Thread by @DouayRheims1

27th JUNE: THE SEVEN SLEEPERS

~thread~
1. During the Christian persecution of Decius were found in Ephesus seven Christian men, that is to wit, Maximian, Malchus, Marcianus, Denis, John, Serapion, and Constantine, practising fastings and prayers,
#Siebenschlaefer #SevenSleepers

2. who refused to sacrifice to the pagan idols. Because they were told they must die, they gave nearly everything away to the poor and went to hide in a cave near the mount of Celion.

Malchus went into the city to fetch food for all.He overheard the market people talking about

3. the emperor's great fury over the disappearance of those Christians. And Malchus set before them the loaves of bread that he had brought, so that they were comforted and were more strong for to suffer torments. After their meal, they sat in #prayer and weeping and wailings

4. and suddenly, as God would, they slept, and when it came on the morn they were sought and could not be found.

A disgruntled relative tipped off Decius' servants that they were hidden in mount Celion, and had given the family inheritance to poor men
#Christian #religion

5. and yet abode in their purpose. Then Decius thought what he should do with them, and, as our Lord would, he enclosed the mouth of the cave wherein they were with stones, to the end that they should die therein for hunger. Then the ministers and two Christian men #Christians

6. Theodorus and Rufinus, wrote their martyrdom and laid it subtlely among the stones.

And when Decius was dead, and all that generation, 362 years after,and the thirtieth year of Theodosius the emperor, the heresy of those that denied the resurrection of dead was at its height

7. Theodosius, then the most Christian emperor, being sorrowful that the faith of our Lord was so felonously demened, donned a hairshirt and prayed day and night for Our Lord's truth to prevail.

God, merciful and piteous, heard his prayer and put in the will of a burgess of

8. Ephesus that he would make in that mountain, which was desert, a stable for his pasturers and herdmen. And it happed that of adventure the masons, that made the said stable, opened this cave. And then these holy saints, that were within, awoke and were raised and saluted

9. each other and had supposed verily that they had slept but one night only, and remembered of the heaviness that they had the day before.

And then Malchus, which ministered to them, said what Decius had ordained of them, for he said: We have been sought, as I said to you

10. yesterday, for to do sacrifice to the idols, that is it that the emperor desireth of us. And then Maximian answered: God our Lord knoweth that we shall never sacrifice, and comforted his fellows. He commanded to Malchus to go and buy bread in the city,and bade him #Catholic

11. bring more than he did yesterday and also to enquire and demand what the emperor had commanded to do.

And then Malchus took five shillings, and issued out of the cave, and when he saw the masons and the stones in front of the cave, he began to bless him, and was astonished.

12. Then came he all doubtful to the gates of the city, he saw the sign of the cross about the gate. And when he came to the sellers of bread, and heard the men speak of God, yet then was he more abashed, and said: What is this, that no man yesterday was allowed to name #Jesus

13. Jesus Christ, and today everyone confesseth him? It cannot be Ephesus; is some other city. And when he demanded and heard verily that it was Ephesus, he went to them that sold bread. And when he showed his money the sellers marvelled, and said that one to that other, that

14. this young man had found some old treasure. And when Malchus saw them talk together, he thought they would drag him to the emperor, but they said to him: Of whence art thou? For thou hast found treasure of old emperors, show it to us, and we share it and keep it secret.

15. Malchus was so afraid that he did not know what to say to them for dread.And when they saw that he spake not they put a cord about his neck,and drew him through the city unto the middle thereof. And news went all about the city that a young man had found ancient treasure,

16. so that all they of the city assembled about him, and he confessed there that he had found no treasure. And he beheld them all, but he did not recognise there anybody he knew.

And when St Martin the bishop, and Antipater the consul, heard of this thing they sent for him,

17. that they should bring him wisely to them, and his money with him. And then the bishop and the consul marvelled of the money, and they asked him where he had found this treasure unknown. And he answered that he had found nothing.They said, Let thy kindred witness for thee.

18. And he named them, but none knew them. And then said the judge: How may we believe thee, when the inscription on it says that it is more than 372 years since it was made and forged, and is of the first days of Decius the emperor, and it resembleth nothing to our #money;

19. and how may it come from thy lineage so long since, and thou art young and wouldst deceive the wise and ancient men of this city of Ephesus? And therefore I command that thou be demened after the law till thou hast confessed where thou hast found this money. #RomanEmpire

20. Then Malchus kneeled down before them and said: For God’s sake, lords, say ye to me that I shall demand you, and I shall tell to you all that I have in my heart. Decius the emperor that was in this city, where is he? And the bishop said to him there is no such at this day;

21. he was emperor many years since.

And Malchus said: Sire, hereof I am greatly abashed and no man believeth me, for I know well that we fled for fear of Decius the emperor, and I saw him, that yesterday he entered into this city, if this be the city of Ephesus.
#Ephesians

22. Then the bishop thought in himself, and said to the judge that, this is a vision that our Lord will have showed by this young man. Then said the young man: Follow ye me, and I shall show to you my fellows which be in the mount of Celion, and believe ye them.

#Bible #God

23. This know I well, that we fled from the face of the Emperor Decius.

And then they went with him, and a great multitude of the people of the city with them. And Malchus entered first into the cave to his fellows, and the bishop next after him. And there found they among the

24. stones the letters sealed with two seals of silver.

And then the bishop called them that were come thither, and read them before them all, so that they that heard it marvelled. And they saw the saints sitting in the cave, and their visages like unto roses flowering,

25. and they, kneeling down, glorified God.

And the judge sent to Theodosius the emperor, praying him that he would come to see the marvels of our Lord that he had late showed. And he arose up from the ground, and took off the hairshirt in which he wept,

26. and glorified our Lord. And came from Constantinople to Ephesus, and ascended in to the mountain with him together, unto the saints in to the cave.

And the emperor entered then, and glorified our Lord and embraced these saints, weeping

#religion #history #HappyNews #news

27. and said: I see you now like as I should see our Lord raising Lazarus. And then Maximian said to him: Believe us, for our Lord hath raised us tofore the day of the great resurrection. And to the end that thou believe firmly the resurrection of the dead people, verily #Bible

28. we be raised as ye here see, and live. And as the child is in the womb of his mother without feeling harm or hurt, in the same wise we have been living and sleeping in Iying here without feeling anything. When they had said all this, they inclined their heads to the earth,

29. and rendered their spirits at the command of our Lord #JesusChrist, and so died.

Then the emperor arose, and fell on them, weeping strongly, and embraced them, and kissed them. And then he commanded to make sepulchres of gold and silver, and to bury their bodies therein.