PseudoSeverus Discourse Compassion God

A discourse of the man who is luminous, Christ in truth, the holy patriarch and the archbishop of Antioch, the holy Severus, which he delivered concerning the compassion of God and the boldness of the holy archangel Michael. He also spoke a little concerning the holy day of the Lord, because the archangel Michael was appointed over it in that year. He also spoke concerning Matthew the evangelist, his wife, and his children. He delivered this discourse on the twenty-sixth of the month Hathor, while the entire multitude of the city was gathered for the feast of the holy archangel Michael in peace. Listen to the psalmist David, as he signifies to us that we should all gather together into this holy feast today. And again, I see this feast as twofold. I also see a harbor that exists with a breeze, a refuge for us, so that

...we are not troubled, but we are prepared to become a new garment for the soul, both at once, whether we are the speakers or you are the listeners. And this discourse will certainly be completed, reaching its end, for one gave a measure, another a sixth, and another a third. I know that the giver of true reward is not far from us, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who says truly with his mouth: "The place where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." For as long as God is present beside them, let us become a garment for the word of God, which he speaks to us through the mouth of the Psalmist David. For he said: "Know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted on the earth." You know, O my beloved, that the feast of our salvation is today, which is the Sunday, the salvation of the whole Ecumene. For it is right that we speak a little about Christ, that he is the one who exists for the sake of all the ages. Hear him now in the Gospel: "The angel of the Lord came down from heaven, gave his testimony, rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. His appearance was like lightning, and his garment was white like snow." Then he said to the women: "Do not be afraid.

I know, for you seek Jesus the one whom they crucified, but he is not here. For he arose, according to the way he said. Therefore, let us celebrate today in the feast of the resurrection of the Lord, especially today, for the Lord is near us with his archangel, the honored Michael, who intercedes with God to forgive us our sins. For he truly is the intercessor with God until he saves us in every tribulation. If you wish to know, it is he who intercedes for the whole race of Adam.

Listen, I will tell you. There was a businessman in the region of Pentike, whose name was Gedsōn. He was very wealthy, having a great business. He would do this: he would take goods from one region, carry them to another region, and sell them abroad according to the art of commerce. Apart from all this, he was a Greek; he did not know God. For he was living in Greekness. God, the All-Powerful, who is full of compassion for all, who saves all who hope in him, wished to save this man. It happened to him once that he loaded all his merchandise onto a ship and went to a city in the region of the Philippians, at the beginning of the month Hathor, whose name is Galonia, wishing to sell his merchandise. While he was doing this, he arrived at the festival of the holy archangel. On the evening of the fifth day of Hathor, it was the lamp-lighting of the festival. He saw the place being cleansed, adorned, and illuminated by the multitude of lamps, and a great crowd of the city gathered, singing hymns and psalms from evening until morning. Before dawn, when it happened, they began the meditation. The bishop and the clergy, and all the rulers of the city gathered. Simply, they crowned the entire city, the houses and the streets. When he saw these things, he marveled.

that they were Greeks, not knowing how to do this kind of thing. He made a plan: if he were to go out from the world to the other side through those he had seen and those he had heard, and he became a stranger. He gave his goods to two men. He asked them, "My brothers, what is happening in the city beyond the three days?" The Christian men spoke with him, saying, "It is the feast of the archangel Michael, which we celebrate for him, for he is the one who intercedes.

God above us until he saves us all. The man said to him, "The Christians, where is he himself? I will choose him so that he might save me from all evil deeds." The man said to him, "You will not be able to see him unless you become a Christian. But if you become a Christian, you will entreat him, and he will save you from all evil deeds." The businessman said to them, "Take from you two coins, one each, and bring them with you to the place of the archangel Michael, and I will be there with you." The men said to him, "You cannot be with us unless the father the bishop baptizes you." But he, through the providence of God that moved him, entreated them, "Do me the kindness of bringing me to the bishop." At his request, the men of the city brought him to the bishop. They told him the whole manner of what had happened to him. The bishop said to the businessman, "From what city or what country are you, my son?" The businessman said, "I am from the country of Pentike." The bishop said, "What has happened to you, my son, that you wish to change from your worship? You are young in years." He said, "Because of the things I saw with my eyes and the things I heard with my ears, I have been moved to change into the worship." The bishop said to him, "Whose worship do you serve, of which god?

The Greek said, "I worship the sun, for it is this great glory, because it is the one that gives light to the world by its power." The bishop said to him, "If the sun sets and night comes, and a distress befalls you, where will you find the sun? It will not save you from your distresses." The businessman said to him, "I beseech you, let your kindness raise me up, as all the people of this city." The bishop said to him, "Do you have a wife or children?

He said, "My father, my wife, and my children are in my city." The bishop said to him, "If they are my children, I will not baptize you now. Perhaps your wife will not be in agreement with you, or a scandal will occur between you, and she will separate from you, or he himself will cause the baptism you have received to be rejected, because the first transgression occurred through the woman from the beginning." The notary, when he heard these things, was greatly grieved. Afterwards, he received a blessing from the hand of the bishop and departed from him. He went up into his ship to go to his house. When he came to the middle of the sea, the evil demon, the devil, became angry at him with great anger and fury because he had turned his heart toward God. He turned against him to destroy him. And through the hatred of his heart toward him, he raised a great storm against him, and the waves of the sea he caused to break upon the ship as if they would swallow it. The notary was afraid and did not find what he could do, nor any help for him. He wished to cry out, weeping, "My Lord, the holy archangel Michael, help me in this great necessity in which I am, and in this great tribulation that surrounds me. O my Lord Michael, I confess the glory that I saw in your place.

If you save me this time, I will come with my wife and my children, and we will become Christians until the day of our death. And immediately a voice came to him from outside, from the sky, saying, "Do not be afraid; evil will not overtake you." At once, when the voice came, a great storm arose; some of the sailors were thrown upward, and the ship came to a halt in a calm place; no disturbance occurred. And immediately, through the grace of God and the prayers of

O my brother, where are you going? I am ready to come with you. And in this way they prepared their entire household, boarded the ship, and came to the city of Kalonia. And when they arrived, they met the two Christian men whom he had encountered before on the road. He spoke with them, and they took him, along with his wife and his children, to the bishop. When the bishop saw them, he rejoiced greatly at the conversion of their souls. He asked them, "Have you prepared yourselves in your hearts completely to become Christians?" They answered him, "By the will of God and your prayers, we are ready together to become Christians." Then the bishop had the baptistery prepared in the place of the archangel Michael. He baptized them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, the consubstantial Trinity. And he changed his name at the holy font: his former name was Gedson; he called him Matthias. And the name of his wife was Toule; he called her Eirene. And his four children: he called the eldest John, and the second Stephen, the third Joseph, and the fourth Daniel. And after they received baptism.

And they spent several days in the city, while Bishop Gathugi instructed them in the doctrines of the orthodox faith. And as for Matthew, through his great joy, he gave one hundred nomismata to the shrine of the Archangel Michael, saying, "I give these as offerings for my soul and my children, so that they may be offerings in the shrine of the Archangel, because he interceded for me before Christ until he granted me the knowledge to give my wealth into his sanctuary as a share of his grace." After these things, he received a blessing from our father the bishop, along with his wife and his children. They went out of the city, and the archons escorted them out, rejoicing with them over the conversion of their souls. And by the will of God and his holy Archangel Michael, they came to their city, rejoicing with their people, and their people rejoiced with them. After they came to their house, they gave great charity to the poor and the needy. And all the people of the city blessed them, according to what is written, for nothing hidden from them would be revealed. This is how the holy ones became one in their chosen virtues. And after two months, the chosen man Matthew fell asleep. He came to the harbor at dawn and received the reward of the entire day.

Through the intercessions of the holy archangel Michael, and after a few days, the chosen man Matthew rested. The enemy of God and of men, and the adversary of the angels, that is the devil, stirred up a great archon of the city against his wife and his children with great cruelty. He took their livelihood from them by force, and he seized everything that was theirs, even to their very last possession. He took it from them. John, the great elder, who was a wise man, said to his mother and his brothers, "Arise, let us go out from this place, according to the word which our Savior spoke: 'When they pursue you in the city, flee to another.' Therefore, behold, they have pursued us and oppressed us in this city. Let us flee to another city that we may be saved. Behold, they have oppressed us in this place. Let us go to the city of Entia to dwell in it, that we may be saved." And in this manner they arose, took the possessions of their father, arose, and fled to Entia, the metropolis of the region, and dwelt in it. John and

His mother and his sisters were giving great alms to the poor and the afflicted, and to everyone who was sick. The devil, the evil one, did not cease from his anger, seeing the compassion that they were performing. He became enraged like the lions. After a few days, they robbed the house of a certain archon of the city. They took a great treasure belonging to him that night. The archon reported the matter to the governor. The governor inquired about the matter from the praximoi who were assigned to the city according to custom, and from the streets and the gates, as they were keeping watch over the doors. While they were doing these things, behold, the enemy of justice, that is the devil, took the form of a traveler and cried out, saying, "These young children, strangers from his mountain, came and dwelt in the city. They are the ones who robbed the house of the archon. Behold, they are dwelling in the street of Zeus. Therefore, search for them and examine them, and the truth will be revealed." Immediately, when the word spread, the praximoi seized them. They handed them over to the heretics. The heretics brought them before the governor concerning a matter of which they knew nothing. As they were being dragged through the marketplace, they lifted their eyes up to the sky, saying, "God of the archangel Michael, help us.

We know, my Lord, all things, that we do not know you from the beginning. But now we confess you and your archangel Michael, that you are the living God. For we are pure from the stain of the sin that he cast upon us today. The holy archangel Michael, we have believed in you. Do not abandon us, for you are the one whom we have trusted from the time we were worthy of the holy seal that is in Christ, which is the holy vow of Christianity. God, we have believed in you. Help

Now these things they were saying, a voice came to them from heaven saying, "Do not be afraid, O John and his brothers, for the evil one will not touch you. I am Michael, the one whom you have invoked." They said, "Let your mercy reach us." And he said to them, "Let your heart be strong, and do not be afraid. I say to you, Jesus Christ is the one in whose name you have received baptism, and the evil one will not touch you. But I will remain watching over you, and I will deliver you to them at all times, not only you, but everyone who will invoke and say, 'God and the archangel Michael, help us.' I come to him quickly by the command of God to give him his request, and I will not allow any evil to touch him." The archangel Michael, when he said these things to them, gave them peace and hid himself from them. Then the prefect brought them before the governor to judge them. And when he had set them before the tribunal, they said with one voice, "God and the holy archangel Michael, help us. You know, O my Lord, that we are pure concerning this matter of which they have accused us. But your will, O Lord, let it be done." At that moment, before the word was finished in their mouths, behold, the holy archangel Michael took the form of a patrician of the king of the Gesanths, the king of the city of Antioch of the region, and came.

The governor, when he saw the archangel Michael, walked into his presence in the form of King Gessanthos. He rose immediately and stood before him, giving him a royal position, saying, "I entreat you, Lord Patricius, to sit down before me for a little while, and listen to these apologies." But the holy archangel Michael, since he had come for this reason,

He sat at the right hand of the governor, and the governor commanded the chief magistrate to bring him his three youngest sons at once to the tribunal. And immediately they stood them on their feet at the tribunal before him outside. The governor spoke with them in anger and simplicity, saying, "Perhaps this deed is through the devil. Perhaps you have brought me to this place of the pretorium. Sylom the archon, whom you have sought, do not kill him badly, for you bear witness concerning yourselves that you are the ones who took the pretorium of the archon. If you do not reveal it to me, you will die badly." But they said to the governor at once, "The true God lives, Jesus Christ, and his holy archangel Michael. This deed which you ask of us, we have no knowledge of it, nor do we know him at all. For in truth, O governor, the matter of theft is an abomination before us through the commandment of our fathers and their teaching." Then Michael the archangel spoke with the governor in the form of the patricius, saying, "If you wish the truth, let them seize this little brother of these men, and bring him inside the house of this man, the prothyros, who is savage toward these innocent men. He will cry out, saying, 'In the name of Jesus Christ.'

with the great powers of the archangel Michael, let the dignity of Sylom the archon who was taken, this one who is entrusted to me, and my brothers concerning it, be revealed. And I say to you that the truth will be revealed immediately. The governor commanded that two soldiers and some attendants seize the hand of the youngest son. They went into the house of the proconsul. And immediately the youngest son cried out, saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ, the God of the heavens and the earth, and in the name of the archangel Michael and his great power.

Let the compassion of you, O God, reach me today. Send forth from heaven your holy archangel Michael, that the dignity of Sylom the archon might be revealed, for the afflictions that have happened to me and my brothers are not small, through this outer hall of Athana. And immediately, when he said this, a voice came to him and those with him, and to the other soldiers who were standing by him, and the good guards who had seized him, saying in this manner: "O men who have come seeking the dignity that was taken from the house of Sylom the archon, come down to this dungeon, and you will find what you seek, that the truth might be revealed to all, for these men are holy, and what is entrusted to them is by him." And this happened so that the truth might be revealed through the great powers of the archangel Michael. And immediately, when the crowd heard the voice, they went down to the dungeon; they found the dignity of the archon below in the crypt, in the house of the outer hall of Athana, which had become a refuge for these innocent children, that is, John and his brothers. And immediately the governor released them.

They went to their house and gave glory to God and his great archangel Michael. And immediately the archangel appeared to the governor and those who stood with him, and he revealed himself to his four brothers who were coming to their house. The great holy archangel spoke with them, and the chief commander of the power of the Lord, Michael, said: "O John and his brothers, behold, I have saved you all, without any evil. And I will save you again if you give honor to the devil. And again I will give you freedom and fatherhood, that you may become a father over all the peoples. And again you shall become father of King Gesanthus." But John and his brothers said...

their mother of all the works that had happened to them. She, however, said, "Let the will of the Lord be done. Nevertheless, my children, do not let your hands be idle from any good work at any time, so that the good work may be for you a profit in this age and the one to come." It happened also, before twenty days had passed since these things occurred, that John came walking in the street of the city, and he saw two men wearing the garments of King Gesanthos, who were to be judged: either they would be given one hundred holokottinoi each, or they would be killed. John, however, said to the soldiers, "Are they still subject to death or danger if they take the hundred holokottinoi?" The soldiers said to him, "No." John said, "Wait for me a little, O my brothers." And immediately he went into his house, took the hundred holokottinoi and another four, and gave them to the two men. They gave them to the soldiers of the king, and the other four holokottinoi he gave to the soldiers. The devil, however, could not find what to do, seeing the acts of charity that the four young children were doing. It happened, however, after these things, that a man stood opposite the house of the holy ones. He invited a friend of his to his house, and he ate and drank with him until evening. The man, however, arose and went out from the house of his friend, and he came out into the street of the city to go to his house. And as he was walking on the road,

A certain man found him and he died. When the prefect, however, was going around the city at night concerning the state of the city, he found the man lying dead. He removed the garment and examined his entire body, but found no wound in it. He gave a command at his mouth and had him buried in the tomb. The devil, however, walked throughout the entire city, hastening and saying, "This murder happened from outside through these four brothers who came to the city these days.

Immediately, however, the hour went to the prefect. The prefect then reported the matter before King Gesanthos. Immediately, when the king heard the report, he ordered the archista to bring him his four young sons at once. The soldiers, however, remained with these young sons. They placed a collar around their necks and brought them out into the plaza of the entire city, so that they might be brought before King Gesanthos. And immediately a voice came to them, saying, "John and his brothers, do not be afraid to go to the king, for no evil will touch you. The time of suffering has passed; the portion of the fatherhood has come to you from outside through the Lord." Immediately they were brought before the king. And they besought God and the holy archangel Michael to save them. And immediately, behold, the great holy archangel Michael, whose name is sweet in the mouth of everyone, took the form of a great soldier of the emperor Constantine, king of the Romans, and entered, with a great dignity surrounding his face. King Gesanthos, when he saw him, rose and stood before him, giving place to his royal honor. Afterwards they sat together. The king then ordered that his four brothers be brought in before him. The king said to them, "Why did you rise up against this man and kill him?

His four brothers answered, "God lives, and his great archangel Michael. For this envy that he stirs up against the holy one is to his own detriment." The king, however, ordered that the instruments of torture be brought and that they be tortured. But the archangel Michael, who is indeed a protector of all who are servants of the Lord in truth, took pity on them, to reveal the glory of the holy ones. Rather, to encourage

The city of the king and the entire multitude, in the manner that he saved the Ninevites, while the multitude was making the sign of the twelve cubits. This is also the way that God commanded to give the city salvation from destruction. Then the archangel Michael answered, saying to Gesanthus, "There is a sign among us in this city. If an antilogy of this kind occurs, let them bring the one who died and place him before the entire multitude of the city, and ask him, 'What happened to you?' And immediately he will speak the truth before the entire multitude. Therefore, let them bring the one who died and ask him, and I say that the truth will be revealed, and the liar will be put to shame." Then the king, when he heard these things from the archangel—but they did not know that it was Michael, but they said that he was a great dignitary of the king, as we first said. But the archangel is higher than any rank of this world. Therefore, the king commanded that they go to the tomb, bring him, and place him before him and the entire multitude that was gathered at its entrance. Michael the archangel stood before the king and the entire multitude of the city.

He called to the small one among his youngest children, who was in the form of a general, saying, "Daniel, the brother of John, come, my child, and tell me this matter: who is it that killed you? Tell the truth before the king and the entire multitude." The small child Daniel, one of those who were being tortured, arose and went to the matter. He took hold of his hand, saying, "The man, inform me who it is that killed you. Tell the truth, do not leave any innocent blood unavenged, because of your opportunity." But God, the good one, turned his soul inward into his body once more, for the sake of the salvation of the entire city.

and the king. And by the great power of God and the holy archangel Michael, the man came to life again. He cried out in the midst of the entire multitude, saying in a loud voice, "Woe to you, O Gesanthus, because you dared at all to sit before the great general of the king of the heavens and the earth, the holy archangel Michael, who intercedes at all times for the whole race of men and the animals. And it is he who intercedes for the fruits of the earth until God sends the good rain down upon them, for the renewal of men and animals, and also for the renewal of all the blessed ones who praise God." The one who had come to life also said, "Let the men go free, that they may be sanctified for me, and the archangel Michael will inform you of all the things that have happened to me." Immediately, the archangel appeared forth from his angelic glory, descending from on high, while everyone beheld him. And the soul of the man he took with him. Afterward, the archangel Michael spoke downward to the king and the multitude, saying, "Behold, I have interceded with the Lord for the salvation of your soul and of this entire multitude of this city, on account of the young children. Therefore, let John and his brothers be honored by you, because you and your entire city have been saved on their account, and this other man whom you said had been killed.

They did not kill him, but he died like everyone else at the hands of a kerastes. And the king, when his heart became troubled, arose and entered to John and his brothers, and he gave them his hand, saying, "Blessed is the hour when you entered the city. O John and his brothers, I thought evil of you. Behold, great good has come to me because of them." And the king had them crowned.

his palladion and the whole city, for they were clothed. They became joyful with great joy until the completion of seven days. The king said to John, "Speak, and we will all listen to you." John said to the king, "Write an epistle to the feet of the king of the Romans, Constantine, that he may send us an archbishop to consecrate us and the whole city, and that he may give us those who will see to the salvation of our souls." Gesanthos the king wrote an epistle to the feet of Constantine, the king of the Romans, written in this manner: "Gesanthos, who is called king in the district, dares to write to the feet of the great king of the Romans, Constantine, the servant of Jesus Christ, greetings. For a great grace has established us through God the Good, for he remembered us and brought us out of the darkness of the service of idols. He drew us to himself through the prayers of his great archangel Michael, for he made us worthy to see him face to face, and he caused the dead to speak with us again after he had become silent, and he ascended in glory for us all to see. Therefore we entreat your lordship to send us one of the great bishops, that he may be near you and shine light upon us also in the straight faith, and that he may teach us the way to go to God in heart.

and he will give us the holy seal. For if you do what is good with us, you will receive a crown of glory before the true king, Christ, because of this matter. The king, who is a friend of God, with the power of God and with great zeal, sent his scribes to Constantinople. He brought them, and when he brought them, he read them and marveled even more at the great philanthropy of God and the goodness of the archangel Michael.

And with great diligence he hastened; he wrote to the great John, the archbishop of Ephesus. Now when he wrote this letter, first of all I greet your holy hands, which have touched the holy flesh of the Son of God, Christ. For a great joy has reached us from God, the true Lord Jesus Christ. And we too, behold, we have sent that joy to your fatherhood, so that you may rejoice even more with us. Therefore, act now for the sake of God; endure a little hardship; go to the city of Dikais; comfort those who dwell in it with the teaching of Christ; bring them out of the service of the idols which are dark; purify them with all your heart, for your labor will not be in vain; rather, it will become for you a crown of glory before the great king, Christ. Therefore, act now for the sake of Christ, who suffered for the whole race of Adam; trouble yourself; go; comfort them with your spiritual garden; and instruct them with the words of your holy theology, which is filled with the Holy Spirit; give them the holy seal which is in Christ; baptize them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the holy Trinity which is in one essence, and the one essence which is in the holy Trinity, of one substance.

And this will be for you a glory before Christ Jesus and his holy angels. The Emperor Constantine sent the letter with haste to the archbishop of Ephesus. And when he received them, he rejoiced greatly in the Holy Spirit over the gift of God the Pantocrator, and the conversion of the city to God through the intercessions of the holy archangel Michael. And immediately the archbishop took with him a deacon, two presbyters, a reader, three psalmists, twelve philoponoi, and other servants. And he took with him all the equipment of the baptismal font and the sanctuary: a gold table, four silver chalices gilded with gold, gold censers, a gold paten of choice bread, silk veils, and his four gospels, the Acts, and the Apostle. In short, all the equipment of the sanctuary. And they prayed to the Lord and set out joyfully. When they entered the city, they announced the archbishop to the emperor. And the emperor and the entire multitude of the city came out to meet him. They worshipped him and received a blessing from his hand.

And the king himself received a blessing from the archbishop. The archbishop, when he saw John, immediately greeted him and said to him, "Welcome, the good tree that bears fruit in the paradise of the teaching." The king then related to the archbishop the whole matter that had happened through John and his brothers, saying, "Because of this, and his brothers, God has given to us." And in this manner he went into the city with great honor. The king then entreated him and took him into the palace, saying, "There is not yet a church in the city." The archbishop did not refuse, but said to the king, "Let us build a church before all things." The king said to the archbishop, "My father, I have a new place that is being built. Come, see its gate. Perhaps it will be suitable for you to make it a church." The archbishop then went with the king. The archbishop examined it, and it was a small place for a chariot in the middle. He gave orders to enlarge it. The king then proclaimed throughout the whole city at once, so that everyone might gather together at once.

All work, whether archon or rich man or poor, up to the king himself, they work with their own hands, as they know that they will receive their reward through Christ. And through the will of God, they completed the church in ninety days. The archbishop then consecrated the place in the name of the holy Theotokos Mary. When the archbishop saw the multitude that wished to receive baptism, he said to the king, "I will not baptize this multitude now, for there is no longer a church in the city that has a baptismal font within it." The wise John, more than the others, answered, saying to the archbishop and the king, "The lake of water that is to the north of the city, I say that it is the one that will receive this honor." And immediately a voice came from the sky, which everyone who heard it, saying, "This is what was ordained by God: O wise John, son of the apostles." The archbishop and the king rejoiced greatly at what they heard. And they proclaimed that the whole city should gather at the lake of water to receive the remission of their sins. The archbishop then went to the lake of water.

He made all the preparation according to the canon of the church. Afterwards he prayed over the font, while the deacon stood by him according to all the regulations of the baptismal pool. A great miracle occurred at that time. When they came to the consecration, the entire multitude heard a great chorus in the air above them, responding after the consecration with the archbishop. Afterwards a voice cried out, saying, "He who will receive baptism in this water will receive the remission of his former sins." When the archbishop had completed the holy prayers, he commanded the entire multitude to bow down.

down to the pool, all of them received baptism. And they were crying out, saying, "We baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." And when the king and the entire multitude received baptism, the archbishop gave them the peace. They gathered in the church. The archbishop then shaved the head of John, he ordained him as bishop, and his other three brothers he ordained as presbyters. And also the king had a son there, whose name was Achillas, he appointed him as deacon. The entire multitude, they were all placed under the Lord. And they were saying, "Look, see this stranger who came to the city, how they received him; now all of us, behold, he sits near the archbishop, and he is a father to this entire multitude." Then the archbishop took care of the offering, he raised it up onto the altar, he offered it. The king and the entire multitude were amazed, because they were not accustomed to this kind of thing, nor had they ever seen such zeal. For this was the first time that an offering was raised up in that region. And the archbishop gathered them all together, he gave them the peace, and each one went to their homes.

After this, he spent forty days in that city, instructing them continually, and he taught them the entire order of the church. After these things, he returned to his city in peace. The king Gesanthus and the entire multitude of the city were glorifying John and his brothers, and they were progressing in the teaching of the Lord. Within a few days, the holy bishop John said to the king, "Let us build a church in the name of the holy archangel Michael, for it is he who saved us all.

Through his prayers, the king said to him, "Everything that you wish, O father, do it, and we will listen to you." The holy bishop John then established the order of the holy church, and all the people of the city rejoiced with him, giving him a hand in every work that he would command them. And with great zeal, he completed the church in every work, and he consecrated it on the eighth of the month of Hathor. The holy bishop John consecrated it in the name of the holy archangel Michael, having dedicated it on that day of the consecration, the twelfth of the month of Hathor, with all the people of the city gathered at it. Then the feast became for them a double feast: the feast of its establishment and the consecration together in his new church. And after the consecration, the holy bishop John went to the temple with the king and the entire multitude of the city, and they destroyed it, and they burned the statue of Zeus. And the demon that was dwelling in the idol cried out, saying, "You have greatly troubled me, O John; you have cast me out of my dwelling place." And the king had a splendid church built in the place of the temple, and he had it named after the twelve apostles. The holy John turned everyone to the right faith, and everyone glorified God through him.

Constantine the king, when he heard about all the things that John was doing, gave glory to God greatly. He wrote an epistle to him, entreating him in it to bless him and his entire kingdom. He also called him in it "a new Daniel, the destroyer of the idols." The region of the righteous one was filled with joy all the days of the holy John the bishop through his teaching.

of the wonders that God works through him. You have seen then, O my beloved, the great goodness of God and the great boldness of the holy archangel Michael, how he is with everyone who fears the Lord and keeps his commandments. For our father Daniel says, "There is no one who stands with me except Michael the archon." And again, "The angel of the Lord seized Habakkum, brought him to Babylon with the dish in his hand, and took him to the den of lions, and gave the dish to Daniel." He also said in the Acts, "The angel of the Lord opened the doors of the prison at night and brought Peter out." The holy archangel Michael ministers to each of the martyrs until they complete their struggle, and then they go to the heavens in glory. Through the intercessions of Michael, the sun shines upon the whole world. Through the intercessions of Michael, the great spring of Eden pours its water down upon its river of the four streams. Through the intercessions of Michael, the earth gives its fruit. Through the intercession of Michael, the whole world is reconciled to God again, and it is he who saves everyone from the snare of the devil. We find the intercession of Michael in the order of the work of the hands. We find the compassion of the archangel in the gentleness of the calf and the running of the goats.

We find the intercession of Michael in the abundance of the fruit of the field. We find the intercession of the archangel in the abundance of all the fruits of the meadow. Through the intercession of Michael, the trees give forth their fruit. We find the intercession of Michael in the planting of the vine, in the joy of the wine. We find the intercession of Michael in the delight of the garden and the orchard of the lords. We find the intercession

of Michael in the dew of man, and his rest at night. We find the intercession of Michael in the ships that sail on the sea, calming the waters. We find the intercession of the archangel in the flight of the birds and those who walk on the earth. We find the intercession of Michael in the marriage of the monks, who bear their children in blessing. We find the intercession of Michael in the war that strikes down the impious, establishing peace, saving the righteous. We find the intercession of Michael among brothers together, he being in their midst. We find the intercession of Michael among the ascetics in the mountains, giving them strength. We find the intercession of Michael in the assembly of monks, he being peaceful in their midst together. We find the intercession of the archangel in the prayer of the bishops and the presbyters and the deacons upon the holy altar. We find the intercession of Michael in the voice of the readers and the psalmists, as they chant their hymns in the church. We find the intercession of Michael, he being gentle to those in distress, giving them strength. We find the intercession of the archangel, he being a help to those who are oppressed in the courts. We find the intercession of Michael, he being a rest for those in punishment.

Simply, those who are alive, he gives them strength in their distress. And those who are dead, he comforts them, so that God may have mercy on them. For among all the righteous, it is the archangel Michael who goes to them and helps them in their distress. And among all the martyrs, it is Michael who goes to them and gives them strength, and saves them from all their tribulations. For whoever cries out to God with their whole heart, the archangel stands with them and helps them. Behold

Behold then, O my beloved, we have understood the philanthropy of God and the compassion of the archangel Michael toward all humanity, for he is for them an advocate before the Father, that he may have mercy on everyone and straighten their paths. We ourselves, O my beloved, let us give him what he desires, and let us entreat him from our hearts, so that he may love us more and intercede for us before God, and we may become in a single brotherhood. Let us guard our pure garment without defilement. Let no fornication occur among us at all. Let no slander occur in your mouths, for slander is a wounding word, an abomination before God. Fornication is a death in poverty, a companion of the devil, an abomination of Christians, an enemy before God and his angels, a companion of destruction. Behold, O sons of Eli the priest, that when they loved fornication, destruction came upon them. Behold also, O sons of King David, that when they loved fornication more than the garment of the covenant, God was angry with them, and they were filled with a curse, and none of them saw their children in Israel. Amnon lay with his sister of the same father, and Absalom killed him. Likewise, Absalom lay with the concubine of his father, and God brought a disturbance upon him, and he died in the war.

Adonias also went and brought Abisathes, the compassionate one, the widow of his father, and died because of her. Now then, O my beloved children, let us cast away from ourselves the evil ways that are dark, and let us be without mixture, sin, and slander. The holy grammarian never said that a man should be ashamed. See how many times Moses spoke with God, and he had his wife and his children. And these did not hinder him.

go in to enter into the world to speak with God. But do not let the word go forth from us in these things that are shameful to us, for the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments are witnesses. Therefore, let us complete the word to the end concerning that which is fitting for us today, the archangel Michael. For this feast today has no need of a rich man wearing costly garments, while the poor man himself is bent under the burden of the road. For this feast has no need of a rich man who is drunk with wine, while the poor man himself is thirsty for bread in his hunger as he sleeps. For this feast today has no need of one who eats alone in joy, while the poor man himself is thirsty in his distress. For this feast today has no need of one who is prosperous and joyful alone in his house, while the poor man himself is in his house with no one to care for his inquiry. For these commandments are not of men, but of God. For God will judge the entire race of men according to the measure of the commandments that are in the holy Gospels. Therefore, O my beloved, let us beseech the holy archangel Michael with an upright heart, that he may bring the grace of God down upon us, and that he may release us from our sins which we have committed in the past, and that he may give us a correction after this. For I see that the time has come for us to give our offering, to complete that which is fitting for us, which is the holy offering, to perfect it, and to receive from the holy mysteries.

The body and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, this which is outside from his hand, what glory is fitting for the Father with him and the Holy Spirit, the consubstantial and homoousios now and for all eternity, amen. Our Lord Jesus Christ blesses what he will say: "God, you are merciful (?)" He wrote these writings with his hand. Amen, so that it may be.

This is the faith that came to be in the councils outside of the hand of the synod of the holy bishops. They made three hundred and eighteen bishops in peace. The nations rose up, the peoples were troubled in their worthless things, all the rivers of the earth stood up, the archons gathered, they came to one place, they spoke against the Lord and his Christ. Diapsalma. Let us loose the bonds, let us cast their remnant away from upon us, for he who dwells in the heights will laugh at them, and the Lord will mock them.