Scriptura De Translatione Sancti Stephani [Incertus] / SCRIPTURA DE ALIA DETECTIONE AC TRANSLATIONE SANCTI STEPHANI IN URBEM BYZANTIUM, QUAM ANASTASIUS LATINITATE DONAVIT

A WRITING ON THE TRANSLATION OF SAINT STEPHEN FROM JERUSALEM TO THE CITY OF BYZANTIUM. It came to pass, when the body of Saint Stephen the First Martyr was stored away in Jerusalem on holy Sion, in the days of John, bishop of Jerusalem, that a certain senator named Alexander had set in his mind to build a house of prayer of Saint Stephen. When this was completed, he earnestly entreated John the bishop to deposit the body of the holy martyr Stephen in the same oratory. Then the bishop placed the little chest, and affixed a title with a nail on the outside, in the month of December, on the fourteenth day, in the fifth indiction, in the consulship of our lord the Emperor Constantine Augustus for the tenth time. And so after five years, Alexander the senator, falling into infirmity, made a will for the holy Church and for the poor and for his wife Juliana, adjuring John the bishop by our Lord Jesus Christ: "After my death," he said, "let a Persian chest be made, and place me next to the tomb of the holy protomartyr Stephen; for I built his house from my own substance." Having said this, he fell asleep in peace. On the following day, the bishop, coming together with a multitude of the people, took him up and placed him next to the holy protomartyr Stephen.

After eight years, however, Juliana, his wife, thinking and deeming it good, wished to take her husband’s body and carry it to Byzantium, to her own estate. And having taken counsel on this, she set out to Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, and said to him: “I wish to carry my husband’s body to Byzantium, to my estate.” He said to her: “I cannot do this, and disturb the people.” Then Juliana, weeping, went to her own house, and, writing a letter, sent it to her father, who was stationed in Byzantium, writing thus: “Your own daughter Juliana, to my father in the Lord, greetings. I offer fitting honors, and I ask that you grant that I be received by you. For it is not with words filled with flattery, but announced by a heavenly mystery, nor bearing a persuasion composed with rhetorical words, but I direct prayers to my father and lord, since I suffer violence from the princes as a widow, on account of marriage. Therefore, hasten so that a Sacred Decree may be made, and sent by the great emperor Constantine to Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, so that I may come myself and bring my husband’s body to my estate.” And he, receiving the Sacred Decree from the great emperor Constantine, sent it to Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem.

So the bishop, reading the sacred text and unable to contradict, brought the woman forward and said to her: "How can we do this, since I do not know which is the coffin of the holy protomartyr Stephen and which is that of your husband? But go, prepare what is necessary for the journey, and inform me." She, having prepared what was suitable for the journey, went to the bishop in the church. When evening had fallen, they descended deeper into the oratory where the relic of the Saint lay; and opening the repository, they found two coffins. And the bishop said to the woman: "I do not know which is the coffin of the holy protomartyr Stephen and which is that of your husband." To which the woman said: "I know which is the coffin of my husband, for I had it made." Then the bishop, hearing this, ordered her to take the one she knew. And going with a rush, she embraced the relic of Saint Stephen, thinking it to be her husband's body. And taking it, she placed it in the litter. And bidding farewell to the bishop, she went on her way rejoicing. And throughout the night a hymn was made on the road, and a fragrance filled with the sweetness of ointment wafted. Moreover, unclean spirits cried out, saying: "Woe to us, for the protomartyr Stephen is passing, striking us harshly with fire." But the woman sat in her carriage, and the boys walked before the litter, and they were afraid, saying: "What is this that has happened to us, that the spirits cry out about Saint Stephen? Do you suppose this is his body, and we do not know it?" For a multitude of angels sing a hymn before the litter.

But what shall we do, our lady? Perhaps it is not your husband's body, but that of the holy protomartyr Stephen. Then she, hearing these things, was weeping. And she commanded the boys to tell no one what had appeared to them on the journey: "But if anyone asks," she said, "in the city or in the region whose this litter is, say: 'It is our lady's husband's, and it is going to Byzantium.'" On that same night we passed through three staging-posts. Moreover, while we rested by day and traveled in the evening, the spirits in the dead of night cried out, saying: "He who scourges us is passing by; we cannot bear the power of the holy body, for it is fire and consumes us fiercely; we cannot withstand the might of the holy protomartyr Stephen." And many healings and miracles occurred along the way. Then we arrived at maritime Ascalon, and we found a ship going to Byzantium. The shipmaster was summoned, and the woman gave him fifty gold pieces, saying: "I have a secret to tell you, and do not contradict me. I have a casket to be conveyed to Byzantium; see that you bring it safely, and you will have your reward from almighty God." He said to her: "I do not wish to contradict my lady, for the great protomartyr Stephen is with you, and in him is my life and my hope, because my eyes have seen the most glorious things today. Come, then, my lady, and board the ship. For we are about to set sail with the power of God and of the holy body." Then, as all entered the ship, it was cast off from land with a favorable wind.

And coming into the middle of the sea, suddenly a storm arose, so that the waves rose above the ship's rigging. And with the sea violently surging, all, seized with fear, rose and adored the holy body. But as they wept and lamented, suddenly a great calm arose on the sea, and the holy protomartyr Stephen appeared to them, saying: "I am here, do not be afraid." At his speaking, the wind ceased, and a great tranquility ensued (Matt. 8:26). When morning came, we arrived at the narrows of Chalantis because of Prince Augustus. Suddenly an earthquake occurred in that place, so that the foundations of the earth were shaken, until the ship of the holy protomartyr Stephen passed through; and then the moving earth became still. Demons, however, cried out against the prince, saying: "Most impious prince, why did you not burn the ship that passed by there, but allowed it to pass against us? For that ship itself caused the earthquake." Upon hearing this, the prince sent five dromons to seize and burn the ship. But as the dromons approached the ship, an angel coming out of the ship struck the dromons and sank them. And great joy arose in the ship, because God was with them. So, sailing for three days and as many nights, we came to Chalcedon, and the ship was left in the harbor.

But while we were staying there for five days, all who had demons came to the shore, tormented and crying out: "The servant of God has come, who was stoned by the wicked Jews." And by the grace of Saint Stephen, the spirits cried out: "Woe to us, for he burns us fiercely; where shall we flee from his terrible threats?" Moreover, they were driven away fiercely by the men, as if by fire; and all who had the sick brought them out to the sea, and all were healed by the power of the holy Protomartyr. After this, we set out and came to Sosas. Hearing this, nearly the whole city ran out, the Christians rejoicing, the pagans grieving. And setting out from there again, because of the crowd that was all around, we came to the city of Staurium. When Eusebius, the bishop of Constantinople, learned of this, about the body of the protomartyr Stephen, and that the whole multitude of Christians was stirred up to see the power of the holy body, he hurried to the Emperor Constantine and announced to him about the body of Saint Stephen. The emperor, however, inquired how the body had come from Jerusalem, and who it was that had brought it. They brought a woman to him, saying: "Lord Emperor, this is the one who brought the body of the holy Protomartyr." The emperor said to her: "How did you bring the body of Saint Stephen? Tell me the truth.

She said: "Lord Emperor, my husband himself built the oratory of Saint Stephen in Jerusalem, and he himself together with Bishop John buried Saint Stephen. After some years, however, my husband died, having deposited a will with Bishop John, saying: 'After my death, place me near the first martyr Stephen.' And so it was done. The Emperor then said: 'How then did you bring that here?' She said: 'Lord Emperor, suffering violence from the princes, as a widow, and not wishing to be joined to another man, I informed my father that I wished to come here and bring my husband's body to my estate. Then my father, hearing this, received a Sacred Letter from your imperial authority, and sent it to me and to the bishop, so that I might take my husband's body. Descending therefore by night with Bishop Cyril, I thought I was taking my husband's body, and I took Saint Stephen's.' She also gave the Sacred Letter to the Emperor. The Emperor, when he read it, recognized his own hand. Then the woman answered, saying to the Emperor: 'Lord Emperor, you have power over my body; over my soul, however, God, who works wonders in heaven and on earth. But if you do not believe, lord, send a Hebrew to the ship where the casket of the Saint lies, in which also a title is affixed, written in Hebrew letters, and reading them you will know the truth.' The Emperor, having summoned a Hebrew, adjured him by his own law, saying: 'Go, and see what is written.'

The Hebrew therefore went away with the two protectors, and reading, said: "This is a great spectacle." The protectors said: "What spectacle is it? Tell us." The Hebrew said: "Because it is the protomartyr Stephen, and in him are my life and my hope, because my eyes have seen the most glorious thing today." Then the protectors came and announced to the Emperor that it was the protomartyr Stephen. And he rejoiced greatly, and summoning Bishop Eusebius, he says to him: "Go to the ship with a multitude of the people, and I will send a wagon, and bring me the casket to the palace." Therefore the bishop went, and all the people ran with candles. But the bishop, going down into the ship, took the casket; and having placed it on a cart, he hastened to the palace. But the mules proceeded, dragged violently by angels. And when they came to the place called Constantinianus, they stopped, and could not pass further. Therefore they struck the animals. But one of them, by angelic power, spoke with a human voice before all the people, saying: "Why do you strike our faces? He must be buried here in this place. Therefore do not labor at all; otherwise you will have to see signs and portents." The bishop, terrified and unable to bear the torment, reported to the Emperor: "I cannot bring the body of the Saint." Hearing this, the Emperor was saddened, and sent another twelve animals to draw the cart.

And they themselves likewise stood still because of the force of the angels, and they were not able to move the cart. Then the bishop cried out, saying: "You alone, almighty God, who works wonders alone (Ps. 71:18) over your holy protomartyr Stephen, who suffered martyrdom for your name. Therefore grant us grace and mercy, through the prayers and intercessions of the holy Protomartyr." Then the bishop took the coffin from the cart, and placed it, making an oratory of it for five months, in which he also placed the coffin with all caution. Moreover, healings and miracles were performed over the sick in those days, to the glory of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, to whom is honor and dominion forever and ever. Amen.