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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza

Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913

Chapter 98

And going down through a little room into her own dwelling she brought the mat and a pillow of chaff, and having spread the mat put the pillow under it; and falling at the feet of the blessed man she besought him to taste of her scant food, and not to be offended because of her poverty; for it was towards evening. But the holy man, desiring to follow the example of the great prophet Elias,¹ said to the maiden: ‘Haste thee, daughter, and bring it, that the Lord may render unto thee through me spiritual food and food for the flesh.’ And she hastened and went down and going forth bought bread and olives and cheese and steeped pulse and wine, and brought them all and set them before us saying, ‘Take, my Lords, and bless my poverty.’ And the blessed man again was pricked in his heart and wept, foreseeing how great faith she was like to have in Christ. And when we had risen up and made the customary prayers and sate down I partook of both cheese and wine, but the holy man of bread and steeped pulse and water. And when we had sent the maiden away to her grandmother we slept in the roof-chamber; for it was the summer season. And we asked also the name of the maiden, and she said ‘Salaphtha’,² which is being interpreted in Greek Irene (Peace). And we spent also the next day on the roof, the fair Irene doing us all service³ with much zeal.

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