E06470: In 555/557, Cyril of Scythopolis in the Life of Euthymios describes the construction of a burial chapel for the transfer of the relics of *Euthymios (monastic founder in Palestine, S01352) to the saint’s monastery in 473. When the church was consecrated in 483, relics of *Tarachos, Probos, and Andronikos (martyrs of Anazarbus, S00710) were placed under the altar. Written in Greek at the New Laura in Palestine.

Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of Euthymios 40, 42, 44 (CPG 7535 = BHG 647-648b)

40. [……] καὶ καταλείψας ἐν τῆι λαύραι Φίδον τὸν διάκονον ὡς ὀφείλοντα φροντίζειν τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τοῦ κοιμητηρίου πρὸς τὸ μετατεθῆναι τὸ τίμιον λείψανον εἰς πρέποντα τόπον ἀνελθὼν εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν ἀπέστειλεν τεχνίτας καὶ τὴν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ὑπουργίαν ἅπασαν.

[……]

42. Ὁ δὲ διάκονος Φίδος πολλὴν σπουδὴν θέμενος ὠικοδόμησεν τὸ κοιμητήριον ἐν τῶι τόπωι τοῦ σπηλαίου ἔνθα ἐν ἀρχῆι ἡσύχαζεν ὁ μέγας Εὐθύμιος. ὅπερ σπήλαιον καταλύσας ἐν μόνοις τρισὶ μησὶν ἔκτισεν οἶκον μέγαν καὶ θαυμαστὸν κεκαμαρωμένον. καὶ ἐν μὲν τῶι μέσωι τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου θήκην πεποίηκεν· ἑκατέρωθεν δὲ ἐσκεύασεν θήκας ἡγουμένων τε καὶ πρεσβυτέρων καὶ λοιπῶν ὁσίων ἀνδρῶν. ὁ δὲ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος προπέμψας τήν τε ἐπικειμένην πλάκα μετὰ τῆς ἀργυρᾶς χώνης καὶ τὰ κυκλοῦντα κάγκελλα κατῆλθεν εἰς τὴν λαύραν καὶ μετήνεγκεν τὸ τίμιον λείψανον εἰς τὸν ἑτοιμασθέντα τόπον οἰκείαις βαστάσας χερσὶν καὶ τοῦτο καταθέμενος ἀσφαλῶς πρὸς τὸ μηδένα δύνασθαι ἀνοῖξαι καὶ λείψανον ἀποσυλῆσαι ἐπέθηκεν τὴν πλάκα πήξας τὴν χώνην ὑπεράνω τοῦ στήθους αὐτοῦ. ἥτις χώνη ἀπὸ τότε μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἀναβλύζει παντοδαπὰς εὐεργεσίας τοῖς μετὰ πίστεως προσιοῦσι. γέγονε δὲ ἡ τοῦ λειψάνου μετάθεσις μηνὶ Μαίωι ἑβδόμηι.

[……]

44. [……] ὁ τοίνυν ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Μαρτύριος γνοὺς τὸ γενόμενον θαῦμα μετὰ πολλῆς δαψιλείας παραγέγονεν εἰς τὸν ἐγκαινισμὸν τοῦ μοναστηρίου. καὶ γέγονεν ἡ ἀγρυπνία μετὰ λαμπρᾶς φωταγωγίας καὶ ποιοῦντες τὴν σύναξιν κατέθεντο ὑπὸ τὸ θυσιαστήριον λείψανα ἁγίων καὶ καλλινίκων μαρτύρων, Ταράχου καὶ Πρόβου καὶ Ἀνδρονίκου, μηνὶ Μαίωι ἑβδόμηι ἔτους δεκάτου ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ μεγάλου Εὐθυμίου κοιμήσεως. χρόνου δέ τινος διελθόντος ὁ διάκονος Φίδος ἐπίσκοπος ἐχειροτονήθη πόλεως Δώρων προσαγορευομένης.


Right after Euthymios' funeral in 473, archbishop Anastasius I of Jerusalem builds a chapel for his tomb

'40. […] (the archbishop) left deacon Fidus at the laura, in order to take care of the construction of the burial chapel, so that the precious remains might be transferred to a fitting place. Having returned to the holy city, he sent craftsmen and all the necessary assistance for the construction.

[……]

42. Deacon Fidus with great diligence built the burial chapel on the site of the cave where the great Euthymios had spent his initial solitary retreat. This cave, then, he demolished and within only three months he built a large and marvellous vaulted building, and constructed the saint’s tomb in its middle. On either side of it, he prepared tombs for superiors, presbyters, and other holy men. The archbishop, having sent in advance the covering tombstone alongside the silver crucible and the surrounding railings, came to the laura and transferred the precious remains to the place prepared, carrying them with his own hands. He laid them to rest securely and, in order that no one might be able to open the tomb and steal a relic, he placed the tombstone over them and fixed the crucible over the saint’s breast. From then to this day, this crucible pours forth all kinds of benefit for those who approach with faith. The transfer of the remains took place on the seventh of May.'


Ten years later (483), under archbishop Martyrios, Euthymios' monastic community becomes a coenobitic monastery, using the burial chapel as its church. The building is consecrated with the deposition of relics

'44. [……] When he heard about the miracle that had occurred, archbishop Martyrios came for the dedication of the monastery. The vigil was celebrated with splendid illumination and during the synaxis they deposited under the altar relics of the holy and victorious martyrs Tarachos, Probos, and Andronikos, on the seventh of May of the tenth year since the death of the great Euthymios. Some time later, deacon Fidus was ordained bishop of a city called Dora.'

Text: Schwartz 1939.
Translation: Efthymios Rizos.