E07448: The late 4th to 6th century collection of Miracles of *Menas (soldier martyr of Egypt, S00073), ascribed to Timothy of Alexandria, recounts the story of the miraculous uncovering of the theft of a sheep, committed by a rich pagan man against a poor Christian widow. The former’s perjury is punished by paralysis. Written in Greek in Alexandria.

Timothy of Alexandria, Miracles of Menas (CPG 2527, BHG 1256-1269)

Miracle 8. The rich man and the widow (BHG 1264)

Summary:

There was a very rich pagan man from the village of Constantiana in the district of Marmarica. Under his house, there lived a poor old woman whose only possession was a sheep. At Menas’ feast, he proposes to her that they visit the shrine together, but she refuses to go with him, unless he accepts baptism. He promises to follow her instructions. Rejoicing at his decision, the widow instructs him to slaughter a fat sheep from his flock, in order to have provisions for their journey. Inspired by the devil, the rich pagan secretly has the widow’s sheep slaughtered and cooked. Unable to find it, the widow despairs, but the rich man’s wife visits and consoles her, saying that the thief will be revealed, if they visit Menas’ shrine and take oaths. In the meantime, some neighbours inform them that the sheep was stolen by the rich man’s servant. Next day, they go to the shrine, and the rich man’s wife informs her husband that the widow is accusing him of the theft and asks that they take oaths. Although advised by both the old woman and his wife to simply confess his act and avoid the consequences of perjury, the pagan is enraged and accepts the challenge of the oath, assuming that the perjury will not harm him, while he is still unbaptised. They go down to the saint’s sarcophagus and he vows by the saint’s relics that neither he nor his servant stole the sheep. As he comes out of the crypt his legs and arms are suddenly paralysed. Terrified, he confesses his crime and promises to restore four sheep to the widow, but the saint’s voice is heard asking him to shut his mouth. The chief presbyter (archipresbyteros) and the crowd tie him onto one of the columns of the saint’s ciborium (kibourion), where he spends the rest of his life begging for forgiveness and being served by his wife. After his death [apparently he was not healed], his wife dedicates all of his fortune to the shrine and spends the rest of her life there.

Text: Pomialovskii 1900.
Summary: E. Rizos.