of the expulsion fifty-eight years. But the holy Church established in Aelia, being of the Gentiles, first appoints as bishop from the Gentiles Mark, a man most holy in every way. But the faithful, having learned by tradition that the place of the holy Golgotha was still covered with earth and hidden, came daily and reverently worshipped; when the idolaters saw this, with the devil suggesting it to them, they built there a temple to the image of the unclean demon Aphrodite. And since the multitude of Christians was prevented from approaching the place, the holy places consequently became unknown to the many. But Hadrian died, and Antoninus Pius reigned in his stead for twenty-two years. After him, Marcus Aurelius Verus, whom also Antoninus his son succeeded along with his brother Lucius for fourteen years. And when a persecution was stirred up, many became martyrs, dying willingly for Christ. And great signs occurred, so that Caesar Marcus himself, with his whole army, when he was about to perish from a lack of water, was saved by the 4048 prayer of the Christians, as God sent them rain in waterless places. When Verus died, Commodus succeeded to the rule for twelve years. After him, Pertinax reigned for six months. After him, Severus reigned for eighteen years; under whom, when a great persecution was stirred up, many bore witness in every place. When he died, Antoninus Caracalla for seven years, Macrinus, succeeding him, reigned for one year. And after him another Antoninus for fourteen years. After him reigned Alexander for thirteen years. The bishops in Aelia from the reign of Hadrian are these: Mark, Cassianus, Publius, Maximus, Julianus, Gaius, another Julianus, Capito, Valens, Dolichianus, Narcissus. This Narcissus, being illumined with apostolic gifts, and loving quiet, left his episcopacy and fled to unknown places. Since he was sought much by the people and the bishops of the province, and was not found, Dios was put forward as bishop in his place, after him Germanion. Gordias succeeded him. During his time, as if from the inner sanctuary, Narcissus reappeared. And he was with the ordained bishop, being a very old man, so that he was the thirtieth from the saving passion. And when the bishop with him died and Narcissus had grown very old, for he was one hundred and sixteen years old, a certain Alexander, a bishop from another country who had come to worship at the holy places, they appointed as bishop of Jerusalem in his place, according to a revelation from God, having urged him greatly, who also was later perfected by martyrdom. And in those times there was great peace in the Churches of God. For the mother of the emperor, Mamaea, was exceedingly devout. When Alexander ceased from his rule, Maximinus succeeded to the leadership for three years. This man, having treated the house of Alexander badly, raised up a persecution against the Christians, and ordered the leaders of the Churches to be slain, as being the cause of the blasphemies against the gods. When he died, Pupinus and Balbinus took the rule of the Romans for three months. Gordian succeeded them for six years. After him, Philip the emperor reigned for seven years; this man genuinely believed in Christ; but Decius, the servant of Satan, after killing him, held the kingdom for two years. Under him, when a severe persecution was stirred up, countless persons bore witness in various places. When he was slain with his children, Gallus and Volusianus succeeded to the kingdom for three years, and these Valerian 4049 and Gallienus succeeded for fifteen years. This man raised up a great persecution against Christians. But when he was captured by barbarians, his son stopped the persecution. And in Aelia

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ἐκβο λῆς ἔτη πεντήκοντα ὀκτώ. Ἡ δὲ κατὰ τὴν Αἰλίαν συστᾶσα ἁγία Ἐκκλησία ἐξ ἐθνῶν τυγχάνουσα, πρῶτον καθιστᾷ ἐπίσκοπον ἐξ ἐθνῶν Μάρκον, ἄνδρα κατὰ πάντα ἁγιώτατον. Μαθόντες δὲ ἐκ παραδόσεως οἱ πιστοὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦ ἁγίου Γολγοθᾶ κεχωσμένον ἕτι καὶ ἀφανῆ τυγχά νοντα, ἐρχόμενοι καθ' ἡμέραν σεβασμίως προσεκύνουν· ὅπερ θεωροῦντες οἱ εἰδωλολάτραι, τοῦ διαβόλου ὑπο βάλλοντος αὐτοῖς, ᾠκοδόμησαν ἐκεῖσε ναὸν τῷ ἀγάλ ματι τῆς ἀκαθάρτου δαίμονος Ἀφροδίτης. Κωλυθὲν δὲ τὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πλῆθος τῆς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ προ όδου, ἄγνωστοι τοῖς πολλοῖς λοιπὸν οἱ ἅγιοι τόποι ἐγίνοντο. Ἀπέθανε δὲ Ἀδριανὸς, καὶ ἐβασίλευσεν Ἁντωνῖνος ὁ Εὐσεβὴς ἀντ' αὐτοῦ εἴκοσι καὶ δύο ἔτη. Μετὰ τοῦτον δὲ Μάρκος Ἀουρήλιος Οὐῆρος, ὃν καὶ Ἀντωνῖνος ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ σὺν καὶ Λουκίῳ ἀδελφῷ διαδέχεται ἔτη τεσσαρακαίδεκα. ∆ιωγμοῦ δὲ κινηθέντος πολ λοὶ γεγόνασι μάρτυρες θανόντες προθύμως ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ. Σημεῖα δὲ μεγάλα ἐγίνετο, ὥστε αὐτὸν τὸν Καίσαρα Μάρκον, σὺν παντὶ τῷ στρατεύματι αὐτοῦ, σπάνει ὕδατος μέλλοντα διαφθείρεσθαι, τῇ 4048 τῶν Χριστιανῶν εὐχῇ περισωθῆναι, τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν ἀνύδροις τόποις ἀποστείλαντος αὐτοῖς τὸν ὑετόν. Τελευτήσαντος δὲ Οὐήρου διαδέχεται τὴν ἡγεμονίαν Κόμμοδος ἔτη δώδεκα. Μετ' αὐτὸν ἐβασίλευσε Περ τίναξ μῆνας ἕξ. Μετὰ τοῦτον ἐβασίλευσε Σεβῆρος ἔτη δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ· ἐφ' οὗ, διωγμοῦ μεγάλου κινηθέντος, πολλοὶ κατὰ πάντα τόπον ἐμαρτύρη σαν. Τούτου δὲ τελευτήσαντος Ἀντωνῖνος Καράκαλος ἔτη ἑπτὰ, Μακρῖνος τοῦτον διαδεξάμενος ἐβασίλευσεν ἔτος ἕν. Καὶ μετ' αὐτὸν Ἀντωνῖνος ἄλλος ἔτη τεσ σαρακαίδεκα. Ἐβασίλευσε μετὰ τοῦτον Ἀλέξανδρος ἔτη τρία καὶ δέκα. Οἱ δὲ κατὰ τὴν Αἰλίαν γενόμενοι ἐπίσκοποι ἀπ' Ἀδριανοῦ τῆς βασιλείας, οὗτοί εἰσι· Μάρκος, Κασσιανὸς, Πούπλιος, Μάξιμος, Ἰουλιανὸς, Γάϊος, Ἰουλιανὸς ἕτερος, Καπίτων, Οὐάλης, ∆ολιχιανὸς Νάρκισσος. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ Ναρκισσὸς ἀποστολικοῖς χαρίσμασι λαμπρυνόμενος, καὶ τῆς ἡσυχίας ἐρῶν, καταλείψας τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν εἰς ἀγνώστους τόπους ἀπέδρα. Πολλὰ ζητηθέντος ὑπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ τῶν τῆς ἐπαρχίας ἐπισκόπων, καὶ μὴ εὑρεθέντος, προβάλλεται ἀντ' αὐτοῦ ἐπίσκοπος ∆ιὸς, μετ' αὐτὸν Γερμανίων. Τοῦτον διαδέχεται Γορ δίας. Ἐπὶ τούτου, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀδύτων, πάλιν ἀναφαίνεται Νάρκισσος. Καὶ ἦν σὺν τῷ χειροτονηθέντι ἐπι σκόπῳ γέρων πολὺ ὑπάρχων, ὡς εἶναι αὐτὸν τρια κοστὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους. Τοῦ δὲ σὺν αὐτῷ ἐπισκόπου τελειωθέντος καὶ τοῦ Ναρκίσσου ὑπεργη ράσαντος, ἦν γὰρ ἐτῶν ἑκατὸν ἑξκαίδεκα, Ἀλέξαν δρόν τινα ἐπίσκοπον ἀπὸ ἑτέρας χώρας ἐλθόντα εἰς προσκύνησιν τῶν ἁγίων τόπων, ἀντ' αὐτοῦ κατὰ ἀποκάλυψιν Θεοῦ καθιστῶσιν ἐπίσκοπον Ἱεροσολύμων, πολλὰ αὐτὸν παρακαλέσαντες, ὅστις καὶ μαρ τυρίῳ ὕστερον τελειοῦται. Κατ' ἐκείνους δὲ τοὺς χρόνους εἰρήνη πολλὴ ὑπῆρχεν ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἦν γὰρ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος, Μα μαία, θεοσεβὴς λίαν. Ἀλεξάνδρου δὲ καταπαύσαντος τὴν ἀρχὴν, δια δέχεται τὴν ἡγεμονίαν Μαξιμῖνος ἔτη τρία. Οὗτος κακῶς τῷ Ἀλεξάνδρου οἴκῳ χρησάμενος διωγμὸν ἤγειρε κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, καὶ τοὺς προεστῶτας τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἀναιρεῖσθαι προστάττει, ὡς αἰτίους τῶν εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς βλασφημιῶν. Τούτου δὲ τελευτή σοντος τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἀρχὴν παραλαμβάνει Πουπῖνος καὶ Βαλβῖνος μῆνας τρεῖς. Τούτους δὲ διαδέχεται Γορδιανὸς ἔτη ἕξ. Μετὰ τοῦτον Φίλιππος αὐτοκράτωρ ἔτη ἐπτὰ ἐβασίλευσεν· οὗτος γνησίως ἐπίστευσεν εἰς Χριστόν· ἀλλ' ὁ ὑπηρέτης τοῦ Σατανᾶ ∆έκιος τοῦ τον ἀποκτείνας κατέσχε τὴν βασιλείαν ἔτη δύο. Ἐπὶ τούτου, διωγμοῦ χαλεποῦ κινηθέντος, οὐκ εὐαρίθμη τοι κατὰ τόπους ἐμαρτύρησαν. Τούτου δὲ σὺν παισὶ κατασφαγέντος, διαδέχεται τὴν βασιλείαν Γάλλος καὶ Βουλισιανὸς ἔτη τρία καὶ τούτους δὲ Οὐαλεριανὸς 4049 καὶ Γαληνὸς διαδέχεται ἔτη δεκαπέντε. Οὗτος διωγμὸν μέγαν κατὰ Χριστιανῶν ἤγειρεν. Ὑπὸ βαρ βάρων δὲ αἰχμαλωτισθέντος, ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ἔπαυσε τὸν διωγμόν. Ἐν δὲ Αἰλίᾳ

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