E05332: The Life of *Theodoros (abbot of Sykeon, ob. 613, S01619), by Eleusios-Georgios of Sykeon, mentions a pilgrimage of its hero in c. 600 to the shrine of an icon of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) at Sozopolis of Pisidia (west central Anatolia), which produced a miraculous flow of myrrh. Written in Greek at Sykeon (central Asia Minor), in the 640s.

Georgios of Sykeon, Life of Theodoros, abbot of Sykeon and bishop of Anastasiopolis (CPG 7973 = BHG 1748), 106, 108.

106. 1-9. Ἄλλῃ δὲ ὀμματοποινικῇ συμφορᾷ καθ’ ἕκαστον χρόνον συνεχόμενος ἐπὶ ἕνα καὶ ἥμισυ μῆνα ἡμερῶν κατὰ τὸν τοῦ θέρους καιρόν, εὐχαρίστει μὲν καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ τῷ πάθει ὑπερβαλλόντως, ἀλλ’ εἰς τὴν τῶν ὄχλων ὑποδοχὴν οὐκ ἐπήρκει. Ταύτης οὖν ἕνεκα τῆς συμφορᾶς, θεόθεν κινηθεὶς ἐξῆλθε πορεύεσθαι ἐπὶ τὸν ναὸν τῆς δεσποίνης ἡμῶν τῆς Θεοτόκου, τὸν ὄντα ἐν Σωζοπόλει. Ἦν γὰρ ἔκπαλαι πόθον ἔχων θεατὴς γενέσθαι τῆς θεϊκῆς δωρεᾶς τῆς ἐκεῖσε· ἔπρεπε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀληθῶς καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκεῖσε θεϊκῆς μαρτυρίας μαρτυρηθῆναι, καί τινας ἀπὸ κινδύνων ῥύσασθαι.

‘He used to be afflicted by a painful infection of the eyes every year for one and a half month during the summer season. Even for this suffering he was profusely thankful to God, but it made him unfit to receive the multitudes. On account of this adversity, then, and driven by God, he set off to visit the church of our Lady the Mother of God, which is in Sozopolis. He had indeed for long desired to view the divine gift which manifests itself at that place. It was indeed truly fitting that he should receive a testimony also by the divine manifestation of that place, and rescue some people from dangers.’


108. 13-20. Καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῷ σεβασμίῳ ναῷ τῆς παναγίας παρθένου καὶ θεοτόκου Μαρίας, ἔνθα τὸ θεοδώρητον μύρον ἐξέρχεται, ἐξεπέτασε τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔστη σταυροειδῶς εὐχόμενος καὶ τῇ κατέναντι αὐτοῦ παραδόξῳ εἰκόνι τοῦ μύρου ἐνατενίζων. Ἐνεργείᾳ δὲ θείᾳ, ὥσπερ πομφόλυξ συστραφὲν τὸ μύρον, ἐπὶ πολὺ ἐράντισεν εἰς τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ὅλον ἔχρισεν, ὡς πάντας τοὺς ἰδόντας τὴν θεϊκὴν ταύτην μαρτυρίαν λέγειν ὅτι «ὄντως ἄξιος δοῦλος ἐστι τοῦ θεοῦ.»

‘He entered the venerable church of the all holy virgin and Mother of God Mary, where the God-given myrrh comes forth, and he stretched out his arms and stood praying in the form of a cross, contemplating the wondrous icon of the myrrh before him. By divine working, the myrrh gathered like a bubble and sprinkled his eyes profusely, anointing his whole face. Thus everyone who saw that divine testimony said that “He is indeed a worthy servant of God.”'

Text: Festugière 1970.
Translation: Efthymios Rizos.