E05079: Evagrius Scholasticus in his Ecclesiastical History reports that the future emperor Maurice (r. 582-602), while offering incense at the altar of the basilica of *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033) in Antioch (Syria), received a sign of his future greatness. Written in Greek at Antioch, 593/594.

Evagrius Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History, 5.21.1-14

21. Γεγόνασι δὲ καὶ θεοσημεῖαι τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτῷ προφητεύουσαι. Πόρρω γὰρ τῶν νυκτῶν ἐπιθυμιῶντί γε αὐτῷ τῶν ἀνακτόρων εἴσω τοῦ ἱεροῦ οἴκου τῆς ἁγίας καὶ πανάγνου παρθένου καὶ θεοτόκου Μαρίας, ὃς πρὸς τῶν Θεουπολιτῶν Ἰουστινιανοῦ προσηγόρευται, τὸ ἀμφὶ τὴν ἱερὰν τράπεζαν παραπέτασμα πυρίφλεκτον γέγονεν, ὡς καὶ πρὸς ἔκπληξιν καὶ θάμβος ἐλθεῖν τὸν Μαυρίκιον καὶ δεῖσαι τὸ ὅραμα· ᾧ παρεστὼς Γρηγόριος, ὁ τῆς πόλεως ἀρχιερεύς, εἶπε θειασμοῦ τινος εἶναι τὸ χρῆμα, καὶ μέγιστα καὶ ἔξοχα μηνύειν αὐτῷ. Ἐφάνη δέ οἱ κατὰ τὴν ἑῴαν καὶ Χριστὸς ὁ θεὸς ὕπαρ ἐκδίκησιν ζητῶν, ὅπερ ἄντικρυς βασιλείαν ἐδήλου. Παρὰ τίνος γὰρ ἂν ἢ παρὰ βασιλέως καὶ οὕτως ἐς αὐτὸν εὐσεβοῦς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐξῄτησεν;

‘21. There also occurred portents which presaged the imperial power for him. For late at night, as he was offering incense within the sanctuary of the sacred Church of the holy and immaculate Virgin and Mother of God Mary, which is called by the people of Theopolis [Antioch] the Church of Justinian, the curtain surrounding the holy altar was engulfed in flames, so that Maurice was filled by surprise and astonishment, and was at awe at the sight. Gregory, the archbishop of the city, was standing beside him and stated that the event was a divine sign, indicating very great and distinguished things for him. Christ our God also appeared in a waking vision to him while in the East, asking for vengeance, which obviously signified imperial power. For from whom other than an emperor, and one so devoted to Him, would He have requested such a thing?’

Text: Bidez and Parmentier 2014.
Translation: E. Rizos.