E05747: John Malalas in his Chronographia mentions that, in the context of events in 551 and 562, people sought sanctuary at the shrines of *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033) at Blachernae (Constantinople) and *Euphemia (martyr of Chalcedon, S00017) at Chalcedon (north-west Asia Minor, near Constantinople). The authorities arrested them none the less. Written in Greek at Antioch (Syria) or Constantinople, in the 560s.

John Malalas, Chronographia, 18.132; 18.141

132. […] καὶ εἰσήρχοντο εἰς τὰς γειτονίας διαφαυούσης κυριακῆς καὶ ἥρπαζον τὰς ὑποστάσεις. καὶ ἐκέλευσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς συσχεθῆναι τοὺς Πρασίνους, καὶ πολλαῖς βασάνοις ἐκολάσθησαν. οἱ δὲ Βένετοι προσέφυγον τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῆς θεοτόκου τῶν Βλαχερνῶν. οἱ δὲ ἐξειλήσαντες Πράσινοι προσέφυγον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν Εὐφημίαν ἐν Χαλκηδόνι· οὓς ἐκβαλὼν ὁ ἔπαρχος ἐτιμωρήσατο. ἤρξαντο δὲ αἱ γυναῖκες αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ μητέρες κράζειν εἰς τὰς ἐκκλησίας τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἵνα παράσχῃ τοῖς Πρασίνοις ἰνδουλγεντίας· καὶ ἐδιώχθησαν μετὰ βάκλων, καὶ οὐ διηλλάγη αὐτοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἕως τῆς Χριστοῦ γεννήσεως.

‘[…] They invaded the neighbourhoods as Sunday was dawning and plundered the properties. The emperor ordered the Greens to be arrested, and they were punished with many torments. The Blues sought refuge in the church of the Mother of God at Blachernae. The Greens who escaped sought refuge in Saint Euphemla at Chalcedon. The prefect took them out and punished them. Their wives and mothers began to cry out in the churches to the emperor that he might grant indulgences to the Greens. They were driven off with sticks and the emperor was not reconciled to them until Christmas.’


141. (…) Σέργιος δὲ ὁ ἀνεψιὸς Αἰθερίου προσφυγίῳ ἐχρήσατο ἐν τῇ δεσποίνῃ ἡμῶν τῇ θεοτόκῳ ἐν Βλαχέρναις. καὶ ἐκβληθεὶς ἐκ τῶν ὅρων ὡς οἷα κατὰ βασιλέως σκεψάμενος (…)

'[…] Sergios, the nephew of Aitherios, sought sanctuary in Our Lady the Mother of God at Blachernae. Yet he was driven out of its boundaries, as having conspired against the emperor […]'


Text: Thurn 2000. Translation: E. Rizos.