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Story of the Merchant of Harran

tr. Burkitt, 1913

merch

Story about a Merchant who was in the Royal City of Constantinople.

A story worthy of commendation we wish to relate before you, our faithful brethren, sons of Holy Church; for even if to ignorant and irrational men it may seem too insignificant for us to hear it, yet to the believing and discreet it is a matter of astonishment and marvel in its operation.

Folk used to tell then and say that there was a certain man from Paddana, a village in the district of Ḥarrān — now these very persons received this story from the merchant himself — and this same merchant continually used to go up and down to the royal city Constantinople in the course of a merchant’s business, for countries are wont to be nourished by neighbouring countries in respect of the things not found in them by folk who go and come to them.

Now there was a certain Patricius in this same City, and he had dealings with that merchant by way of business and matters of buying and selling. And the wife of that Patricius was barren. Now one day this same woman asked that merchant and said to him “Whence art thou?” And he said to her: “From Paddāna, a village in the district of Ḥarrān.” The woman says to him: “Is it true that you have a monastery called Mar Abraham’s? He says to her: “It is true.” She says to him “Is the stone still there that Jacob rolled from the mouth of the Well, when he went down to Padan-Aram, and gave drink to the flock of Laban his mother’s brother?” He says to her: “It is still there.” The woman says to him: “As I hear, to many barren women God has given sons from that stone through their faith.” The man says to her “The stone indeed is still there, but whether any property be given to it or no, I know not!” She says to him: “If so be that thou bring me a little of it, I will do many good things for thee.”

And the merchant returned to his country, and at the turn of the year he got ready a load and went up, and from whatever cause it may have been he forgot and did not bring up for that woman that which she had told him to bring. And when she saw him she said to him: “Hast thou brought me that which I asked of thee?” But he — forthwith confusion fell upon his mind, for that he had forgotten and had not brought it for her, but openly he said to her: “It has been brought by me.” She says to him: “On Sunday, at early dawn, bring it for me and come.” But that merchant went forth outside the city, and he found a stone and broke off a little from it, and wrapped it in a clear piece of silk and put it inside a bag.

Now in the evening of the vigil of Sunday¹ the woman went to the bath and washed herself, and she cleansed together with herself her thoughts also; and the Martyr-shrine that was within her house she adorned with lights and fine coverings, and she brought priests and kept up a service all night, she also keeping vigil with them and praying that God would give her her request, after the manner of Hanna when she was standing in prayer before Eli the Priest. Then at dawn on the Sunday she put off the garments she was clothed in and adorned herself in all the ornaments of her bridal dress, and standing within the door of the Martyr-shrine she spread out her skirts and received from the merchant that which he brought her, and she caressed it and embraced it and kissed it and pressed it against her eyes.

The faith that performs mighty deeds like God did not grudge her the reward of her faith, as neither did it to Hanna, and the LORD opened her womb and she conceived, and when she saw she was with child she revealed all the business to her husband. And when he learned it all he rejoiced and glorified God, and he called the merchant and said to him: “Now that God has done all this through thy hands, that which is to be born to us shall be thy son, and thou shalt receive him from baptism”².

Now that merchant when he heard, his heart was stupefied and trembling took possession of his limbs, and he believed in his heart and said: “It is established for me that great is the God of the Christians, and there is no faith except theirs! For lo, this business — if any one else had told it me, perchance I should have doubted it was not true; but lo, through my hands it came to pass and was performed! For if a bit of common stone through the woman’s faith can give her a son, how much more if I had brought her some of that very stone which she asked for!” And the merchant returned to his own land; and some hindrance befel him, and he did not go up at the turn of the year.

But as for that woman, she gave birth to a boy, and they were calling him by the name of the merchant, yet they did not baptize him, saying: “Till he comes, or we are decided about his coming.”

Now after that year the merchant went up according to his custom, and he lodged where he was wont to lodge. But Patricius, when he was aware of it, sent his servants and they took him and his load up to their master’s house, saying to him: “In thy son’s house it is proper for thee to lodge.” And he brought out the baby and laid him in his lap, saying: “This is thy son! But on Sunday, should our Lord will, he is to receive the seal of baptism and thou art to receive him.”

Now the merchant, though he had believed, yet he had not yet been perfected with the Christian’s Mystery. And so the merchant sat down and began relating to Patricius the whole business, as it was completed, from the beginning even to the end, how the woman had asked him “Whence art thou?”, and when she asked him about the stone, and that she had begged of him to bring her some, and how when he forgot out of shame he had brought her a bit of some common stone from outside the city.

But when Patricius heard these things he marvelled exceedingly and glorified God, and forthwith he got up and went to the Palace, and cast himself down before the Emperor, and told him all this story, and the Emperor also when he heard was astonished and gave thanks and glorified God, who doth not disregard those that ask Him in faith. And they sent for the Patriarch also and commanded that on the Sunday there should be a new Feast, and the Emperor should go down with the Patriarch to the Church, and that merchant should be baptized and Patricius should receive him, and on the next Sunday that baby should be baptized and the merchant should receive him. And thus according to the Providence of God they were both of them perfected.

Now these things, O brethren of ours, we have related before you that no man may doubt about the true faith of Christians, as if it were a weak thing in its nature, and not able to perform miracles for us as for them of old time. For it is not a weak thing in its own nature — far from it! — but in us it is weakened, and that through our slackness and our doubt and our transgression into sins. For if in any way our faith is from God, and He, God, hath said “I am He, and I change not”, why then Faith itself also is the same and doth not change.

Now may our Lord give to us, that through these things that in faith have been confirmed and perfected and completed — that we also in the same faith may be confirmed, and in hope and in love may be perfected, in the grace of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, to Whom and to His Father and to His Living and Holy Spirit [be glory], now and at all times and for ever and ever. Amen.

Here endeth the Story about the Merchant and about the Wife of Patricius.

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