The Book of the Saints of the Ethiopian church/Hedar

by Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church

Hedar

Hedar 1 (November 10)

Month of Hedar the blessed. In this month the length of the [first] day is ten hours, and then it diminishes.

On this day the fighters and saints Maximus, and Manfius, and Victorius, and Philip [of Africa] became martyrs. These holy fighters were natives of the country of Phrygia, and they were brethren in the Holy Spirit though not according to the flesh, and they gathered together and became companions for the sake of the love of Christ. And in the days of Decius, the infidel emperor, the Seven Children fled and hid themselves in a cave in the top of a mountain. And when these fighters [and] martyrs Maximus and his companions saw the infidel emperor denying Christ, and torturing the Christians, they rose up and gathered themselves together, and they agreed together with one consent that they would declare publicly their faith. And they drew nigh unto that infidel emperor, and they cried out, saying, “We are Christians openly, and we believe on Christ, the Son of the Living God, and we bow down before Him and we serve Him.” When that infidel heard these words he was wroth with them, and he commanded [the soldiers] to beat them and they beat them very severely for a long time with whips made of leather. And they beat them again with iron rods, which had been made red-hot in the fire, and then they rubbed their wounds with bits of rag made of hair, which had been soaked in vinegar and salt. When they would not obey his commends, and were not afraid of his tortures, and would not turn from their good counsel, the emperor waxed exceedingly wroth, and he commanded the soldiers to torture them very severely, and [the soldiers] did unto them even as he commanded. And when those who were there saw the patient endurance of the holy martyrs, many of them believed on our Lord Jesus Christ. Then straightway the emperor commanded the soldiers to cut off their heads, and to hack each of them in twain with a single blow of their swords, and thereupon they all received crowns of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. Salutation to Maximus and his brethren. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 2 (November 11)

On this day died Abba Sanitius, the sixty-third Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This father used to teach the people, and he sat for fifteen years and died in peace.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Peter, the twenty-seventh Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, who was appointed after Saint Timothy. After God had chosen this holy father for the office of archbishop, and he had taken his seat upon the Apostolic Throne, Akkaeus (Akakios), Archbishop of the city of Constantine, wrote to him a letter wherein he spoke and confessed the Holy Trinity, One God, according to the Faith of Saints Cyril and Dioscurus, and he also spoke clearly in it, saying, “It is not right to separate His Divine Nature from His Incarnation, and after their union the benefit of the union must not be cut off.” And Abba Peter wrote an answer to his letter wherein he accepted [what he had said] concerning the True Faith, and he sent the letter to him with three learned bishops. When they came to the Archbishop of the city of Constantine he accepted those bishops and the letter, which they had with them, and he associated them with him in the consecration of the Offering, and in the Offering; and he read the letter before the people who believed his word. Then Akkaeus (Akakios) wrote a second letter and sent it to Abba Peter wherein were explanations of many passages from the Holy Scriptures; and Abba Peter assembled the bishops who were under his authority, and he read that letter before them, and rejoiced exceedingly, and they admired the words and the explanations therein, and they believed in their participation with him in the True Faith. And there came upon this father great tribulation, which was caused, by the Jews, and evil men, and pagans, because of the Faith, and they drove him from his archiepiscopal throne; but after a few days he returned to the throne of his office. And he used to teach his flock continually, and strengthen them in the True Faith. When he was far away from them in exile he used to teach them to be strong by his letters, and when he was with them he used to teach them by his words; and he sat upon his throne for ten years, and died in peace. Salutation to the blessed Sanitius and to his great companion.

And on this day also are commemorated Satenwa (Setenna), the prophetess of Alexandria, and Saint Anastasia, and Abba Libanos. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 3 (November 12)

On this day died the great Saint Cyriacus. This holy man was born in the city of Corinth, and his parents were Orthodox Christians, and they taught him the doctrine of the Orthodox Church. They brought him to Abba Peter, Bishop of the city of Corinth, and they prayed over him and appointed him a reader; now he was the son of this father’s brother. And he used to read the Scriptures continually, and enquire into the meaning of phrases, and ordinances of the Law of the Church, and he was superior to many in his learning and wisdom. And the bishop commanded him not to abandon the reading of the Scriptures, and Cyriacus used to read continually to the people in church and in the bishop’s house; and the bishop rejoiced in his reading of the Scriptures. When the days of Cyriacus were eighteen years, his parents asked him to take unto himself a wife, but he did not want to do this. After this he begged his parents to allow him to depart to a monastery, and they permitted him, and he was always going to the monasteries and returning to his parents. And having visited the monasteries very often [at length he wished] to assume to holy garb of the monk. And he departed to holy Jerusalem, and he visited Saint Abba Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, and he told him his mind in respect of the life of the monk. And Cyril said unto him, “Thou hast wrought a good work, and thou hast loved [it]”; and he prophesied of him that he would become a great father, and that he would fight a great fight, and that the souls of many would shine through him. And Abba Cyril the bishop blessed him and sent him away to the honorable father Abba Romanus, father of the monks of Palestine. And this father accepted him, and rejoiced in him, and he arrayed him in the garb of the monk, and he gave him one of the old men of that monastery to admonish him, and to teach him the Rule of the monks, and to make him to know the artifices and crafts of Satan. And this saint gave himself wholly to fasting, and prayer, and bowings to the ground, and vigils, and severe labors both by night and by day, in patient endurance, and the deepest abasement, and humility. And God bestowed upon him the gift of healing, and he used to heal all the sick people who came unto him; and the report of him, and of his virtues and of his holiness was noised everywhere. When the holy father Abba Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, went to the holy Council of One Hundred and Fifty Bishops who were gathered together in the city of Constantine because of Macedonius, the enemy of the Holy Ghost, he took this holy man with him. And Cyriacus opposed the arguments of Macedonius, the infidel, and he vanquished him by the word (or voice) of the Holy Spirit, which dwelt in him. And having grown old and attained to a good age, and pleased God, he died in peace; and after his death God made manifest great signs and miracles through his body, one of which was the following. Now his body hath remained in one of the monasteries of the city of Jerusalem from the time of his death until the present day, and it hath not suffered any corruption. All those who go to the city of Jerusalem and look upon his body, think that he died only a few days ago, whereas he has been dead for a period of six hundred years. Now, he lived in the days of Theodosius the Great, and father of Arcadius and Honorius. Salutation to Cyriacus. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 4 (November 13)

On this day Saints Epimachus and Azarianus became martyrs. These men were from Rome, and certain men accused them before the governor who had been appointed by Maximianus of being believers in Christ. When they had come before him he questioned them about their Faith, and they confessed that they were Christians, and then they abused the governor because he had forsaken the God Who created the heavens and the earth and all that therein is, and because he worshipped idols which were the work of men’s hands, and which could neither see nor hear, and wherein dwelt Satan and led men astray. And the governor marveled at their audacity and commanded the soldiers to cut off their heads, and [the saints] received crowns of martyrdom in the kingdom of heaven. Salutation to Epimachus and to Azarianus.

And on this day also James and John, Bishops of the country of Persia, became martyrs by the hand of Sapor, the son of Hermaz (Hormizd) the King of Persia. The king ordered them to worship the sun and the moon and the fire, and to offer sacrifice to them, and when they would not obey his order, he commanded the soldiers to torture them severely, and they did so. And whilst [the saints] were undergoing the torture, they were teaching the multitude, and strengthening them in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ. When the king saw the boldness of their hearts, and their patience under the torture, and that they would not turn from their Faith, and would not cease from the teaching of the people, he commanded the soldiers to cast them into the fire, and they did so. And having delivered up their souls into the hand of our Lord Jesus Christ they received crowns of martyrdom with all the saints. Salutation to James and John, Bishops of the country of Persia.

And on this day also Saint Thomas, Bishop of the city of Damascus, became a martyr by the hand of an Arab king who was a Muslim. When the Muslims were reigning in the country of Syria and in the country of Egypt, this holy man held a debate with one of their learned men, and he vanquished him, and forced him and compelled him [to admit] that our Lord Christ was God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and of all that therein is. The Muslim having been worsted in argument went to the governor, his fellow- countryman, and made an accusation to him against Thomas, saying, “This Christian hath cursed our religion.” And the governor had this holy man brought, and he asked him, saying, “Is it true that thou hast cursed our religion even as this man says of thee?” And the holy man said unto him, “No curse hath ever gone forth from my mouth, but I have forced him [to admit] that Christ is God in truth, and that after the Law of Christ there cometh no other Law.” And the governor was wroth with him, and he commanded the soldiers to cut off the head of the holy man with the sword; and they cut off his holy head, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. Salutation to Thomas, the companion of Zachariah the teacher, Bishop of Damascus.

And on this day also is commemorated the great father Zachariah.

And on this day also are commemorated Abba ‘Abaydo (Abaidus) the perfect monk, who rejected the life of this world, and Abba John his disciple, and a company of martyrs, and Peter, Archbishop of Alexandria. Salutation to ‘Abaydo (Abaidus) and to John. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 5 (November 14)

On this day appeared the head of Saint Longinus, master of the spear, who pierced the side of our Lord Jesus Christ, when He was hanging on the wood of the Cross. Now the Emperor Tiberius Caesar sent [soldiers] to the country of Cappadocia, and they cut off the head of Saint Longinus on the twenty-third day of the month Hamle (July-Aug.). And the head of the holy man and his body were cast out on the ground, and the soldier who had come from the emperor to cut off his head took it and carried the head away with him to Jerusalem and gave it to Pilate the Pontinian. And Pilate the governor showed the head to the Jews, who rejoiced and were glad at his death. And Pilate commanded his soldiers to bury the head of the holy man in a certain hill, which was outside the city of Jerusalem, and they went and buried the head there. And after many days there [came] a certain woman from the country of Cappadocia, and she had become a believer through Saint Longinus when he preached in the country of Cappadocia; and when they cut off his head with a sword she was standing by looking on and weeping. Now by the Will of God the eyes of the woman became blind, and she took her son and departed to Jerusalem so that she might be blessed [through visiting] the holy places, and to pray and prostrate herself to the ground in them and at the tomb of our Lord Jesus Christ, that peradventure her eyes might be opened. When she came to Jerusalem her son died, and her sorrow was increased by the death of her son, and by her blindness, and by the impossibility of her returning to her native country. And she wept bitterly, and as she was weeping she fell asleep in her sorrow, and in her sleep she saw Saint Longinus, and with him was her son who was dead, and he said unto her, “Go to such and such a place and take my head from there.” When she awoke from her sleep she enquired concerning that place, and certain men brought her to it, and when she dug there a sweet odor, which was exceedingly fragrant, rose up to her. When she came to the place where the head of the saint was a great light was revealed to her, and straightway her eyes were opened and she saw clearly, and she praised God. And she removed the head of the saint, and laid scented unguent upon it, and she placed it by the body of her son. And she departed to her own country glorifying God and praising Saint Longinus. Salutation to Longinus who was crowned in Rome.

And on this day also are commemorated Timothy the martyr; and the translation of the body of Saint Theodore the martyr, a captain of soldiers of the city of Setb, in the province of Asyut in Upper Egypt; and the dedication of a church to him wherein great signs and wonders took place through his body; and Abba Yohanni. Salutation to Timothy the martyr. Salutation to Yohanni, who was a companion of those who traveled to the country of the healthy ones. Salutation to the translation of thy body, O Theodore, who when God wished to destroy the earth with a flood, didst command the sea, and its waters withdrew. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 6 (November 15)

On this day died the holy father Felix, Archbishop of the city of Rome. The parents of this holy man were Christians, and they taught him all the doctrine of the Church, and Anastasius, Archbishop of the city of Rome, made him a deacon. When Justus was appointed Archbishop of the city of Rome, he perceived the intelligence and good disposition of this man, and his fair righteousness, and he made him a priest. When Dionysius, Archbishop of the city of Rome, died now he lived in the days of Theonasius, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, they chose Saint Felix to be Archbishop of the city of Rome, and by the Will of God he was appointed, and he guarded and protected the flock of Christ well. After the death of Tures (sic) Caesar, Theodore Caesar reigned, and he made those who believed in Christ to suffer great tribulation, and he tortured them with exceedingly cruel tortures, and very many of them suffered martyrdom at his hands. Through him very great tribulation and sorrow came upon this father, and he entreated God concerning it, and God destroyed the emperor in the second year of his reign. When Diocletian the infidel reigned he afflicted the Christians and tortured them, and this father Abba Felix prayed to God that he might not live to see the tortures of the Christians, and he died in the early days of the year in which Diocletian ascended the throne. All the days, which this father sat upon the Apostolic throne, were five years and a half. He composed discourses and admonitions and exhortations, and in some of these he discussed excommunication and the Orthodox Faith; these are exceedingly good works and are profitable to Christians. Salutation to Felix who was chosen for the archiepiscopate, the interpreter of the New and the Old Testaments.

And on this day also our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ and His disciples were gathered together on Mount Kueskuam, and He consecrated His Tabernacle and Church, and performed the consecration of the Offering with His disciples on that day. This was the first consecration [of the Offering] on Mount Kueskuam, according to what Saint Theophilus and Saint Cyril, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, testify concerning this matter. Salutation to those who have taken refuge at thy feet, O Mount Kueskuam, namely to Mary and her Child Christ. Salutation, salutation to Josa, son of Joseph.

And on this day also are commemorated Afros, and Adinius, and Justus, and Marterus, and Lucirius (Lucinius), and Suninus, and Bandicorus (Labandicorus), and Eulasius, and Cornelius, and eight thousand (or seventeen thousand) martyrs of the congregation of Isidore. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 7 (November 16)

On this day Saint George the Great, the Alexandrian, became a martyr. The father of this holy man was a foreigner, and he was of the men of Alexandria, and he had no son. And the festival of the dedication of the church of Saint George the Martyr in the city of Lydda arrived, now it was celebrated on the seventh day of Khedar, and he entreated Saint George to intercede on his behalf with God so that He might give him a son, and he called his name George. And the mother of this holy man was the sister of Armenius, governor of the city of Alexandria, and when his parents died, he lived with his mother’s brother; and his days were fifteen years. And George loved the Church. Now Armenius had an only daughter, and [one day] she went out with her friends to divert herself, and she found a monastery outside the city of Alexandria wherein monks were gathered together, and they were singing sweet hymns. And the sound of their hymns and their praises came and penetrated the heart of the maiden, and she began to ask George, the son of her father’s sister, to tell her the meaning of the words of the hymns which the monks were singing. And as he was explaining to her the meaning of the hymns and making her to understand them, he told her of the punishment which would come upon sinners, and of the peace and joy which would come upon the righteous and the virtuous. When she returned to her father Armenius she confessed our Lord Jesus Christ before him. And Armenius began to persuade her, and he said unto her, “O my daughter, do not this thing”; but she would neither listen to his words nor obey him; and he commanded the soldiers to cut off her head, and they cut it off with the sword, and she received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And certain men told the governor, saying, “It is George, thy sister’s son, who hath led astray thy daughter.” And the governor seized Saint George, and after he had tortured him very severely he sent him to the city of ‘Ensena, where they tortured him very severely, and afterwards cut off his holy head with a sword; and George received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. Now there was there a certain deacon whose name was Samuel, and he took his holy body and carried it to the city of Manuf. And when the wife of Armenius, the brother of the mother of Saint George, knew that George had become a martyr, she sent and took his body and placed it with the body of her daughter in the city of Alexandria. Salutation to George.

On this day also the holy man Abba Nahrew became a martyr. This holy man [came] from the district of the Fayyum in the country of Egypt, and he feared God exceedingly. And when he heard the stories about the martyrs, he went to the city of Alexandria, and wished to die for the sake of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And [our Lord] said unto him in a vision, “Needs must that thou go and die in the city of Antioch.” And he pondered in his heart and said, “How can I possibly get there?” And he sought out a ship in which he could embark. And God sent unto him the angel Michael who carried him on his wings from the city of Alexandria, and brought him to the city of Antioch, and set him down near Diocletian; and Nahrew confessed the Living God. And the emperor asked him his name, and the name of his city, and Nahrew told him that he was from the country of Egypt, and the emperor wondered about [the manner of] his coming. And the emperor tried to persuade him [to deny Christ], and he promised him that he would give him much money, and costly raiment, if he would submit to him and offer sacrifice to his idols, but he would not hearken to what he said unto him. And the emperor spoke a second time, saying, “I will torture thee with very severe tortures,” but Nahrew was neither afraid of him nor did he obey his command. And the emperor commanded his soldiers to torture him with many different kinds of tortures. On the first occasion he drove savage lions to attack him, on the second he burnt him in the fire, on the third he tortured him on the wheel, and on the fourth he boiled him in a large cauldron. When the emperor was tired to torturing him he commanded his soldiers to cut off his head, and they cut it off and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And it came to pass that instead of being martyred in the city of Antioch, all the martyrs who ought to have been martyred in the city of Antioch, were martyred in the land of Egypt; and similarly this holy man Abba Nahrew, who was from the country of Egypt, and should have been martyred in Egypt, received the crown of martyrdom in Antioch. At that time Saint Julian dwelt in Antioch, and he took the body of Nahrew the martyr and sent it away in charge of two of his servants to his country with great honor. Salutation to the man who was borne on the wings of Michael.

And on this day also died Abba Minas, Bishop of the city of Tamai. This holy man was from the city of Gamnudi and he was the only child of his father. His parents were God- fearing folk, and they labored in the works of the monks in respect of their fasts, and prayers, and their devotion to the ascetic life, and their fighting, and at length the report of them was heard by all men, and by all the fathers. And they made their son to marry a wife against his will. And when the bridegroom came into his marriage-chamber with the maiden who called herself his wife, he made an agreement with her that they were to keep their bodies pure and that they were not to pollute them and their virginity; and they fought a great fight. Then Saint Minas wanted to assume the garb of the monk, and he said unto his wife, “It is undesirable for us to do the works of the ascetic life whilst we are still living in the world.” Now they used to wear sackcloth made of hair beneath their apparel, and they used to stand up all night long keeping vigil, and praying, and reading the Books of God. After this she embraced him and bade him farewell, and he departed to the monastery of Abba Anthony, wishing, by so doing, to be far away from his parents, for they were seeking him everywhere, and they had with them an order from the emperor bidding him to return to his wife; but God protected him and they did not find him at all. And Saint Minas dwelt in the monastery of Anthony for many days, and he devoted himself to ascetic labors and fought strenuously. Now there was there with him living like a monk Abba Michael, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. After this he left the monastery of Saint Abba Anthony, and he departed to the monastery of Saint Abba Macarius of Scete. In their days lived the two bright stars, Abba Abraham and Abba Ga’argi, and Saint Abba Minas was a beloved son unto them, and he dwelt with them in their cell. And he multiplied his labors in the angelic toil of the ascetic life, and he learned their doctrine, and the way in which they fought, and in his fighting and piety he excelled many of the fathers, and Abba Abraham and Abba Ga’argi, and other fathers marveled at him. And Satan was jealous of him, and he beat him with a great beating internally, and he lay prostrate on the ground for two months; but after this our Lord Jesus Christ raised him up whole and unharmed, and he roared like a lion against Satan. After this our Lord Jesus Christ summoned him to become a bishop, and the envoys of the archbishop came to him; and he was exceedingly sorrowful and he wept because of his separation from the desert of Scete. And the holy fathers said unto him, “Be not sorrowful, for this is from God”; and he bowed to the Will of God, and he departed with the envoys of the archbishop, and the archbishop made him Bishop of the city of Tamai. Now God gave him the gift of healing the sick, and all those who were sick used to come to him, and he would pray to God for them and they were healed straightway. And God also gave him gift of the knowledge of hidden things, and he knew what was in the minds of men. All the bishops whose sees were in the districts near him used to come to him from all parts, and take counsel with him, and accept his advice, and bow to his decision; and the laity also used to come to him from all parts of the country to hear his wise doctrine. He was the father of four archbishops, and he laid his hand upon them when they were enthroned; now these were, Iskander, and Cosmas, and Theodore, and Michael, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. When our Lord Christ wished him to depart from this transitory world this father knew by the Holy Spirit that day of his departure. And he sent messengers and they brought all the people who were in his diocese, and he commanded them to be strong in the Orthodox Faith, and to keep the precepts of the Holy Gospel. Then he committed them to their True Shepherd, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Whom he loved. And all the people wept and mourned the departure from them of their good shepherd and father who protected them upon earth in the place of God, and they buried him in a fitting manner, and laid him in the place where he had directed he should be laid. Salutation to Minas, Bishop of the city of Tamai.

And on this day also was consecrated the church of the holy and honorable, the great one among martyrs, George of the city of Lydda. And God wrought therein signs and great wonders which made the hearts of men to rejoice, and at length the history [of the holy man] and his wonderful acts were heard on sea and on land. When the Emperor Diocletian, the infidel, heard the report of the church of Saint George, and the signs and great wonders which took place therein, he sent a captain whose name was Eukheius together with a large company of soldiers to destroy the church. And that captain came there with arrogance, and he went up into the tower wherein was the image (or picture) of Saint George, and he began to scoff at the church, and at Saint George. And he had a staff in his hand, and he struck with it the lamp which was burning before the picture (or image) of Saint George, and he broke it, and straightway a fragment of the glass fell from it and dropped on the head of the infidel without his knowledge. And fear and great trembling fell upon him, and his head became filled with fever, and he fell and lay prostrate on the ground. And his companions took him up to carry him to their own country, for they knew well that all this which had come upon him was caused by Saint George the mighty and victorious martyr; and whilst they were carrying him on the road that captain died in disgrace and misery, and the soldiers took him up and cast him into the sea. When Diocletian, the infidel emperor, heard this thing he was furiously angry, and he determined in his heart to go himself and destroy the church of Mar Saint George; but God bore no longer with him, and He smote him swiftly and made his eyes blind. And the men in the palace rose up against him, and God removed him from his kingdom, and made the righteous man Constantine emperor; and he opened the churches and closed the houses of idols, and all the ends of the world rejoiced. And the churches rejoiced, and the church of the holy and honorable star of the morning, George, rejoiced and was exceedingly glad. Salutation to George the Martyr.

And on this day also Saints Zenobius and his mother Zenobia became martyrs. These saints were from the city of Tabais, and they were elders therein, and certain men accused them of being Christians before the emperor. And the emperor commanded his soldiers to bring them to him, and [when they had done so] he said unto them, “What is the object of your worship, and where is your country?” And they said unto him, “We believe in Christ, and our city is Tabais.” And the emperor said unto them, “Sacrifice ye to the gods”; and the saints said unto him, “We sacrifice to our God Jesus Christ and not to devils.” And the emperor was wroth with them, and he commanded his soldiers to strip off their apparel, and to hang them up by the hair of their heads, and to beat them with rods; and the saints prayed to God, and straightway their fetters were unloosed. And the people saw the saints putting on garments of light, and the governor carrying his throne and following them, and when they saw this they cried out, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Hosts, our Lord Jesus Christ.” And the governor marveled and said, “The God of the Christians is great.” Then the governor was wroth and he commanded his soldiers to hang them up on two crosses, so that each could see the other, [and they did so,] and straightway a cloud came from heaven, and enveloped them, and gave them manna. On the following day the governor found them teaching the word of God, and when the people saw them they cried out with one voice, saying, “We believe that the God of the Christians is great.” And the governor also commanded his soldiers to make two seats and to fasten in them in an upright position two-iron stakes, and to cast them into a red-hot oven; but God delivered them, and the governor found them teaching the people as they were sitting upon those seats. When the governor saw this he was filled with fury, and he commanded his servants to dig a pit twenty cubits deep, and twenty cubits broad, and to light a fire therein and to cast them into it; but when the saints prayed to God the fire was extinguished, and every part of the pit became like a place swept and garnished. And the governor called the keeper of the bath, who was carrying a vessel full of water. When the people saw this sign they gave thanks unto God, saying, “A miracle [worked by] God for His saints.” When the governor failed to make them submit, he commanded his soldiers to slay them, and to take care of their bodies until the following day so that they might burn them with fire and scatter their ashes to the winds. And when they killed them there were crashes of thunder, and lightning, and torrents of rain, and there died through that thunderstorm fifty-four men. During the night the believers stole the bodies of the saints and buried them, and on the following day when the governor searched for their bodies, everyone told him that a miracle had taken place; and the governor believed and became a Christian. Salutation to Zenobia and to her first-born son Zenobius. Salutation to the multitude of martyrs who suffered with Zenobius and Zenobia whilst the heavens thundered and lightened.

And on this day also died Saint Mercurius and his brother John. These saints were the children of Christian and God-fearing folk, and the name of the elder of them was Shanay, but when he adopted the garb of the monk they called him “Mercurius.” The name of the younger was Abu Farz, and him, when he adopted the garb of a monk, they called “John.” When these saints arrived at man’s estate they departed to the monastery of Saint Theodore the general, and they dwelt [there] under the direction of a righteous old man who served God. And they obeyed him and did work of every kind, and they ministered to the work of the brethren, and they did whatsoever was required in the monastery, and they endured the cold of winter and the days of summer, and they used to gather in very many of the fruits of the earth, and take them to the monastery. They acquired no possessions whatsoever in the world, and they were remote from all the appetites of the world for meat, and drink, and riches; and they used to fast two and three days at a time. And they also learned to read and to write Coptic and Arabic without a teacher, and they fulfilled all the demands of the Rule of the ascetic life. Whilst they were living thus one day the angel of the Lord came and told them that they would attain to the fight of martyrdom; and then they became strong by the Holy Spirit, and they rose up in glad haste and rejoiced. Then they came into their own city, where accusations against them were made to the governor of the city, and he had them taken to the governor of Behnesa. And that governor asked them questions and said unto them, “Is it true that ye are idolaters?” And the saints said unto him, “We confess openly that we are Christians, and we have no other God except Jesus Christ.” When the governor heard this he was filled with wrath, and he ordered his soldiers to throw chains about their necks and to march them round about the whole city; [and they did so,] and then they shut them up in the prison house. Whilst they were there the angel of the Lord visited them many times, and when they had been in prison five months the governor had them brought out and set before him, and he said unto them, “Abandon your Faith”; and they refused. And the governor [tried to] frighten them and said unto them, “I will burn your bodies,” but they were not frightened by his words, and when the governor saw the firmness of their minds, he sent them back into prison. After many days there came another governor, and he wished to save them and to set them at liberty, and straightway certain men reviled him and said unto him, “If thou dost not kill them we will accuse thee to the emperor.” So against his will he commanded his soldiers to light a fire, and they were summoned to come, but he only did this to frighten them for he wanted to imprison them, and then he cast them into the prison house. And he commanded his soldiers to bring them out again, and to frighten them with fierce swords, but the hearts of the holy men did not quail, and they were unable to alter their words. Then, fearing the people, the governor commanded his soldiers to cut off their heads. They cut off the head of John first, and his head leaped up from his body, and there went forth from it a voice like unto a shout of joy, and it was so loud that all the people who heard it wondered; then they cut off the head of Saint Mercurius, and thus they finished their holy martyrdom. And they cast their bodies in the fire, and straightway the fire was extinguished, and it did not touch their bodies, and their raiment was not scorched. When the governor saw this he commanded them to keep guard over their bodies so that the Christians might not steal them. And on the following day when they looked they found a fountain of water under the place where they had cast their bodies, and afterwards many signs and miracles were made manifest through it. Salutation to Mercurius, whose body the fire would not burn. Salutation to John, from whose head after it had been cut off a voice was heard. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 8 (November 17)

On this day is celebrated the festival of the Four Beasts, who have no bodies, and which are the Wheels of God that bear His Divine Throne according to the testimony concerning them by John the evangelist in his Vision, who says, “I saw a throne in heaven, and He Who sat thereon was brighter than the sun, and more brilliant then the lightning. And I saw in the midst four beasts, full of eyes; the first had the likeness of the face of a lion, the second had the likeness of the face of a bull, the third had the likeness of the face of a man, and the fourth had the likeness of the face of an eagle; and each of them had six wings. And they cried out by day and by night, saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, God of Hosts. All the heavens and the earth are filled with the holiness of Thy glory” (Rev. iv, 6). And Isaiah the prophet also said, “I saw the Lord of Hosts sitting upon a high throne, and the whole place was filled with His glory. Seraphim and Cherubim surrounded Him, and His awe and majesty were exceedingly great. Each of these had six wings; with two of their wings they covered their faces, with two of their wings they covered their feet, and with two of their wings they did fly in the greatest glory by day and by night, saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts. All the heavens and the earth are filled with the holiness of Thy glory” (Isaiah vi, 2). And David the prophet said, “He rode upon the Cherubim and did fly” (Psalm xviii, 10), and he also said, “He Who sitteth upon the Cherubim maketh the earth to quake,” And Ezekiel said concerning these wheels, “I saw a wind blow from heaven, and in it there was a cloud surrounded by fire, and brightness, and lightning, and four beasts supported Him. Each face (or person) had six wings, and they went before them. And the first beast had the likeness of the face of a man, and they ceased not to praise God by day and by night, and they said, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of Hosts, all the heavens and the earth are filled with the holiness of Thy glory” (Ezekiel I). And John the evangelist said, “I heard a voice saying, Hallelujah! Salvation and power and blessing to our God. And the four beasts and the four and twenty elders of heaven worshipped God, saying, Hallelujah! God the Sustainer of the universe is King (Rev. xix, 4). After this I heard a voice saying, Praise our God with harp and psalms, Hallelujah! And I heard the voice of a multitude of peoples like unto the thunder, saying, God, the Sustainer of the universe, is King.” And many of the Books of the Old and the New Testaments testify concerning the honor of these Four Beasts which God hath set near Him to make supplication on behalf of all creation. He with the man’s form maketh supplication on behalf of the children of men, he with the lion’s form maketh supplication on behalf of the beasts, he with the bull’s form maketh supplication on behalf of the cattle, and he with the eagle’s form maketh supplication on behalf of the birds. Now these beasts are very much nearer God than all the other powers of heaven. For this reason the doctors of the Church have confirmed the commemoration of them, and have built churches to them in every place, even as at this day, because they make supplication for the race of man. Salutation to the Four Beasts and to the horses of the Cherubim.

And on this day also is commemorated the festival of Afnin the Archangel, one of the nine and ninety archangels, who together with Surafel guard the throne of glory. Of him Enoch said that he goeth round that house; and Surafel, and Kirubel, and Afnin, “These are the [angels] who never sleep, and who guard the throne of His glory,” Salutation to this Trinity of Angels who guard the throne of God.

And on this day also is commemorated John the high priest, and on this day the Cross appeared unto Constantine.

And on this day also died Saint Kefrenya (Copronius). This holy man was a pagan, and the son of a nobleman. One day there arrived in his city a monk from the monastery of Abba Pachomius, whose name was Mercurius, and he foretold that Kefrenya (Copronius) would become a Christian. And after a few days Kefrenya (Copronius) assembled his soldiers, and set out for the land of Egypt, to take prisoners and to destroy monasteries and religious houses. When he arrived at the monastery of Abba Pachomius the abbot went forth to him, and said unto him, “What dost thou want?” And Kefrenya (Copronius) said unto him, “I want the abbot,” and the abbot said, “I am he.” When Kefrenya (Copronius) heard this he took the abbot aside privately, and asked him if he would array him in the garb of the monk. When the abbot heard him he said, “I will.” And when the soldiers had returned to their city and Kefrenya (Copronius) was left by himself, he arrayed him in the garb of the monk, and Kefrenya (Copronius) devoted himself to fasting and prayer. And Satan was envious of him, and he stirred up against him the rulers of the city until they wished to attack the monastery, saying, “There is a royal son (i.e. prince) here who hath destroyed our city; if we take him by the help of God we will kill the calumniator.” And this holy man continued to fast for a week at a time, and he ate nothing except bitter lupines. In those days a wild beast of the desert ravaged the [lands of the] monastery and killed all the cattle of the monks. And Abba Kefrenya (Copronius) went to him, and laid hold of him by his ear like a sheep, and tied him up with a cord, and he lived [there] twelve years and died. And Saint Kefrenya (Copronius) went to Jerusalem, led by an angel of God, and he arrived there in one night; and he saw their great mysteries and was blessed by the holy places, and he returned to his habitation and died in peace. Salutation to Kefrenya (Copronius), the son of a pagan, who bound in fetters a wild beast that slew the cattle.

And on this day also four hundred and eighty-four souls who belonged to the company of Isidore became martyrs. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 9 (November 18)

On this day died the holy father Abba Isaac, the forty-first Archbishop of Alexandria. This father was one of the men of the city of Burles (Borlos), and his parents were exceedingly rich, and they feared God. After very many days they begot this holy man, and they rejoiced over him with very great joy. And having brought him to the bishop that he might lay his hand upon him, and baptize him with Christian baptism, the bishop saw upon his head at the time of baptism a cross of light. And the bishop took his hand and laid it upon his head, and he prophesied concerning him, saying, “This boy shall be set over the Church of God”; and the bishop said unto his father, “Take care of this boy, for he shall be a chosen vessel of God.” And when the boy had grown a little he taught him to read and to write, and he learned spiritual doctrine, and he used to read the histories of the saints. And he left his parents and departed to the monastery of Abba Macarius, and he became a monk under the direction of father Abba Zachariah the abbot. Now the angel of the Lord had informed the abbot of the coming of this holy man, and the abbot received him and rejoiced in him. One day the righteous man saw him in the church, and he prophesied concerning him, saying, “Needs must that this Isaac shall be set over the Church of Christ.” And in those days Abba John the archbishop was seeking for a learned man to be his disciple and his scribe, and the honorable father Abba Isaac was recommended to him; and the archbishop sent for him and had him brought to him, and he gave him a roll whereon to write. And Abba Isaac made mistakes in his writing wittingly and wrote badly in order that the archbishop might send him away and that he might be free to go to the desert of Scete, for he hated the pomp of this world of men. And when the Archbishop Abba John knew that Isaac had made mistakes and written badly purposely so that he might dismiss him, Saint Abba John said unto him, “Thou hast written well, and I shall not let thee go from here.” When Abba Isaac knew that the archbishop would not let him go, he displayed to him all his learning and all his wisdom, and he wrote as beautifully as he could, and the archbishop rejoiced in him exceedingly; and after a few days he returned to the desert of Scete. When the death of the Archbishop Abba John drew nigh, he asked our Lord Jesus Christ to tell him whom he should appoint to be archbishop in his stead after him. And He said unto him in a vision, “Thy disciple Isaac shall protect this office after thee”; and Saint Abba John commanded the people, and told them that his disciple Isaac was to be appointed archbishop after him. When Abba John was dead they seized this Saint Abba Isaac, and enthroned him Archbishop over the city of Alexandria. And he made the Church to shine in his days, and he restored many churches, and especially the church of Mark the evangelist and apostle, and the archbishop’s house. And great tribulation and many trials came upon this holy father, and he sat upon the throne of Mark the evangelist three years and a half. And it is written in the history of the fight of this holy father that he commanded that he was not to be enthroned archbishop except on the First Day of the week. Salutation to Isaac on whom the bishop saw a cross of light when he dipped his hand in the water to baptize him.

And on this day also the Three Hundred and Eighteen fathers and bishops assembled in the city of Nicea in the days of Constantine the righteous man, among them being four archbishops, namely, Abba Alexander, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, and Yunakendinos (Innocent), Archbishop of the city of Rome, Sol Peter (sic), Archbishop of the city of Constantinia, and the Archbishop of the city of Antioch. And the cause of their assembling was Arius, who was priest of the men of Alexandria and had fallen into error. He said: “The Son is a created being in all His Person.” These saints were honorable fathers and fighters, and some of them had, like the apostles, raised the dead, and healed the sick, and worked great signs and wonders. Some of them had suffered tortures for the sake of the Orthodox Faith of Christ, some of them had suffered torture and had their eyes dug out; of some of them the torturers had cut off their hands and their feet, of some the torturers had smashed their teeth, and of some they had torn out the nails and scraped their bodies. Among those who had suffered tortures there was a certain bishop of the city of Mar’ash whose name was Thomas. Him certain vile and evil men cast into prison for two (?) years, where they tortured him mercilessly. Each year they had cut off from him one of his limbs, and they had cut off his hands and his feet, and smashed his teeth, both those in front and those in the sides of his jaws, and his nose and lips had been cut off, and his body was as black as the ashes of a fire. Many people thought that he was dead, and had performed memorial services for him as for the martyrs and apostles. When these fathers and bishops arrived in the city of Nicea, Constantine the emperor prepared for them a large and spacious hall, and he placed therein thrones whereon the holy fathers and bishops could sit, and he set therein his own throne, which was smaller than [any one] of theirs. And he began with Thomas, Bishop of the city of Mar’ash, and he bowed low before him, and embraced every part of him, including the [places of] the members which had been cut off his body. Then he gave to the fathers and bishops his royal scepter, and his sword, and his ring, and he said unto them, “Behold, I have this day given you power over the priesthood and over the kingdom. According to what ye wish let [every man] remain, provided that he is Orthodox; he who is not Orthodox separate from your flock; and ye shall formulate the Canon and the Law.” And our Lord Jesus Christ tarried among them, and there were many [of them] whose hearts were illumined by the Holy Spirit. And certain men counted the thrones whereon sitters were seated and they found them to be in number three hundred and nineteen, and they counted the fathers and bishops and found them to be in number three hundred and eighteen. And they formulated a Canon for the priests, and for the laity, and for the emperors, and for the countries, and for pilgrims, and for those who sold, and for those who bought, and they made ordinances for every matter. Then they proclaimed the Orthodox Faith, and they made known that the Son was the equal of the Father in Godhead, and they excommunicated Arius and him that believed in his filthy belief. This is the Orthodox Faith, which they formulated, saying, “We believe in One God, the Lord, the Father, the Sustainer of Creation, Maker of heaven and of earth, and of all things visible and invisible. And we believe in One Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Son of the Father, Whose being was with Him before the world was created, Light Who proceedeth from Light, God Who proceedeth from God in truth, Who was begotten and not made, Who is equal with the Father in Godhead, in Whom is everything that is, and without Whom there would be nothing whatsoever which is in heaven and upon earth, Who for the sake of us men and for our salvation came down from heaven, and was made man by the Holy Ghost of Mariyam, the holy Virgin. He became man, and was crucified for our sakes in the days of Pontius Pilate.He suffred and died and was buried and rose from the dead on the third day, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures. He ascended in glory into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of His Father. He shall come again in glory. He shall judge the living and the dead, and there shall be no end to His kingdom.” After this, when one hundred and fifty bishops were assembled in the city of Constantinia, they formulated the remainder of the Orthodox Faith, saying, “And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord the Vivifier, Who sprang from the Father. We worship Him and we praise Him, with the Father and the Son, Who spoke by the prophets”--to the end of the [words of] the Faith (i.e. And we believe in One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. And we believe in one Baptism for the remission of sin and wait for the resurrection from the dead. Life to come. World without end. Amen.). And they excommunicated anyone who should add anything to it or take anything away from it. And they commanded that every priest should recite it, and all the laity, both old and young, men and women, slaves and handmaidens. And they were to recite it at the time of at the night prayer, and at the time of the day prayer, and at the time of the consecration of the Offering, and they were to teach it to all the people. And the fathers and bishops made ordinances of every kind for the Church and the Orthodox Faith. They established the light of the Faith and then they departed to their own countries. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 10 (November 19)

On this day fifty nuns, who were pure and holy virgins, together with their mother Sofia, became martyrs. These pure and holy women came from widely separated cities and districts, and they were gathered together by divine and spiritual love, and the desire to assume the garb of the ascetic life, which is the garb of the angels. They dwelt in one of the houses for virgins, which were in the city of Roha (Edessa), and they had as superior the holy Abbess Sofia who was filled with every kind of grace and with wisdom. And she trained them so perfectly in the duties and exercises of the spiritual life that they became like angels upon earth, and they fasted and prayed continually, and read the histories of the spiritual fighting of the monks. Among them were some who had dwelt in the nunnery for seven years. And some of them were novices. The infidel Emperor Julian passed by their house in the city of Roha (Edessa) on his way to make war on Sapor, the son of Sapor, the King of Persia, for he had heard that Sapor was coming to make war upon him. And Julian having gone against him and come back, he went to that nunnery wherein the virgins lived, and he asked [an officer] what the building was. And [the officer] said unto him, “This is a nunnery.” and Julian commanded his soldiers to go into that nunnery, and to kill everyone in it, and to carry off all the goods which were therein. And the soldiers of the infidel emperor went into the nunnery, and they beat the virgins with whips and cut off their heads with swords, and they plundered everything which was there. And because of this thing the Lord took vengeance upon him with the vengeance of His wrath, that is to say, Saint Mercurius the martyr speared him with his spear whilst he was engaged in fighting, and he cast him from his horse, and killed him. And Julian died an evil death, and he departed to the Sheol which is forever. And these holy virgins went into everlasting joy, and inherited the kingdom of heaven. Salutation to the virgins whose blood Mercurius avenged.

And on this day also a General Council of the Saints took place in the days of Victor, Archbishop of the city of Rome, and in the days of Demetrius, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. Now the cause for the assembling of this Council was this: Christian people were baptized on the festival of baptism, on the twenty-first day of the month Ter (Jan. - Feb.), and from the following day they fasted until the twenty-second day of the month Yakatit (Feb. - March), that is to say, for forty days, and then they ate. And after thirty days they began, on the twenty-third day of Magabit (March - April), and kept the Octave of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the festival of His Resurrection, for the Crucifixion of our Lord took place on the twenty-ninth day of Magabit. After Demetrius, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, had been enthroned, God illumined the heart of a certain artisan, who knew not how to read or to write, with Divine grace, and he learned all the Laws of the Church, and he knew them by heart, and he interpreted them. Then by the Holy Spirit he compiled a table for reckoning the Epact, wherefrom men might know [the days of] the Fast, and the Resurrection; and he wrote in the Coptic and Greek (Rom) tongues. Then he made a copy of this table of Epact and sent it to Victor, Archbishop of the city of Rome, he read it and found it good and rejoiced therein exceedingly. And he sent and gathered together a large assembly containing fourteen bishops of his diocese, and many learned priests, and he read to them the calculation of the Epact, and they found it very good, and they rejoiced in it, and accepted it, and they wrote many copies of it and sent them into all countries. And the Holy Fast and the Festival of Easter have been regulated by that circulation from that day to this. And they departed to their countries praising the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, to Whom be glory and honor. Salutation to Demetrius and to the priests who made haste to assemble in order to make rules for times for keeping Lent and Easter.

On this day Paul and his three companions became martyrs. Salutation to Gabra Maryam. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 11 (November 20)

On this day fifty nuns, who were pure and holy virgins, together with their mother Sofia, became martyrs. These pure and holy women came from widely separated cities and districts, and they were gathered together by divine and spiritual love, and the desire to assume the garb of the ascetic life, which is the garb of the angels. They dwelt in one of the houses for virgins, which were in the city of Roha (Edessa), and they had as superior the holy Abbess Sofia who was filled with every kind of grace and with wisdom. And she trained them so perfectly in the duties and exercises of the spiritual life that they became like angels upon earth, and they fasted and prayed continually, and read the histories of the spiritual fighting of the monks. Among them were some who had dwelt in the nunnery for seven years. And some of them were novices. The infidel Emperor Julian passed by their house in the city of Roha (Edessa) on his way to make war on Sapor, the son of Sapor, the King of Persia, for he had heard that Sapor was coming to make war upon him. And Julian having gone against him and come back, he went to that nunnery wherein the virgins lived, and he asked [an officer] what the building was. And [the officer] said unto him, “This is a nunnery.” and Julian commanded his soldiers to go into that nunnery, and to kill everyone in it, and to carry off all the goods which were therein. And the soldiers of the infidel emperor went into the nunnery, and they beat the virgins with whips and cut off their heads with swords, and they plundered everything which was there. And because of this thing the Lord took vengeance upon him with the vengeance of His wrath, that is to say, Saint Mercurius the martyr speared him with his spear whilst he was engaged in fighting, and he cast him from his horse, and killed him. And Julian died an evil death, and he departed to the Sheol which is forever. And these holy virgins went into everlasting joy, and inherited the kingdom of heaven. Salutation to the virgins whose blood Mercurius avenged.

And on this day also a General Council of the Saints took place in the days of Victor, Archbishop of the city of Rome, and in the days of Demetrius, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. Now the cause for the assembling of this Council was this: Christian people were baptized on the festival of baptism, on the twenty-first day of the month Ter (Jan. - Feb.), and from the following day they fasted until the twenty-second day of the month Yakatit (Feb. - March), that is to say, for forty days, and then they ate. And after thirty days they began, on the twenty-third day of Magabit (March - April), and kept the Octave of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the festival of His Resurrection, for the Crucifixion of our Lord took place on the twenty-ninth day of Magabit. After Demetrius, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, had been enthroned, God illumined the heart of a certain artisan, who knew not how to read or to write, with Divine grace, and he learned all the Laws of the Church, and he knew them by heart, and he interpreted them. Then by the Holy Spirit he compiled a table for reckoning the Epact, wherefrom men might know [the days of] the Fast, and the Resurrection; and he wrote in the Coptic and Greek (Rom) tongues. Then he made a copy of this table of Epact and sent it to Victor, Archbishop of the city of Rome, he read it and found it good and rejoiced therein exceedingly. And he sent and gathered together a large assembly containing fourteen bishops of his diocese, and many learned priests, and he read to them the calculation of the Epact, and they found it very good, and they rejoiced in it, and accepted it, and they wrote many copies of it and sent them into all countries. And the Holy Fast and the Festival of Easter have been regulated by that circulation from that day to this. And they departed to their countries praising the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, to Whom be glory and honor. Salutation to Demetrius and to the priests who made haste to assemble in order to make rules for times for keeping Lent and Easter.

On this day Paul and his three companions became martyrs. Salutation to Gabra Maryam. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 12 (November 21)

On this day is celebrated the festival of the honored angel, Michael the archangel, the head of the hosts of heaven, the angel who is merciful to the children of men, who standeth at all times before the great throne of God speaking on behalf of the children of man. Joshua the son of Nun saw him in great glory like unto that of a general of the king’s army, and he was frightened at him and fell down and made obeisance unto him, and said unto him, “O my lord, art thou on our side or on the side of the enemy?” And Michael said unto him, “I am the tenth of the Chiefs of the mighty armies of heaven, and this day I will give Amalek into thy hand, and I will make thee king in the city of Jericho.” This angel it was who was with all the saints and martyrs, and he made them strong and enabled them to endure patiently until they finished their strife, [and it is meet] that festivals of commemoration should be held, and gifts offered in his name on the twelfth day of each month, for he beseecheth God for the fruits of the earth, and the descent of the rains, and the [flooding of the] rivers, and for good souls so that God may make perfect all of them in integrity. Now, there was a certain God-fearing man whose name was Dorotheus, and [he had a] wife whose name was Theopista, and they were wont to make festivals of commemoration for the honored angel Michael. And all the money of these righteous folk came to an end, and they had nothing wherewith to celebrate the commemoration of the honored Michael. And because they were exceedingly sorrowful about this they took their apparel to sell so that they might make a feast. And Michael the archangel appeared unto Dorotheus and commanded him to go to a sheep-master and to take from him a sheep worth one-third of a dinar. And he was also to go to a fisherman and to take from him a fish worth one-third of a dinar, and he was not to slit the belly thereof except inside the house. And he was also to go to a flour merchant, and to take from him as much flour as he wanted. And the angel said, “Do this, and do not sell thy raiment”; and Dorotheus did as the angel commanded him. And he summoned all the people according to his custom, and he made a feast in honor of the angel Michael. When he had gone into his store-chamber to see if, peradventure, he could find a jar of wine for the Offering, he found the interior of his chamber filled with wine, and much flour; and Dorotheus was frightened and he marveled exceedingly. When he had ministered unto all the company, and they had finished the feast, and all the people had departed to their houses, the honored angel appeared unto the blessed Dorotheus in the garb wherein he had appeared unto him before, and commanded him to cut open the belly of the fish. When he had cut open the belly of the fish he found therein three hundred dinars of gold, and three third parts of a dinar. And the archangel Michael said unto Dorotheus and his wife, “Set aside these three third parts of a dinar for the sheep, the fish, and the flour, and these three hundred dinars shall be for your own needs. God hath remembered you and the alms and oblations which ye have been wont to make, and hath rewarded you for the same here in this world, and at the last day He will make you to inherit the kingdom of heaven.” And as they were frightened at this matter he said unto them, “I am Michael the archangel who hath delivered you from all your tribulation, and it is I who have loved your alms and oblations, and have taken them up to God. Henceforward ye shall lack no good thing whatsoever in this world.” And they prostrated themselves before him, and he disappeared and went up into heaven. And the angel Michael worked so many miracles that they are innumerable. Salutation to thee, O merciful angel Michael whom I have feared from my youth up; hide me under thy prayers at dawn and at eve.

And on this day also died the holy father Philotheus, the sixty-third Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. In the days of his archiepiscopate the King of Ethiopia sent a letter to George, King of Noba, and he said unto him: “God is wroth with us because of what the kings who were before us have done. For they transgressed the commandment of God, concerning Abba Peter, the bishop, whom they drove out of his diocese, and they appointed in his stead Minas the liar, in the days of Cosmas the archbishop; and, behold, six archbishops have [not] appointed a bishop to our country. And because of this our country is destroyed, and all our men and beasts have perished through famine and plague. Our enemies have risen up against us and have carried away captive many men from our country and have plundered our cities. The rain hath been withheld and it falls not, and the earth will not give her fruit, and our enemies have burnt our cities, and plundered the churches, and driven us from place to place. I beseech thee to show friendship to me in this trouble, for God’s sake, and for the sake of the Orthodox Faith. And do thou write a letter to our father the Archbishop Abba Philotheus of Egypt, and entreat him for God’s sake to absolve us, and to open up our country, and to pray for us so that God may remove from us and from our country the tribulation and trial which have come upon us, and may have compassion upon us and may appoint us a bishop, and may send him to us according to what was always done for our fathers, so that the bishop may pray to God on our behalf to remove His wrath from us. And this which I am saying unto thee I say, O my brother king, because I fear [that if a bishop be not sent] the Christian Faith will perish from among us. And behold, from that time unto this day six archbishops have been enthroned, and they have neither remembered our country nor appointed us a bishop. And we have become like unto sheep which have been turned out, and have no shepherd. Our bishops, and priests, and kings have died, and our churches have been pulled down; but we acknowledge that this tribulation hath come upon us rightly in return for what we did to our Bishop Abba Peter.” And when the letter of the King of Ethiopia came to King George in Noba, and he had read it, he was exceedingly sorry that trials and tribulation had come upon the country of Ethiopia. And straightway George, King of Noba, wrote a letter and sent it to Archbishop Abba Philotheus, and in it described to him all the trials and tribulation which had come upon the country of Ethiopia, and he besought him to have compassion upon the Christian people of the country of Ethiopia and to appoint them a bishop. When the archbishop heard this he sent straightway to the desert of Scete, to a certain righteous monk, and that monk, whose name was Abba Daniel, came forthwith to him from the monastery of Abba Macarius, and he appointed him bishop of the Ethiopians and sent him to them. And when Abba Daniel arrived in Ethiopia the people received him with great honor, and he removed the wrath [of God] from them, and he made them to conquer their enemies who had rebelled against them in times past. And all his work was right during the days of this Archbishop, Abba Philotheus, and he made manifest many signs and wonders. Salutation to Philotheus the apostle. Salutation to ‘Admas. [Omitted in the Bodleian MS.] [

On this day died Ba’eda Maryam I, King of Ethiopia, who died on Nov. 8, A.D. 1478.] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 13 (November 22)

The doctors of the Law command us on this day to make a feast in honor of the thousands of thousands of spirit beings who have no bodies, and who make intercessions for all the world, and of whom Enoch speaks, saying, “I was in the waters, and the winds and the clouds carried me up and brought me into a house which was built with a tongue of fire, and I saw there thousands of thousands.” And he also says, “I saw the children of the angels standing upon flames of fire and their apparel was as white as snow.” And Jacob says, “I saw in the mount of Bethel a ladder on the earth which reached even to the heavens, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.” And Jacob also says, when he returned from Syria, “I saw hosts of angels.” And Moses says, “Arrange the people each [tribe] on its own border, and the number of each was as the angels of God.” And Moses also says, “God came from Sinai, He appeared unto me in Seir, and with Him were His angels.” And David says, “Who makes His angels spirits, and those who minister unto Him a flame of fire.” And he also says, “The chariots of God are thousands, and the tens of thousands who rejoice.” Elijah also saw the chariots of fire and the horses of fire surrounding him like a wall. And Daniel says, “And the Ancient of Days sat, and His apparel was as white as snow, and the hair of His head was as wool. His throne was a blazing fire, and the wheels thereof were red-hot coals, and a river of fire flowed out there from. Thousands of thousands ministered unto Him, and tens of thousands stood before Him.” And Luke says, “Suddenly there came with that angel multitudes of the hosts of heaven, and they praised God, saying, Glory [be] to God in the heavens, and peace upon earth, [and] His goodwill to the children of men. Then the angels passed from them, and went up into the heavens.” And Matthew says, “And behold, angels came and ministered unto Him.” And he also says, “Then shall the Son of man come in His glory, and all His angels with Him.” And John says in the words of Jesus Christ, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye would see the heavens opening, and the angels of God ascending and descending to the Son of man.” And Judah says, “Behold, God shall come with His thousands of saints.” And the heads of the Church have enumerated the various kinds of angels thus: Angels, Archangels, Lords (Virtues), Dominions, Powers, Thrones and Principalities. Salutation to the tens of thousands of tens of thousands of angels and to the Cherubim and to the Seraphim.

And on this day also died Saint ‘Askanafer, the chief of the thirteen thieves who became Christians of His Faith. This ‘Askanafer was one of the nobles of Rome, and he gave alms to the poor and needy. Now, in those days there was a gang of thirteen robbers who destroyed the travelers whom they found on the road. When they heard the story of ‘Askanafer, and that he succored the monks, they went to him to kill him by an ambush, and to take his money. Then they dressed themselves in the garb of monks, and stood by the gate of his courtyard, and when ‘Askanafer saw them he thought that they were the Twelve Apostles, and that one of them was Christ. And he bowed low before them, and took them into his house, and he brought a table of food to them, and then he washed their feet, and he sprinkled the water on his son who was paralyzed, and had been ill for five and thirty years, and he was healed immediately. When the thieves saw this they were greatly frightened. And ‘Askanafer said unto them, “Tell me, O my fathers, which of you is Christ? Show Him to me that I may worship Him.” And when the men of the city heard that the son of the nobleman was healed, they came to him, and they bowed low before [the thieves], and they said unto them, “O saints of God, bless us and heal our sick folk.” Then the thieves took out their daggers and gave them to the nobleman, [and their chief] said unto him, “Take these knives so that thou mayest kill us even as we wished to kill thee.” And ‘Askanafer said unto them, “Ye say this that ye may abase yourselves.” And they said unto him, “God would have trodden us in the dust if we could not have boasted ourselves of thy prayer”; and after they had spoken thus they embraced him. And each of them took a few lentils in a bag, and they departed [on a journey] of twenty-five days, and they sowed the lentils in the sand, and at the time of sunset they ate three (sic) lentils. And they lived thus for thirty years, and then the Arami (i.e., desert robbers) came and killed them. Salutations to ‘Askanafer who raised a paralytic from his couch and healed him. Salutation also to the thieves who fought a fight for thirty years as the result of seeing this miracle.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Timothy, Bishop of the city of Ensena. This holy man was righteous and chaste from his youth, and he fought a great fight in working righteousness. And the governor of the city seized him because of his faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and because he taught His own True Faith to men, and he tortured him with severe tortures for many days, and he shut him up in the prison house, and he tortured him continually during a period of three years. And there were with him in the prison house many saints who were bound in fetters for the Faith. And that infidel governor had them brought out of the prison house, and he tortured them, and he poured out their holy blood until at length only a very few prisoners remained in the prison house, and among these was this holy man Timothy. At that time God blotted out the Emperor Diocletian, the infidel, and the God-loving Emperor Constantine reigned. And an Edict came from him into every country ordering that those who were believers on Christ should be brought out of the prisons, and they brought out from the prison house this holy man among those who were released. And this holy man departed to his house, and he gathered together the monks and the priests who were in his diocese, and he made a long prayer [which lasted] from evening to daybreak wherein he entreated God for the salvation of the soul of that governor who had tortured him, and he prayed thus: “O Lord, have mercy upon that governor, for it is he who hath brought me great good, and who hath been the means of bringing me nigh unto Thee, O my Lord. In the same manner, O Lord, do Thou work upon him so that he may believe in Thee, and may come to Thee,” And the people marveled at the simplicity (or innocence) of heart of this father, and they told the governor, saying, “Abba Timothy is praying to God for thee that He may have mercy upon thee, and may deliver thy soul.” When the governor heard this thing he marveled exceedingly, and he said, “I should have thought that he would curse me rather because of the punishments which I have inflicted upon him, and he obtained from him knowledge of the Law of the Christians, and this father revealed to him the causes of the Incarnation of the Son of God, and how the prophets spoke concerning Him in the beginning, many years ago, and how their prophecies were fulfilled, and how the matter concerning Him is written in the Holy Gospel. And the governor believed on our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ through this holy man, and he baptized him with holy Christian Baptism. And the governor forsook his office, and became a monk, and was numbered among the folk of this father. And during the remainder of his days this father continued to teach his flock at all times, and to confirm them in the Orthodox Faith, and he died in the peace of God. Salutation to Timothy.

And on this day died the holy father Zachariah, the sixty-fourth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. He was a native of the city of Alexandria, and was a priest therein, and he was steward of all the property of the Church. And he was chaste in his striving, and a virgin in body, and gentle in disposition, and an old man in his days. When Archbishop Philotheus died, the bishops assembled in order to elect with the counsel of God the man who was fit for this office. And as they were all gathered together in the church of Saint Mark, the evangelist and apostle, and discussing together who was the most suitable man for this office, behold, they heard that a certain man had obtained from the emperor a letter by bribery, and that he had with him slaves and soldiers from the emperor who were going to appoint him archbishop against the wishes of the bishops. And the bishops were sorry that an archbishop should be appointed by bribery, and by the transgression of the Canon and commandment of the Apostles, and they prayed continually and entreated God, the Glorious and Most High, to appoint him whom they had chosen. And as they were praying to God behold this father came down the stairs of the roof of the church, and he had in his hand a vessel of acid (vinegar ?), and as he was coming down his foot slipped, and he fell from the top of the roof-stairs to the bottom. And he lifted himself up still holding in his hand the vessel, which was unbroken, and the acid was unspilled. When the bishops and the priests saw this they marveled exceedingly. And the people of the city of Alexandria enquired concerning this holy man Abba Zachariah, and they talked about his virtues and his righteousness, and all the men of the city of Alexandria agreed with the bishops about the appointment of this holy man as archbishop, and they enthroned him. And during the days of his rule great tribulation came upon him, and he sorrowed greatly through the King of Egypt, Hakam, that is to say the governor. In those days there came unto him a certain monk from the monastery of Abba Macarius, and he said unto him, “Make me a bishop.” And Abba Zachariah said unto him, “Have patience, O my son, and do not transgress the command of the Canon of the Apostles, but return to thy monastery, and fight for the salvation of thy soul, and God’s Will shall be done.” When the monk heard these words he became full of rage, and Satan entered into his heart, and he went to the King of Egypt, that is to say the governor, and made to him false accusations against Saint Abba Zachariah. And the king seized the holy man and shut him up in prison, and then he cast him to the lions so that they might rend him, but the lions would not go near him at all. And the king was wroth with the keeper of the lions, and he thought that he had taken a bribe from the archbishop. Then the king starved the lions, and took some of the blood of an ox and smeared the archbishop therewith, and threw him to the lions to eat; but they would not go near him at all; and the king marveled at this thing, and he took the archbishop from among the lions. Then he shut him up in prison for three months, and he was always saying unto him, “If thou dost not forsake the Christian Faith, and if thou dost not enter my own faith, I will punish thee, and will kill thee with the sword, and will cast thee again to the lions, and if I do not that I will cast thee into the fire.” But Saint Abba Zachariah was strong in the True Faith, and he was not in any way afraid of him. Then the king made him many promises, and said unto him, “If thou wilt hearken unto my command, and wilt enter my faith, I will give thee much money, and I will appoint thee judge over every judge.” But he did not listen to him in the least degree, and he did not turn aside from the least of the good works, which he was wont to do, and he answered and said unto him, “If thou wert to give me all the kingdom of this world, I would not forsake the True Faith.” After this the king shut him up in prison for a few days, and then he released him from the prison house. And when Saint Zachariah came forth from the prison house he departed to the desert of Scete, and very many bishops went with him through fear of the governor. And in those days the king commanded [his people] to destroy all the churches in the countries under his dominion. And he made very many Christians to forsake their Faith after he had tortured them with very severe tortures; and the Christian peoples lived in this state of tribulation of nine years, and during this period of nine years [the Muslims] destroyed the churches. At the end of nine years Christ had compassion on his people, and He turned away his wrath from them, and He removed from them all this tribulation. And the king, that is to say, governor, commanded [the Christians] to build churches everywhere in the countries under his dominion, and he gave back to them all the goods and money which he had taken from them, and the lands which were endowments of the Church; and all the churches were built, or rebuilt and restored with more than their former splendor. And this father Abba Zachariah built many churches, and the king, that is to say, governor, commanded the Christians to blow a trumpet in the churches, and to rejoice at their times of prayer and when they celebrated the Holy Eucharist. And the Christians lived in great happiness under the right observance of the Law of the Church and of believers, and this father continued to build and to endow churches for twelve years. One day a bishop whose name was Mercurius came to him, and his body was leprous. And Abba Zachariah said unto him gently and with kindliness of heart, “O my brother, Abba Mercurius, I will help thee because of this disease which hath come upon thee. And thou knowest that God said unto Moses, ‘Thou shalt accept the person of no man in respect of right judgment.’ The priesthood is not fitting for thee whilst this disease is upon thee, unless God shall remove this disease from thee, for the Book calls it unclean.” And Mercurius the bishop wept and said unto him, “O my father, help me by thy prayer”; and he went away from him, and departed and went into the church of our Lady, the holy Virgin Mary, which was in his diocese, and he stood up before the picture of our Lady Mary, and he wept, and prayed and entreated and made supplication to her to cleanse him from this disease. And he did this from the morning of the Second Day until the ninth hour of the Fourth Day of the week; he invoked [the Virgin] and he prayed by day and by night. And at the ninth hour, being weary, he rested his head against the wall whereon was the image of our Lady Mary, and he saw the hand of the image rubbing his body. And he awoke straightway, and he found that his body was cleansed of the leprosy, and he rejoiced with a great joy; and he praised our Lord Jesus Christ, and gave thanks to our Lady, the holy Virgin Mary. And straightway his disciple came to him, and he said unto him, “Come, O my son, and look at my body, for behold our Lady Mary hath healed me of my disease by her prayers, and it befits me to stay in this place for three days in order to thank my Lord Christ for the gracious gift which He hath bestowed upon me.” Then he ate a little bread, and drank a little water, and he remained in that church until the beginning of the Sabbath. Then he rose up and went to the Archbishop Abba Zachariah when he was in the church on the First Day of the week and informed him of what had happened to him, and he said unto him, “It hath all happened through thy prayer.” And Saint Abba Zachariah answered and said unto him, “God hath looked upon thy pure heart and thy humility, and hath cleansed thee from thy disease, and hath received thy prayer, and thy tears. And now it is meet for thee to consecrate the Holy Mysteries, and to administer them to us so that we may be blessed by the grace which thou hast received.” And when the Holy Eucharist had been administered, all those who were in the church were blessed thereby, and they marveled exceedingly at this miracle, and they glorified God the Worker of wonders. On another occasion a certain deacon came to Saint Abba Zachariah the archbishop, and he bowed down before him weeping abundantly, and he kissed his feet and said unto him, “Have compassion upon me, O my lord, for I have gone astray and have fallen into sin, and straightway all my body hath become leprous.” And Abba Zachariah said unto him, “O my son, art thou able to persevere in fasting before our Lord Jesus Christ?” And the deacon said unto him, “Yea, O my father, command me to do whatsoever thou wishes, and I will do (it).” And straightway the archbishop brought him into a dark chamber, by him, and he stood there and turned his face to the east, and he said unto the deacon, “O my son, pray to God, and entreat Him with tears by day and by night without ceasing, and repent, and return not to [thy] sins.” And after three days and three nights Abba Zachariah gave him a little bread by measure and a little water, and Abba Zachariah ate and drank in the same manner. And after fifteen days Abba Zachariah visited him and said unto him, “Be not afraid.” And after one month was ended Abba Zachariah visited him, and uncovered his body, and he saw that the leprosy was diminishing on his body; and he said unto him, “Be not afraid.” And after four days he visited him again, and he found that his body was free from leprosy, and he washed him with water and anointed him with oil. And he prayed over him and said unto him, “O my son, know thyself. Behold, thou art healed of thy disease; commit sin no more.” And the archbishop sent him away to his house rejoicing and praising God. And God wrought very many signs and wonders by the hand of this Saint, Archbishop Abba Zachariah. Now he [lived] in the sixth hundred and ninety-first year of the Holy Martyrs (i.e. A.D. 975). He sat as archbishop eight and twenty years; of that period he passed seven years in rest and peace, nine years in tribulation, and twelve years in joy and in building churches. And he departed to God and died in peace, and entered into the kingdom of heaven. Salutation to Abba Zachariah who succeeded Philotheus, and whom the lions refused to eat.

And on this day also are commemorated Lestelia, and Mekrona, and Mariana, and Philopator, and ‘Abrani, and the Emperor Honorius. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 14 (November 23)

On this day died the holy father Canitus, that is to say Marcius (Martianus), Bishop of the country of Thrace. This holy man was a native of the city of Sorpeia, and his parents were Christians; he was an ascetic, and a fighter, and he was gentle and good. He persecuted the followers of Arius continually, and he rebuked them, and cursed them, and called them “infidels”; because of this and through them a very great tribulation came upon him. And they used to lie in wait for him in the market places, and when he passed they seized him on many occasions, and punished him and beat him, and very often they dragged him about through the city by his feet. And he fled from them to a city, which was afar off, and he came to the shore of the Red Sea and he dwelt there in a cave for many years, and he lived upon what grew out of the ground. And when the history of him was noised abroad, and his spiritual contending and his excellence, God chose him to be a bishop. When he had been made Bishop of the country of Thrace, he adopted in his diocese the course of life which was followed by the Apostles, and he was superior to many men in love (or charity) and mercy, and God made manifest through him many miracles. Once when he was passing by he saw a dead man whom a wicked man had seized [for debt]; he was an obstinate and a stupid man by nature, and he would not allow the kinsfolk of the dead to bury the body, saying, “He owes me four hundred dinars of gold, and they shall not bury him unless they give me this [sum of money].” And this holy man entreated him, and rebuked him seriously, and said unto him, “Release this dead body so that [his kinfolk] may bury him”; and the man would not hearken unto him. And the holy man prayed and entreated God, and he raised up the dead man, and rebuked the man who had seized him, before the people, saying, “Why dost thou utter lies over him and hast no fear of God?” Then he prayed to God and that avaricious man died, and he who had been dead went alive to his house, and he lived for many years after this. And this holy man finished his good course, and he pleased God, and he died in peace. Salutation to Marcius (Martianus), who was full of grace and goodness, and who raised a man from the dead.

And on this day also died Abba Daniel, who worked miracles for the King of Persia, and made him to believe on the Name of Jesus Christ. Now the cause of his believing was this: The King of Persia was sick of a grievous sickness in his belly, and the physicians who dealt in magic could not heal him; and the King of Persia had a very wise magician, but he was unable to heal him. And when the king wished to kill the magician because of his failure to heal him, the magician spoke unto him with cunning words, saying, “O King, seek out a child, and let his mother bind him with fetters, and let his father cut his throat and bring to thee his heart, and when thou hast eaten it thou wilt recover.” Now the magician said this because he believed that the king would be afraid to do this thing, but the king gave one thousand dinars in gold to the captain of his guard and told him to go and search in the city for such a child and to buy him. Now there were in the city two poor people, a man and his wife, and they had a little son, and when they heard the voice of the herald, the love of money led them astray, and weeping they took their son to the king; and the child said, “I have confidence in God Who created me, and He will save me.” Then his mother bound him with fetters, and his father drew his knife to cut the throat of his son before the king and his nobles, and the child lifted up his eyes to heaven and he spoke with his lips but uttered no sound. And God put compassion in the heart of the king, and he commanded [the father] to release the boy and to bring him to him. And the king said, “What didst thou say when thou didst lift thine eyes up to heaven?” And the boy said, “O my lord, if a man is oppressed his father and his mother ought to deliver him, and if the mother is serious the king and his nobles ought to deliver him. As for me, seeing that there was no salvation for me from all of you, I prayed to God Who created me.” When the king heard his words of instruction he gave him one thousand dinars of gold. And because of this God wished to have compassion on the king, and He sent unto him Daniel to heal him, and when Daniel came to him he worked many miracles, and the king believed on the Name of Jesus Christ. And Daniel baptized him and all his men with Christian baptism, and the king was cured of his disease. Then Abba Daniel departed to his own city, and he continued to strive strenuously, and he died in peace. Salutation to Daniel the monk who healed the King of Persia.

And on this day also died Abba John of the monastery of Bizan.

And on this day are commemorated Garses and Balaten. Salutation to him that rebuked the foolish peoples by withholding the rain and dew for a period of three years, that is to say, to John the priest.

And on this day also are commemorated Laurestus, and Andreas, and the consecration of the church of the monastery of Kalmon, and Mabranus, and Tratina, and Justina. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 15 (November 24)

On this day Saint Minas became a martyr; now the interpretation of his name is “believing” and “faithful.” The father of this holy man was a native of the city of Nakiyos and his name was Eudoxius, and he was a governor and a nobleman. And his brother was envious of him, and he made accusations against his brother Eudoxius to the king; and the king sent him to ‘Afrakya (Phrygia?) and made him governor over that country; and the men of that country rejoiced in him, for he was a merciful man, and he feared God. Now the mother of Saint Minas had no son. One day she went into the church on the festival of our Lady, the holy Virgin Mary, and she saw the children of the church wearing beautiful apparel and going into the church. And she moaned and wept before the image (or picture) of our Lady, the holy Virgin Mary, and she entreated her to pray on her behalf to God so that He might give her a son; and a voice came forth from the image of our Lady, the holy Virgin Mary, saying, “Amen.” And straightway that woman went to her house and she told her husband about the voice which she had heard from the image of our Lady Mary, and her husband said unto her, “God’s Will be done!” And after a certain number of days God gave unto her this holy son, and she called his name “Minas,” according to the word, which she had heard from the image of the Virgin Mary. And when the child had grown up a little, [his father] taught him the Scriptures and the doctrine of the spirit. And when he was eleven years old his father died at a good old age, and three years later his mother died. And Saint Minas remained by himself, fasting and praying, and because of the greatness of the affection, which the governors of the city had for his father and for himself, he did abandon the worship of Christ. And when Diocletian had denied Christ, he commanded all men to worship idols, and very many suffered martyrdom for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. Then Minas abandoned the place where he lived and departed to the desert, and he dwelt there very many days and fought a great fight there. One day he saw the heavens open and the martyrs crowned with beautiful crowns, and he heard a voice, which said, “He who toileth for the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ shall receive this crown.” And he returned to the city and believed on the Name of Jesus Christ. And many men knowing that he belonged to a noble and honorable family tried to dissuade him from this, and the governor also promised him honors and many other things, but he would neither obey his behest nor turn from his own good counsel. Then straightway the governor commanded his soldiers to torture him with severe tortures, and when he was tired of torturing him he commanded them to cut off his head with the sword; and they cut off his head straightway, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens; and very many men heard of his martyrdom for the sake of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ. And the governor commanded his soldiers to cast the body of the holy man into the fire, [and they did so,] but certain believing men took his body out of the fire; now the flames had neither scorched it nor burnt it and no harm whatsoever had befallen it. And they swathed it in beautiful grave clothes and laid it in a certain place until the days of persecution were ended. In those days the men of the district of Mareotis wished to collect an army from Pentapolis, and they took the body of Saint Minas with them so that it might be a help unto them, and might protect them on the way. And when they were in the ship, and the body of Saint Minas was with them, beasts came up out of the sea with faces like the faces of serpents and necks like the necks of camels, and they stretched out their necks towards the body of the saint and licked it; and the crew of the ship were afraid with a great fear. And fire went forth from the body of the saint, and burned the faces of the beasts. And having arrived at the city of Alexandria and the men having finished their work, they wished to return to their country, and they sought to take the body of Saint Minas with them. Having lifted it upon a camel, the camel would not get up from his place; and when they had lifted it on to a second camel, that camel also would not get up, and although they beat it with many stripes it would not move at all. Then they knew that this was the Will of God, and they built a shrine over him, and buried him therein and departed. And God wished to reveal the body of Saint Minas. Now there was in that desert a certain shepherd, and one day a sheep that was sick of a disease and had running sores went into the shrine, and slipped down into the water of the well which was by the side of the shrine, and having rolled about in it the sheep was healed straightway. When the shepherd saw this thing and this miracle, he marveled exceedingly and was frightened. And he used to take some dust from the shrine, and wet it with water, and smear it over the sheep when they were sick, and straightway they were healed thereby. And he used to do this always, and he healed all the sick persons who came to him by this thing. And the Emperor Constantine heard of the report of this--now he had an only daughter who was sick through running sores--and he sent her to this place, but she could not strip herself naked because there were men there. And the princess asked the shepherd what he did when he healed the sick sheep, and the shepherd told her what he did. And she took dust from that place, and moistened it with water from that well, and she smeared her whole body therewith, and she slept that night in the shrine. And Saint Minas appeared and said unto her. “When thou risest up in the morning, dig, and thou shalt find my body”; and straightway she was healed of her disease. And when she rose up [and found that] she was healed of her disease, she commanded [her servants] to dig in that place, and straightway she found the body of Saint Minas. And she rejoiced with an exceeding great joy, and she sent [a letter] to her father, and told him of this matter, and the emperor built a church over his body. And a beautiful church was built in his honor in the days of Arcadius and Honorius, the righteous emperors, and they commanded the people to build a great city there. And a great city was built there, as the righteous emperors commanded, and they laid the body of Saint Minas in the church, and miracles and great wonders took place through his body. And sick people of all nations used to come into that church, and they were healed, and signs and wonders used to appear in that church. And Satan was envious, and he stirred up certain wicked men and they pulled down the church, and the city was plundered, and they removed the body of Saint Minas. And they built another church for him there, and laid his body therein, and signs and wonders took place therein which were far greater than those, which had taken place in the former church. Salutation to thee, O Minas, officer and nobleman, for whom thy mother prayed to the image of the Virgin Mary.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Minas the Second, the sixty-first Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. The parents of this holy man made him marry a wife when he was young, against his will, but he did not wish to transgress the command of his parents, and he fulfilled all the duty of marriage according to the Law of the Church, and the whole of this matter was to him as a dream. When they brought him with his wife into the marriage-chamber, he sat down and talked to her, saying, “O my sister, what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul? The world passeth away and the lust thereof passeth away, but, as it is written, ‘He who doeth the Will of God shall endure for ever.’ Come now, let us make a covenant of God, and let us preserve our bodies and our virginity in purity.” And his wife accepted his words and she agreed with him that they should keep their bodies in purity. Then he left her and went to the desert of Scete, and he became a monk in the monastery of Abba Macarius, and he dwelt there for many years as an ascetic and fighter. When the archbishop his predecessor died, they took Abba Minas against his will, and made him archbishop; and he sat on the throne of Mark the evangelist for eighteen years, and he protected his flock rightly and justly and he died in peace. Salutation to Minas the Second who renounced the world and regarded it as a shadow and as a thirst during which a man drinketh as in a dream. Salutation to thee, Victor, in whose admonitions the children rejoiced. [Wanting in the Bodleian MS.]

And on this day beginneth the preaching of the fasting service of Soma Gena, for the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the Jacobite Christians established. Salutation to the House of Pachomus, which was consecrated by the holy, father Timothy. [Wanting in the Bodleian MS.]

And on this day also died the holy Maccabaeus of Kasbar, who fought until he fed with his body the birds of heaven. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 16 (November 25)

On this day was consecrated the church of the blessed Saint ‘Abunafer, the dweller in the desert, [which is built] outside the city of Mesr (Cairo). Salutation to the consecration of thy house outside the city of Mesr (Cairo), which thou protect from heat and from cold by the hair of thy head and thy flowing beard.

And on this day also died the holy father, Abba John, the forty-eighth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. This father was from the country of Cyprus, and he was exceedingly rich, and he lived in the city of Alexandria; and his father was governor of the city and he had married a wife and begotten children. After this his wife died and his children, and forthwith he gave all his possessions to the poor and needy. And he became a monk and he fought strenuously and became an ascetic, and he multiplied greatly his ascetic labors. And he pleased God by his works, and his faith, and the beauty of his singing, and his righteousness, and his excellence. And all the bishops of the country of Egypt agreed together, and they took him against his will and they made him Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, and he took his seat upon the throne of Mark the evangelist. And he read the Holy Gospel and his light appeared in the manner wherein he fulfilled the duties of his position and his office, and he worked many miracles and wonders. And he used to give to the poor and needy each day regularly whatsoever they lacked, and because of this Abba John, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, used to be called “the merciful.” And the Jews and pagans held him in great reverence, and they feared him and honored him, even as it is written in the history of his strife; and he shepherded his flock wisely and well, and he pleased God, and he died in peace. Salutation to Archbishop Kiri, who was called “John the Merciful.”

And on this day also Saint Xystus the bishop became a martyr by the hand of Maximus the governor, who tortured the holy man with severe tortures and then cut off his head with the sword. And Xystus received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. Salutation to Xystus the martyr.

And on this day also Saint Tatus (Tatia) became a martyr in the city of Rome, under Alexander the governor. Having had her brought before him he said unto her, “Sacrifice to my gods”; and she said, “I will only sacrifice to Jesus Christ my God.” And the governor commanded [his soldiers] to strip off the veil of her face, and when he saw her he marveled at her beauty. Her eyes were like the stars of the heavens, her figure was like the palm, and her beauty was like that of the rose; and there was none who could be compared with her at that time. When the governor saw her his heart was carried away by love for her, and he said unto her, “Obey me. Offer sacrifice to the great god Apollo, and I will make thee mistress of the palace.” And Saint Tatus (Tatia) said unto him, “I am the bride of Jesus Christ, and I will worship none but He. Permit me to go into the shrines of thy gods for I would see their power”; and the governor took her into the house of his gods. And when Saint Tatus (Tatia) had gone in she prayed and entreated God to destroy the idols, and straightway there was an earthquake, and the idols fell down from their thrones, and Apollo, their greatest idol, fell down and was broken in pieces, and many of the priests of the temple died. And the foul spirit who was in Apollo cried out, saying, “What hast thou to do with me, O holy woman of God? Behold thou hast broken in pieces my abode, and thou hast cast me out from it.” When the emperor saw this he commanded his soldiers to throw her down on her face and to beat her with whips until the blood flowed from her body, now her blood was as white as milk, and they beat her until their muscles were tired. And the angels of God inflicted pains on those who were beating her, but their torturing affected Saint Tatus (Tatia) in no way. And the emperor also commanded the soldiers to give her to a famished lion, but when the lion came to her he crouched at her feet and licked them; and a voice came from heaven, saying, “Rejoice, O pure one, for I am with thee.” And when the emperor saw that there was no way of touching her he commanded the soldiers to cut off her head with the sword, and the soldiers did so, and she finished her fight. And the Bishop of Rome came by night, and he wrapped her body up in costly cloths, and laid it in a chest inlaid with gold and silver, and innumerable miracles took place through her body. Salutation to Tatus (Tatia), perfect within and without, the dust at whose feet the lion licked.

And on this day also are commemorated Daniel the monk, and the Emperor Honorius. This Abba Daniel was a fighter in the desert of Scete, in the monastery of Abba Mararius, and he lived for forty years and a half without tasting bread, or fish, or honey, or oil, for he ate nothing except herbs and water. And after he had done this for [many] days, a boastful idea came to him, and he said in his heart, “Who is there among the dwellers in the desert of Scete that can fast as long as I do?” When God saw the pride of his heart He sent unto him a shining angel who said unto him, “Why, O Daniel, dost thou boast thyself thus arrogantly, which is not good? Our Lord Jesus Christ desires not pride but lowliness, and fear, and trembling.” And Daniel said unto the angel, “Tell me, my lord, if there is anyone better than myself so that I may go and see him and I will confess to my God that I have sinned.” And the angel said unto him, “Honorius, Emperor of Rome (Constantinia), is a pure and holy man, and a fearer of God, he shall be thy companion in the kingdom of the heavens.” When Abba Daniel heard this he bowed and knelt down on the ground, and threw dust on his head, and he asked God to bring him to the City of Rome (Constantinia) in His wisdom and power and to show him the emperor. And whilst he was praying thus a cloud came by the command of God and brought him to the gates of Constantinia, and he found there a servant of the Emperor Honorius. When the servant saw Abba Daniel, he was blessed by him, and he said unto him, “O my father, what is thy wish? For what hast thou come hither?” And Abba Daniel said unto him, “If thou art able to lead me to one of the nobles of the city so that he may take me to the emperor, [do so].” And the servant said unto him, “If I myself could take thee to the emperor wouldst thou come?” And Abba Daniel said unto him, “If thou hast power to bring me to him God be blessed.” And the servant said unto him, “O my father, what wouldst thou do with the sight of an earthly and mortal emperor? Would it not be better for thee to see the kingdom of the heavens?” And Abba Daniel said unto him, “If my God had not commanded me I should not have come hither.” And the servant said unto him, “Wait, O my father, until I buy what my master requires”; and straightway he bought bread, and salt, and vegetables, and vinegar. And the servant took him to the place where Honorius was with a fellow monk, whose name was Eulogius, according to his custom. After Honorius returned from the place of [giving] judgment, he put on sackcloth and clean raiment and sat down. And the servant leaving Abba Daniel outside the door went in, and when Honorius saw him he said unto him, “Art thou mad that thou makest Abba Daniel to stand outside the door?” And Honorius went out with his companion, and he received Abba Daniel, and bowed down at his feet, and they saluted each other with greetings of peace, and they went into the chamber and sat down; and at the ninth hour the servant brought them food to eat, and they rose up and prayed. Now Abba Daniel was afraid to eat bread lest he should fall ill, and he said unto Honorius and his companion, “O my lords, murmur not against me because I do not eat bread; it is not through pride that I refrain but through fear of sickness.” Then they gave him a few herbs and he ate according to his wont. When they had finished the prayer of the table Honorius enquired of Abba Daniel about his coming. And Abba Daniel said unto him, “If thou art able I wish thee to bring me to the Emperor, for I have come [to see him] at the command of Christ.” And on the following day Honorius put on royal apparel, which bewitched the sight, and he sat upon his throne, and he made [his servant] bring in Abba Daniel. And when Daniel saw the emperor he was afraid and trembled, and the servant seeing his fear took him from there and brought him to his abode. When the judging was ended Honorius threw off his [royal] apparel, and put on the garb of the monk, and went back to his dwelling. And when Abba Daniel saw him, he said, “Why didst thou not take me to the king, so that I might tell him what is in my heart and return to my place?” And Honorius said unto him, “Why didst thou come?” And Abba Daniel said unto him, “Thy servant brought me”; and when Honorius heard this he marveled and said unto him, “I am Honorius whom men call ‘Emperor of the Earth,’ and thou hast seen me sitting on my transitory throne.” When Abba Daniel heard this he bowed down at his feet, and adjured him to tell him the story of all his life. And the Emperor Honorius told him that for forty years he had neither eaten food nor worn raiment which he had not earned by the labor of his hands, that is to say the weaving of palm fiber, that what was left of his daily food he gave to the poor, that his food was bread, and herbs, and vinegar and salt, that he never cursed any man, that he never craved for the goods of any man, and that he had kept himself a virgin. When Abba Daniel heard this he said unto him, “Forgive me for boasting myself over thee”; and Abba Daniel departed to his place sorrowfully, and in tears. After two months had passed Honorius and his teacher Eulogius agreed together, and he departed from the palace, and God sent an angel who carried him to Abba Daniel, and they finished their strife and they both died on the same day; and Eulogius and his disciple also died on that day. Salutation to Honorius and to Abba Daniel his companion. Salutation to Eulogius and to his servant who dwell together in heaven. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 17 (November 26)

On this day is commemorated the translation of the body of the saint who is honored in all the ends of the world, John the Mouth of Gold (Chrysostom), Archbishop of the city of Constantinia (Constantinople). Now Saint John excommunicated the Empress Eudoxia because of the property of a widow, which she had taken from her by violence. And the empress made an excuse for herself, saying, “Kings have always been in the habit, if when they have been going about among estates they have seen any property which they wanted, of taking it, and giving the owner the value thereof, and I will give this widow the value of her estate”; now the widow did not wish to part with her estate. For this reason Saint John excommunicated the Empress Eudoxia, and he forbade her to enter the church, because she had not obeyed his command and let the property of the widow alone. And Satan came upon her, and she swelled with pride, and became furiously angry, and she gathered together to her the bishops whom Saint John had excommunicated because of their evil works and wicked faith. And they conspired together against him, and the empress drove him into exile to the island of the mountains ‘Adrakes. After a few years (days?) he returned to his office, and then the bishops gathered together and drove him into exile in the country of Armenia; and from there [he went] to a far city in the desert where he died. When Theodosius the Less, the son of Arcadius, reigned, he sent messengers and had the body of Saint John the Mouth of Gold (Chrysostom) brought to the city of Constantinia with great honor, and much singing, and music, five and thirty years after he was exiled, and it arrived on the twenty-second day of the month Genbot (May-June), according to what is said in the second volume of the Coptic Synopsis, and on the twenty-second day of the month Yakatit (Feb-March), according to the Greek books. And it is said that they laid the body in a coffer of afras stone, that is to say, marble, in the sanctuary, and great signs and wonders were made manifest through his body. Salutation to the translation of thy body, O John the Mouth of Gold (Chrysostom). Now the Book of the Exposition of Alexandria, and the Exposition which Abba John, Bishop of the city of Keft, wrote, and the Exposition of the Melchites agree together in stating that the death of John the Mouth of Gold (Chrysostom) took place on the seventeenth day of the month Khedar. The Exposition of the Jacobites saith that he died on the fourteenth day of the month Elul, that is to say, the seventeenth day of the month of Maskaram, and that, because of the festival of the Cross they changed it to the seventeenth day of Khedar. The old books record that his death took place on the twelfth day of the month Genbot, but I think that it was the carrying of his body up to the city of Constantinia which took place on that day, and behold it is [here] written on the seventeenth day of the month of Khedar.

And on this day also are commemorated that blessed Abraham and his wife Harik, and the righteous men [who suffered martyrdom in the desert of] Wasif, and Abba Sinoda the abbot. Salutation to Abraham, and his wife Harik, and their child Kedus ‘Amlak. Salutation to the martyrs of the desert of Wasif. Salutation to Abba Sinoda the abbot. [

And on this day is commemorated Walatta Petros the Ethiopian woman.] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 18 (November 27)

On this day the holy virgins Atrasis and Yona became martyrs. This Saint Atrasis was the daughter of King Iskandrianus who worshipped idols; and he made her a palace, and he established her therein by herself so that she might never see a man. And she used to think about the end of this world, and she asked God by day and by night to teach her the path of righteousness and integrity. And she saw a vision one night and it was as if one said unto her, “Send to the virgin Yona, the daughter of Philaspheron and she shall teach thee the way of God.” When she awoke from her dream her soul rejoiced and she sent a message to the virgin Yona who made haste to come unto her; and Atrasis embraced her, and bowed down at her feet, and she entreated her to teach her and make manifest to her the path of God. And Yona the virgin told her the reason why the Son of God became a man, and she began to tell her [the history of the world] from the time when God created our father Adam, and how He expelled him from the Garden; and she told her about the days of Noah, and how the water of the Flood came and destroyed all mankind, and how only eight men were left [alive], and how the earth was renewed once more, and how men worshipped idols, and how God appeared to our father Abraham, and how the Israelites went out from Egypt, and how the prophets proclaimed the coming of the Son of God, and how Satan was master of the world through the worship of idols, and how the Son of God came down from heaven, and took flesh of Mary so that He might save the children of men from the dominion of Satan. And Yona the virgin told her and made her to know about heavenly grace, and the kingdom which is for ever, which God gives unto those who labor for His holy Name’s sake. When Atrasis the virgin heard the words of Yona she rejoiced exceedingly; and the words of Yona the virgin were unto her sweeter than honey and sugar, and straightway she believed on God. And the two virgins lived together and they fasted and they prayed by day and by night; and the king, the father of Atrasis, knew nothing of this matter. One day they saw our Lord Jesus Christ, and His mother Mary the pure and holy Virgin, and she took the two virgins and brought them to her Son as an offering, and He blessed them. And the king, the father of Atrasis, departed to fight a battle, and when he came back he came to his daughter and said unto her, “Come, my daughter, cast incense to the god Apollo before thou comest to thy marriage (?).” And Atrasis the virgin said unto her father, “Why dost thou forsake the God of heaven and worship foul idols? Turn, O my father, to the God Who created thee and in Whose hand is thy soul and body.” When the king her father heard these words, the like of which he had never heard from her before, he marveled, and asked what had come to his daughter and what had changed her mind. And [his servants] told him, “It is Yona the virgin, the daughter of Philaspheron, who hath corrupted thy daughter’s heart.” And the king commanded [his soldiers] to burn them in the fire, and they dragged them out arrayed, as they were in costly raiment wherein gold and silver were woven in cunning devices, and they did not strip them naked because they were daughters of kings. And there were many of their slaves, and their handmaidens, both small and great, who wept for them, and the men of the city also wept and were sorry for those virgins, and they begged them to submit to the king so that he might not kill them; but they would not turn from their good counsel, and their divine love. And straightway the soldiers dug pits in the ground and they lighted fires therein and the flames thereof rose to a great height. And the two virgins took each other’s hand and they cast themselves into the fire, and the people saw them standing up in the fire with their faces turned towards the east, and they were praying, and after that they died. Now the fire was unto them as cool water. And certain believing men took away their bodies, and their countenances were unchanged, and their apparel was unscorched, and the fire had not touched the hair of their head; and they laid them in a good place with great honor until the end of the days of persecution. And they built a fine church and laid their bodies therein, and great signs and wonders were wrought there through them. Salutation to the virgins Atrasis and Yona who died in the fire holding each other’s hand.

And on this day also died Philip the apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles. Now the lot fell upon this apostle to go to the country of ‘Afrakya (Phrygia), and all the region round about, and he preached to the people thereof the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, our God and Redeemer; and he worked miracles there which astonished the hearts [of men]. And when Peter and Philip drew nigh to the city a certain man in whom was an evil spirit received them, and he cried out, saying, “O Apostles of Christ, I will not let you go into the city.” And Peter knew that [he was possessed of] a spirit of devils, and then and there he rebuked him, and Satan went out of him, and the man was healed and he followed the apostles into the city. Now there was above the gate of the city an exceedingly high pillar, and when they came to that gate Peter entreated God, saying, “I beseech Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, that this gate, and this high pillar and the things which are on it may fall down upon the earth in such a manner that the hand of a man may touch them.” And at that moment the gate, and the pillar, and the things, which were on it, fell down upon the earth, and they appeared to be like the face of the earth. And Peter said unto the man from whom the foul spirit had gone forth, “Go up and cry out,” and he cried out, saying, “Apostle of Christ, I will cry out as thou commandest me.” And similarly he commanded him to speak with his mouth so that awe might fall upon the men of that city. And that man went up from the ground upon the pillar which had stood over the gate, and Peter said unto him, “In the Name of my Lord Jesus Christ let it be raised up,” and at that very moment the gate raised itself up, and the pillar which was upon it, and the doors resumed the place which they had formerly. And the man cried out with a loud voice, saying, “O men who live in this city, assemble ye in the place where are the Apostles of Christ, our Lord, that they may bless you and may entreat Him to forgive you your sins.” And whilst the man was standing upon the top of the pillar and saying these words, there was an earthquake and lightning, and the men of the city were frightened, and they feared exceedingly, and they went into the houses, and caverns, and islands (sic), and the lightning pursued them wherever they went; and many men, and women also, died of fright at the noise of the thunder and the lightening. And because of this groups of people came to the apostles, and they looked at them, their hands being stretched out, and they made supplication to God, and they fell on the ground and bowed low before them, saying, “O servants of God, we beseech thee to have mercy upon us.” And the apostles made entreaty to God on their behalf, and the thunder ceased and there was no more lightning; and they all believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, and the apostles brought them to the knowledge of God, and after this they made them to enter the True Faith. And [Philip] went outside the city and turned the people to the knowledge of God, but those who did not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ took counsel together against Philip so that they might seize him and kill him. Now they enjoyed the favor of the king, and he would not allow them to enter into their alien city. When Philip came to them they rose up against him, and seized him, and shut him up in prison. And he used to laugh before them, and say unto them, “Why do ye go away from everlasting life, and why do ye not think about the salvation of your souls?” And they rose up against him, and seized him, and shut him up in prison; and they tortured him with severe tortures, and they suspended him head downwards, and he delivered up his soul whilst still under torture. And when they wanted to burn his body in the fire, an angel of God snatched it out of their hands whilst they stood looking at him, and he carried it to a place outside the city of Jerusalem. And when they saw this great miracle they all cried out with a loud voice, saying, “One is the Lord God of Saint Philip the apostle.” And they were sorry and repented that they had tortured him, and they entreated God by day and by night until the body of Saint Philip returned. And when they saw it they rejoiced exceedingly, and they came back to the Faith of our Lord Christ, and through the body of Philip God made manifest signs and miracles. Salutation to Philip and Eleutherus.

And on this day also Eleutherus, and his mother Entia, who belonged to a noble family of the city of Rome, became martyrs. This holy man was brought up by a God-fearing bishop whose name was Anicetus. When he was sixteen years of age he was made a deacon, when he was eighteen he was made a priest, and at the age of twenty years he was made bishop of the country of ‘Elerikos. In those days Andrianus the emperor came to the city of Rome, and when he heard about Eleutherus he commanded Pilkes to bring him to him; and Pilkes found him in the church teaching the Word of God. When Pilkes heard the Faith of Eleutherus, he believed and was baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ. When he had brought Eleutherus to Andrianus the emperor, he said unto him, “Offer sacrifice to the gods. Thou art a free man, why dost thou worship a man who was crucified?” And Eleutherus said, “My freedom is the Cross of Jesus Christ, Who is the Creator of the heavens and of the earth.” When the emperor heard this he commanded [his soldiers] to throw him into a red-hot oven and to shut him in; and they did so, and straightway the fiery oven was cooled; and [they threw him on the wheel, and] the wheel was broken. When the emperor saw this he marveled greatly, and not knowing what to do he commanded the soldiers to throw him into prison. And a raven brought him food from the Garden (i.e. Paradise) and he ate and was satisfied. And when Illyricus (?) the governor saw him, he believed in the God of Saint Eleutherus, and they cut off his head with a sword. And Andrianus commanded his soldiers to bring small horses, and to harness them to a chariot, and they tied Eleutherus to the middle of the chariot, and they dragged him about until is limbs were cut to pieces. And straightway an angel of God came down and released him from his fetters, and he took him into a high place, and he sat down with the wild beasts glorifying God. And straightway Andrianus ordered his soldiers to hunt down the wild beasts that were in the mountain in which they had found Eleutherus, and they took Eleutherus to Andrianus the emperor. When they had brought him to him the emperor commanded them to give him to the lions, and when the lions came they licked the moisture from his face and feet; and all the men of Rome wondered. Now the lions had slain fifty hundred pagans. When the emperor saw this he was filled with wrath, and he commanded two soldiers to spear him [and they did so]. And his mother Entia also--after they had tortured her greatly, they speared her with him, and whilst she was embracing the neck of her son they delivered up their souls to God. Salutation to Eleutherus. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 19 (November 28)

On this day took place the consecration of the church of Saint Sergius and Saint Bacchus in the city of Rusafa. Now, Saint Sergius having been martyred in the city of Rusafa certain believing men took his body and prepared it for burial [and kept it] with them, and they lighted lamps before it; and it remained hidden with them until the end of the days of persecution when they brought it out and built a fine church for it. And there gathered together about him in the church fifteen bishops, and they consecrated it on this day, and many signs and wonders took place through it. And when they removed his body and laid it in the church there flowed forth from it scented unguent, the perfume whereof was exceedingly sweet, and it healed all the sick folk who received some of it in faith and in True Faith; and to this day a sweet odor floweth forth from his body. Salutation to the bishops who consecrated the shrine of Sergius.

And on this day also is the beginning of the fasting service of the birth of our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ for all the Christians of Rome and ‘Afrangi (Europe?), and Syria and Armenia, with the exception of the men of Egypt and Ethiopia and Noba.

And on this day also is commemorated Saint Bartholomew the apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles. And his preaching took place in the country of Al-Khargah (the Great Oasis), and at length he turned many to the knowledge of God. His martyrdom took place on the first day of Maskaram. Salutation to the fighting apostle who was tied up in a hair sack and cast into the sea.

And on this day also became martyrs Saints Theophilus, and his wife Patricia, and their son Damalis. This holy man was brought up in the fear of God and in the service of Christ. And certain men went and told ‘Antihipotos, the governor, that he was a Christian, and the governor, who was in the temple of Jupiter, ordered his soldiers to bring him to him. When they had brought him the governor said unto him, “Whence art thou? What is thy faith?” And Theophilus said unto him, “I am a Christian and I believe on my Lord Jesus Christ.” And the governor said unto him, “Offer sacrifice to the gods so that thou mayest not die an evil death”; and Theophilus said unto him, “I will only sacrifice to my Lord Jesus Christ.” And the governor commanded his soldiers to hang him up and to scrape his body until his bowels appeared, [and they did so], but he was protected and did not suffer. Then the governor ordered them to light a fire and to cast him into it, [and they did so], but when the saint had prayed in the midst of the fire, the fire was scattered and the saint came forth from it untouched thereby. And the governor seeing this ordered them to cast him into prison and to keep him under very strict restraint so that he might died of hunger, [and they did so]. Eight days after this his wife Patricia came to him carrying her boy, and she encouraged him to become a martyr and to die for the Name of Christ. And the governor went into the prison house to enquire if anyone had given any food to Saint Theophilus. When he opened the door of the prison house the sweet smell of incense met him, and he found Saint Theophilus sitting upon a cushion, which had been spread out, and three angels were with him, and they were eating milk and honey. When the governor saw this he was terrified and withdrew. On the following day the governor commanded the soldiers to bring Theophilus to him, and he went, his wife accompanying him. And the governor said unto him, “Sacrifice to the god Jupiter.” And Theophilus said unto him, “I will only sacrifice to my Lord Jesus Christ.” And the governor commanded the soldiers to throw him to the lions, [and they did so], and the lions rushed at him and kissed his feet, but in doing this by the Will of God they wounded him slightly, and he delivered up his soul to God. And Saint Patricia took his body and put it into a chest, and the governor ordered his soldiers to take her into the amphitheatre and to give her to the lions, [and they did so]. When the boy Damalis saw this he laughed, and said, “I believe in the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost”; now the child spoke being only five months old, and he was crowned by the lion. Salutation to Theophilus and his wife Patricia, and Salutation to their son Damalis, who though ignorant of the names of his father and mother shed his blood for Christ. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 20 (November 29)

On this day died the holy father Anianus, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, the second from Mark the evangelist. This holy man was a native of Alexandria and his parents were infidel pagans, and his trade was that of a sandal maker. When Saint Mark the evangelist and apostle came into the city of Alexandria, by the Will and wisdom of God he struck his foot against a stone and broke the latchet of his sandals, and he gave the sandal to this Saint Anianus to sew for him. And when he took the sandal to sew it, he thrust his awl into it, and it passed right through it and pierced his finger; and he said in the Greek tongue, “Istaos (Eis Theos),” which being interpreted is “One God.” When Saint Mark the evangelist heard him mention the Name of God, he took up some dust from the ground and spat spittle upon it, and laid it upon the finger of Anianus and healed it immediately; and Anianus marveled at this, and he took Saint Mark and brought him into his house, and he asked him about his name and Faith, and from what place he had come. Then Saint Mark began to tell him from the Old and the New Testaments concerning the Godhead of our Lord Christ, and His wisdom, and His being made man, and His Death and Resurrection, and the working of miracles in His holy Name. And he illumined the heart of Saint Anianus, and he believed in the Lord Christ, and the men of his house also, and they were baptized in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and the Divine Grace of the Holy Spirit came down upon them. And they became devoted hearers of the doctrine of Saint Mark the apostle, and Anianus learned all the doctrine of the Church, and her ordinances and her Law. When Saint Mark the apostle wished to go to Pentapolis to preach, he laid his hand upon the head of Saint Anianus and made him Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. And he used to preach to the men thereof, and baptize them secretly, and help the believers and strengthen them in the True Faith. And he set apart his own house for a church, and it is said, that this church, which is outside the city of Alexandria on the west, was known to Saint George the martyr. And this Saint Anianus sat upon the throne of Mark the evangelist twelve years, and he died in peace. Salutation to Anianus who protected his flock against the jaws of the ravening wolf, and received the reward of the shepherd in heaven.

And on this day also took place the consecration of the church of Saint Theodore the general. Salutation to the consecration of thy church, O Saint Theodore the martyr! Save me even as thou didst save the son of the Hebrew woman. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 21 (November 30)

And on this day also died Saint Gregory, the worker of signs and wonders. This holy man came from the country of Rome, and from his earliest years he was taught philosophy and the True Faith. He was a true Christian, and he remembered the end of this world, and the never-ending abidingness of the kingdom of the heavens, and he devoted all his mind to the salvation of his soul. And the bishop of that city asked him to help him in the work of his episcopate, but he did not wish for this for he used to flee from the praises of men; after this he fled to the desert where he fought a good fight. When the bishop of that city died [the priests] tried to make him bishop, but they could not find him; and when the people were gathered together, and Gregory, the preacher of Divinity, was with them, a voice came unto them saying, “Seek for Gregory, the dweller in the desert, and set him over you.” And they sought for him but found him not, and they continued [to seek for him] for many days. And whilst they were seeking for him in the desert and mountains, he was nigh unto them though they knew it not. And when they found him not they all with one accord agreed and took a Book of the Gospels and set it over them, and this Book which they set over them they named “Gregory, the preacher of Godhead.” And the angel of the Lord appeared unto this Saint Gregory, and said unto him, “Rise up and get thee gone, for they have made thee bishop over them; and refuse not this thing, for it is from God.” And he was unable to resist the Divine command, and he descended from the mountain, and went to them, and they went forth to meet him with great honor, and they carried out his enthronement. And God made manifest through him signs and wonders innumerable, and because of this he was called “Gregory, the worker of signs and miracles,” because of the multitude of his signs and wonders. Now there was a certain small lake wherein two brethren used to catch many fish, which they sold for much money, and they disputed between themselves about the lake, each one saying, “This Lake belongs to me only.” When they were unable to agree about it they came to Bishop Gregory to make a decision about that lake for them, and he decided that they should divide the lake between them. And when they refused to agree together as he commanded them, and they would not do as the saint told them, but each continued to say, “I will take it for myself,” straightway Saint Gregory asked God concerning that lake. And the earth swallowed up the lake, and the water became dry land, and it remains so to this day. And the report of the signs and wonders, which he used to work, was heard in all the earth; and having finished his good fight he died in peace [and departed] from this fleeting world and entered into everlasting joy. Salutation to Gregory whose odor is sweeter then cinnamon, and who dried up a lake about which two brethren quarreled.

And on this day also died the holy father Abba Cosmas, the fifty-first Archbishop of the city of Alexandria. On this holy man came tribulation and much sorrow, and in his days great tribulation came upon the Christians. And about that time also the King of the Muslims put them to shame, for he commanded that the Christians and the Jews should not wear white apparel, and that they should distinguish themselves by wearing apparel the color of indigo. And in the days of this holy father many signs and wonders appeared, and among them was the wonder of the figure of our holy Lady the Virgin Mary, which was in the church of Saint Severus in the desert of Scete; this figure opened itself down on one side, and from it much blood flowed. And there were many figures [of the Virgin] in the country of Egypt from the eyes of which tears flowed in abundance, and those who have understanding and wisdom will know that this took place because of the tribulation, and trials and sorrow which came upon the bishops and the believers. And after this God gave good days in the place of those days which were bad. And this father taught the believers continually, and he strengthened them in the True Faith; and he sat upon the throne of Mark for seven years and five months. He died on the twenty-first day of the month of Khedar in the five hundred and seventy-fifth year of the martyrs (A.D. 859), and he was buried in a cave near Donosor. Salutation to thy upright episcopacy, thou on account of whose sorrow the figure of the Virgin shed tears.

And on this day also are commemorated the holy martyrs Alphaeus, and Zacchaeus, and Romanus, and John, and Thomas, and Victor, and Isaac from the city of Eshmunen. Salutation to you, O ye bright stars of Eshmunen.

And on this day also died Abba John of the city of Asyut. The parents of this holy man were glassmakers, and when this saint was born they brought him up under good admonitions and teaching; after he grew up they taught him the craft of the carpenter, and after a few days, when his father and his mother were dead, he departed to the saints Abba Isidore and Abba Bayman and adopted the garb of the monk; and he devoted himself so strenuously to fasting and prayer that his name was heard of in remote monasteries. Then the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and commanded him to go to his own country and to teach the people thereof the way of righteousness. Now he never left his cell except to receive the Offering. And one day two holy old men came to him, Abba Abzel and Abba Besoy, and before they had come near him he cried out from a distance, saying, “Peace to your visit, O my fathers,” and he addressed them by their names though he knew them not. And they marveled greatly. And Saint Sinoda, the pillar of Egypt, used to visit him often and embrace him. When the wicked pagans attacked the land of Egypt and war broke out, the Emperor Theodosius sent the governor of Egypt who marched against them. And he sent Saint John and took his cross, and the saint said unto the governor, “Fear not. Thou shalt conquer,” and so it came to pass according to his word. And war broke out a second time against Theodosius, and he sent [to enquire of] Saint John [how it would end, and the saint said unto him], “Be not sad. Thou shalt conquer,” and the Emperor Maximianus conquered them (i.e. the enemy). One day the Emperor Theodosius commanded [his soldiers] to kill the men of Asyut and to plunder their city because of the great work of foulness, which they had done. Now the angel of God made Abba John to know this before the governor arrived. When the men of the city heard of the emperor’s command they went up the mountain to Abba John [and he said unto them], “Be not sad, for God will save you.” When the governor arrived, he came into the cell of this holy man John in order to be blessed by him, and Abba John told the governor everything which the emperor had commanded; and when the governor heard this he was amazed and he prostrated himself before his holiness. And the governor had a son who was eighteen years old and who was possessed by the spirit of a devil, and he asked the holy man to heal him. And the holy may prayed over some oil and water, and having anointed him therewith he was healed straightway. Then the saint asked the governor to write to the emperor, and to abandon the slaughter of the men of Asyut, and the governor wrote a letter to him and gave it to Abba John. And having taken the letter and gone into his cell, he prayed, and a cloud of light came and it took up Abba John and brought him to the emperor, and when the emperor had a table prepared Saint John threw the letter upon it. And the emperor took it and read it, and he found that it was the letter, which the governor had written for Father John. And having lifted up his eyes he saw a cloud of light above him, and he was terrified. Then he wrote a letter to the governor in his own handwriting and under his own secret sign, [telling him] to abandon the destruction of the city through the prayer of Abba John. And the emperor threw his letter on the cloud, and those who were assembled there saw a hand receive it, and it went inside the cloud; and during that night the saint returned to the mountain; and on the following day he gave the letter with the emperor’s seal upon it to the governor. When the governor saw it he was amazed, and he praised God for the saving of the city, and he departed to his own country. And the fame of Saint John being noised abroad a certain noble lady, a kinswoman of the emperor, went to him to be healed of her disease, and by his prayer she was healed. Then the Emperor Theodosius died and the wicked Marcian reigned, and he brought tribulation upon our father Dioscurus. And Abba John sent him a letter abusing him and cursing him because he had changed the Faith, and after a few days God killed him. When Abba John was one hundred and twenty-five years old he knew that his [time of] rest had come, and as he was praying to God he fell forward on his face on the ground, and delivered up his soul into the hand of his Creator. And innumerable signs and wonders appeared at his grave. Salutation to John who was arrayed in holiness.

And on this day took place the translation of the body of Saint Deborah, who is also called “Tchebare,” of the city of Dalbat; her story is written in the book of her strife. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 22 (December 1)

On this day became martyrs Cosmas, and Damianus, and the brethren ‘Antimos (Arithimus), and Londius (Leontius), and Abranius, and their mother Theodata. These saints were natives of the city of Deyoma, in the country of Arabia, and came from the temple, which was built in the Name of the Son of God. Their mother was a woman who feared God, and she was compassionate and gave large gifts to the pilgrims. After the death of their father this widow brought them up and taught them the fear of God. Now Cosmas and Damianus having learned practical philosophy (i.e. medicine) used to heal all those who were sick without fees and without gifts, and especially those who were poor; and their three brothers departed to the desert and became monks. Now Diocletian denied Christ because of [the son of] the King of Kuez (Khuzistan), whom he had committed for safe keeping to a bishop whose name was Gagyos. Abba Gagyos took an oath to the Emperor Diocletian that the son of the King of Kuez (Khuzistan?) had died in his house, and that he had buried him with his own hands, [whereas the bishop had connived at the prince’s escape]. For this reason Diocletian worshipped foul and brutish idols, and commanded all the people who were in his kingdom to worship idols. And certain men accused Cosmas and Damianus of preaching in the Name of Christ in every city, and of ordering the people not to worship idols. And Diocletian sent letters commanding his soldiers to bring them to him, and they did so, and they handed them over to Lasius the governor of the city, who tortured them severely with fire, and beat them cruelly with whips. Then he asked them questions about their three brothers, and when he knew the place where they were, he sent men and they brought them and their mother also with them. Then he commanded the soldiers to torture the five of them on the wheel, and they did as he commanded. And after this they cast them into a red-hot fiery furnace, and they remained therein for three days and three nights and were unharmed. And they also cast them into the blazing furnace of the baths, and burned them upon [a red-hot] iron bed, but in spite of all these tortures they were not able to overcome them, and God raised them up whole and unharmed. When the governor was weary of torturing them, he handed them over to the emperor who also tortured them cruelly. And their mother encouraged them to endure, and she comforted them and she cursed the emperor to his face and his filthy idols. And straightway the emperor commanded the soldiers to cut off her head with the sword, and they cut off her head, and she received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And her body was cast out on the earth and no man dared to bury it. Then Cosmas cried out, saying, “O men of this city, is there not among you one man who hath in him sufficient mercy to hide the body of this poor old widow and bury it?” And straightway Victor, the son of Romanus, came, and he was bold enough to take her body and prepare it for the grave and bury it. When the emperor heard that Victor had buried her body he was wroth and he commanded his soldiers to drive him into exile in the land of Egypt where he received the crown of martyrdom. And as concerning Cosmas and Damianus and their brethren the emperor commanded his soldiers to cut off their heads with the sword, [and they did so], and they received crowns of martyrdom and life everlasting in the kingdom of the heavens. After the days of persecution were ended a church was built for them, and God made manifest many signs and wonders [through their bodies]. Salutation to the children of Theodata, who are to be praised.

And on this day also became martyrs two hundred and ninety-two men, and nine and forty women who were companions of Saint Cosmas. Salutation to these martyrs. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 23 (December 2)

On this day died the great Saint Cornelius. This holy man was the captain of one hundred men in Caesarea of Palestine and he worshipped the stars. And when he heard the preaching of the apostles and saw the signs and wonders which God wrought by their hands, not one of which other men could do, and not one of which the gods whom they worshipped could do, his heart fell into despair and doubt concerning the gods whom he worshipped. And straightway he abandoned the worship of idols, and he fasted and he prayed by day and by night. And when he prayed he said also, “O God, since I am terrified at Thy knowledge, have mercy upon me, and guide me into Thy way.” And he gave alms to the poor continually, and love towards all men was in his heart, and God had compassion upon him, and sent to him an angel who comforted him and told him that his prayers and his alms had ascended before God and had been accepted by Him. And the angel of the Lord commanded him to send to the city of Joppa, and to summon Peter the Apostle from the house of Simon the sewer, so that he might have mercy upon him and show him the way of God; and he sent and brought him. And when Peter the Apostle came to him Cornelius bowed down before him at his feet, and Peter the Apostle raised him up, and said unto him, “I am a man even as thou art.” And Peter found with him many of the people, and he instructed them and said unto them, “The Law of the Torah (Pentateuch) prohibiteth us from mingling with the uncircumcised, but God hath shown me in a vision and hath made me to know that it is not desirable for me to say who I am among men and that any man is unclean. For this reason I came to you when ye called me; what do ye want?” And Cornelius answered and said unto him, “Three days ago I was praying at the time of the ninth hour, and behold a man stood before me in white apparel, and he shone brightly. And he commanded me to call thee and behold thou hast come and we are all before thee to listen to whatsoever thou commandest, and what thou shalt command us to do from God.” And Peter the Apostle opened his mouth, and told him about Christ, and he informed him concerning the mystery of the working of His wisdom, and His being made man, and His Crucifixion and His Resurrection, and His Ascension into heaven, and the working of miracles in His Name. And Cornelius believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, and all his men, and his slaves, and many of the people who were with him, and they were baptized in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. And straightway the Holy Spirit descended upon them, according to the testimony concerning this matter in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. Then Cornelius abandoned his business and rank in this world, and Peter gave him the position of a servant of Christ, and appointed him Bishop of the city of Alexandria. And Cornelius went there and preached in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and he showed their error to those who worshipped idols, and he illumined their hearts with the knowledge of God, and he strengthened their hearts by working signs and miracles before them. And having baptized Demetrius, the governor, he baptized all the men of the city; and he died in peace and received a crown like the apostles who preached. Salutation to Cornelius, one of the Seventy-two disciples.

And on this day also died Abadiah the prophet, whose name being interpreted is “servant of God,” and “he gives thanks to God.” This righteous man was a native of the city of Susem (Shechem) in the district of Bet-Kherum (Beth-Ephraim). He was the disciple of Elijah the prophet, and he endured many trials, which came upon him, and he was saved from them (?) by patient endurance. He was the captain of the third fifty whom Elijah the prophet spared, and he went down and departed with him to Ahaz the king. After this he forsook the service of the king in the country and prophesied; and when he died he was buried with his fathers in peace. Salutation to Obadiah who was clothed with the spirit of knowledge.

And on this day also was consecrated the church of Marina. [This paragraph is wanting in the Bodleian MS]. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 24 (December 3)

On this day is commemorated the festival of the Four and Twenty Priests of heaven, who are round about the throne of God, who are priests indeed, and who are beings of the spirit and have no bodies. They are exalted above all the saints and the spiritual hosts. They are saints with God and they make intercession on behalf of the race of men, and they bring unto Him the prayers of the saints like incense in the censers, which they have, in their hands. And alms and oblations cannot ascend to God except through them even as Saint John the evangelist says in the Vision of the Apocalypse, “I saw the place of Four and Twenty elders round about Him, and they were sitting on four and twenty thrones; and on their heads were four and twenty crowns, and in their hands were four and twenty censers containing sweet-smelling incense, which is the prayers of the saints who dwell upon earth, and which they make to rise up before God, the Sustainer of the Universe.” And he also says, “And I heard Four Beasts praising and saying, Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord [God] of Hosts, the heavens and the earth are filled full of the holiness of Thy glory. And straightway the four and twenty priests of heaven fell down with their faces to the ground, and they took off their crowns, and they said unto Him, Glory, and honor, and thanks are fitting for Thee. And when a command went forth from God they fell down again with their faces to the ground, saying, Glory, and power, and judgment, and righteousness belong to our God” (Rev. iv and v). And because the doctors of the Church have found statements about these Four and Twenty Priests of heaven in the Holy Scriptures, and have seen stories told of them by the Apostles and in their Canon, saying that they are nigh unto God, they have ordered and ruled, saying, “The name of him that celebrates their commemoration shall be revealed upon earth. And they shall entreat God on his behalf to forgive him all his sins.” Therefore the doctors of the Church tell the people to honor the festival of the commemoration of the Four and Twenty Priests of heaven. Salutation to you, O priests of the Law.

And on this day Azkir, the priest of Nagran, and eight and thirty men who were with him became martyrs in the days of the kingdom of Sarabhel, the King of Hamir. And he commanded his soldiers to bring ‘Azkir to him, and they brought him into the prison house and shut the door on him, and he commanded the keepers of the prison that no man was to be taken to him. And when Saint ‘Azkir had prayed, the doors of the prison house were opened, and fifty men came in, and he made a cistern of water there, and he baptized them therein in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. When Sarabhel the king heard this he commanded his soldiers to bring ‘Azkir out of the prison house and to take him to another place; and the holy man met a man whose name was Cyriacus, who said unto him, “Good news for thee, O ‘Azkir; they are taking thee to martyrdom.” When the king’s guards heard this they bound Cyriacus with ‘Azkir in fetters. And on the road they met two men, and they said unto him, “Baptize us for Christ’s sake”; and ‘Azkir prayed to God, and water sprang up in the desert, and he baptized the two men and Cyriacus. When they reached the desert the guards and their beasts lacked water, and they besought Saint ‘Azkir to entreat God on their behalf because they were short of water. And ‘Azkir prayed to God and straightway a cloud came and poured down rain into the waterholes to the depth of the hand, and seven hundred men and their beasts drank of that water and were satisfied. And they brought ‘Azkir to the King of Hamir, and he said unto him, “What is this new doctrine which thou hast brought into my country?” And Saint ‘Azkir said unto him, “It is not a new doctrine, but one which the prophets have preached in the Book of the Law, and it hath been heard that the King of the Jews was crucified in the Christian Faith.” And one of the Rabbanat rose up and said unto the king, “O my lord, command [thy soldiers] to take him into the city, and let them hang him upon a tree, and burn him alive”; and the king commanded according to his words. And when they had brought ‘Azkir to the city of Nagran they hung him upon a tree and lighted a fire [under him]. And when Saint ‘Azkir had prayed, his fetters were loosed and he went forth alive from the fire. And the Jews said also, “Come, let us stone him”; and the greater number of the Jews killed him by stoning, and the rest took swords and cut off his head. Thus Saint ‘Azkir finished his martyrdom and departed to everlasting life. Salutation to ‘Azkir.

And on this day also are commemorated Claudius, and Gayyos, and Artyo, and Dioscurus the martyr, who died on this day.

And on this day also died Abba Yosef (Joseph) of the city of Sana. The parents of this holy man were rich in faith, and they had no son except Yosef (Joseph); and they brought him up very carefully and piously, and they taught him the Books of the Church. Now his form and appearance resembled those of Joseph, the son of Jacob. When he had grown up there entered into his heart the remembrance of death and the transitoriness of the world, and he went into a monastery and became a monk, and a fighter in the spirit; he devoted himself to fasting and to prayer, and he shut himself in his cell, and never went out except on the day of the Sabbath, at the time of the Offering. And the report of him was noised abroad, and the men of Adyam came to him to receive his blessing. And his father and his mother had no news of him, and they continued to make supplication to God that He would enable them to find him; and when they heard the report of him they went to him so that he might pray for the discovery of their son. When they came to him he knew them, but they did not know him, and after the men had removed themselves he made himself known unto them, and commanded them to tell no man; and he comforted them and sent them away in peace. And God bestowed upon him the power to work signs and wonders, and at length Satan was envious of him. And he went to the governor of the city and told him that this holy man had much money, and the governor sent soldiers who bound the holy man in fetters and brought him to the prison house. On the following day when they looked for him they found the fetters thrown about on the ground; and the governor was terrified and bowed down at his feet and did reverence to him and sent him into his own house. After much strenuous fighting he died in peace, and signs and wonders, which were innumerable, appeared at his grave. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 25 (December 4)

On this day became a martyr Philopator (which is being interpreted “lover of the Father”) Mercurius, and this name also being interpreted is “servant of Jesus Christ.” This holy man was a native of the city of ‘Asletes, which was also the city of his father, and his grandfather who were born therein, and he was brought up in the city of Rome. Now the occupation of his father, and grandfather, and his kinsmen was that of hunters of wild beasts. One day they went out hunting, according to their custom, and they found two men with the faces of dogs, and they ate his grandfather, and they also wanted to eat his father, but the angel of the Lord prevented them from doing so. And the angel said unto them, “Touch him not, for from him shall go forth good fruit.” Then the angel of the Lord surrounded them with fire, and being in tribulation, the two Dog-faces came to the father of Saint Mercurius, and they bowed low before him. And straightway God changed their [savage] nature to one of gentleness, and they became like sheep and went with him to the city. And after he had begotten the holy man Mercurius, and called his name “Philopator,” the Dog-faces lived with them for many days, and then they became Christians; now the ancestors of the holy man had been in days of old pagans. And when they received the gift of Christian baptism, they called the father of the holy man “Noah,” and his mother “Tabot,” and Philopator “Mercurius.” And the Dog-faces, according to what the angel of the Lord said unto them when he appeared unto them, were in subjection to the holy man Mercurius, and his father. And when the king heard the story of the Dog-faces and how God had changed their savage natures, [he ordered his soldiers to bring in wild beasts] before the king, and the Dog-faces destroyed all the wild beasts, which the king brought before them. When the king saw this he was afraid of them exceedingly, and he asked the father of Saint Mercurius to entreat God to remove from them their savage nature, and to make them to possess the nature of men; and he asked God, and God changed their nature and they became like men. Then the king took the holy father Mercurius and appointed him governor and captain of the army, and these Dog-faces were subject unto him, and all the people were afraid of them. After this a certain wicked king rose up and he wished to make war upon another king, and the king sent his soldiers to entice those Dog-faces and to bring them to him. And that wicked king, who wished to make war on the king of the city wherein the father of Saint Mercurius lived, enticed them. And straightway he was angry at the Dog-faces, and he punished one of them, who became a martyr thereby, and the other fled. When the father of Saint Mercurius returned to the city he sought for his son and his mother and found them not. Now the king, having heard that the father of Saint Mercurius was killed in battle, decided to take the mother of Saint Mercurius and marry her. And one of the soldiers of the king knowing what the king intended to do, went and told the mother of Saint Mercurius what the king had decided concerning her. When she heard this she asked him to take [her] out secretly, and she went out with her son the blessed Mercurius. And his father having sought for his wife and his son, and found them not, knew not in the least what had become of them. And the king was afraid because he thought that the Dog-faces lived with him, and that he would become angry and would turn them loose, and they would destroy all the city. And the king commanded his servants not to tell him that he intended to marry his wife. After this war broke out against the king, and the father of Saint Mercurius went out to fight, and the king took him prisoner. Now by the Will of God the king of Rome was a Christian. And when he knew that the father of Saint Mercurius was a Christian, he spared him and did not kill him, and he made him governor of all the city of the Mardosaweyan. And by the Will of God Saint Mercurius and his mother were in the city of Rome, and when his father came into the church the mother of Saint Mercurius saw him and knew that he was her husband. One day when they were sitting in the guest house the father of Mercurius and his soldiers rode out, and the mother of the blessed Mercurius dressed her son in the fine raiment which he used to wear in the royal city, and commanded him to go and mount the horse of the governor, that is to say of his father. And having mounted the governor’s horse, the soldiers seized him and brought him before the governor, that is to say his father, who did not know that he was his son, and he was angry with him. And the mother of Mercurius came to her husband, now he did not know that she was his wife, and she said unto him, “We are strangers, and when I knew that thou was a stranger I thought that my son might be with thee”; and when he asked her questions and enquired concerning her journey she told him that she was his wife. And straightway he knew her and he knew his son Mercurius, and he placed [him] in the church, and they lived there together. When the father and mother of Saint Mercurius died, the king took him and made him governor of the city of the Mardosaweyan in his father’s stead; and the one Dog-face that had remained with him up to the time he was appointed governor, used to go forth with Mercurius in battle. When they wanted to fight God used to restore to the Dog-face his original savage nature, and there was none who could stand before him. And there were given to this Saint Mercurius power, and great strength, and he was more renowned and more exalted than all the other officers of the kingdom. Now the Emperor of Rome in those days was called Decius and he worshipped idols. And his enemies the Barbarians rose up against him, and he assembled his armies and went forth to fight against them; and they were an many as the sand of the sea, and the emperor was dismayed and was afraid. And Saint Mercurius said unto him, “Fear not, for God shall assuredly destroy our enemies and bring them into our hand.” Now Mercurius saw before him in the battle the angel of the Lord, and he had a drawn sword in his hand, and he said unto them, “Conquer and fear not, O Mercurius.” And after this a shining man in white apparel appeared unto him, and he had in his hand a drawn sword, which he gave to Mercurius, saying, “When thou hast overcome thine enemies remember the Lord thy God.” And straightway Mercurius conquered his enemies and returned in great joy. Then the angel of the Lord appeared, and said unto him, “Why hast thou forgotten and hast not remembered the Name of the Lord thy God?” And the period of the war being ended the Emperor Decius want to offer up incense to the gods on behalf of himself and his army. And Saint Mercurius tarried behind, and did not go forth with the emperor to the festival in the temple. And a certain man informed the Emperor Decius and said unto him, “Saint Mercurius hath not come with thy army, and he hath not associated himself with the offering of incense to the gods.” And the emperor sent straightway and had Mercurius brought to him, and he marveled at him, the love for him having forsaken his heart. And the emperor said unto him, “Why hast thou forgotten thy love for me and hast not come with me to offer incense to the gods?” And straightway Saint Mercurius cast his girdle and his military attire down before the Emperor Decius, and he said unto him, “I will not deny my Lord Jesus Christ, and I will not bow down to filthy idols.” And when the Emperor Decius heard this he was exceedingly wroth, and he commanded his soldiers to beat him with rods made of green palm wood, and with ox-hide whips; and they did as the emperor commanded. And straightway the emperor was afraid lest the people of the city should rise up against him, and he bound him in irons and sent him to Caesarea in Cappadocia, and he commanded the soldiers there to torture him severely and to cut off his head with the sword. And they tortured him there, even as the emperor commanded, and they cut off his head with the sword, and he finished his fight and received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of heaven. And after he had received an incorruptible and heavenly crown, and had entered into life everlasting, churches were built to him in all the ends of the earth, and God made manifest in them signs and great wonders. And some of his miracles took place when Julian, who denied our Lord Jesus Christ, was reigning, and in the days of Saint Basil, Bishop of the country of Caesarea and Cappadocia, even as it is written in one of the works of Saint Basil. Now Julian the infidel had inflicted very great tribulation upon those who believed in our Lord Jesus Christ, and he was wroth with Saint Basil and shut him up in prison, and he multiplied his works against the believers. And Saint Basil gathered together the believers and he prayed and made entreaty unto God concerning Julian the infidel, and he made intercession with Saint Mercurius. And God heard his prayer and sent His great and holy martyr Mercurius, and he came riding upon a horse and he speared Julian the infidel with his spear in his head, and the emperor died an evil death during the war in the land of Persia. And when Saint Basil had seen this vision in the picture of Saint Mercurius he rejoiced with very great joy. And he came into the place wherein was the body of the great martyr Saint Mercurius, and whilst he was sitting down there and thinking about what he had seen, straightway the sword and the spear of Saint Mercurius returned to their places, and from them there dropped so much blood that the whole space beneath the picture of Saint Mercurius was full of it. And straightway Saint Basil cried out and said, “O martyr of Christ, to Whom be glory! Hast thou indeed killed Julian the enemy of righteousness?” And Saint Mercurius in the picture bowed his head before the face of Saint Basil as much as to say, “Yea, I have killed him.” And Saint Basil multiplied his praises to God, and he paid Him honor and gave thanks unto Him. And Saint Mercurius wrought very many signs and wonders. And there was a certain young Muslim who was a son of one of the officers of the city of Mesr (Cairo), and he was learned in the Law of the Muslims but had since been baptized with Christian baptism. Then one of the king’s guards seized him, and he made ready a deep pit and lighted a great fire therein in order that he might burn him in it; and many men gathered together to see him [burnt]. And that young Muslim drew nigh unto the martyr whom the royal guard had seized, and he said unto him, “O infidel, why dost thou run to enter into Sheol? At thine end thou wilt sit in the fire of Gahannam, because thou dost attribute a Son to God, and dost confess Three Persons. Hearken unto me and abandon thy blasphemy and thine abominable words.” And the Christian answered and said unto him, “We Christians are not infidels, but we worship One God, and He is Father, and Son, and Holy Ghost. The Son is not alien to God His Father, for He is His Word. Likewise the Holy Spirit, the mystery of our Faith, is wonderful, and is hidden from you, because your heart is not able to bear Him, and thy heart at this moment is dark and the light of the Faith illumineth it not. But I can see that after a few days the light shall draw nigh unto thee, and that the light of Christ shall shine in thine heart. And thou shalt fight spiritually even as do I for His Name, and thou shalt feel the same pain which I am now suffering.” When the Muslim heard his words he was exceedingly worth with him, and he put off his sandals from his feet and buffeted the face and mouth and head of the Christian and punished him severely, and he said unto him, “What thou sayest shall never happen to me, O thou infidel.” And the blessed man answered and said unto him, “Needs must that thou remember what I say unto thee.” And straightway they cut off his head with the sword, and they threw his body into the pit of fire, and the flames of that fire mounted upwards and became like a great wall. And the body of the Christian remained in that fire three days and three nights, and the royal guard watched him by day and by night, and afterwards they found the body and it was tried like gold and the fire had not touched it all; and they told this to the king, and he commanded the soldiers to bury the body. And the young Muslim went into his house being sorrowful, and he neither ate nor drank. And his father, and mother, and brethren gathered about him, and they said unto him, “What hath happened to thee? Why dost thou neither eat nor drink?” And he told them what the martyr of our Lord Jesus Christ had said unto him, and they comforted him, and they said unto him, “Put aside the word which this erring man spoke unto thee, and dismiss his prediction from thy heart”; but he was in no wise comforted. And in those days that young Muslim saw many Muslims, and they were wishing to go to the tomb of their lying prophet, and he said unto his father, “I should like to go with them”; and his father rejoiced exceedingly at these words, and he gave him one hundred dinars, and committed him to the care of his friend, and the young man departed. And as the young man was journeying with his friend, he saw a vision one night, and it seemed that an aged monk, shining with light, stood up by his side, and that he said unto him, “Come, follow me that thou mayest be saved”; and the monk appeared again on the second night, and again on the third night, and each time he spoke unto him as above. When they had finished their business, having arrived at their destination, they turned back, and journeyed for a period of six days in the desert. And as they were traveling by night the young man got down from his camel because of a bodily need, and his companions left him and departed; and he remained by himself lost in the desert, and he wept, being afraid lest the wild beasts should eat him. Then he remembered the church of Saint Mercurius the martyr in the city of Mesr (Cairo), which was near his father’s house, and he said in his heart, “Every man makes vows to him, and he fulfils for them everything which they ask him.” And straightway the young man said, as he wept, “O Mercurius, martyr of Christ, if thou wilt deliver me from the wild beasts of the desert, and wilt bring me out safe from the desert, I will become a Christian.” And having said this, behold there came unto him a young man riding upon a horse, and his appearance was exceedingly goodly, and he was wearing glorious apparel, and his loins were girt with a girdle of gold, and he stood before him and said unto him, “Whence comest thou? Why art thou alone and lost in this desert?” And he said unto him, “I got down [from my camel] because of a bodily need, and they left me and departed.” And the man on the horse said unto him, “Come, get up behind me on this horse,” and he mounted the horse with him, and the horse flew through the air, and brought them quickly to the church of Mercurius the martyr in the city of Mesr (Cairo). And the doors of the church flew open to him, and he went in with him on the horse, and he brought him to the martyrium of the sanctuary, and then disappeared from him and was no more seen. And the young Muslim stood up in the church frightened, and he said in his heart, “Is this one of the churches of the Christians?” And he saw the lamps burning before the picture [of the saint], and this seemed to him to be a dream, and he said, “Am I not still sitting down in the desert?” And he remained in the sanctuary until the dawn. And the steward of the church came and found him standing in the sanctuary, and he thought that he was a thief, and the steward wanted to cry out, but the young Muslim made a sign to him with his hand, and he said unto him, “Come to me”; and the steward went to him. And the young man said unto him, “What is this place?” And the steward said unto him, “This is the church of Saint Mercurius of Mesr (Cairo).” And the young man said unto him, “Is this the city of Mesr (Cairo)?” And the steward said unto him, “Yea,” and he added, “It seems that thou art too stupefied to talk to me; but now, O my brother, make me to know what hath happened to thee.” Then straightway courage returned to the young man, and he said unto him, “How can I help being stupefied? Seeing that during the past night I was in such and such a desert. And I have no knowledge whatsoever of how I came here; only God knows.” When the steward heard the name of that desert he marveled, and said unto the young man, “Did I not say rightly that thou art stupefied, and that thou dost not know what thou art saying? The journey from that desert to this place occupies twelve days. Verily thou art a thief, and it is the might of the blessed martyr Mercurius that hath seized thee and bound thee here without ropes and fettering irons. This Mercurius the blessed martyr forsook the glory of this world and thrust it away, and the infidels tortured him with severe tortures for the Name of Christ, and the martyr died and God received him into His kingdom, and churches are built in his name everywhere; and in them the saint praises God, and makes intercession for all men. And for all those who commit themselves to him in prayer he makes intercession, and he makes manifest miracles.” And the young man said unto the steward, “What are his form and features like?” and the steward said unto him, “He resembles thee in stature”; and then he showed him the picture of the saint. When the young man saw the picture of Saint Mercurius the martyr, he said unto the steward, “Verily this is the holy man who appeared unto me in the desert, and who bore me on his horse, and brought me hither. And behold, this is the girdle of gold wherewith I saw his loins girt.” And he said unto the steward, “Behold, I tell thee that I am a Muslim, I belong to this city, and the name of my father is Raga, the judge; this miracle is sufficient to make me become a Christian. And now hide me, and do not reveal my business to any man. And also bring me a aged priest that he may teach me the way of God, and may strengthen me in the True Faith, and may bring me . . . ” And the steward put him in a place by himself, and brought to him a priest, even as he said, and the priest baptized him with Christian baptism, and brought to him the Books of the Church and the Gospel; and he remained thus. And about one month after this those men who had journeyed to Mecca arrived, and all the Muslims who were their kinsmen went out to meet them. And the judge, the father of the young man, met the friend, who wept bitterly, and he told the judge how his son had stayed behind in the desert, and how they had left him and come on. When his father heard this he rent his garments, and his brethren and the young men also rent their garments, and they sat down and mourned for three days. After this a certain Muslim woman saw the young man who had become a Christian coming out of the church of Saint Mercurius. And a Muslim (sic) went and told his father and his brethren [this], and said unto them, “If it were not that your son died in the desert on the Mecca road, I should be inclined to say that the young man whom I saw this day by the church of Saint Mercurius the martyr was he; he was wearing the white apparel which the monks wear, and in truth he was like your son.” When the father and mother and brethren of the young man heard this they rose up, and went [there] and found him, and they seized him, and said unto him, “What hast thou done? And why hast thou put me to shame among the Muslim nobles?” And he said unto them, “I am a Christian, and I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Most High; blessed be His Name!” Immediately he had said this they punished him very severely, and they cast him into a dark pit, and he remained there for seven days and seven nights without food and drink, and they poured urine upon him and cast the filth from their houses on him. And his mother wept over him day and night, and by reason of her excessive weeping they drove away the young man, and he departed to the desert of Scete, and he dwelt in the desert of Abba Macarius for a period of two years, and he fought a strenuous fight, and devoted himself to the ascetic life. After this a certain monk said unto him, “Would it not be profitable to thee without [delay] to go to the city of Mesr (Cairo) and proclaim thy Faith openly?” And he rose up and went to Mesr (Cairo), and his father seized him and took him to King Hakem, who is called “Governor” (i.e. Khalifah), and he said unto him, “Our son hath forsaken the Muslim faith, and hath entered the Christian Faith.” And the Khalifah said unto the young man, “Is this true what they say about thee?” And he told the Khalifah what had happened to him in Mecca, and how Saint Mercurius had appeared unto him, and how he had seated him with himself on his horse, and how he had brought him into his shrine in the twinkling of an eye and had taken him into the church of Mesr (Cairo), and how he had seen the picture of the saint in the church, and how he knew that it was he who had appeared unto him in the desert. And when Hakem the Khalifa, the infidel, heard this he spoke many words and he feared with a great fear. And he said unto the young man, “What dost thou want?” And he said unto him, “I ask thee to give me authority to build a church in the name of Saint Mercurius the martyr”; and the Khalifah gave him authority to build a church there in the name of Michael the archangel, and he built a second church--in the name of Mercurius the martyr, and great signs and wonders took place therein. And he composed two books, one on the Grace of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the other on the True Faith. And he vanquished in debate the wicked, and the pagans, and the Muslims, and he pleased God and died in peace. Now the name of this young man was “John,” which was given to him when they baptized him. All this took place through the prayer of Saint Mercurius the martyr, and the multitude of his miracles. Salutation to Mercurius of Rome, who rode a black horse.

And on this day also are commemorated Acarius and Romanus.

And on this day died Sabla Wangel, Queen of Ethiopia. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 26 (December 5)

On this day Saint Pelarianus (or Balaryanos, i.e. Valerianus) and his sister Tatbusya became martyrs. This holy man Pelarianus was a native of Rome, and his parents were infidels. They married him to a maiden, who was the daughter of one of the rich nobles of Rome, and the name of that maiden was Kilkeya, and she was a Christian and worshipped the Lord Christ. And when he went to her in the marriage-chamber he loved her dearly, and as soon as she saw that he loved her dearly she began to reveal to him the Faith of Christ, and he believe through her, and was baptized with Christian baptism. And when he shone brightly and became strong in the Divine Grace he taught his sister Tatbusya, and she was baptized with Christian baptism. And Saint Pelarianus fought a great spiritual fight, and at length the angels would come and visit him always, and they would reveal unto him everything, which he wanted [to know], and they would teach him concerning hidden things before they came to pass. When Diocletian the infidel reigned he inflicted persecution upon the Christians, and tortured them, and he slew many of them and they became martyrs. Now this holy man and his sister used to go round and take up the bodies of the martyrs and prepare them for burial, and bury them. And a certain evil man having learned concerning them went and accused them to Masius, the emperor’s friend, and the emperor commanded his soldiers to bring them to him. When they arrived they stood up and he questioned them concerning their Faith, and they confessed that they were Christians and did not deny it. And he promised them very many things if they would deny our Lord Jesus Christ, and worship idols, but they would not listen to his commands, and they did not want his promised gifts. And the emperor loved them and he said unto them, “If ye will not hearken unto me, and will not sacrifice to my gods, I will torture you with very many kinds of torture”; and they were not afraid of his tortures. When the governor saw their endurance and fortitude, he delivered them over to the headsman to cut off their heads. And when they had cut off their heads, those who were standing there saw shining angels meeting their souls with great joy. When the emperor saw this he believed in our Lord Christ. And the emperor shut the governor up in prison for three days, and on the fourth day he had him brought out from the prison house and ordered the headsman to cut off his head; and [he did so] and the saint received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens with Pelarianus, and his wife Kilkeya, and his sister Tatbusya. Salutation to Pelarianus who buried the bodies of the martyrs, and to his wife Kilkeya and his sister Tatbusya.

And on this day also is commemorated Gregory, Bishop of the island of Nusis (Nyssa). Salutation to Gregory, Bishop of the city (sic) of Nusis (Nyssa).

And on this day also the men of Nagran and Saint Khirut their father were martyred in the fifth year of the reign of the Emperor Justinus, when Abba John was Archbishop of Jerusalem, and Abba Timothy was Archbishop of Alexandria, and Abba Timothy was Archbishop of Constantinople, and Euphrasius was Archbishop of Antioch, and Caleb the righteous was King of Ethiopia. And in those days there reigned in Saba a Jew whose name was Phinehas, and he was an infidel and a man of iniquity, and one who shed the blood of men. In ancient times the country of Saba was under the rule of the Kings of Ethiopia, and the Roman Emperors Vespasian and Titus having driven out the Jews subsequently inherited it. And by the side of the country of Saba was a very great city wherein lived very many believers and men who confessed Jesus Christ. And there came that Jewish king to destroy the holy and Christ-loving city, and to plunder the houses of the Christians. When he came to the city he saw the sign of the Cross all round on the walls thereof, and upon the gates and ramparts thereof were standing large numbers of mighty men of war, and the heart of the Jewish king was filled with rage. And he wished to go into the city but was unable to find any means of so doing, because God had strengthened it, but he slew the slaves who were working the ground, and whom he found outside the city, and he carried off their children into captivity, and gave them over to forced labors. And that Jew who was as foul as Diablos, the Adversary, sent a message to the men [in the city] saying, “I swear unto you by the Name of the Lord God, and by the Torah, and by the prophets, that I do not wish to do you any harm, and I do not wish to ill-treat any man of this city, and I do not wish to shed one drop of blood. But I want to see the buildings of the city, and the broad spaces thereof, and the marketplaces”; and the people of the city believed his word. Then Khirut, and son of Ka’ab, said, “Do not believe the word of this infidel Jew, for he is a man of iniquity, and do not open the gates”; and the people refused to listen to him and they opened the gates. As soon as the Jew had entered the city he commanded [his men] first of all to plunder the goods of the men of the city, and to light a fire so large that its flame reached unto heaven. Then he commanded them to bring to him Abba Paul, Bishop of the city, and when they told him that he was dead, he made them bring the bishop’s bones out of the grave and had them burned in the fire. Then he assembled the priests, and the deacons, and the monks, and the widows and those who were being taught, who passed day and night in reading the Holy Scriptures. [All] these he cast into the fire, and they were in number four hundred and twenty-six souls. Now he wanted to frighten the Christians by this act. Then he commanded his men to put a collar round the neck of Saint Khirut, and to load his hands and feet with fetters; and he fettered also all the nobles and chief men of the city. And he commanded a crier to go through all the city, crying, “Whosoever will not deny Christ shall die an evil death.” When the holy Christians heard this they cried out, saying, “Far be it from us! We will not do this thing. We will not deny Christ our God; in Whom we have believed, and in Whose Name we have been baptized.” When that filthy Jew heard this he killed men and women, young men and maidens, and babes and old men, in all four thousand four hundred and fifty-two souls. And as for the remaining women he commanded his soldiers to cut off their heads with the sword; now they were in number two hundred and twenty-seven souls. And then he seized Saint Demaha, the daughter of Rabe’a, the wife of Saint Khirut. Now this woman was very beautiful, as were her two daughters, and the sun had never touched them except when they sat in the verandah of their house. And they stood before the [Jew] king, and he was unable to persuade them by means of his crafty promises to deny their Faith; and when they refused he commanded his soldiers to strip off their veils, and the women of the city wept for them. And one of her two daughters, the younger, a maiden of twelve winters, spat in the face of the king; and a soldier who saw her drew his sword and cut off her head and the head of her sister. Then the filthy Jew commanded his soldiers to make Saint Demaha to drink the blood of her daughters, and as she tasted it she said, “I thank Thee, O my Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, that Thou hast made Thine handmaiden taste the blood of the Offering of her daughters.” And the king commanded them to cut off her head with the sword, and she finished her martyrdom there. Then the king commanded them to bring to him Saint Khirut, and those who were with him in the prison house; and they were in number three hundred and forty men. And the Jew tried to force Saint Khirut to abandon his Faith, but the saint answered and said, “Eight and seventy years have I served my Lord Jesus Christ, and I have come to the fourth generation. And this day I shall rejoice if I become a martyr and if I die for His holy Name. I did tell the people not to put any confidence in thine oath, and that thou wast a liar, but they would not believe my words. Moreover, it is the good pleasure of Christ that hath brought me into this fight.” When the Jew king heard this he was furiously angry, and he commanded his soldiers to take him into the valley and to cut off his head there. When Saint Khirut heard this he prayed to God to strengthen the empire of Rome and the kingdom of Ethiopia so that they might destroy the kingdom of the filthy Jew. And he blessed the people and embraced them, and then the soldiers cut off the head of the saints. And there was there a certain woman, who was a Christian, and she had a child of five winters, and she took some of the blood of the saints and smeared herself and her son therewith. And when the soldiers saw this they carried them bound to the king, and he threw the woman into the fire, but the Jew took the boy and he said unto him, “Dost thou love me or Him that is called Christ?” And the boy said, “I love Christ, and I am the slave of Him only; let me go that I may depart to my mother.” And when the Jew held him fast the child bit his foot, and the king snatched him up and cast him into the fire and he became a martyr. And they also brought a woman who was carrying a child ten months old, and his mother said unto him, “I cannot give thee to this fire”; and the child said unto her, “O my mother, let us depart quickly into everlasting life; we shall only see this fire to- day,” and they cast the woman into the fire with her son. And [the king] saw his soldiers fighting against the Christians and destroying them, some by means of fire, and others with the edge of the sword until at length all companions of the Jews were exhausted. Then there appeared in the heavens a fire, which filled the whole sky for forty days and forty nights. And when the Jew king had entered into his city he sent messengers unto the [neighboring] kings boasting of his valor. When Justinus, Emperor of Rome, heard this, he sent a letter to Timothy, Archbishop of Alexandria, calling upon him to send instructions to Caleb, King of Ethiopia, to make war on that Jew, and to avenge the blood of the people of Nagran. When Caleb, the King of Ethiopia, heard this, he departed into the country of the Jew king with many soldiers, and many ships, having received the blessing of Abba Pantaleon of the Cell. Having arrived in the country he destroyed all the city of the King of Saba, and he left nothing therein, neither man nor beast. And he rebuilt the city of Nagran, and established the commemoration of the martyrs thereof. And he sent glad tidings to Justinus, Emperor of Rome, and to Timothy, the Archbishop, and there was great joy, and they gave thanks unto Christ. Salutation to the bright Stars of Nagran who have illumined all the world.

And on this day also died Saint Iyasus Mo’a, and on it Gelyos, and Mayen, Mekwas, and Maryales are commemorated. Salutation to Iyasus Mo’a, who for forty years never slept on his side. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 27 (December 6)

On this day Saint James the “chopped” became a martyr. This holy man was one of the soldiers of Sakrad, the son of Sapor, King of Persia, and he was a friend of the prince, who loved him exceedingly, and took counsel with him about all his affairs; and for this reason his heart inclined towards Saint James, and he made him worship the sun and fire. When his mother and his wife and his sister heard that he had become one with the king in his acts and in his faith, they wrote him a letter, saying, “Why hast thou forsaken the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and dost worship natural objects which have been created, that is to say, the sun, and the moon, and fire? Know that if thou dost continue to hold the faith of the King of Persia, we shall become strangers to thee.” When he had read their letter he wept bitterly, and he said, “If I continue to be of this opinion I shall become a stranger to my mother, and to my household and kinsfolk. But, however, how can I approach my Lord Jesus Christ?” And he began to read Christian books, and he wept and forsook the service of the king. And certain men told the king and spoke unto him, saying, “Behold thy friend James hath forsaken thy service and thy love, and the worship of the gods.” And the king sent a messenger to bring him to him, and when he had come he set him before the king, and the king said unto him, “Why hast thou forsaken my service?” And Saint James said unto him, “Our Lord Christ says in the gospel, ‘whosoever confesses Me before men, him I will confess before my Father Who is in heaven. Whosoever denies Me before the face of men, him will I deny before the angels of God’ (Matthew x, 32). Therefore have I left thy service, and thy love, and the worship of thy gods, and I worship my Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, the Creator of the heavens, and the earth, and the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the seas.” When the king heard this he was exceedingly wroth, and he commanded his guards to beat him very severely, and they did so until his blood ran down on the ground like water; but he could not turn from his good counsel. And the king commanded them to cut off his members with knives, and they cut off the ten fingers of his hands and the ten toes of his feet, and his arms. And they cut him up into thirty-two separate pieces, and as each piece was chopped off, he sang and glorified God, saying, “O God of the Christians, my Lord and King Jesus Christ, receive Thou the branches of the tree according to the greatness of Thy compassion. When the master of the vineyard prunes the vines he leaves slips behind him, and these sprout in the month of Nesan, that is to say Miyazya (April-May), and the vine puts forth [new] roots and spreads abroad.” When only the head, and breast, and loins of the holy man were left, and he knew he was nigh to the giving up of his soul, at that moment he prayed to God for the world, and for the people therein, and that He would teach them and have compassion upon them. And he said, “There is left to me neither limb nor hand which I can lift up to Thee, O Lord; behold my limbs have been cast away before me, O Lord receive my soul.” And straightway our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto him and comforted him, and strengthened him, and immediately his soul rejoiced and was glad. And before he delivered up his soul one of the guards made haste, and cut of his head with a sharp sword, and Saint James received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens, and he depart to the habitation of light, to Christ Who loved him. And certain God-fearing men took his body and made it ready for burial and wrapped it in costly cloths, and they laid it in a pure place. When his mother and his wife and his sister heard that he had become a martyr they rejoiced with great joy, and they came to the place where his body was, and they embraced it and wept over it, and laid splendid cloths over it and sweet scents and unguents. When the days of Saints Honorius and Arcadius and other kings arrived, they built in his honor churches, and monasteries and nunneries. When the King of Persia heard the report of those monasteries, and the stories of the martyrs and their bodies, and what great signs and wonders had appeared through them in every place, he commanded his soldiers to burn the martyrs’ bodies in every place with fire, and not to allow anything of them to remain in the country of his dominion. And certain believing men came and carried away the body of the saint, and they carried it and brought it to Jerusalem, and deposited it there. And then they brought it to Peter, Bishop of the city of Roha (Edessa), and it remained with him until Marcianus reigned, and then Saint Peter took it and brought it to the country of Egypt, and deposited it in the city of Behensa, where it remained for a few days with certain brethren. And whilst these men were praying at mid-day, and the body of Saint James was in their midst, straightway Saint James appeared with many of the martyrs of Persia, arrayed in Persian apparel; and they sang with them, and they blessed them, and then they disappeared. And before they disappeared from their sight Saint James said unto them, “My body shall stay here even as God commanded.” After this Saint Peter the bishop wished to return to his own country, and he took the body of Saint James with him, and he carried it to the sea and laid it in a ship, but the voice of Saint James went round about, saying, “My body shall stay here.” And straightway the body of Saint James was snatched out of their hands, and returned to the place wherein it had been, even as God commanded; and great signs and wonders took place through the body of Saint James. Salutation to Saint James who was cut up into thirty-two pieces.

And on this day also Saint Timothy, a native of Banhor, became a martyr. This holy man was a fearer of God from his youth, and he devoted himself to fasting and prayer. He had a wife whose name was Mora, the daughter of his father’s brother, and she was very beautiful, and she gave him pleasure by all her works and they lived together for many days in love and happiness. Whilst they were living in this state of quietness the Imperial Edict of the wicked Diocletian went forth into all the countries of his Empire ordering the heathen temples to be opened and the churches to be closed. When Saint Timothy heard this he rejoiced exceedingly, for he had been waiting for this time, and he told his wife what he was going to do; and she said, “God’s Will be done.” Then he rose up and prayed to God to prosper his way, and as he was sleeping that night our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto him, and He said, “Peace be unto thee, O My beloved Timothy, behold I have numbered thee among the number of the righteous. Rise up now, and take thy wife, and go to the city of Behensa, and confess the Name of Christ before all the people who worship idols.” When he awoke he told his wife what he had seen, and she told him that she had dreamed even so. Then they rose up together and came to Quilquilianus, the governor, and they found him celebrating a festival with singers and dancers who were performing before him. Then the soldiers seized Timothy and set him before him, and his wife was following him. And the governor spoke unto him with gentle and persuasive words and tried to make him worship idols, but the saint reviled him and his foul faith; therefore was the governor angry and he commanded them to cast him into prison. After a few days the governor had him and his wife brought out and beaten with whips until their blood ran down on the ground like water; and his wife finished her strife under this torture. And Saint Timothy he treated with gentleness because he wished to make him agree to worship idols. And when he refused to do so the governor had the saint’s body smeared with oil and grease, and cast him into a red-hot fiery furnace. And whilst the holy man was in the fire Gabriel, an angel of God, came down to him from heaven, and delivered him from this torture. Then the governor cast the saint into the prison house a second time, where he wrought many signs and wonders. One day whilst he was praying there our Lord Jesus Christ came to him, and made a covenant with him and gave him peace. And on the following day the governor had him brought out of the prison house, and they took him to the city of Zanhus, and they cut off his holy head. Thereupon an earthquake took place, and the air was filled with angels, and the men of the city came and prepared him for burial in a splendid manner and buried him. When the time of persecution had passed they built a church for him, and consecrated it on the seven and twentieth day of the month of Sane (June-July), and they laid his holy body in it. Salutation to Timothy and to his wife Mora.

And on this day also is commemorated Saint Philemon the apostle, who was one of the Seventy-two disciples. Salutation to thy tongue with its eloquent words and pleasant speech, thou father of the city (or country) of Lydia.

And on this day also are commemorated ‘Al’are, and Abba Takla Hawaryat of Gabrema, and Clement the martyr of ‘Endabergoy of Rebotch (or Zarbatch). Salutation to Takla Hawaryat. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 28 (December 7)

On this day Saint Sarapamon, Bishop of the city of Nakiyos (or Lukyos), became a martyr. This holy man was a kinsman of Stephen, of the tribe of Levi, from the city of Jerusalem. His father’s name was Abraham, and he was a son of Levi, the son of Joseph, brother of Simon, and brother of the mother of Stephen, and at the time of his birth he called his name Simon. When his father died he wished to become a Christian. And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and commanded him go to Abba John, bishop of the city, and he went to him and the bishop revealed to him the mystery of Christ our God becoming man. And it is not said that he baptized him with Christian baptism in the city of Jerusalem, because of the fear of the Jews, his kinsmen. Now the bishop of the city was pondering what he should do about him, and our Lady Mary appeared unto him and told him to depart to the city of Alexandria, to the Archbishop Abba Theonas. And as he was going thither, the angel of the Lord was in the form of a prince, and he informed the archbishop about Sarapamon. When he had come to him the archbishop taught him the path of God, and he baptized him with holy Christian baptism. Then Sarapamon became a monk in the monastery of Abba Severus, which is outside the city of Alexandria. When the Archbishop Theonas died, and Abba Peter was appointed to succeed him, he sent and brought this holy man Sarapamon to him, to help him in the work of the archiepiscopate. After this he appointed him Bishop of the city of Nakyanos, and the churches rejoiced in him greatly, and God wrought very many signs and wonders by his hands. And nigh unto his city there were idols, which certain of the people therein used to worship, and he used to ask God to destroy them. And God accepted his petition, for the earth swallowed them up and the waters of the sea rose up over them and covered them; and through his prayer God destroyed the idols that were in his diocese, and He crushed the blasphemy of Sibellius who made the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit one Person (or Substance). And when Diocletian denied Christ certain people told him, saying, “Sarapamon is destroying the worship of the idols which are the king’s gods”; and having heard very many complaints he commanded his soldiers to bring Sarapamon to him, and they did so. When Saint Sarapamon arrived in the city of Alexandria with the messengers of the emperor, Abba Peter the archbishop came to him, and there were many clergy with him, and embraced him, and he saw his face as it were the face of an angel of God. And when he came to the Emperor Diocletian had him tortured with various tortures, and our Lord Jesus Christ raised him up sound and whole, and uninjured and without suffering; and many people believed because of him. Now the emperor was afraid to add to his tortures lest the multitudes should believe through him. And he sent him away into Upper Egypt, to Arianus, the governor of Antinoe, so that he might torture him there and cut off his head with the sword. Now at that time Arianus was governor of the city of Alexandria. And Arianus took Saint Sarapamon with him in a ship to go to Upper Egypt, and when the ship reached Nakyos his city, it ran aground and it was impossible to remove it from where it stood. And Arianus had Saint Sarapamon brought up from inside the ship, and carried him to the north of the city, and they cut off his head with the sword, and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And the people took his body with great honor, and carried it to the church and laid it therein, and through it very many signs and miracles were wrought there. Salutation to Sarapamon before whom the lions bowed when they saw thy face, which was the image of that of the Creator.

And on this day is commemorated Abba Likanos the priest, who fought a spiritual fight in the monastery of Kuonasel, in the country of Ethiopia. Salutation to Abba Likanos, from whose fingers burning lamps shot forth. Salutation to Abraham the faithful man, and to Isaac the offering, and to Jacob who anointed the stone with oil, in whose bosoms live the righteous, like dates on the palm tree and clusters of grapes on the vine. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 29 (December 8)

On this day became a martyr Saint Peter, the seventeenth Archbishop of the city of Alexandria; and he was the last of the martyrs. The father of this holy man was the high priest of the city of Alexandria, and his name was Theodore; the name of his mother was Sophia. And they were fearers of God and they had no children at all. And on the fifth day of the month Hamle (July-Aug.), the day of the festival of Peter and Paul the apostles, the mother of the holy man saw many Christians with their children, and they wore festal apparel with decorations, and they were going to church; and she was exceedingly sorrowful. And she went into the church and stood up before the altar of the saint, and she besought our Lord Christ with many tears to give her a son. And that night Peter and Paul the apostles appeared unto her, and they said unto her, “Behold God hath accepted thy petition, and He will assuredly give thee a son, and thou shall call his name ‘Peter’”; and they commanded her to go to the Archbishop Theonas that the people might pray for her. And after certain days she brought forth this holy man, and she called his name “Peter”. When his days were seven years she gave him to the archbishop even as [Hannah gave] Samuel the prophet to Eli, and he became to him like a beloved son; and the archbishop made him a reader, and after that he made him a deacon, and after that he made him a priest. And he used to help the archbishop in all his divers good works and in his administration of the churches. When Abba Theonas was dying he commanded the bishops and priests to appoint Abba Peter archbishop in his place, and they appointed him Archbishop of the city of Alexandria; and when he was appointed all the people and all the churches rejoiced. And it came to pass in the days of Diocletian, the infidel emperor, that there lived in the city of Alexandria a certain judge who was of the same opinion as the emperor, and who worshipped idols with him, and he had two sons. And his wife was a Christian, but she was unable to have her sons baptized with Christian baptism in the city of Antioch, and she therefore took them and embarked on a ship in order to come to Alexandria. As they were journeying over the sea, a violent storm rose up against them, and she was afraid that her two sons would die without baptism. And she cut her breasts, and made the sign of the Cross with her blood, which she smeared over the foreheads of her sons, and she dipped them in the sea three times in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Then a great calm came, and they were saved from drowning and arrived in the city of Alexandria. And she brought her sons to the Archbishop Abba Peter so that he might baptize them with Christian baptism, together with the sons of the men of Alexandria. And when the archbishop wished to immerse her boys, the water congealed and became as hard as a stone; and he tried to immerse them three times, and each time the water became like a stone. And the archbishop marveled and asked her what had happened, and she related to him how a wind storm had risen up at sea, and how she had cut her breasts, and how she had signed the foreheads of her sons with the sign of the Cross with her blood, and how she had immersed them in the sea three times in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. When the archbishop heard this he marveled exceedingly and praised God, saying, “Thus says the Church; as one is baptism even so one is the Church.” And in the days of this father Archbishop Abba Peter one Arius, a heretic, rose up, and the saint rebuked him but he would not hearken to his words; and having rebuked him many times and Arius having refused to turn from his wicked opinion, Abba Peter anathematized him and excommunicated him. And when the Emperor Diocletian heard the report of this Saint Peter, and that he was teaching the multitudes everywhere not to worship the gods, he sent messengers to him to seize Saint Peter and to shut him up in prison. And when the men of the city knew this straightway they took their weapons of war with them and they came to the prison house to fight the messengers of the emperor. And when Saint Peter saw that there was going to be a great tumult on his account, he wished to yield up his soul to death for his people, and he wanted to be released from this world and to be with Christ. And he made all the people come to him, and he comforted them and commended them to be strong in the True Faith. When Arius knew that the blessed Peter was departing to God and leaving him under the ban of excommunication, he went to the great high priests, and told them to beseech the blessed Peter on his behalf, so that he might release him from the ban of excommunication; but when the chief priests entreated the blessed Peter on behalf of Arius, he added to the ban of excommunication which he had laid upon him. And he said unto them, “I have seen a vision this night, and behold our Lord Jesus Christ was standing with His rent raiment. And I said unto Him, My Lord, ‘Who hath rent Thy raiment?’ And He said unto me, ‘Arius hath rent My raiment; he separated Me from My Father. Beware of him.’” Then Saint Peter commanded Arkilas (Archelaus) and Alexander, and said unto them, “Ye will have to appoint an archbishop after me; beware of Arius, and have no fellowship with him in the work of the priesthood, and release him not from the ban of excommunication, for he is the enemy of Christ. And thou ‘Arkilas (Archelaus) shall be archbishop after me and before Alexander, and thou shalt meet Arius and shalt die speedily.” After this the blessed Peter took counsel with the messengers of the emperor (sic) in secret that they might bring him out from the inside of the prison house, and they dug opposite to it and took him out and finished the emperor’s command. And they did as he commanded them, and they took him and brought him outside the city, [to the place] where was the grave of the blessed Mark the evangelist. [The text of this passage is corrupt.] And Saint Peter prayed and committed his people to the care of God, and he prayed again, saying, “O my Lord Christ, let the shedding of my blood be the end of the worship of idols, and may they be brought to naught and perish throughout the world.” And a voice came from heaven, saying, “Amen! It shall be according as thou sayest”, and a certain virgin who was near that place heard these words. And Saint Peter said unto the soldiers of the emperor, “Finish what ye have been commanded to do”; and straightway they cut off his holy head with the sword and he received the crown of martyrdom in the kingdom of the heavens. And his body stood upright for a space of two hours. And the people made haste and went out from the city, for they were by the prison house and they did not know what had become of the saint until one told them what had happened. And they took the body of their shepherd and their chief and made it ready for burial, and they brought it to the city and took it into the church, and laid it upon his seat on which no one had ever once seen him sit, even as he told them. And when they asked him, saying, “Why dost thou not sit upon thy throne?” he answered and said unto them, “I see the power of God sitting upon it, and therefore I do not dare to sit upon it.” Then they finished making him ready for the grave, and they laid his body with the bodies of the chosen saints, the archbishops. And he sat upon the throne of Mark the evangelist fourteen years, and he was appointed archbishop in the tenth year of the reign of Diocletian. And many signs and mighty wonders took place through his body. Salutation to Peter, the preacher of the Faith, the counterpart of Paul.

And on this day also is commemorated the Birth of our Lord and God and Redeemer, Jesus Christ, of the holy two-fold Virgin Mary, our Lady. Salutation to Thy Birth, O Thou Who didst show to Peter Thy raiment, which Arius had rent.

And on this day also are commemorated the forty-seven thousand martyrs who suffered in the time of the Emperor Diocletian. Salutation to the righteous men who fought against Diocletian. [This paragraph is wanting in the Bodleian MS.]

And on this day also became a martyr the great Saint Clement, Archbishop of the city of Rome. This holy man was a royal kinsman, and was the son of Caustus, the captain of the army of the Emperor of Rome; his excellent and honorable parents taught him all the various kinds of learning and the philosophy of the Greeks. And when Peter the apostle preached in Rome the preaching of the Gospel, Caustus the father of Clement believed through this holy man that our Lord Jesus Christ was truly [God], and he gave all his goods to the poor and needy. And when his father went to the emperor he remained many days, and the brother of the holy man Caustus thought that he would marry his wife. When the mother of the holy man knew this, she took Clement and his younger brother and embarked on a ship, to go to Athens, and to have her sons taught philosophy and learning until their father returned from the emperor. And straightway a violent storm rose up against them, and the ship was smashed, and one after another clung to one of the timbers, and the waves of the sea washed this holy Clement to the city of Alexandria, where he remained a few days. And God called Peter the apostle and said unto him, “Get thee to the city of Alexandria so that thou mayest find the servants who are fit for mercy.” And when Peter the apostle came to the city of Alexandria, and preached the preaching of the Gospel therein, no man in the city of Alexandria believed except this holy man Clement. When, however, he heard the preaching of Peter the apostle he believed on our Lord Jesus Christ, and Peter baptized him with Christian baptism, and explained to him the Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the riches and glory of those who worship Him, and how signs and wonders are wrought [in His Name]. And from that day Clement followed Peter the apostle, and he became his disciple, and he wrote the “Contendings of the Apostles,” and what happened to them with infidel kings. Then he preached in many cities, and the apostles gave unto him the Books of the Canon to proclaim, and then he was appointed Archbishop of the city of Rome. And he preached therein, and converted very many people thereof to the knowledge of God. And the Emperor Trajan, the infidel, heard of him, and he sent his guards to seize him and bring him before him, and the emperor said unto him, “Worship the idols and deny Christ.” And when Clement would not hearken unto his command he sent him away to a certain city to be tortured, for he was afraid of the men of the city of his kinsfolk, and he did not want to torture him where he was lest the people should rise up against him. So he sent him away to the governor of that city and ordered him to torture him with many tortures. And that governor hung round the neck of the holy man Clement a heavy iron implement with four feet (anchor), which is placed in ships, and he cast him into the sea. And he delivered up his soul into the hand of God, and he received the crown of martyrdom like the apostles who preached. And it came to pass that when a full year had passed he was seen in the sea, and the body of Saint Clement appeared, and he was preaching in the depths of the sea just as if he were alive. And the people came and were blessed by him, and they wished to carry him off, and they brought a splendid stone coffer, and laid him in it, and they wished to take him up and bring him out of the sea, but they were unable to move him from his place. And they knew that he was unwilling to come out of the sea and they left him there, and departed. And each year, on the day of his festival, an opening appears in the box above his body, and the people come and are blessed by him. And many believing men who have seen this have described and written down accounts of some of his miracles, such as the following. One year certain men came to be blessed by him, and when they went forth from him they forgot a little child who was behind the coffer of Saint Clement. This happened by the Will of our Lord Jesus Christ, so that He might reveal their work to His saints and friends, and the grace, which they receive from Him. And when they had gathered together above the sea, they sought for the father [of the child] and found him not. And they thought that he was dead and that the beasts, which are in the sea, had devoured him, and they wept for him, and they celebrated his commemoration, and they consecrated the Offering and offered up incense according to their custom. And when the second year had arrived and the time had come for the sea to open itself again, certain men who came according to their custom, found the child alive and standing up by the side of the coffer of Clement. And they asked him, saying, “How didst thou exist and on what didst thou live?” And he said unto them, “Saint Clement gave me food to eat and drink, and God preserved me from the wild beasts of the sea.” And when they heard this they marveled exceedingly and they praised God Who is to be praised and glorified above all His saints and martyrs who have contended for His holy Name’s sake. Salutation to Clement the author of the “Contendings of the Apostles”. Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.

Hedar 30 (December 9)

On this day died Acadius, Archbishop of the city of Contantinople. This holy man was learned, and excellent, and good, and he translated books of theology, and he was appointed priest in the church of the city of Constantinople. Now a General Council was held in the city of Chalcedon, and this father was not pleased with all that took place thereat. When they searched for him to come because of his knowledge, he made a pretence to them that he was sick. When he heard of the tribulation which they had inflicted upon Saint Dioscurus, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, he was exceedingly sorry, and he began to curse their Council before his companions, and friends, and the principal military officers of the Government whom he knew to be Orthodox, and whose works he knew to be good. And he said, “I thank God that I did not mix myself up with these evil members of the Council.” When Anatolius, Archbishop of the city of Constantinople, died, the members of the Government, and the military officers and the believers chose this father Acacius to be Archbishop of Constantinople, because they knew he was Orthodox. And they appointed him archbishop because they had hope in him and thought that he would be able to remove from the Church division and enmity. When he was appointed he found the disease of division and enmity therein, and he strove diligently and in every way possible to remove it, but could not do so in the least degree; only God Himself could do it. And he thought in his heart and said, “It will be best for me to save myself.” First of all he sent a letter to Abba Peter, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, confessing therein to him the True Faith of the Holy Trinity, which he had learned and received from the divine fathers Abba Cyril and Abba Dioscurus; and then he continued to write very many letters asking him to support him in priestly fellowship. When Peter received his letters he wrote a letter of acceptance and [another] letter dealing with general matters, and sent them off in charge of three bishops. And the bishops came to the city of Constantinople secretly, and they gathered together this father Acacius, and they gave him the letter of Abba Peter; and Acacius treated them with great honor, and received the letters from them with great joy. And he read the letter before his friends, and the Orthodox nobles of the city, and they all confessed with him the True Faith as it was written in the letter of Saint Abba Peter. Then he wrote a letter with his own hand before them accepting [the Faith] of Abba Dioscurus and Abba Timothy, and Abba Peter, and he confessed that they were of the True Faith, and he excommunicated all those who were opposed to them. Then he took the three bishops and carried them away with him to a certain monastery which was outside the city of Constantinople, and he prepared the Eucharist and they took part with him in the Liturgy and in the Offering, and they took from him the letter which he had written and they were blessed by him and he by them, and then he set them on their way and bade them farewell in peace. When they came to Abba Peter they told him everything, which had happened, and also how they had taken part together with Abba Acacius in the Liturgy and the Offering, and how he had accepted his letter; and he preached in his name at the time of the Offering and the consecrations and the prayers. And the report of him was heard by the Bishop of Rome, and he drove Abba Acacius from the throne of Constantinople, and he died in exile, being strong in the True Faith. Salutation to Acacius the successor of Anatolius.

And on this day also are commemorated Mercurius the martyr, and the consecration of the church of Cosmas and Damianus, and their brethren, and the death of Gabra Maskal, King of Ethiopia, the Orthodox [died A.D. 1344]. Salutation to Gabra Maskal, who hath passed to the city of light. Salutation to Gabra Maskal who rejoiced in the power of God.

And on this day also Anianus of Amid [the Stylite], and Peter became [martyrs]. Here endeth what shall be read during the blessed month of Khedar. [Here follows in the Bodleian MS, the following . . . God, the Most High. Who is to be praised? Blessed be His Name. Praise to Him [is due] from us. May there be to us mercy from Him. For every eye awaiteth Him. It is He Who beginneth, it is He Who finisheth. Everything is ruled by Him. Let us worship Him. And He is our help for ever and ever, Amen and Amen; so be it, so be it!] Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.