E04055: Sozomen in his Ecclesiastical History mentions the discovery of the tombs and relics of the Prophets *Habbakuk (S01268) and *Micah (S01236) in villages near Eleutheropolis in Palestine, after a dream vision revealed to the local bishop Zebennos, under Theodosius I (r. 379-395). Written in Greek at Constantinople, 439/450.
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posted on 2017-09-19, 00:00 authored by erizosSozomen, Ecclesiastical History, 7.29
(1) Ὑπὸ δὲ τοιούτων ἀγομένη ἡ πανταχῇ ἐκκλησία πρὸς ὁμόνοιαν καὶ ἀρετὴν τοὺς λαοὺς καὶ τοὺς κλήρους ἀνῆγεν. οὐ μόνον δὲ ταῦτα τὴν θρησκείαν ἐσέμνυνεν, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ Ἀμβακούμ, μετ’ οὐ πολὺ δὲ τούτου καὶ (2) Μιχαίας, πρῶτοι προφητῶν περὶ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον ἀναφανέντες. ἀμφοῖν δὲ τὰ σώματα, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, κατὰ θείαν ὀνείρατος ὄψιν ἀνεδείχθη Ζεβέννῳ τῷ τότε ἐπιτροπεύοντι τὴν Ἐλευθεροπόλεως ἐκκλησίαν. καὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ τοῦ νομοῦ ταύτης ἤστην Κελὰ ἡ πρὶν Κεϊλὰ ὀνομαζομένη κώμη, καθ’ ἣν ὁ Ἀμβακοὺμ ηὑρέθη, καὶ Βηραθσάτια χωρίον ἀμφὶ δέκα στάδια τῆς πόλεως (5) διεστώς· περὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὁ Μιχαίου τάφος ἦν, ὃ μνῆμα πιστὸν ἀγνοοῦντες ὅ τι λέγουσιν οἱ ἐπιχώριοι ἐκάλουν, Νεφσαμεεμανᾶ τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ ὀνομάζοντες. (3) ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ τάδε πρὸς εὔκλειαν τοῦ Χριστιανῶν δόγματος ἐπὶ τῆς παρούσης βασιλείας συνεκύρησε.
‘Being administered by such figures, the Church around the world inspired unity and virtue to both the clergy and laity. Yet it was not only these things that contributed to the good reputation of our religion, but also Habakkuk and, not long after him, Micah, the first prophets, who were brought to light about this time. As I understand, the bodies of them both were revealed by a divine dream vision to Zebennos, then bishop of the church of Eleutheropolis. For the territory of this city included the village of Kela, formerly called Keila, where Habakkuk was found, and the village of Berathsatia, about ten stades from the city. The tomb of Micah was in the vicinity of the latter, and the locals used to call it by the name Nefsameemana in their native language, not knowing that their words meant ‘the faithful tomb’. These events, then, also made a major contribution to the repute of the Christian religion during the reign of this emperor [=Theodosius I].’
Text: Bidez and Hansen 1995. Translation: E. Rizos.
(1) Ὑπὸ δὲ τοιούτων ἀγομένη ἡ πανταχῇ ἐκκλησία πρὸς ὁμόνοιαν καὶ ἀρετὴν τοὺς λαοὺς καὶ τοὺς κλήρους ἀνῆγεν. οὐ μόνον δὲ ταῦτα τὴν θρησκείαν ἐσέμνυνεν, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ Ἀμβακούμ, μετ’ οὐ πολὺ δὲ τούτου καὶ (2) Μιχαίας, πρῶτοι προφητῶν περὶ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον ἀναφανέντες. ἀμφοῖν δὲ τὰ σώματα, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, κατὰ θείαν ὀνείρατος ὄψιν ἀνεδείχθη Ζεβέννῳ τῷ τότε ἐπιτροπεύοντι τὴν Ἐλευθεροπόλεως ἐκκλησίαν. καὶ γὰρ δὴ καὶ τοῦ νομοῦ ταύτης ἤστην Κελὰ ἡ πρὶν Κεϊλὰ ὀνομαζομένη κώμη, καθ’ ἣν ὁ Ἀμβακοὺμ ηὑρέθη, καὶ Βηραθσάτια χωρίον ἀμφὶ δέκα στάδια τῆς πόλεως (5) διεστώς· περὶ τοῦτο δὲ ὁ Μιχαίου τάφος ἦν, ὃ μνῆμα πιστὸν ἀγνοοῦντες ὅ τι λέγουσιν οἱ ἐπιχώριοι ἐκάλουν, Νεφσαμεεμανᾶ τῇ πατρίῳ φωνῇ ὀνομάζοντες. (3) ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ τάδε πρὸς εὔκλειαν τοῦ Χριστιανῶν δόγματος ἐπὶ τῆς παρούσης βασιλείας συνεκύρησε.
‘Being administered by such figures, the Church around the world inspired unity and virtue to both the clergy and laity. Yet it was not only these things that contributed to the good reputation of our religion, but also Habakkuk and, not long after him, Micah, the first prophets, who were brought to light about this time. As I understand, the bodies of them both were revealed by a divine dream vision to Zebennos, then bishop of the church of Eleutheropolis. For the territory of this city included the village of Kela, formerly called Keila, where Habakkuk was found, and the village of Berathsatia, about ten stades from the city. The tomb of Micah was in the vicinity of the latter, and the locals used to call it by the name Nefsameemana in their native language, not knowing that their words meant ‘the faithful tomb’. These events, then, also made a major contribution to the repute of the Christian religion during the reign of this emperor [=Theodosius I].’
Text: Bidez and Hansen 1995. Translation: E. Rizos.
History
Evidence ID
E04055Saint Name
Habakkuk, the Old Testament prophet : S01268 Micah, the Old Testament Prophet : S01236Saint Name in Source
Ἀμβακούμ ΜιχαίαςRelated Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - Other narrative texts (including Histories)Language
- Greek
