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Acts of St Phocas

tr. Conybeare, 1894

phocas

I. Many a time since the coming of the Saviour Jesus Christ, the pitiful and humane, and wise and powerful, our Healer, and Shepherd, and Teacher, and Lord, and God, Christians have received the glorious and ineffable, the holy and spotless mystery, and have sealed it by sufferings long and extreme, by fasting and persecution and flight, by banishment and endurance, through degradation and glory, through torture and salvation. And many a time have the apostles, holy and spotless and equal to the angels, been tortured because of the name and of the glorified mystery, and have given us a type of the suffering of Christ, and of their own irreproachable and inflexible faith. Wherefore, O brethren, who are dwelling in Pontus and Bithynia, in Paphlagonia and in Mysia, in Galatia and in Cappadocia and in Armenia, it has seemed necessary also to us that we should, all of us and everywhere, signify in this writing unto you, the undefiled and beautiful and glorious piety of the blessed martyrs and the memorials of the same, in order that we may become imitators of their good fight, and make ourselves emulous of them. II. For we shall remember the sufferings which they underwent by fire, and thirst, and cross, and wild beasts, and by suffocation in pools of water, and by carding, and by all sorts of tortures, and by divers torments. For we too are taught to press forward to the goal, and it is our hope to be made partakers in great good things by our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom glory for ever and ever. Amen.

And above all others was the blessed Phocas, conspicuous for bravery and endurance; for not only did he face fire and torture, but while he was of this world he ever lived in the fair and spotless religion, having continually before his eyes the Saviour Jesus Christ. For if it were possible to compose concerning him in these memorials so long a history, it could not fail to strike great dismay into our readers.

Well, then, the devoutness of the holy Phocas was such as this. All through his youth among us here he was not beguiled by the grievous and destructive serpent, but holy and spotless (as)¹ the dove of the Lord, he bore the yoke meekly from childhood, and was full of piety, and was conspicuous to all. But of those who lacked the means of livelihood he was the help and succour; to the rich he was ready with reproof, and exhorted them to what is of good report and for the welfare of others; and in a word he was unto all everything that is good and holy. (But no one among men could relate, as it deserves to be related, his last struggle and triumph. However, unto you that are worshippers of the true God, we will report the little we can. III. In the times when Trajan was Emperor, many of the Christians were snatched away from the flock, to sacrifice to vain idols; and then were they seeking for this blessed saint as for a gem of much value, which, having lost, the possessor calls his friends and his kindred together, that they may search and find it. In like manner the enemies of God made diligent search for the shepherd, for he was a just and holy and true shepherd of the spiritual flock of the Lord. And having taken the blessed saint, they brought him into court.

Africanus the Eparch said: “Is this the Phocas who denies the existence of the gods, and reckons not the autocrat Trajan a god? Come, tell me, then, have not all wars been won by the might of his hand? Who then but he can be God?” But Phocas remained silent. Africanus said: “What sayest thou to that? Dost thou give no answer, or knowest thou not before whom thou hast come?” Phocas said: “If thou speakest about my God who is in heaven, well and good; but if thou sayest of a man that he is God, then expect not at all to hear aught from me.” Africanus said: “Are then the autocrats not gods?” Phocas said: “Is this not enough for Trajan that he is called Emperor, but dost thou also give him the incomparable name?” IV. Africanus said: “How is it that the Christians demean themselves towards thee as towards a god?” Phocas said: “God forbid that any one should even entertain such a thought; for men that are imbrued in blood and assailable by death, and liable to sin, and who must give an account of their lives, and of the deeds they have done here, and of their religion, and who are brought under the judgment of the unseen God, how can they be competent to bear such an awful name?” Africanus said: “How is it that the rumour of thee hath reached even the Autocrat?”

Phocas said: “Yea, of me not as a god, but as a man of God. For I am very inferior to the apostles of the religion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore they honour me, the unworthy bishop whom thou seest before thee, not as a god, as thou thinkest, but as the shepherd of the spiritual flock of the Lord. But dost thou thyself, because thou hast been entrusted with authority by the Lord, therefore assume the name of god?” Africanus said: “There should be many schoolmen here, that they might be able to argue with thee.” Phocas said: “Although thou shouldst assemble all the schoolmen of the whole world, they would not be found worthy to reply to a single one of the disciples of the Lord.” V. Africanus said: “Hast thou such regard for the teaching of the Crucified One?” Phocas said: “Herein behold even more His matchless wisdom; for unless He were above and beyond all wisdom, nay, more, unless all wise men derived from Him, it would not have been written, ‘Who giveth wisdom to the wise,’ and again, ‘Who taketh the wise in the depth of their wisdom’; and again, ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will make a reproach of the skill of the learned.’ Dost thou understand that which I speak?” Africanus said: “I was not sent to talk with thee concerning laws and problems, but concerning obedience to the edicts of the Emperors.”

Phocas said: “I speak of the one unseen God, and persuade thee not. Wilt thou, then, who speakest about a man like to myself, who is to-day and to-morrow dies, and is blessed if he die well and not ill, wilt thou be able to persuade me?” Africanus said: “Cast from thee this intricate and decorated discourse, and instruct thyself in the lore of thy true life, lest thou compel me to persuade thee with many tortures.” VI. Phocas said: “When invited to so noble a feast, I decline it not, the more so as the hour is far advanced.” Africanus said: “Yea, all the more because of thy philosophising, for because of that do I pity thee.” Phocas said: “If thou hadst pity on me, then while I stand before thee, thou wouldst at once do whatsoever thou art going to do. But that thou mayest know that unless I die, I cannot live.” Africanus said: “Murderers and wizards are not worthy to look on the sun, yet they supplicate for their lives; but thou, whose much wisdom, according to the saying, hath made thee mad, art so bold and obstinate that thou wishest to die. By the sun, methinks thou art more of a philosopher than Aristotle.”

Phocas said: “I deign not to philosophise; but I wish to be a lover of Christ, since I know Him to be my God and my King. For Aristotle taught a philosophy which is vain and ensnaring; but Christ taught the conversation of God and true religion, and wisdom, and fortitude, and hath bestowed immortality on those who believe in one God.” Africanus said: “Thou hast demonstrated thy emptiness of mind and folly in paying so much regard to one crucified.”

Phocas said: “What is it that is a stumblingblock to thee? For it is written, ‘A stumblingblock to Jews and folly to Gentiles; but to us believing, Christ the power of God and wisdom of God.’” VII. Africanus said: “What, God crucified?” Phocas said: “But there are gods, male and female, and made out of stone, by the work of hands. But none that are ungodly and of the flesh can discover the path of Christ.” Africanus said: “Cure thyself of thy madness; awake and look on the heavens, the sun, and moon, and morning star, and the multitude of the other stars, that thou wouldst abandon and die.” Phocas said: “Thou beholdest the circle of the earth, and the blazing torch of the sun, and the round globe of the moon, and the positions of the stars; but their Creator, God, thou beholdest not, neither comprehendest Him. For neither did the sun create the moon, nor the moon the stars; but all this appearance and show was made by the Word of God.” Africanus said: “Then, on the other hand, thou declarest the heaven and all that is therein to have been made by another, denying that we ought to serve them, and compliest not?”

Phocas said: “God forbid that I should call the elements God.” Africanus said: “Show to me thy God, and I will win over the autocrat.”

Phocas said: “Did I not tell thee before concerning the unseen God? For God who sits above the heavens, how can he appear unto man? But if thou wouldst know God, yield to me, and I will teach thee. Thou beholdest then the heavens, the sun and the moon, the stars and welkin. But it is not when they will that they shine, but when they receive the command so to do. ‘Tis not because the clouds are gathered into one throng, when and as they will, that they are filled with water; ‘tis when they are mustered by the command of the Lord. There comes the summer, not when it wills, but when He thinks good. The sea is at peace or tempest-troubled, not when it so wills, but when it receives the decree from the Lord. Man is healed, not when he wills, but when his Creator bids it. Thou huntest the wild beasts, not when thou wilt, but when they are delivered into thy hand. The Emperor is victorious over the nations, not when he wills it, but when the Lord succours and defends him. The Emperor rules, not when he wills, but when the Lord gives him power to rule. VIII. This God we ought to know and glorify; and worship Him who said, ‘I slay and I make to live.’”

Africanus said: But who is supreme over all this, the God crucified of whom thou spakest? “

Phocas said: “How hast thou heard of his sufferings and yet considerest not the might of His resurrection? How camest thou to acknowledge the Crucified One? for this is much for thee. But if thou wouldst know, then take into thy hands the divinely inspired writings and know thy Creator and thy Autocrat. And then wilt thou know that there is God the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, crucified and buried, risen, and ascended into heaven, and sitting on the right hand of God.” Africanus said: “I have heard enough of thy teaching, and methinks Demosthenes might teach as much. So now obey me and sacrifice, lest thou force me to consume thee with torture and fire. For art thou not aware that there are more than five hundred men here and in the other province, whom thou inveiglest into not sacrificing to the gods.” IX. Phocas said: “And how much better will it be, as thou hast said, for me to die than for all the world to perish because of my impiety. But ‘tis with joy that I approach the funeral pyre, lest the whole flock be direfully wounded and scattered. For such are the commandments which I have received from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Africanus said: “And I am very sorry for thee, and am full of pity for a man so learned and so famous; but thou endeavourest to oppose me and raise an angry debate.” Phocas said: “For all thy sorrow thou art about to destroy me. For I despise all thy threatened tortures, nay, I even spit upon them. Therefore do whatsoever thou art minded to do; for my language or my thoughts thou shalt not control. For the loving care of my Lord is with me, and a confession of faith more profound than tens of thousands of thy Demosthenes.” Africanus said: “If thou wast deranged, I would say that thou wast raving; and if thou wast poor, I should say that on that account thou wast willing to die.” Phocas said: “I have forfeited, all worldly wealth and riches and possessions, if only to possess a single pearl, which neither thou nor the autocrat can ravish from me. But if it please thee to torture me because I sacrifice not to abominations, lo, here I am; torture me as thou must.” Africanus said: “We sacrifice to the holy and spotless gods, and thou callest them abominations.” Phocas said: “Not only abominable, but presumptuous and cheating and adulterous and templerobbing; yea, and devils and lifeless. And not only they, but all who speak of any other god but the one God who is over all and almighty. To whom as Creator be glory and honour through our Lord Jesus Christ, for ever and ever.”

X. And when the multitude of brethren who stood there had said “Amen,” there was suddenly a noise like the voice of many waters, and a great earthquake, so that Africanus fell down with fright, and was laid half dead on the floor, speechless, as well as all the guards who stood around him. Among whom we saw, we to whom the Lord wished to manifest it. For a bright light shot from heaven ten times brighter than the sun; and two angels appeared on steeds of fire. And fear and trembling fell upon us. But they were embraced by the blessed Phocas and then reascended to heaven. And after half an hour, Terentina, wife of Africanus, ran up all dishevelled, and with her five sons and all her attendants fell down before the blessed Phocas, and earnestly entreated him to restore to her her husband, undertaking that she would believe with all her household, which she actually did. Then the blessed Phocas called together all the congregation of the church and offered up prayers for his salvation. But he, having escaped in so marvellous a way, went and told Trajan of the incomparable might of Christ and of the great hope of the Christians. XI. And Trajan called Phocas and said to him: “Thou art Phocas.” And he said: “I am.” Trajan said: “And thou knowest not my absolute power. Why dost thou not obey our commands? In whom art thou exalted, or what God dost thou worship? However, methinks such rhetors as thyself stand in no want of advice. But put thyself into a fitting mood and be not recalcitrant. For though thou mayest not be in thy right mind thou canst know who is Trajan and who is he whom thou worshippest.” Phocas said: “Is it meet to speak and defend oneself, O Emperor, before thee and even so run in the race which impends?” Trajan said: “Yea, it is necessary for thee to speak and in particular to say what will help thee.” Phocas said: “The power of thy authority, O Trajan, is it given to thee from God, if at least thou hast come to know Him that bestowed the gift on thee?” Trajan said: “My empire is given me by the many gods, to whom it is right to sacrifice. It is right therefore to give due honour to our saviours, and on that account are we bound to sacrifice because of our salvation.” Phocas said: “It is just and right, O Emperor, to sacrifice to Almighty God and to obey His commands; but withal we ought to obey the government, not unto impiety, but unto true religion.” Trajan said: “Wast thou summoned hither to philosophise, or to sacrifice?” Phocas said: “To whom hast thou to sacrifice, or to what gods?” Trajan said: “To Asklepius.” Phocas said: “Where is this god of thine? Show him to me that I may behold him.” XII. And when they had come into the temple of the idols, Trajan said: “Lo, here are the gods who preserve all.” Phocas said: “I say unto thee. Ho, thou stock and stone, dost thou desire to eat, dost desire drink, dost desire to dress, dost desire to smell, hast thou need of sacrifices? Behold thy gods are vain; they stand erect and sit not down; they have open mouths and speak not; we pray and they hear not; eyes have they, yet see not; hands, yet they take not up the offerings. Wilt thou that I destroy one of them? yet are they incapable of exacting redress for the deed; they grieve not, nor call upon the autocrat to succour them. And were he summoned, then the god is proved to be powerless. A god who needs mankind to assist him in avenging himself, how can he save mankind? Behold, O Emperor, the emptiness of thy religion.”

Trajan said: “Thou hast astonished us by thy words. Wast thou not a sailor, and didst thou not worship Poseidon?” Phocas said: “I was not only a sailor, but a captain of sailors, and in all things I am piloted by the Lord and offer up such sacrifices as are meet.” XIII. Trajan said: “We, too, would know to whom thou art willing to sacrifice.” Phocas said: “Thou canst not know, for it is written: “Ho, cast not your pearls before swine.” Trajan said: “Then we are swine as thou sayest.” Phocas said: “‘Twere fortunate if ye were dumb beasts, for then ye would not fall under judgment as worshipping yonder stones, for which the dumb brutes have no concern at all. But tell me, which is the better, thou that hast all that power of thine, or they who give no answer to what ye say?” Trajan said: “We command that thou be hung from a tree, and we will see what thy vain philosophy avails thee.” Phocas said: “I, if I be hung from a tree, will be above all mountains and winds with the Lord; but thou along with thy gods wilt be in hell in outer darkness, and then wilt thou know that the God in heaven is mighty.” XIV. So they excoriated his body all over, yet he did not make the denial, nor was any utterance heard from his lips, but only his lips moved in prayer. And when he had finished his prayer and uttered an Amen, there was a noise from heaven, and a voice, which said: “Be of good cheer, Phocas, for I am with thee. Behold for thee is prepared a place in the garden along with the holy pontiffs and with those who deny not Me and My Father. But Trajan shall go to the place that thou hast portended, there to undergo tortures eternal.” Then Trajan was smitten with fear and ordered the saint to be taken off the rack, and commanded four guards to watch him. And they took and put him in prison and he was fixed very securely in the stocks.

But the saint continued to praise and glorify God; but they shut the doors and kept watch outside the prison. XV. And about midnight the saint fell to praying, thus: “Jesus, Son of God, Christ Lord, whose name is holy, Lord of angels and of every name that is named; Shepherd of spiritual sheep, keep Thy flock firm, drive away the many-footed wolf, who seduces and ravishes them. Yield not aught to him in Thy labours. Let not the wild boar destroy Thy vine planted by Christ; let it not pollute Thy holiness, as did Nebuchadnezzar. Let not the many-spotted serpent bespot Thy spotless dove. Let not the all-spotted contaminate Thy servants with the parching blast of the south. But preserve Thy vineyard, which Thy all-powerful right hand hath planted. Suffer not thy cross to be destroyed, which with Thy great and precious blood thou didst win. Suffer not Thy ark to be wrecked, of which thou alone wast captain and pilot. I thank and glorify Thy Father and Thee, that Thou wilt make me worthy this day to sup with Thee, for I shall come unspotted to Thy couch. Drive me not without on this day in my coming to Thee. Keep my spirit, as Father, as God, as Lord, as Shepherd, lest there breathe upon me the dragon, and lest his feet dance upon me. For he could not persuade me by gold or silver to lose the precious pearl. But lo, I have abandoned all, that I may possess thee alone, that art all-precious, thee, Lord, the pitiful, the light-giving. Bring me near to Thy Father. Lead me in by the narrow door into the temple of the King, and to Thee be glory and to Thy Father and to Thy Holy Spirit.

XVI. And when he had said the Amen, the prison was opened and a torch was lighted in the fortress. When the soldiers saw it, they rushed in, and throwing themselves at his feet, they sought of him the washing of the font. And the blessed bishop took the men and went as far as the edge of the sea outside the city, and gave them the seal in Christ, to whom also the Lord manifested Himself. Having come and having fulfilled all the law, we entered again into the prison. And at dawn all the multitude of the city mustered in the public place, looking forward to the martyr-struggle of the blessed Phocas. And Trajan called him into the court and said: “Sacrifice to Poseidon.”

Phocas said: “To demons I sacrifice not.” Trajan said: “Are the gods demons, and we too? Tell me then what other god is there left?” Phocas said: “He that gave thee thy authority. For ye are dumb irrational animals, and know not the benevolent God.” Trajan said: “Then sacrifice at least to thy God.” Phocas said: “My God needeth naught, except only prayer and fasting and holy hearts. For all things that have come into existence are His creatures. He giveth breath to all things that are and to whatever shall hereafter come to be.” XVII. Trajan said: ” Now hast thou begun to philosophise. Sacrifice to the gods, for crucified god there is none.” Phocas said: “Thou hast heard the voice of the Crucified One, and wast terrified. If He should be stirred up against thee, who shall be able to withstand Him? For His threatening consumes the mountains and His wrath dries up the sea.” Trajan said: “Thou knowest not to whom thou speakest, or with whom thou hast words.” Phocas said: “Because I know with whom, on that account I sacrifice not. But no word more art thou going to hear from me; do whatsoever thou wilt. But this I avow to thee, that I am a Christian.” XVIII. Trajan said: “The baths are being heated for thee, and lo, the water is hot. This three days has no one opened them, and into them I bid them throw thee.” And Phocas made the Lord’s sign upon himself, and entered into the bath, and it was like a brick glowing among gleaming fires. And the blessed one stood there in the midst, and began to praise God and say: “I thank thee. Lord, Lord, that Thou hast made me worthy because of Thy name to be tormented and imprisoned and bound and subjected to many trials. And now, my Lord, send Thy angel and save me from the hand of Trajan, lest haply the enemy say: ‘Where is their God?’” And having finished his prayer. and said the Amen, he surrendered his spirit at sunset.

Then Trajan bade open the baths, and having entered in, he found the remains of the body of the holy Phocas like a fragrant rose,² and like the frozen ice and like fragrant and precious oil. And the baths were cool, just as if they had not been heated at all. XIX. Trajan gazed on the body of the blessed Phocas, and fell to meditating on so long-suffering a faith, and he cried out and said to the soldiers who were with him: “Truly there is no other God, except the one alone who is in heaven.” And he became afraid, and trembling quitted the baths. But Phocas appeared to him on the threshold, and said to the despot Trajan: “Go to thy appointed place, unto that impossible abyss. For to me is opened the garden of delight, but to thee is opened the pit of destruction as for thy idols. But there is not for thee a time of pardoning, but only three days. For much righteous blood has been shed in thy lifetime.” And Trajan went to his palace in terror, and was in great tribulation, suffering from a violent fever, and betaking himself in pain to his litter, he was devoured of worms and so perished.

XX. Such was the uprightness of life and bravery in martyr-struggle which the blessed Phocas was the first to display in Pontus, and it is related unto this day. A captain of sea-farers and a shepherd of all good sheep was he, and his martyrdom is true, and is glorified and bruited abroad in the regions of Armenia and Pontus and Paphlagonia. An apostolic man did he show himself to us, and as from some squadron of the saints he took the standard of victory and the earnest of the life to come as promised by the Lord God. To whom glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.

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