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E03559: The History of the Monks in Egypt recounts the martyrdom of *Apollonios, Philemon, and their companions (S01001, S00386), whose shrine and relics in the Thebaid (Upper Egypt) were venerated by the author in 394. Written in Greek at Jerusalem, 395/397.
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posted on 2017-08-11, 00:00 authored by erizosHistory of the Monks in Egypt, 19.
Apollonios is a monk and deacon in the Thebaid, who performs various miracles. During the persecution he encourages many martyrs, and is arrested. Pagans come and harass him in gaol, including a flute-player called Philemon. Apollonios replies to his abuse by praying for Philemon’s forgiveness, which affects the latter profoundly. Philemon appears at the court, defending Apollonios and confesses to being a Christian himself. The judge has both Apollonios and Philemon tortured, and condemns them to be burned alive. Apollonios prays and a shining cloud appears, which extinguishes the fire. Both the crowd and the judge are converted to Christianity. The governor sends guardsmen to bring them to Alexandria. On the way, even the guardsmen are converted, and all of them together present themselves to the governor. The latter condemns them to be thrown into the sea. Their remains are found on the shore and buried together. Miracles occur at the shrine. The chapter ends as follows:
οὓς ἅπαντας ὁ ἔπαρχος θεασάμενος ἀμεταθέτους τῇ πίστει τῷ βυθῷ θᾶττον κελεύει παραδοθῆναι· τοῦτο δὲ σύμβολον αὐτοῖς ἐγένετο τοῦ βαπτίσματος. εὑρόντες δὲ αὐτοὺς οἱ οἰκεῖοι πρὸς τὰς ὄχθας ἐκρεριμμένους, πάντας ὁμοῦ τέθεικαν. ἔνθα ἐποίησαν δυνάμεις πολλάς, αἳ καὶ νῦν ἐπιτελοῦνται· τοσαύτη γάρ τις χάρις γέγονεν τοῦ ἀνδρός, ὥστε καὶ περὶ ὧν ηὔξατο εὐθὺς εἰσηκούσθη τοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτὸν οὕτω τιμήσαντος. ὃν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ εὐξάμενοι ἐθεασάμεθα ἅμα τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ μαρτυρήσασιν. καὶ προσκυνήσαντες τῷ θεῷ ἠσπασάμεθα αὐτῶν τὰ σκηνώματα ἐν τῇ Θηβαΐδι.
‘As the governor saw all of them unmovable in their faith, he ordered that they be quickly commended to the bottom of the sea. And they received that as a symbol of their baptism. Their people found them thrown on the shores, and buried them all together. They have performed many miracles there, which still take place. Indeed the man’s grace was such that the things he prayed for were immediately heard by the Saviour who honoured him like that. When we prayed at the shrine (martyrion), we saw him ourselves, together with those who were martyred alongside him. And we worshipped God and venerated their dwellings [= bodies] in the Thebaid.’
Text: Festugière 1961.
Translation: E. Rizos.
Apollonios is a monk and deacon in the Thebaid, who performs various miracles. During the persecution he encourages many martyrs, and is arrested. Pagans come and harass him in gaol, including a flute-player called Philemon. Apollonios replies to his abuse by praying for Philemon’s forgiveness, which affects the latter profoundly. Philemon appears at the court, defending Apollonios and confesses to being a Christian himself. The judge has both Apollonios and Philemon tortured, and condemns them to be burned alive. Apollonios prays and a shining cloud appears, which extinguishes the fire. Both the crowd and the judge are converted to Christianity. The governor sends guardsmen to bring them to Alexandria. On the way, even the guardsmen are converted, and all of them together present themselves to the governor. The latter condemns them to be thrown into the sea. Their remains are found on the shore and buried together. Miracles occur at the shrine. The chapter ends as follows:
οὓς ἅπαντας ὁ ἔπαρχος θεασάμενος ἀμεταθέτους τῇ πίστει τῷ βυθῷ θᾶττον κελεύει παραδοθῆναι· τοῦτο δὲ σύμβολον αὐτοῖς ἐγένετο τοῦ βαπτίσματος. εὑρόντες δὲ αὐτοὺς οἱ οἰκεῖοι πρὸς τὰς ὄχθας ἐκρεριμμένους, πάντας ὁμοῦ τέθεικαν. ἔνθα ἐποίησαν δυνάμεις πολλάς, αἳ καὶ νῦν ἐπιτελοῦνται· τοσαύτη γάρ τις χάρις γέγονεν τοῦ ἀνδρός, ὥστε καὶ περὶ ὧν ηὔξατο εὐθὺς εἰσηκούσθη τοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτὸν οὕτω τιμήσαντος. ὃν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ εὐξάμενοι ἐθεασάμεθα ἅμα τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ μαρτυρήσασιν. καὶ προσκυνήσαντες τῷ θεῷ ἠσπασάμεθα αὐτῶν τὰ σκηνώματα ἐν τῇ Θηβαΐδι.
‘As the governor saw all of them unmovable in their faith, he ordered that they be quickly commended to the bottom of the sea. And they received that as a symbol of their baptism. Their people found them thrown on the shores, and buried them all together. They have performed many miracles there, which still take place. Indeed the man’s grace was such that the things he prayed for were immediately heard by the Saviour who honoured him like that. When we prayed at the shrine (martyrion), we saw him ourselves, together with those who were martyred alongside him. And we worshipped God and venerated their dwellings [= bodies] in the Thebaid.’
Text: Festugière 1961.
Translation: E. Rizos.
History
Evidence ID
E03559Saint Name
Apollōnios, martyr at Alexandria : S01001 Philēmōn, Apollōnios and companions, martyrs in Antinoopolis, ob. 303-305 : S00386Saint Name in Source
Ἀπολλώνιος Ἀπολλώνιος, ΦιλήμωνRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Hagiographical - Monastic collections (apophthegmata, etc.)Language
- Greek