E04021: Sozomen in his Ecclesiastical History refers to miracles at the shrine of *Martyrios and Markianos (martyrs in Constantinople, ob. c. 351, S01719) in Constantinople, and to the building of its church in the early 5th century. Written in Greek at Constantinople, 439/450.

Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History, 4.3

After the deposition of the orthodox (Nicene) Paul and the second appointment of the Arian Macedonius as bishop of Constantinople in 350, a persecution breaks out against the clergy that remained faithful to Paul.

(1) Προῆλθε γὰρ τὸ κακὸν καὶ μέχρι φόνων· καὶ γὰρ δὴ ἄλλοι τινὲς ἀνῃρέθησαν καὶ Μαρτύριος καὶ Μαρκιανός, οὓς συνοίκους ὄντας Παύλου λόγος ἀνδρείως ἀποθανεῖν παραδοθέντας ὑπὸ Μακεδονίου τῷ ὑπάρχῳ ὡς αἰτίους γενομένους τῆς Ἑρμογένους κακῆς ἀναιρέσεως καὶ τῆς κατ’ αὐτοῦ στάσεως. ἦν δὲ ὁ μὲν ὑποδιάκονος, ὁ δὲ Μαρκιανὸς ψάλτης καὶ ἀναγνώστης τῶν ἱερῶν γραφῶν· ὁ δὲ τάφος αὐτοῖς ἐστιν ἐπίσημος πρὸ τοῦ τείχους Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, οἷά γε μαρτύρων μνῆμα εὐκτήριον οἶκον περικείμενος· (2) ὃν οἰκοδομεῖν ἤρξατο Ἰωάννης, ἐτελεσιούργησε δὲ Σισίννιος, οἱ μετὰ ταῦτα προστάντες τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐκκλησίας. οὐ γὰρ ἄξιον νενομίκασι μαρτυρίας γερῶν ἀμοιρεῖν αὐτοὺς ὑπὸ θεοῦ τιμωμένους, καθότι καὶ ὁ τῇδε τόπος, τῶν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ ἀγομένων ἐνθάδε τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτεμνομένων, τὸ πρὶν ἄβατος ὢν ὑπὸ φασμάτων ἐκαθάρθη· καὶ δαιμονῶντες τῆς νόσου ἀπηλλάγησαν καὶ πολλὰ ἄλλα παράδοξα ἐπὶ τῷ τάφῳ αὐτῶν συνέβη. (3) τάδε μὲν ἡμῖν περὶ Μαρτυρίου καὶ Μαρκιανοῦ εἰρήσθω. εἰ δέ τῳ οὐ πιθανὰ εἶναι δοκεῖ, πόνος οὐδεὶς ἀκριβέστερον παρὰ τῶν εἰδότων μαθεῖν· ἴσως γὰρ καὶ τούτων θαυμαστότερα ἀφηγήσονται.

‘(1) Violence advanced even to the point of slaughter. Indeed, several people were killed, including Martyrios and Markianos who are said to have lived in Paulos’ house and to have died bravely. They were handed by Macedonius to the urban prefect, accused for the horrendous murder of Hermogenes and for the sedition against him. Martyrios was a subdeacon, whereas Markianos was a singer and reader of the Holy Scriptures. Their tomb is famous, located before the walls of Constantinople and, as a memorial of martyrs, it is housed in an oratory. (2) Its construction was commenced by John and completed by Sisinnius, who presided over the church of Constantinople in a later period. They indeed thought that it was not right for these men to be left bereft of veneration as martyrs, while they were held in honour by God. On that site decapitations of death convicts had been taking place and, while previously it had been inaccessible because of ghosts, it was now purified. Moreover, people tormented by demons were delivered from their malady, and many other prodigies occurred at their tomb. (3) For my part, let these things suffice with regard to Martyrios and Markianos. If anyone finds them implausible, it is not difficult to acquire more information from to those who know. They might indeed relate even more wonderful things than these.'

Text: Bidez and Hansen 1995. Translation: E. Rizos.