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THE FOURTH MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day is commemorated Abba Salama, the revealer of the
light, for he was the light of Ethiopia; and behold the story of his
strife is written in the section for the twenty-seventh day of the month
Hamle. Salutation to Abba
Salama. And on this day also took place the translation of the body of
the great Saint Titus, the Apostle, the disciple of Paul the Apostle.
Constantine the Just, the great emperor of emperors, translated the
body from ‘Akrates (Crete) to the city of Constantinople.
When by the Will of God, Constantine reigned, he took very careful
thought for the churches and the works thereof, and he beautified with
fine decorations all the churches, which were in his kingdom, and
especially those in the city of Constantinople, for, that was the seat of
his sovereignty. And he
inspected every work, and he wished [the builders] to beautify them with
every kind of decoration, and with pearl-stone (mother-of-pearl), and
costly stones; and he also made them glorious with spiritual stones and
celestial gems. And the
bodies of the apostles were gathered together to him, and such of the
bodies of the honorable martyrs as he could find.
And when he heard that the body of Saint Titus the apostle was in
the city of ‘Akrates (Crete) he sent the chief priests, and with them
much money, and they took the body of Saint Titus with great honor, and
brought it to the city of Constantinople.
And he built a beautiful church, and he placed the body in a coffer
of very precious stone, and laid it in the church.
And God made manifest many exceedingly great signs and miracles
through it. And as they were carrying Saint Titus to bring him into the
sanctuary, the end of the stone coffer dropped upon the foot of one of its
carriers, and crushed it, and the bones thereof.
And that man took some of the oil of the lamp which was hanging
before the picture of Saint Titus in faith, and he smeared his foot
therewith and tied it up, crying out by reason of the pain as he did so;
and as he could not walk home to his house, he passed the night by the
side of the coffer containing the saint.
And on the following day he unbandaged his foot to look at it, and
to apply the means of healing to it, and he found that it was sound and
well like the other, and there was no pain in it whatsoever, and he found
on it only traces of the marks of blood; and all those who saw this
miracle marveled exceedingly, and they glorified God.
And the man rose up and washed away the blood, and he walked about
as usual without any pain, and he glorified God.
And the miracles of this holy Apostle Titus were many.
Salutation to the translation of the body of Titus the disciple of
Paul. And on this day also died Arkila, and Philemon, the priest and
anchorite who became a martyr. Salutation
to Arkila, and Philemon. Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
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