In the reign of the Emperor Honorius, a Priest named Lucian received a message from God, in consequence of which discovery was made of the bodies of the Saints Stephen the Protomartyr, Gamaliel, Nicodemus, and Abibon, which had long been lying unknown and unheeded. Lucian was asleep when Gamaliel appeared to him in a dream as a tall comely old man of worshipful presence, told him where the bodies were lying, and bade him go to John, Patriarch of Jerusalem, and deal with him that they might have more honourable burial.
When the Patriarch of Jerusalem heard it, he called together Bishops and Priests from the neighbouring cities, and betook himself to the place, where he found the tombs hewn in the rock, and a right sweet savour flowing forth from them. The thing being noised abroad, a great multitude of people came together, and many that were sick and weak of divers diseases returned home whole. The sacred body of holy Stephen was then carried with great pomp to the holy Church of Sion. Under the Emperor Theodosius the Younger it was taken to Constantinople; and during the Popedom of Pelagius I it was brought to Rome, where it hath been laid in the sepulchre of the holy Martyr Lawrence in the Veranian Field.
When the Bishop Projectus brought some relics of that most glorious Martyr Stephen to Tibilis, a great multitude came together and went out to meet the shrine. A blind woman prayed to be led to the Bishop who was bearing the hallowed deposit. She laid on the relics the flowers which she was carrying, took them up again, touched her eyes with them, and forthwith saw. She went forward rejoicing, at the head of the amazed procession, choosing her own path, and needing no more that any should lead her. I remember also the shrine of this same Martyr which hath been placed in the town of Synica, hard by this city of Hippo. Lucillus, Bishop of that place, was carrying it, with a multitude going before and following after; when, all of a sudden, by bearing this hallowed burden, he was healed of the emerods, from which he was even then suffering, and which were being treated by a physician, an intimate friend of his, who was about to cut them.
Let us pray.
Grant us, we beseech thee, O Lord, to imitate what we venerate, that we may learn to love even our enemies; for we celebrate the Invention of him who knew how to plead for his persecutors even unto our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.
When the Patriarch of Jerusalem heard it, he called together Bishops and Priests from the neighbouring cities, and betook himself to the place, where he found the tombs hewn in the rock, and a right sweet savour flowing forth from them. The thing being noised abroad, a great multitude of people came together, and many that were sick and weak of divers diseases returned home whole. The sacred body of holy Stephen was then carried with great pomp to the holy Church of Sion. Under the Emperor Theodosius the Younger it was taken to Constantinople; and during the Popedom of Pelagius I it was brought to Rome, where it hath been laid in the sepulchre of the holy Martyr Lawrence in the Veranian Field.
When the Bishop Projectus brought some relics of that most glorious Martyr Stephen to Tibilis, a great multitude came together and went out to meet the shrine. A blind woman prayed to be led to the Bishop who was bearing the hallowed deposit. She laid on the relics the flowers which she was carrying, took them up again, touched her eyes with them, and forthwith saw. She went forward rejoicing, at the head of the amazed procession, choosing her own path, and needing no more that any should lead her. I remember also the shrine of this same Martyr which hath been placed in the town of Synica, hard by this city of Hippo. Lucillus, Bishop of that place, was carrying it, with a multitude going before and following after; when, all of a sudden, by bearing this hallowed burden, he was healed of the emerods, from which he was even then suffering, and which were being treated by a physician, an intimate friend of his, who was about to cut them.
Let us pray.
Grant us, we beseech thee, O Lord, to imitate what we venerate, that we may learn to love even our enemies; for we celebrate the Invention of him who knew how to plead for his persecutors even unto our Lord Jesus Christ, thy Son, Who liveth and reigneth with thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end.
R. Amen.
