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The Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret (CCEL)

Chapter XXI. Of Marcellus, bishop of Apamea, and the idols’ temples destroyed by him.

The first of the bishops to put the edict in force and destroy the shrines in the city P. 147 committed to his care was Marcellus, trusting rather in God than in the hands of a multitude. The occurrence is remarkable, and I shall proceed to narrate it. On the death of John, bishop of Apamea, whom I have already mentioned, the divine Marcellus, fervent in spirit, ¹ according to the apostolic law, was appointed in his stead.

Now there had arrived at Apamea the prefect of the East ² with two tribunes and their troops. Fear of the troops kept the people quiet. An attempt was made to destroy the vast and magnificent shrine of Jupiter, but the building was so firm and solid that to break up its closely compacted stones seemed beyond the power of man; for they were huge and well and truly laid, and moreover clamped fast with iron and lead. ³

When the divine Marcellus saw that the prefect was afraid to begin the attack, he sent him on to the rest of the towns; while he himself prayed to God to aid him in the work of destruction. Next morning there came uninvited to the bishop a man who was no builder, or mason, or artificer of any kind, but only a labourer who carried stones and timber on his back. “Give me,” said he, “two workmen’s pay; and I promise you I will easily destroy the temple.” The holy bishop did as he was asked, and the following was the fellow’s contrivance. Round the four sides of the temple went a portico united to it, and on which its upper story rested. ⁴ The columns were of great bulk, commensurate with the temple, each being sixteen cubits in circumference. The quality of the stone was exceptionally hard, and offering great resistance to the masons’ tools. In each of these the man made an opening all round, propping up the superstructure with olive timber before he went on to another. After he had hollowed out three of the columns, he set fire to the timbers. But a black demon appeared and would not suffer the wood to be consumed, as it naturally would be, by the fire, and stayed the force of the flame. After the attempt had been made several times, and the plan was proved ineffectual, news of the failure was brought to the bishop, who was taking his noontide sleep. Marcellus forthwith hurried to the church, ordered water to be poured into a pail, and placed the water upon the divine altar. Then, bending his head to the ground, he besought the loving Lord in no way to give in to the usurped power of the demon, but to lay bare its weakness and exhibit His own strength, lest unbelievers should henceforth find excuse for greater wrong. With these and other like words he made the sign of the cross over the water, and ordered Equitius, one of his deacons, who was armed with faith and enthusiasm, to take the water and sprinkle it in faith, and then apply the flame. His orders were obeyed, and the demon, unable to endure the approach of the water, fled. Then the fire, affected by its foe the water as though it had been oil, caught the wood, and consumed it in an instant. When their support had vanished the columns themselves fell down, and dragged other twelve with them. The side of the temple which was connected with the columns was dragged down by the violence of their fall, and carried away with them. The crash, which was tremendous, was heard throughout the town, and all ran to see the sight. No sooner did the multitude hear of the flight of the hostile demon than they broke out into a hymn of praise to God.

Other shrines were destroyed in like manner by this holy bishop. Though I have many other most admirable doings of this holy man to relate,—for he wrote letters to the victorious martyrs, and received replies from them, and himself won the martyr’s crown,—for the present I hesitate to narrate them, lest by over prolixity I weary the patience of those into whose hands my history may fall.

I will therefore now pass to another subject.

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Kirchengeschichte (BKV)

4. Bischof Eusebius von Samosata

S. 267 Der große Eusebius weihte nach seiner Rückkehr aus der Verbannung in Beröa den Acacius, einen Mann von großem Rufe, in Hierapolis den Theodotus, dessen aszetische Lebensweise noch bis zum heutigen Tage von allen gepriesen wird, in Chalcis den Eusebius und in unserem Cyrus den Isidorus, beide letztere bewunderungswürdige und mit göttlichem Eifer geschmückte Männer. Er soll auch den Eulogius, der für die apostolischen Lehren gekämpft hatte und mit Protogenes nach Antino verbannt worden war¹, zum Hirten von Edessa geweiht haben; denn der gotterfüllte Barses war bereits aus dem Leben geschieden. Eulogius aber setzte den Genossen seiner Kämpfe, Protogenes, der Kirche von Karrhä vor und schenkte damit dieser Stadt, die sich damals in keinem guten Zustande befand, einen Arzt, der die Übel zu heilen wußte. Der heilige Eusebius weihte zuletzt noch den Maris als Bischof für Doliche. Es ist dieses ein kleines Städtchen, das zu jener Zeit von der arianischen Krankheit angesteckt war. Um diesen Maris, einen lobwürdigen und in vielen Arten von Tugenden strahlenden Mann, auf den bischöflichen Thron zu erheben, kam der große Eusebius nach Doliche. Als er aber die Stadt betrat, warf ein Weib, das an der arianischen Krankheit litt, oben vom Dache herab einen Ziegel, der ihm den Kopf zerschmetterte und ihn nach kurzer Zeit in das bessere Leben hinüberschickte. Sterbend bat er die Anwesenden und verpflichtete sie mit einem Eidschwur, an der Täterin keine Rache zu nehmen. Er ahmte damit seinem Herrn nach, der für seine Kreuziger betete: „Vater, verzeih ihnen, denn sie wissen nicht, was sie tun²!”, und seinem Mitknecht Stephanus, der nach einem dichten Hagel von Steinwürfen ausrief: „Herr, rechne ihnen dieses nicht zur Sünde an³!” Ein solches Ende nahm nach den mannigfachsten Kämpfen der große Eusebius; nachdem er den Barbaren in Thracien entronnen war, entging er nicht den Händen der S. 268 gottlosen Häretiker, sondern empfing durch sie die Krone des Martyriums.

Das sind also die Geschehnisse, die sich nach der Rückkehr der Bischöfe zutrugen. Als aber Gratian erfuhr, daß Thracien von den Barbaren, die den Valens verbrannt hatten, verwüstet werde, verließ er Italien und kam nach Pannonien.