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

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 good.

74 Having said these things and persuaded the brothers, the holy Porphyry received all those wishing to be enlightened, having catechized them for many days not only before baptism, but also after this; for he continuously taught the word, not speaking with boastful speech wishing to show off, but teaching in simple phrasing, and explaining everything from the scripture. Therefore, there were added to the flock of Christ in that year about three hundred names, and from that time each year the number of Christians underwent an increase.

75 When the Marneion was completely burned down and the city had been pacified, the blessed bishop resolved with the members of the holy clergy and the Christ-loving people to build a holy church in the place that had been burned, just as it had been revealed to him when he was in Constantinople, for which reason he also received the money from the most God-loving empress Eudoxia. Therefore, having dismissed both the magistrates and the Christ-loving people, he retained part of the assisting force so that no uprising might occur after their departure, and not only for this reason, but also to help for the purpose of gathering the materials for the building of the aforesaid holy church. Some, therefore, advised that it be built on the site of the burned idol temple; for it was circular, surrounded by two inner porticoes, one within the other, and its center was a domed canopy and raised to a height, and it had certain other things which were fitting for idols, and suitable for the abominable and unlawful things done by the idol-mad. On this site, therefore, some said the holy church should be built, but others spoke against it, saying that the very memory of the site ought to be destroyed; and those saying this persuaded everyone, as they had spoken well; but the holy bishop said: Let us leave this also to the will of God. And while the place was being cleared, a magistrianus arrived, carrying imperial letters from Eudoxia of eternal memory, and the letters contained a greeting and a request for prayers both for herself and for the emperors, her husband and her son. And on another paper, inside the letters, was the plan of the holy church, in the shape of a cross, as it is now seen with the help of God, and the letters contained instructions that the holy church should be built according to the plan. And the saint rejoiced, having read and seen the plan; for he knew that this too had happened by divine revelation, and he remembered the scripture that says: "The king's heart is in the hand of God." The letters further contained that precious pillars and marbles were to be sent.

76 When therefore the ashes had been removed and all the abominations cleared away, the remaining refuse from the marble of the Marneion, which they said was sacred and in a place not to be trodden, especially by women, these the holy bishop ordered to be paved outside in front of the temple in the public square, so that they might be trodden upon not only by men, but also by women and dogs and pigs and beasts. This grieved the idolaters more than the burning of the temple. Wherefore most of them, especially the women, do not step on those marbles to this day. And after a short time he proclaimed a fast for one day, and when the dismissal of the morning prayers had taken place, the God-loving bishop ordered every Christ-loving man to carry mattocks and shovels and other such tools. And this he had proclaimed from the evening, so that in the morning all might be found in readiness, which indeed happened.

77 When the people had gathered with the said tools in the holy church named Eirene, he permitted all, chanting together, to go to

ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ ὀφθῶσιν ἄξιοι τῆς πίστεως, ἤδη γενόμενοι ἐν ἕξει τοῦ κακοῦ, οἱ ἐξ αὐτῶν γενόμενοι δύνανται σωθῆναι συναναστρεφόμενοι τῷ ἀγαθῷ.

74 Ταῦτα εἰπὼν ὁ ὅσιος Πορφύριος καὶ πείσας τοὺς ἀδελφούς, πάντας τοὺς βουλομένους φωτισθῆναι ἐδέξατο, κατηχήσας αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἡμέρας οὐ μόνον πρὸ τοῦ βαπτίσματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα· συνεχῶς γὰρ ἐδίδασκεν τὸν λόγον, οὐχ ὁμιλῶν κομπῷ λόγῳ θέλων ἐπιδείξασθαι, ἀλλ' ἁπλῇ φράσει διδάσκων, καὶ ἐπιλύων πάντα ἀπὸ τῆς γραφῆς. Προσετέθησαν οὖν τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνῃ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ ἐνιαυτῷ ὡσεὶ ὀνόματα τριακόσια, καὶ ἐξ ἐκείνου καθ' ἕκαστον ἔτος αὔξησιν ἐπεδέχετο τὰ Χριστιανῶν.

75 Καυθέντος δὲ εἰς τέλος τοῦ Μαρνείου καὶ τῆς πόλεως κατασταθείσης, ἐβουλεύσατο ὁ μακάριος ἐπίσκοπος μετὰ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ εὐαγοῦς κλήρου καὶ τοῦ φιλοχρίστου λαοῦ ἁγίαν ἐκκλησίαν κτίσαι ἐν τῷ καυθέντι τόπῳ, καθὼς αὐτῷ ἀπεκαλύφθη ἡνίκα ἐτύγχανεν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, δι' ὃ καὶ τὰ χρήματα ἔλαβεν παρὰ τῆς θεοφιλεστάτης Εὐδοξίας τῆς βασιλίδος. Ἀπολύσας οὖν τούς τε ἄρχοντας καὶ τὸν φιλόχριστον λαόν, μέρος τῆς βοηθείας κατέσχεν διὰ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι νεωτερισμόν τινα μετὰ τὴν αὐτῶν ἔξοδον, οὐ διὰ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ συμβοηθῆσαι χάριν τοῦ συναγαγεῖν τὰς ὕλας τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τῆς εἰρημένης ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας. Συνεβούλευον οὖν τινες κτισθῆναι αὐτὴν κατὰ τὴν θέσιν τοῦ καυθέντος εἰδωλείου· στρογγυλοειδὲς γὰρ ὑπῆρχεν, περιβεβλημένον δυσὶν στοαῖς ἀλληλοεσωτέραις, τὸ δὲ μέσον αὐτοῦ ἦν ἀναφυσητὸν κιβώριον καὶ ἀνατεταμένον εἰς ὕψος, εἶχεν δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ ἃ τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἔπρεπεν, εὔθετα δὲ πρὸς τὰ γινόμενα παρὰ τῶν εἰδωλομανῶν μυσαρά τε καὶ ἀθέμιτα. Κατὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν θέσιν ἔλεγόν τινες τὴν ἁγίαν κτισθῆναι ἐκκλησίαν, ἄλλοι δὲ ἀντέλεγον λέγοντες καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν μνήμην τῆς θέσεως ὀφείλειν περιαιρεθῆναι· οἱ δὲ τοῦτο λέγοντες ἔπειθον πάντας, ὡς καλῶς εἰπόντες· ὁ δὲ ὅσιος ἐπίσκοπος ἔλεγεν· Καὶ τοῦτο καταλείψωμεν τῇ βουλῇ τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἐν ὅσῳ δὲ καθαίρεται ὁ τόπος, καταλαμβάνει μαγιστριανὸς ἐπιφερόμενος βασιλικὰς ἐπιστολὰς τῆς ἀειμνήστου Εὐδοξίας, περιεῖχον δὲ τὰ γράμματα ἀσπασμὸν καὶ αἴτησιν εὐχῶν ὑπέρ τε αὐτῆς καὶ τῶν βασιλέων, τοῦ αὐτῆς ἀνδρὸς καὶ τοῦ τέκνου. Ἦν δὲ ἐν ἄλλῳ χάρτῃ, ἔσωθεν τῶν γραμμάτων, ὁ σκάριφος τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας σταυροειδὴς καθὼς νῦν σὺν θεῷ ὁρᾶται, καὶ περιεῖχον τὰ γράμματα ὥστε κατὰ τὸν σκάριφον κτισθῆναι τὴν ἁγίαν ἐκκλησίαν. Ἐχάρη δὲ ὁ ἐν ἁγίοις ἀναγνοὺς καὶ θεασάμενος τὸν σκάριφον· ἔγνω γὰρ ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο ἐγένετο κατὰ θείαν ἀποκάλυψιν, καὶ ἐμνήσθη τῆς γραφῆς λεγούσης· «Καρδία βασιλέως ἐν χειρὶ θεοῦ». Περιεῖχον δὲ τὰ γράμματα ἔτι καὶ κίονας πολυτίμους καὶ μάρμαρα μέλλειν πέμπεσθαι.

76 Ἐκχοϊσθείσης οὖν τῆς τέφρας καὶ πάντων τῶν βδελυγμάτων περιαιρεθέντων, τὰ ὑπολειφθέντα σκύβαλα τῆς μαρμαρώσεως τοῦ Μαρνείου, ἅπερ ἔλεγον ἱερὰ εἶναι καὶ ἐν τόπῳ ἀβάτῳ τυγχάνειν, μάλιστα γυναιξίν, ταῦτα οὖν ἐκέλευσεν ὁ ὅσιος ἐπίσκοπος πρὸ τοῦ ναοῦ ἔξω εἰς τὴν πλατεῖαν πλακωθῆναι, ἵνα καταπατῶνται οὐ μόνον ὑπὸ ἀνδρῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναικῶν καὶ κυνῶν καὶ χοίρων καὶ κνωδάλων. Τοῦτο δὲ πλέον ἐλύπησεν τοὺς εἰδωλολάτρας τῆς καύσεως τοῦ ναοῦ. Ὅθεν οἱ πλείους αὐτῶν, μάλιστα αἱ γυναῖκες, οὐκ ἐπιβαίνουσι τοῖς μαρμάροις ἐκείνοις ἕως τοῦ νῦν. Μετὰ χρόνον δὲ ὀλίγον κηρύσσει νηστείαν ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ τῆς ἀπολύσεως τῶν ἑωθινῶν εὐχῶν γενομένης, ἐκέλευσεν ὁ θεοφιλὴς ἐπίσκοπος πάντα ἄνδρα φιλόχριστον δικέλλας καὶ ἄμας καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα ὄργανα ὑπὸ ἑκάστου βασταγῆναι. Τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἑσπέρας ἦν προκηρύξας, ἵνα τὸ πρωῒ πάντες εὑρεθῶσιν ἐν εὐτρεπεῖ, ὃ δὴ καὶ γέγονεν.

77 Συναχθέντος δὲ τοῦ λαοῦ μετὰ τῶν εἰρημένων ὀργάνων ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ ἐπωνύμῳ Εἰρήνῃ, ἐπέτρεψεν πάντας ψάλλοντας ὁμοῦ πορευθῆναι εἰς