Vita Porphyrii episcopi Gazensis

 I was a witness to the man's virtue, having lived with him and sailed with him and suffered hardships with him until the last day of his life here. An

 Thessaloniki, and after showing the written instruction, I divided the property with his brothers. And I sold to them the estates allotted to me for t

 he distributed, so that he himself was in need of daily food. Therefore he gave himself to the shoemaker's craft, washing and stitching hides, in all

 a letter to the aforementioned holy Praulius, the bishop of Jerusalem, to send the blessed Porphyry to him for the sake of a certain question of scrip

 16 And on that night, the blessed John sends for the Gazans and says to them: Be ready for the departure for today you receive your priest, a man who

 of the orthodox faith, whose life and works are written in the paradise of delight. So, having come to the aforementioned church, we made so many pray

 23 But when the idol-worshippers saw him being carried, and thinking he was dead, they were turned to madness because they thought it was an abominati

 of the ordinations of the deacons, both I and the God-loving Barochas, I being very unworthy, but he worthily and justly having received this gift.

 29 And she had a faithful nurse, who, being in great distress, made prayers in the houses of prayer on her behalf. Therefore, on one day as she was pr

 33 And the most holy Porphyry answered and said to him: I adjure you before the invisible God and our hope Jesus Christ, the Lord of all creation, and

 the Lord has revealed to my humble self. When you go up to Byzantium, first meet with the most holy bishop John and together with him make prayers to

 39 On the next day, the Cubicularius Amantius sent for us by two deans to go to the palace, and rising up in haste we went. We found him waiting for u

 her face was red and beauty was added to her appearance beyond what she had for the visible things make manifest the invisible things.

 Having gone away, we made the supplication, arranging many things on the charter, not only that the temples of the idols be destroyed, but also that p

 Next I will send for the quaestor and in your sight I will command him that in accordance with the power of your petition a divine letter be made in t

 my child, and many and great are the things that have been granted to us. And immediately the emperor ordered the prefects to bequeath to them from th

 the sign of the precious cross, and they themselves chanting. And the people of the two places mingled, and became no small crowd for those from the

 63 But after the tenth day, the wonderful Cynegius arrived, having with him the consular and the duke and a great military and civil force. But many o

 leave the outer one with the enclosure. And after it is burned, having cleansed the place, build a holy church there. And he also said this: I adjure

 inner doors, and having made a prayer they set the fire, and immediately the whole temple caught and was burned. As many of the soldiers and the forei

 that if they are not found worthy of the faith, having already become settled in evil, those born of them are able to be saved by associating with the

 the former Marneion, and he himself followed carrying the holy gospel and having the devout clergy around him, truly imitating Christ with the discipl

 the Lord, for the three children are alive. And when the holy bishop among the saints and the people heard, they rejoiced, and sending a large basket,

 they speak of astrology, so that they may sin without fear, as if the power to sin is not in us, but from the necessity of fate.

 being glorified, will strike your tongue and muzzle your mouth, so that it may not speak blasphemies.

 of those in need of his gifts. And in the days of the fasts of the holy Pascha he supplied to each poor person 10 obols for forty days. Having command

 the blessed one again, being moved to compunction, wept, having foreseen the faith she was about to have in Christ. And rising and saying the customar

 a tongue, Photine to her he entrusted Salaphtha, giving her the monastic habit, and committing them to God he sent them away in peace. And she undert

Next I will send for the quaestor and in your sight I will command him that in accordance with the power of your petition a divine letter be made in the name of the two emperors, and, to speak simply, whatever you tell him, he will do. And the bishops, having heard this, blessed her and her son and the emperor many times, and having discussed other things for the good of the soul, they took their leave and went out. On the next day she sent for the quaestor and for us, and says to him: Take this document, and according to its force, compose a divine letter. And the quaestor, having received the document, with haste dictated the divine letter, in our presence. And we suggested to him to appoint duces and consulares for defense and their regiments.

51 And when the divine letter was finished and signed, we besought the mistress that the business be entrusted to a man of distinction. And she commanded Amantius to seek out a zealous Christian man who ought to be entrusted. For many of those in high office held the faith feignedly, upon whom divine justice came; for the emperors, having learned that they were not orthodox concerning the immaculate faith, stripped them of their offices and punished them in body and in purse; and these things had been done before this. Therefore the Augusta commanded that an orthodox man be entrusted with our business. And Cynegius, so called, of the constitutorium, was entrusted, a marvelous man and fervent in the faith. And the Augusta, having summoned him, ordered him to destroy all the idols to their foundations and to give them to the fire. And she also gave him money from her hand, saying: Take this for expenses, and take nothing from the most holy bishops. And having received such commands from the mistress, he went out, having become more eager.

52 And having stayed for the rest of the winter and having kept the holy days of Easter and the Resurrection, we prepared to set sail. And we asked the marvelous Amantius to announce us to the mistress, so that we might take our leave of her. But he, hearing this, was grieved that we were about to sail away; for he loved us so much as to ask the mistress to release him for the sake of praying in the holy and venerable places. But the mistress was afraid to release him, lest going down he become a monk and remain there; for she knew the man's way of life. For he was truly blameless, giving many alms and always fasting and receiving many strangers and contributing to pious needs. So much concerning the God-loving Amantius. And he announced us to the mistress, and we went in to her, and she says to the most holy bishops: When, with God, do you sail? And they said: For this reason we have come in, to take leave of your mightiness. And she said: Always remember me and my child.

53 And immediately she ordered money to be brought, and when it was brought, she said to my lord the bishop Porphyry: Take, father, these two centenaria, and build the holy church which I arranged to be built in the middle of Gaza, and let me know if you still need money, and I will send it immediately. Also build a guest house, so that you may receive the brothers visiting your city and may supply them with expenses for three days. And she also gave to the most holy John a thousand gold pieces and precious vessels to both, and for expenses she gave to them one hundred gold pieces each. And the aforesaid most holy John, the bishop of Caesarea, also accomplished as many privileges as he wished for the account of his church. And having made a prayer, and having blessed the mistress and her son and the emperor many times, they went out.

54 And they also asked to go in to the emperor, and having been announced, they went in. And the emperor asked them if they were completely satisfied and if the Augusta had granted them anything, and they said that We are completely satisfied, with the preservation of your piety and of your most God-loving consort and of your God-protected

ἑξῆς μεταπέμπομαι τὸν κυαίστορα καὶ ἐπ' ὄψεσιν ὑμῶν ἐπιτρέπω αὐτῷ ἵνα κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν τῆς ἱκεσίας ὑμῶν ποιηθῇ θεῖον γράμμα ἐξ ὀνόματος τῶν δύο βασιλέων, καὶ ἁπλῶς εἰπεῖν, πάντα ὅσα δἂν εἴπητε αὐτῷ ποιήσει. Οἱ δὲ ἐπίσκοποι καὶ τούτων ἀκούσαντες, πολλὰ ηὐλόγησαν αὐτὴν καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς καὶ τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ διαλεχθέντες καὶ ἄλλα ψυχωφελῆ, συνταξάμενοι ἐξῆλθον. Τῇ δὲ ἑξῆς μετεπέμψατο τὸν κυαίστορα καὶ ἡμᾶς, λέγει δὲ αὐτῷ· Λάβε τὸν χάρτην τοῦτον, καὶ κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν αὐτοῦ διατύπωσον θεῖον γράμμα. Ὁ δὲ κυαίστωρ δεξάμενος τὸν χάρτην, μετὰ σπουδῆς ὑπηγόρευσεν τὸ θεῖον γράμμα, παρόντων ἡμῶν. Ὑπεβάλομεν δὲ αὐτῷ ἀφορίσαι δοῦκας καὶ ὑπατικοὺς εἰς ἄμυναν καὶ τὰ τούτων τάγματα.

51 Ὡς δὲ ἐτελειώθη τὸ θεῖον γράμμα καὶ ὑπεγράφη, παρεκαλέσαμεν τὴν δέσποιναν ἵνα ἐγχειρισθῇ τὴν χρείαν ἀνὴρ τῶν περιφανῶν. Ἐπέτρεψεν δὲ Ἀμαντίῳ ζητῆσαι ἄνδρα ζηλωτὴν Χριστιανὸν τὸν ὀφείλοντα ἐγχειρισθῆναι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τῶν ἐν ἀξίαις προσποιήτως εἶχον τὴν πίστιν, οὓς μετῆλθεν ἡ θεία δίκη· μαθόντες γὰρ οἱ βασιλεῖς ὅτι οὐκ ὀρθῶς ἔχουσιν περὶ τὴν ἄχραντον πίστιν, περιεῖλον αὐτοὺς τῶν ἀξιωμάτων καὶ ἐζημίωσαν σώματι καὶ χρήματι· ταῦτα δὲ πρὸ τούτου ἐπράχθη. Ὅθεν ἐπέτρεψεν ἡ αὐγοῦστα ὀρθόδοξον ἄνδρα ἐγχειρισθῆναι τὴν καθ' ἡμᾶς χρείαν. Ἐνεχειρίσθη δὲ Κυνήγιος οὕτω καλούμενος τοῦ κωνστιτουρίου, ἀνὴρ θαυμάσιος καὶ ζέων περὶ τὴν πίστιν. Προσκαλεσαμένη δὲ αὐτὸν ἡ αὐγοῦστα, παρήγγειλεν αὐτῷ πάντα τὰ εἰδωλεῖα ἕως ἐδάφους καταστρέψαι καὶ πυρὶ παραδοῦναι. Ἐχαρίσατο δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ ἀπὸ χειρὸς χρήματα εἰποῦσα· Λάβε εἰς δαπάνας, καὶ μηδὲν λάβῃς παρὰ τῶν ὁσιωτάτων ἐπισκόπων. ∆εξάμενος δὲ τὰς τοιαύτας ἐντολὰς παρὰ τῆς δεσποίνης ἐξῆλθεν γενόμενος προθυμότερος.

52 ∆ιατρίψαντες δὲ τὸ ὑπόλοιπον τοῦ χειμῶνος καὶ ποιήσαντες τὰς ἁγίας ἡμέρας τῆς πασχαλίας καὶ τὴν ἀναστάσιμον, εὐτρεπιζόμεθα ἐκπλεῦσαι. Παρεκαλέσαμεν δὲ τὸν θαυμάσιον Ἀμάντιον μηνῦσαι ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν δέσποιναν, ἵνα συνταξώμεθα αὐτῇ. Ὃ δὲ ἀκούσας, ἐλυπήθη διὰ τὸ ἡμᾶς μέλλειν ἐκπλεῖν· τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἠγάπησεν ὡς αὐτὸν παρακαλέσαι τὴν δέσποιναν ἀπολῦσαι αὐτὸν ὡς χάριν τοῦ εὔξασθαι εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ σεβασμίους τόπους. Ἐφοβήθη δὲ ἡ δέσποινα ἀπολῦσαι αὐτόν, ἵνα μὴ κατερχόμενος μονάσῃ καὶ ἀπομείνῃ ἐκεῖ· ἠπίστατο γὰρ τὸν βίον τοῦ ἀνδρός. Ἦν γὰρ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ἄμεμπτος, πολλὰς ἐλεημοσύνας παρέχων καὶ διὰ παντὸς νηστεύων καὶ ξενοδοχῶν πολλοὺς καὶ συντρέχων εἰς τὰς εὐσεβεῖς χρείας. Τοσαῦτα μὲν περὶ τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς Ἀμαντίου. Ἐμήνυσεν δὲ ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν δέσποιναν, καὶ εἰσήλθομεν πρὸς αὐτήν, καὶ λέγει τοῖς ὁσιωτάτοις ἐπισκόποις· Πότε σὺν θεῷ πλέετε; Οἳ δὲ εἶπαν· ∆ιὰ τοῦτο εἰσήλθομεν, συντάξασθαι τῷ ὑμετέρῳ κράτει. Ἣ δὲ εἶπεν· ∆ιὰ παντὸς μνημονεύσατέ μου καὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου.

53 Εὐθέως δὲ ἐκέλευσεν χρήματα ἐνεχθῆναι, καὶ ἐνεχθέντων, εἶπεν τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Πορφυρίῳ· Λάβε, πάτερ, ταῦτα τὰ δύο κεντηνάρια, καὶ κτίσον ἣν συνεταξάμην κτίζειν ἁγίαν ἐκκλησίαν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ Γάζης, καὶ δήλωσόν μοι ἐὰν ἔτι δεηθῇς χρημάτων, καὶ εὐθέως ἀποστέλλω. Κτίσον δὲ καὶ ξενῶνα, ἵνα ὑποδέχῃ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τοὺς ἐνδημοῦντας τῇ σῇ πόλει καὶ χορηγῇς αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναλώματα. ∆έδωκεν δὲ καὶ τῷ ὁσιωτάτῳ Ἰωάννῃ χρυσοῦς χιλίους καὶ τίμια σκεύη ἀμφοτέροις, εἰς δὲ ἀναλώματα δέδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἀνὰ ἐκατὸν χρυσοῦς. Ἤνυσεν δὲ καὶ ὁ προειρημένος ὁσιώτατος Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐπίσκοπος Καισαρείας ὅσα ἠβουλήθη προνόμια εἰς λόγον τῆς αὐτοῦ ἐκκλησίας. Καὶ ποιήσαντες εὐχήν, καὶ πολλὰ εὐλογήσαντες τήν τε δέσποιναν καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς καὶ τὸν βασιλέα, ἐξῆλθον.

54 Παρεκάλεσαν δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα εἰσελθεῖν, καὶ μηνυθέντες εἰσῆλθον. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐπηρώτα αὐτοὺς εἰς τελείως ἀπηλλάγησαν καὶ εἰ ἐχαρίσατο αὐτοῖς τινα ἡ αὐγοῦστα, αὐτοὶ δὲ εἶπαν ὅτι Τελείως ἀπηλλάγημεν, σῳζομένης τῆς εὐσεβείας ὑμῶν καὶ τῆς θεοφιλεστάτης ὑμῶν συμβίου καὶ τοῦ θεοφυλάκτου ὑμῶν