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

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

90 And immediately with the sentence, the punishment also followed; for Julia began to tremble and her face to change color, and remaining in a trance for a considerable time, she did not speak, but was speechless and motionless, having her eyes open and fixed on the most holy bishop. Those with her, seeing what she suffered, were greatly afraid; and they tried to revive her and chanted into her ear, but there was no voice and no hearing. And after being speechless for a considerable time, she gave up her soul, departing into the darkness which she had honored, considering it to be light, according to the scripture that says: "Woe to those who make sweet bitter and bitter sweet, who put darkness for light and light for darkness." And Porphyry, among the saints, allowed her body to be prepared for burial and given over to be buried, taking pity on human nature; for he was exceedingly compassionate.

91 And all who heard what had happened were greatly astonished, not only those of our faith, but also the pagans. And the two men and women with her, and all who had been corrupted by her, running, fell at the feet of the most blessed bishop, saying: We have been deceived, and they asked for repentance. And the blessed one made them all anathematize Manes, the founder of their heresy, from whom they were also called Manichaeans, and after catechizing them properly for many days, he brought them into the holy catholic church. And on their account, others of the pagans also repented and were enlightened.

92 And after a period of five years, the work of the great holy church was completed, and it was called Eudoxiana from the name of the most God-loving empress Eudoxia. And the most holy Porphyry celebrated the dedication on the resurrection day of the holy Pascha sumptuously, not sparing expense, but gathering all the monks of the surrounding region, about a thousand persons, with other devout clergy and laity and bishops, he made a festival for all the days of the holy Pascha. And one could see angelic choirs not only during the ecclesiastical service, but also at the hours when they ate. For the table was not only physical, but also spiritual. For after the food a psalm was said, and after the drink a hymn. And those of the idolatry, seeing what was happening, melted in their hearts. For indeed from all quarters strangers came to see the beauty and the size of the said holy church; for it was said to be greater than all the churches of that time.

93 For this reason, when he laid the foundations, he was accused at the beginning by some of the faithful that he had designed it to be large, since there were few Christians in the city, and the most holy Porphyry, answering, said: Let not your faith be small; for I am hopeful in our Lord Jesus Christ, the son of God, that He will multiply His flock and make His house so much larger that the multitudes of Christians will not be able to fit; for the dogma of the Christians is not human, that it should appear for a time and be destroyed, but divine and capable of increase. These and such things the blessed one always said to the faithful, not only in the church but also in every place, enlightening and benefiting the Christ-loving people. And after the days of the feast, he dismissed the multitudes in peace, each to his own home.

94 And after building and consecrating the said holy church, he ordained that to each stranger visiting the city should be given the expense for one day, and he also supplied to each poor person, both stranger and citizen, six obols each day, apart from what he himself provided by his own hand to those who came to him, both in clothing and in silver and in gold, giving to each according to his need, and no one was without a share of the

δοξαζόμενος, πατάξει σου τὴν γλῶσσαν καὶ φιμώσει σου τὸ στόμα, ἵνα μὴ λαλῇ δύσφημα.

90 Εὐθέως δὲ σὺν τῇ ἀποφάσει καὶ ἡ τιμωρία ἐπηκολούθησεν· ἤρξατο γὰρ τρέμειν ἡ Ἰουλία καὶ ἀλλοιοῦσθαι τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ μείνασα ἐν ἐκστάσει ἐπὶ ἱκανὴν ὥραν οὐκ ἐλάλει, ἀλλ' ἦν ἄφωνος καὶ ἀκίνητος, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχουσα διηνοιγμένους καὶ προσέχοντας τῷ ὁσιωτάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Οἱ δὲ σὺν αὐτῇ θεασάμενοι ἃ ὑπέστη, ἐφοβήθησαν σφόδρα· ἐψυχαγώγουν δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπῇδον εἰς τὸ οὖς αὐτῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἦν φωνὴ καὶ οὐκ ἦν ἀκρόασις. Ποιήσασα δὲ ὥραν ἱκανὴν ἄφωνος παρέδωκεν τὴν ψυχήν, ἀπελθοῦσα εἰς ὅπερ ἐτίμησεν σκότος, φῶς αὐτὸ ἡγησαμένη, κατὰ τὴν γραφὴν τὴν λέγουσαν· «Οὐαὶ τοῖς ποιοῦσι τὸ γλυκὺ πικρὸν καὶ τὸ πικρὸν γλυκύ, τοῖς τιθεῖσι τὸ σκότος φῶς καὶ τὸ φῶς σκότος». Ἐπέτρεψεν δὲ ὁ ἐν ἁγίοις Πορφύριος περισταλῆναι αὐτῆς τὸ σῶμα καὶ ταφῇ παραδοθῆναι, ἐλεήσας τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν· ἦν γὰρ καθ' ὑπερβολὴν εὔσπλαγχνος.

91 Ὅσοι δὲ ἤκουσαν τὸ γενόμενον ὑπερεθαύμασαν, οὐ μόνον οἱ τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἀλλοεθνεῖς. Οἱ δὲ μετ' αὐτῆς δύο ἄνδρες καὶ γυναῖκες καὶ ὅσοι ὑπεφθάρησαν παρ' αὐτῆς, δραμόντες προσέπεσαν τοῖς ποσὶ τοῦ μακαριωτάτου ἐπισκόπου λέγοντες· Πεπλανήμεθα, καὶ ᾔτουν μετάνοιαν. Ὁ δὲ μακάριος ἐποίησεν πάντας ἀναθεματίσαι τὸν Μάνην τὸν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς αὐτῶν αἱρέσεως, ἐξ οὗ καὶ Μανιχαῖοι ἐκλήθησαν, καὶ κατηχήσας αὐτοὺς δεόντως ἐπὶ πλείστας ἡμέρας προσήγαγεν τῇ ἁγίᾳ καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. Προφάσει δὲ ἐκείνων καὶ ἄλλοι τῶν ἀλλοεθνῶν μετανοήσαντες ἐφωτίσθησαν.

92 Μετὰ δὲ πενταετῆ χρόνον ἐτελειώθη τὸ ἔργον τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας τῆς μεγάλης, ἐκλήθη δὲ Εὐδοξιανὴ ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος τῆς θεοφιλεστάτης Εὐδοξίας τῆς βασιλίδος. Ἐπετέλεσεν δὲ ὁ ὁσιώτατος Πορφύριος τὰ ἐγκαίνια τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἀναστασίμῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Πάσχα πολυτελῶς, μὴ φεισάμενος δαπάνης, ἀλλὰ συνάξας πάντας τοὺς μοναχοὺς τῆς περιχώρου, ὡς ὀνόματα χίλια, μετ' ἄλλων εὐλαβῶν κληρικῶν καὶ λαϊκῶν καὶ ἐπισκόπων, ἐποίησεν εὐφροσύνην τὰς πάσας ἡμέρας τοῦ ἁγίου Πάσχα. Καὶ ἦν θεάσασθαι ἀγγελικοὺς χοροὺς οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ τῇ ἐκκλησιαστικῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ὥραις, ἡνίκα ἐγεύοντο. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ ἦν ἡ τράπεζα αἰσθητή, ἀλλὰ καὶ πνευματική. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ ὄψον ἐλέγετο ψαλμὸς καὶ μετὰ τὸ πόμα ὕμνος. Οἱ δὲ τῆς εἰδωλομανίας ὁρῶντες τὰ γινόμενα ἐτήκοντο τῇ καρδίᾳ. Καὶ γὰρ πανταχόθεν ἤρχοντο ξένοι θεάσασθαι τὸ κάλλος καὶ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς εἰρημένης ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας· ἐλέγετο γὰρ πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τῶν κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ μείζων.

93 Τούτου ἕνεκεν ὅτε τοὺς θεμελίους ἔβαλεν, τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐνεκαλεῖτο παρά τινων πιστῶν ὅτι μεγάλην αὐτὴν ἐχάραξεν ὀλίγων ὄντων τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει, καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ ὁσιώτατος Πορφύριος εἶπεν· Μὴ ἔσηται ἡ πίστις ὑμῶν ὀλίγη· εὔελπις γάρ εἰμι εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅτι πληθυνεῖ τὴν ποίμνην αὐτοῦ καὶ μεγαλυνεῖ πλέον τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι τὰ πλήθη τῶν Χριστιανῶν χωρεῖν· οὔτε γάρ ἐστιν ἀνθρώπινον τὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν δόγμα, ἵνα πρὸς καιρὸν ὀφθῇ καὶ καταλυθῇ, ἀλλὰ θεϊκὸν καὶ αὔξησιν ἐπιδεχόμενον. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀεὶ διελέγετο ὁ μακάριος τοῖς πιστοῖς, οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἑκάστῳ τόπῳ φωταγωγῶν καὶ ὠφελῶν τὸν φιλόχριστον λαόν. Μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ἑορτῆς τὰ πλήθη μετ' εἰρήνης ἀπέλυσεν ἕκαστον εἰς τὰ ἴδια.

94 Μετὰ δὲ τὸ κτίσαι καὶ ἁγιάσαι τὴν εἰρημένην ἁγίαν ἐκκλησίαν, ἔταξεν δίδοσθαι ἑκάστῳ ξένῳ ἐνδημοῦντι τῇ πόλει μιᾶς ἡμέρας τὸ ἀνάλωμα, ἐχορήγει δὲ καὶ ἑκάστῳ πτωχῷ ξένῳ τε καὶ πολίτῃ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀνὰ ὀβολοὺς ἕξ, ἐκτὸς ὧν αὐτὸς παρεῖχεν δι' ἑαυτοῦ τοῖς προσερχομένοις αὐτῷ ἔν τε ἱματίοις καὶ ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ, ἑκάστῳ παρέχων πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀξίαν, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἦν ἄμοιρος τῶν