E00468: The Piacenza Pilgrim records the basilica of *Stephen (the First Martyr, S00030) outside Jerusalem, built by the empress Eudocia and containing the tomb of the martyr, and her tomb close to that of the saint; also the tomb of *George (soldier and martyr, S00259) at Diospolis, where miracles occur; all in Palestine. Account of an anonymous pilgrim, written in Latin, probably in Placentia (northern Italy), c. 570.

Pilgrim of Piacenza, Itinerarium 25

First recension
Nam et modo ipsa fons Siloa infra ciuitatem inclausa est, quia Eudoxia imperatrix ipsa addidit muros in ciuitate. Nam ipsa muniuit basilicam et sepulchrum sancti Stephani et ipsa sepulchrum habet iuxta sepulchrum sancti Stephani. Inter sepulchra habet continuo gressus XX. Nam et ipse sanctus Stephanus requiescit foris portam, sagittae iactum unum ad uiam, quae respicit ad occidentem, quae descendit ad Ioppe et Caesarea Palestinis uel Diaspoli ciuitatem quae antiquitus dicitur Azotus, in qua requiescit sanctus Georgius martyr... In quo loco daemoniaci mundantur. Nam et in ipsa prouincia multas uirtutes ostendit beatus Georgius.

'Nowadays the fountain of Siloa is included within the city, because the Empress Eudocia herself added these walls to the city. She also built the basilica and tomb of saint Stephen. And her own tomb is next to saint Stephen's, with twenty paces between the two. Saint Stephen's resting-place is outside the gate. A bow-shot from the road, which leads westward down to Joppa, Caesarea Palestinae and Diospolis (which in ancient times was called Azotus), the resting place of saint George the martyr ... People possessed by demons are cured there, for in that district blessed George displays many miracles.'

The second recension follows the text of the first without important modifications.


Text: Geyer 1898, 176 and 207. Translation: Wilkinson 2002, 141, lightly modified.