But that God might show that the kingdom of God consists not in speech but in power, one of the confessors, a man of the most simple nature and knowing nothing else save Christ Jesus and Him crucified, was present among the other bishops who were listeners. When he had seen the philosopher insulting our people and boasting of the crafty art of his disputation, he asked from all a place, saying that he wished to converse a little with the philosopher. Then indeed our people, who knew the simplicity of the man and his inexperience in speech at least, were afraid and suffered a kind of shame, lest holy simplicity should be made a laughingstock among crafty men. The old man nevertheless persisted, and began the opening of his discourse thus.
'In the name of Jesus Christ,' he said, 'O philosopher, hear the things that are true. There is one God, who made heaven and earth, and who gave a spirit to man, whom He had formed from the clay of the earth; who created all things visible and invisible by the power of His Word and established them by the sanctification of His Spirit. This Word and Wisdom, whom we call the Son, having pity on human errors, is born of a Virgin, and by the suffering of His death freed us from perpetual death, and by His resurrection bestowed on us eternal life. And Him we also await as the coming Judge of all things that we do.
Do you believe that these things are so, O philosopher?' But he, as though he had never learned any speech of contradiction, so astounded by the power of the words, was rendered mute, and to all this could only answer that it seemed to him to be so, and that nothing else was true than what the man had said. Then the old man said: 'If you have believed that these things are so, arise and follow me to the church, and receive the seal of this faith.' And the philosopher, turning to his own disciples or to those who had gathered for the sake of hearing, said: 'Hear, O learned men; as long as the matter was carried on with words, I opposed words to words, and what was said I overthrew by the art of speaking. But when, in place of words, a power proceeded from the mouth of the speaker, words could not resist power, nor could a man oppose God.
And therefore, if any of you has been able, in the things that have been said, to perceive what I have perceived, let him believe in Christ and follow this old man, in whom God has spoken.' Thus the philosopher, having at last been made a Christian, congratulated himself on being conquered. There was moreover in that council also Paphnutius, a man of God, a bishop from the regions of Egypt, a confessor from among those whom Maximian had condemned to the mines with his right eye gouged out and his left knee hamstrung. But in this man there was so great a grace of virtues that signs were wrought through him no less than of old through the apostles. For he put demons to flight by a word alone, and healed the sick by prayer alone. But he is also said to have restored sight to the blind and to have recalled paralytics to the stability of their bodies.
Constantine held him in such veneration and affection that he often summoned him within the palace and embraced him, and would kiss that eye which had been gouged out in the confession of the faith. Of their number, and if there be any yet more eminent, is also said to have been Spyridon, the Cyprian bishop, a man of the order of the prophets, as far as we too have learned from the account of those who had seen him. This man, even when set in the episcopate, remained a shepherd of sheep. Now on a certain night, when thieves had come to the sheepfolds and had stretched out their wicked hands to make an entrance for leading out the sheep, they were held fast by certain invisible bonds and remained until daybreak as though handed over to torturers.
But when the old man betook himself in the early morning to lead the sheep out to pasture, he saw the young men hanging at the folds, bound fast without human fetters. And when he had learned the cause of the offense, he loosed by his word those whom their deserts had bound; and lest their nocturnal labor should turn out for them in vain, he said: 'Take, O young men, one ram for yourselves, lest you seem to have come without cause—one which you would better have sought by prayer than by theft.' They relate also this marvelous deed of him. He had a daughter named Irene, who, having ministered well to him, died a virgin. After her death a certain man came saying that he had entrusted a certain deposit to her. The father was ignorant of what had been done. Though sought throughout the whole house, what was demanded was found nowhere.
That man who had entrusted it persisted, and urged with weeping and tears, testifying that he would even bring about the end of his own life unless he received back what he had entrusted. Moved by his tears, the old man hastened to his daughter's tomb and called her by name. Then she answered from the tomb: 'What do you wish, father?' 'The deposit of this man,' he said, 'where did you place it?' But she, indicating the place, said: 'There you will find it buried.' Having returned to the house, he found the thing just as his daughter had answered from the tomb, and handed it over to the one demanding it back. But many other marvelous deeds of his are also related, which even now are celebrated on the lips of all.
Such then, and very many, were the men who in those times still shone forth in the churches of the Lord, of whom very many were present in that council. But Athanasius too, at that same time deacon of Alexander the Alexandrian bishop, was present, aiding the old man with very many counsels. Meanwhile, day by day the assembly was carried on, and they did not dare to decide such a great matter easily or rashly. Arius was frequently summoned into the council, and by continual discussion his assertions were examined, and it was sought with the utmost deliberation what ought to be held or decreed against these things.
But after long and much discussion it pleased all, and as though with the one mouth and heart of all it was decreed, that the homoousion ought to be written—that is, to confess the Son to be of the same substance with the Father—and this was pronounced by the most firm judgment of all. Only seventeen are then said to have been those to whom the faith of Arius rather pleased, affirming that the Son of God was created from without out of things not subsisting, and not begotten from the very Deity of the Father. The sentence of the priestly council was reported to Constantine. He venerated it as though brought forth by God, and protested that if anyone should attempt to resist it, he would act to send him into exile as one coming against divine decrees. So only six, together with Arius, suffered themselves to be expelled; but the rest subscribed with the tongue alone, not with the mind.
The chief author of this dissimulation was Eusebius, bishop of Nicomedia. Meanwhile, in one way or another—some by truth, some by dissimulation, as the outcome afterward showed—as they subscribed and fixed sure decrees concerning each and every ecclesiastical observance, the council was dissolved. 'We believe in one God the Father almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord our Jesus Christ, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, homoousion with the Father, that is, of the same substance with the Father, through whom all things were made, both those in heaven and those on earth;
who for us men and for our salvation came down and was made flesh, and is thence to come to judge the living and the dead; and in the Holy Spirit. But those who say: There was a time when He was not, and before He was born He was not, and that He was made from things not subsisting, or who say that the Son of God is of another subsistence or substance, or changeable or mutable—these the catholic and apostolic church anathematizes.' That one baptized, before being examined more cautiously, should become a cleric. II. And that none of the bishops or of the other clerics should dwell with unrelated women, except with a mother or a sister or an aunt, or with such persons as are of these kinds of kinship. IV.
And that a bishop, if it can be done, should be ordained by the bishops of the whole province. If this is difficult, at least by no fewer than three, yet in such a way that the metropolitan bishop is especially had, either by his presence or by his authority; without which they willed the ordination to be invalid. V. And that whomever another bishop has expelled from the church, whether cleric or layman, another should not receive.
Indeed, lest this—being done unjustly out of some wrath or contention, as often happens—should have no remedy, they decree that each year, twice, in each and every province, councils ought to be held by all the provincial bishops, and that matters of this kind be judged; so that if perchance anything has been done unjustly by one, it may be corrected by the rest, and if rightly, it may be confirmed by all. VI. And that at Alexandria and in the city of Rome the ancient custom be preserved, since the former has authority over the churches of Egypt, and the latter over the suburbicarian churches. VII.
And that if perchance in ordaining a bishop two or three should dissent on account of some contention, the authority of the rest and especially of the metropolitan should prevail. VIII. And that to the bishop of Jerusalem the prerogative of honor anciently handed down be preserved, the dignity of the metropolitan himself nonetheless remaining. IX. And that the Cathari, who among us are the Novatians, if perchance repenting they should be converted to the church, having confessed the ecclesiastical doctrines, ought indeed to be received as clerics in their order, but with ordination given anew. Yet if their bishop should come to our bishop, he ought to sit in the place of the presbyters, but the name of bishop should remain with him alone who has always held the catholic faith:
unless of his own will he should wish to honor that man with such a name, or if it should please him to seek for him a vacant place of a bishop. X. And that in one city there should not be two bishops. XI. And if perchance any, having been indiscriminately advanced to the priesthood, afterward either themselves have confessed something criminal about themselves, or have been convicted by others, that they be cast out; but also if any of those who have lapsed and perchance through ignorance... XII. That if any have lapsed in persecutions without tortures and perform penance from the heart, they should spend five years among the catechumens, and for two years after this be joined to the faithful only in prayer, and so... XIII. But those who on account of the confession had cast off military service and again...
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adhaneambierunt, hostredecimannispaenitentiamgerereetpostea "suscipi, sitamenexcordepaenitentiamgerant. essetamenetin "potestateepiscopimoderandifacultatem, sieorumfructuosametadten- XIIII. Dehisvero, quivitaexcedunt, paenitentibusdecernuntvacuumÀnullumdeberedimitti. siquisaneaeceptacommunionesupervixerit, "debereeumtemporastatutaconplerevelcerteproutmoderariepiscopusXV. Decatechumenis, quiprolapsisunt, statuerunttribusanniseosacatechumenorumorationeseparatospostearecipidebere. XVI. Etnedecivitateinferioreadmaioremecclesiamtransirequisambiat, siveepiscopussiveetiamaliusclericus. XVII.
sought after this service again—these should do penance for thirteen years and afterward be received, if nevertheless they do penance from the heart. Yet it is also in the power of the bishop to moderate the term, if he perceives their penance to be fruitful and attentive. XIV. But concerning those who depart from life while penitent, they decree that none ought to be dismissed empty. If, however, anyone who has received communion should survive, he ought to complete the appointed times, or at least as the bishop shall moderate. XV. Concerning catechumens who have lapsed, they decreed that for three years they be separated from the prayer of the catechumens and afterward be received. XVI. And that no one, whether bishop or even another cleric, should aspire to pass from a lesser city to a greater church. XVII.
And that no cleric who, having deserted his own church with no probable cause existing, wanders and roves about through other churches, should be received into... XVIII. And that no one, stealing away one who belongs to another, should ordain him as a cleric in his own church without the consent of the one to whom he belongs. XIX. And that no cleric should either accept interest, or an increase of grain or wine—which is customarily received on a new loan as the half again or even double—and that if he does this, he be cast out as one guilty of base gain. XX. And that deacons should not be preferred to presbyters, nor sit in the assembly of the presbyters, nor distribute the eucharist in their presence; but... only then it is also permitted to them to distribute; and those acting otherwise are to be cast out. XXI.
And that the Paulianists, who are the Photinians, be rebaptized. XXII. But also the deaconesses, since indeed they do not receive the laying on of hands, that they too ought to be counted among the laity.
Therefore, when they had decreed concerning these matters, as the reverence for the divine laws had demanded, and had also handed down to the churches concerning the observance of Easter an ancient canon, through which no variety would thenceforth arise, all things having been duly arranged, the peace and faith of the churches in the regions of both East and West... About the same time Helena, mother of Constantine, an incomparable woman in faith, in religion of soul, and in singular magnificence—whose son Constantine both was and was believed to be—admonished by divine visions, sought Jerusalem, and there inquired of the inhabitants for the place in which the most sacred body of Christ had hung affixed to the gibbet.
That place was on this account difficult to find, because by the ancient persecutors an image of Venus had been set up in it, so that if any of the Christians had wished to adore Christ in that place, he would seem to adore Venus. And on this account the place had become little frequented and almost consigned to oblivion. But when, as we said above, the religious woman had hastened to the place designated to her by a heavenly indication, casting down from it all things profane and polluted, and when the rubble had been cleared away, she found deep down three crosses in confused order. But the undistinguished sameness of each cross disturbed the joy of the discovered gift.
There was present indeed also that title which had been inscribed by Pilate in Greek and Latin and Hebrew letters; but this uncertainty of human ambiguity now demanded a divine testimony. It happened that in the same city a certain woman of first rank of that place, worn out by a grave illness, lay half-dead. Macarius was at that time bishop of that church. When he saw the queen hesitating and all who were present likewise, he said: 'Bring hither all the crosses that have been found, and God will now reveal to us which it is that bore God.' And having entered, together with the queen and the people, to her who was lying sick, and having fixed his knees, he poured out a prayer of this kind to God: 'Thou, O Lord, who through Thine only-begotten Son...
deigned to confer salvation on the human race through the passion of the cross, and now in these last times hast breathed into the heart of Thy handmaid to seek out the blessed wood on which our salvation hung: show clearly, out of these three, which was the cross unto the Lord's glory, and which stood for servile punishment; so that this woman, who lies half-alive, as soon as the saving wood shall have touched her, may be recalled from the gates of death to life.'
And when he had said these things, he first applied one of the three, and nothing was accomplished; he applied the second, and not even so was anything done; but when he brought forward the third, suddenly, with her eyes opened, the woman rose up, and having recovered stability of strength, much more sprightly than when she had been well, she began to run about through the whole house and to magnify the power of the Lord. Thus by an evident sign the queen, made partaker of her vow, built a [church] on that spot. The nails also, with which the Lord's body had been affixed, she carried to her son. Out of these he made bridles, which he might use in war, and out of others he is said to have fashioned a helmet, likewise adapted to the uses of war.
But of the saving wood itself she brought part to her son, and part, enclosed in silver caskets, she left behind in the place, which even now is kept with careful veneration for a memorial. The queen also left this token of her religious spirit. It is said that she invited to a banquet the venerable virgins whom she found there consecrated to God, and cared for them with such devotion that she deemed it unworthy if they should use the services of servants; but she herself, girded in the garb of a serving-maid, would set out food with her own hands, hold out the cup, and pour water over their hands—and the queen of the world and mother of the empire accounted herself the handmaid of the handmaids of Christ. These things indeed were done at Jerusalem.
Meanwhile Constantine, relying on his piety, subdued by arms upon his own soil the Sarmatians, the Goths, and other barbarian nations—except those which had anticipated peace either by friendship or by their surrender. And the more religiously and humbly he had subjected himself to God, the more abundantly did God subject all things to him. To Antony too, the first inhabitant of the desert, he sent letters as suppliant as though to one of the prophets, that he might make supplication to the Lord on behalf of himself and his children. Thus he yearned to make himself commendable to God, not only by his own merits and by the religion of his mother, but also by the intercession of the saints.
Now since we have made mention of so great a man as Antony — of his virtues and manner of life and sobriety of mind, how, passing his life in solitude, he had only the company of wild beasts for his fellowship, and, winning frequent triumphs over the demons, was pleasing to God above all mortals, and how by his discipline he left to monks illustrious examples that endure even to this day — though I was willing to set forth some things concerning him, that little book excluded me from doing so, the one written by Athanasius and published also in the Latin tongue.
Wherefore, passing over those things which have already been told by others, we shall record those which, though grounded on the reliability of what was actually done, were nonetheless made known by men who dwelt far off. In that division of the earth which was carried out by lot through the apostles for the preaching of the word of God, when different provinces fell to different men, Parthia is said to have been allotted to Thomas, Ethiopia to Matthew, and to Bartholomew the nearer India that borders upon it. Between this India and Parthia, but lying deep within by a long stretch, lies farther India, inhabited by many and diverse tongues and nations; and this land, as being far removed, no ploughshare of apostolic preaching had touched. Yet in the times of Constantine it first received the seeds of the faith through some such occasion as this.
A certain philosopher named Metrodorus is said to have penetrated into farther India for the sake of viewing the regions and exploring the world. Invited by his example, a certain Tyrian philosopher named Meropius also wished, for a like reason, to visit India, having with him two young boys whom, as being his kinsmen, he was instructing in liberal letters. Of these, the one who was younger was called Aedesius, and the other Frumentius. So then, when he had seen and taken note of the things upon which his mind fed, and the philosopher had begun to return, the ship in which he was carried put in at a certain harbour for the sake of water and other necessaries.
It is the custom of the barbarians there that whenever the neighbouring nations report to them that their treaty with the Romans has been broken, all Romans found among them are put to the sword. The philosopher's ship was attacked, and all together with himself were slain. But the two boys, found beneath a tree studying and preparing their lessons, were spared out of the barbarians' pity and led to the king. Of these he made the one, that is Aedesius, his cupbearer, while to Frumentius, whom he had perceived to be sharp-witted and prudent, he entrusted his accounts and archives. From this they were held in great honour and affection by the king.
But when the king was dying, he left his wife with a little son as heir of the kingdom, and to the young men he gave free power to do what they wished. The queen, however, humbly entreated them — inasmuch as she had none more faithful in all the kingdom — to share with her the care of governing the realm until her son should come of age, and especially Frumentius, whose prudence sufficed to administer a kingdom; for Aedesius simply displayed a pure faith and a sober mind.
And while they did this, and Frumentius held the helm of the kingdom in his hands, God stirring his mind and heart, he began to inquire more diligently whether there were any Christians among the Roman merchants, and to give them the greatest liberty and to urge them to hold assemblies in the various places, to which they might come together after the Roman manner for the sake of prayer. And he himself did the same still more zealously, and thus encouraged the rest, inviting them by favour and benefits, supplying whatever was needful, providing places for buildings and other necessities, and striving in every way that the seed of Christians might arise there.
But when the royal boy for whom they were exercising the administration of the kingdom had grown up, having accomplished everything and faithfully handed it over, though the queen and her son much detained them and begged them to remain, they nonetheless returned again to our world. And while Aedesius hastened to Tyre to see again his parents and kinsmen, Frumentius went on to Alexandria, saying that it was not right to hide the Lord's work. So he laid the whole matter before the bishop, as it had been done, and urged him to provide some worthy man whom, now that many Christians were gathered and churches built on barbarian soil, he might send as bishop.
Then indeed Athanasius — for he had lately received the priesthood — considering the words and deeds of Frumentius more attentively and carefully, said in the council of the priests: «And what other man do we find such as this, in whom the Spirit of God is as it is in you, who can so fulfil these things?» And bestowing the priesthood upon him, he bade him return with the Lord's grace to the place whence he had come. And when this bishop had gone on to India, so great a grace of miracles is said to have been given him by God, that apostolic signs were wrought through him, and a countless number of barbarians were converted to the faith. From this there arose in the regions of India both peoples of Christians and churches, and the priesthood had its beginning.
These things we relate as having so come to pass not by common report, but on the account of Aedesius himself, who was afterward made a presbyter at Tyre and who had earlier been Frumentius's companion. About the same time also the nation of the Iberians, which lies under the Pontic pole, received the covenants of the word of God and the faith of the kingdom to come. But of this so great a blessing a certain captive woman furnished the occasion; for being found among them, and leading a life faithful enough and sober and chaste, and offering to God vigils of supplication all day and all night, the very novelty of the thing began to be a marvel to the barbarians. And they inquired more curiously what this might mean. She, as the case was, simply confessed that she worshipped Christ as God by this rite.
At this the barbarians marvelled at nothing further than the novelty of the name. But, as usually happens, her very perseverance instilled a certain curiosity in the little women, whether any benefit might be gained from so great a devotion. It is said to be the custom among them that, if a little child fall sick, it is carried about by its mother through the several houses, so that if anyone who has had experience should know some remedy, he might contribute it to the ailing child. And when a certain woman had carried her little one about to all, according to custom, and had obtained no remedy by going through all the houses, she came also to the captive, that she might show whether she knew anything. She testified indeed that she knew no human remedy, but affirmed that her God Christ, whom she worshipped, was able to give the child the salvation despaired of by men.
And when she had laid the little one upon her haircloth garment and had herself poured out a prayer over him to the Lord, she gave the infant back healed to its mother. The report was carried to many, and the fame of the wondrous deed spread even to the ears of the queen, who, afflicted with some very grave bodily suffering, was in the utmost despair. She asked that the captive be brought to her. The captive refused to go, lest she should seem to presume anything more than her sex permitted. The queen ordered that she herself be carried to the captive's little cell.
When she had likewise laid her upon her haircloth garment and invoked the name of Christ, straightway after the prayer she made her rise up sound and lively; and she taught that Christ was God, the Son of the most high God, who had conferred this salvation, and reminded her that He must be invoked whom she knew to be the author of her own soundness and life — for it was He indeed who both distributes kingdoms to kings and life to mortals. But she, having returned home with joy, disclosed to her husband, who asked the cause of so sudden a recovery. And when he, glad for his wife's health, ordered gifts to be brought to the woman, she said: «Of these things, O king, the captive esteems nothing worthy.»
«She despises gold, rejects silver, feeds on fasting as though on food; this alone shall we give her as a gift: that we worship as God that Christ who healed me at her invocation.» At this the king was then rather slow and for a time deferred it, though he was often urged by his wife. It happened afterward, while he was hunting in the forests with his companions, that the day was overcast with the thickest darkness, and through the horror of a foul night, with the light withdrawn, a blind journey was denied to their groping steps.
His companions wandered off, one this way, one that; he alone, surrounded by the thickest gloom, knew not what to do nor whither to turn, when suddenly, to his anxious spirit despairing of safety, such a thought arose: if that Christ whom the captive had proclaimed to his wife were truly God, let Him now deliver him from this darkness, that, forsaking all else, he might henceforth worship Him. And no sooner had he vowed this, not yet in word but only in mind, than the day, restored to the world, brought the king unharmed to the city. He at once disclosed to the queen the matter as it had happened. He demanded that the captive be summoned there and then and hand over to him the rite of worship, and affirmed that he would henceforth worship no other god than Christ.
The captive came, taught him about Christ the God, and unfolded the manner of supplicating and worshipping Him, in so far as it was lawful to disclose these things to a woman. She nonetheless advised that a church be built, and described its form. So the king, having called together the whole people of the nation, set forth the matter from the beginning — what had been done concerning himself and the queen — and taught the faith; and though not yet initiated into the sacred mysteries, he became the apostle of his own nation. The men believed through the king, the women through the queen, and, all wishing the same, a church was earnestly built. And when the circuit of the walls had already been swiftly raised, the time had come when the columns ought to be set in place.
And when the first and second had been erected and they had come to the third, though all the machines and the strength of oxen and men were exhausted, and it had already been raised halfway aslant while the remaining part could be lifted by no machines, and though their strength was applied a second and a third time and more often, it could not be moved even from its place, all being worn out. There was amazement in the whole people; the king's spirits were flagging; all mortals and the very works ceased. The captive alone remained within, passing the night in prayer.
When behold, in the morning, the king entering anxiously with all his people sees the column — which so many machines and so many people had been unable to move — erected and hanging poised above its base, yet not set upon it, but hanging in the air about the space of a single foot. Then indeed all the peoples, beholding and magnifying God, bore witness by the testimony of the present miracle that the king's faith and the captive's religion were true. And behold, while all still marvelled and stood amazed, before their very eyes the column, with none touching it, was gently lowered upon its base and settled with perfect balance.