his monastery, and died in peace.

And on this day also are commemorated the righteous who fled. Salutation to ‘Akresteros (Christopher). Salutation to the many thousands of souls who looking on at Irene believed on the Lord Jesus Christ. [The Bodleian MS. gives the number as 130,030.] Here endeth that which is to be read during the month of Ter in the peace of God, to Whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.