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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza
Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913
Chapter 18
So we went to the bishop’s house, which was founded by the afore-named saint Irenion, the bishop, together with the holy church that is called Irene (Peace). Concerning the occasion whereby it received its name there be two tales. For the people of Gaza say that when the city was taken1 by Alexander the Macedonian, the war by a certain covenant was there brought to an end, whence the place was called Peace. This place the blessed Irenion found to be held in honour by the Gazaeans, and therein founded the church. So whether for the said reason2 or because of the name of the founder, it hath continued to be so called until the present time. Thither then went we, unto the bishop’s house founded by him, the which was passing small.
Notes
- was taken. Alexander besieged Gaza for two months in 332 B.C. on his way into Egypt.
- whether for the said reason, &c. There was a Church of Peace at Byzantium at the beginning of the fourth century; and the church of Hippo bore the same name in 393 (Duchesne, Early History of the Christian Church, Eng. ed. 1912, ii, p. 67). The name was not an unnatural one to give to a Christian place of prayer founded after the close of the Great Persecution.