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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza

Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913

Chapter 13

But when the blessed Porphyry heard the signification of the letter that was written by the most holy John, at first he was troubled, but afterward he said: ‘The will of God be done.’ And having called me to him on that evening he saith to me: ‘Brother Mark, let us go and worship the holy places and the precious Cross; for much time shall pass away before we shall worship them again.’ And I said: ‘Wherefore sayest thou thus, Father?’ And he answered and said: ‘Yesternight I beheld the Saviour, saying unto me, “That which I committed unto thy trust restore thou again. For I desire thee to be joined unto a woman who is lowly indeed but virtuous. Do thou take her and adorn her, that she may forget her former poverty. For though she chance to be lowly, yet is she not a stranger unto me, but mine own sister. But do thou watch carefully lest, having a wife and taking care of thine house, thou bring therein¹ aught of injustice or violence or unlawfulness; for thou wilt both kindle my wrath and grieve her; for she also hath no pleasure in such things. But do thou only have a goodly zeal, and all things shall be provided unto thee from whence thou hast no expectation.” These things did my Master Christ reveal unto me yesternight, and I fear lest, desiring in some way to make atonement for mine own sins, atonement for the sins of many others also be laid upon me. Nevertheless it is not possible to gainsay the will of God.’

Notes

bring therein, &c. μὴ . . . ἐξ ἀδικίας ἢ βίας ἢ παρανομίας συναγάγῃς. The sense of the last word is obscure; but it seems to mean ‘to bring (into the house, as a concubine) along with (the legitimate wife)’. Or there may be a reminiscence of some such prohibition as the third canon of the Nicene Council, forbidding the clergy to have ‘spiritual sisters’ living with them: ἀπηγόρευσε καθόλου ἡ μεγάλη σύνοδος, μήτε ἐπισκόπῳ, . . . μήτε ὅλως τινι τῶν ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ, ἐξεῖναι συνείσακτον γυναῖκα ἔχειν, κτλ.