Pilgrimage (Itinerarium Egeriae)

… were shown according to the Scriptures. Meanwhile, walking on, we came to a certain place where the mountains between which we were going opened out and made an endless valley, huge, very flat and very beautiful, and across the valley appeared Sinai, the holy mountain of God. This place, where the mountains opened out, is joined to the place where the Graves of Craving are.

So when one comes to that place, as the holy guides who were with us advised us, saying: “It is the custom that prayer is made here by those who come, when the mountain of God is first seen from this place” — so we too did. From that place to the mountain of God it was perhaps four miles in all, across that valley which I have called huge.

The valley itself is very huge, lying below the side of the mountain of God; it is perhaps, as far as we could judge by looking or as they themselves said, sixteen miles long, and they said it was four miles wide. So we had to cross this valley to be able to come to the mountain.

This is the huge and very flat valley in which the children of Israel stayed during the days when holy Moses went up the mountain of the Lord and was there forty days and forty nights. This is the valley in which the calf was made, and the place is shown to this day; for a great stone stands fixed there in that very place. This valley, then, is the one at whose head is the place where, when holy Moses was pasturing the flocks of his father-in-law, God spoke to him again from the bush in fire.

And since our route was such that we would first climb the mountain of God, which shows itself from here, <because> from the side we were coming from the ascent was better, and from there go down again to that head of the valley, that is, where the bush was, because the descent of the mountain of God was better from there — so this was decided: that having seen all we desired, coming down from the mountain of God where the bush is, we would come and from there go back through the middle of the valley itself, along its length, to the road, with the men of God who showed us in the valley each of the places that are written of, as was in fact done.

So as we went from the place where, coming from Pharan, we had made our prayer, the route was that we should cross through the middle of the head of that valley and so turn towards the mountain of God.

The mountain itself, seen from round about, seems to be one; but when you go in, there are several, though the whole is called the mountain of God; but the particular one, on whose summit is the place where the majesty of God came down, as it is written,

is in the middle of them all. And though all those which are round about are so high that I think I have never seen higher, yet that middle one, on which the majesty of God came down, is so much higher than all those that, when we had climbed it, all those mountains which we had seen as high were so far below us as if they were very small hills.

This is truly very wonderful, and I think it is not without the grace of God, that though that middle one, which is called Sinai in particular, that is, the one on which the majesty of the Lord came down, is higher than all, yet it cannot be seen unless you come to its very foot, before you climb it; for after you have fulfilled your desire and come down from there, you also see it from opposite, which you cannot do before you climb it. I had already learned this from the brothers' accounts before we came to the mountain of God, and after I arrived there I clearly found it to be so.

So on the sabbath evening we entered the mountain, and coming to certain monasteries the monks who lived there received us very kindly, showing us every kindness; for there is a church there too with a presbyter. So we stayed there that night, and from there, very early on the Lord's day, with the presbyter himself and the monks who lived there, we began to climb the mountains one by one. These mountains are climbed with endless labour, since you do not go up them slowly and slowly round about, in what we call snail-shell fashion, but you go up the whole way straight up, as if up a wall, and you must go straight down each of those mountains until you reach the very foot of that middle one, which is Sinai in particular.

So in this way, at the bidding of Christ our God, helped by the prayers of the holy men who accompanied us, and so with great labour, because I had to climb on foot (for it could not be climbed at all in the saddle; yet the labour itself was not felt, and on that account the labour was not felt, because I saw the desire I had being fulfilled, at God's bidding): so at the fourth hour we reached that summit of Sinai, the holy mountain of God, where the law was given, that is, in the place where the majesty of the Lord came down on the day when the mountain smoked.

In that place there is now a church, not large, since the place itself, that is, the summit of the mountain, is not very large; yet the church has great grace of its own.

So when, at God's bidding, we had climbed right up to the summit and come to the door of the church, behold, the presbyter who was assigned to that church came to meet us, coming from his monastery, a hale old man, a monk from his early life, and, as they say here, an ascetic, and what more? such as is worthy to be in that place. Other presbyters too came to meet us, and also all the monks who lived there near that mountain, that is, those who were not hindered by weakness or age.

But on the very summit of that middle mountain no one lives; for there is nothing else there but the church alone and the cave where holy Moses was.

So when the whole passage had been read in that place from the book of Moses and the offering had been made in its order, and we had thus communicated, as we were now going out of the church the presbyters of the place gave us blessings, that is, some of the fruits that grow on that mountain. For though the holy mountain Sinai is all rock, so that it has not even a shrub, yet down near the foot of those mountains, that is, either around the one in the middle or around those round about, there is a little bit of soil; at once the holy monks, in their diligence, plant little trees and lay out little orchards, or places of prayer and monasteries next to them, as if they took some fruits from the very soil of the mountain, which yet they appear to have worked with their own hands.

So in this way, after we had communicated and those holy men had given us blessings and we had gone out of the door of the church, I began to ask them to show us each of the places. Then at once those holy men were kind enough to show each one. For they showed us that cave where holy Moses was when he had gone up the mountain of God a second time to receive the tablets again, after he had broken the first ones when the people sinned, and the other places, whatever we desired or which they themselves knew better, they were kind enough to show us.

But I want you to know this, ladies, venerable sisters: from the place where we were standing, that is, around the walls of the church, that is, from the summit of that middle mountain, those mountains which we had at first scarcely climbed seemed so far below us, beside this middle one on which we stood, as if they were little hills, though they were so endless that I did not think I had ever seen higher, except that this middle one far surpassed them. Egypt and Palestine and the Red Sea and that Parthenian Sea which reaches to Alexandria, and also the endless territories of the Saracens, we saw so far below us from there that it can scarcely be believed; and those holy men pointed out each of them to us.

So when every desire for which we had hastened to climb had been fulfilled, we began now to go down from the very summit of the mountain of God, which we had climbed, to another mountain which adjoins it, a place called Horeb; for there is a church there.

For this is the place Horeb, where holy Elijah the prophet was when he fled from the face of King Ahab, where God spoke to him, saying: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” as it is written in the books of Kingdoms. For the cave too where holy Elijah hid is shown there to this day before the door of the church which is there; and there is shown too the stone altar which holy Elijah himself set up to make offering to God, as those holy men were kind enough to show us each thing.

So there too we made the offering and a most earnest prayer, and the passage itself was read from the book of Kingdoms: for this above all I had always desired, that wherever we came, the passage itself should always [be read] from the book of Kingdoms.

So when the offering had been made there too, we went on again to another place not far from there, the presbyters and monks showing it, that is, to the place where holy Aaron had stood with the seventy elders when holy Moses was receiving the law from the Lord for the children of Israel. In that place, though there is no roof, there is a huge rock, round, with a flat surface on top, on which those holy men are said to have stood; and in the middle there it has something like an altar made of stones. So there too the passage itself was read from the book of Moses and one psalm suited to the place was said; and so, having prayed, we came down from there.

And behold, it began to be perhaps the eighth hour, and we still had three miles left to get out of those mountains which we had entered the evening before; but we were not to go out on the same side by which we had come in, as I said above, because we had to walk to all the holy places and see whatever monasteries were there, and so come out at the head of that valley I spoke of above, that is, of this valley which lies below the mountain of God.

We had to come out at the head of that valley because there were very many monasteries of holy men there, and a church in the place where the bush is; and that bush is alive to this day and puts out shoots.

And so, having come all the way down the mountain of God, we reached the bush at perhaps the tenth hour. This is the bush I spoke of above, from which the Lord spoke to Moses in fire; it is in the place where there are very many monasteries and a church at the head of that valley. In front of the church there is a most pleasant garden, with excellent and abundant water, and in this garden the bush itself is.

There is also shown nearby the place where holy Moses stood when God said to him: “Loose the strap of your sandal,” and so on. And when we came to that place, it was already the tenth hour, and therefore, because it was already evening, we could not make the offering. But prayer was made in the church and also in the garden at the bush; the passage itself too was read from the book of Moses according to custom; and so, because it was evening, we ate in the garden before the bush with those holy men; and so we made our stay there. And the next day, rising very early, we asked the presbyters that the offering be made there too, as was done.

And since our route was to go through the middle of that valley, along its length, that is, the valley I spoke of above, where the children of Israel had sat while Moses went up the mountain of God and came down, so the holy men always showed us each place as we came through the whole valley.

For at the first head of the valley, where we had stayed and had seen that bush from which God spoke to holy Moses in fire, we had also seen the place where holy Moses had stood before the bush when God said to him: “Loose the strap of your sandal, for the place where you stand is holy ground.”

And so, as we set out from the bush, they began to show us the other places all the time. For they showed the place where the camp of the children of Israel was in the days when Moses was on the mountain. They also showed the place where that calf was made; for in that place a great stone is fixed to this day.

As we went we also saw, opposite, the summit of the mountain that looked out over the whole valley, from which holy Moses saw the children of Israel dancing in those days when they had made the calf. They also showed a huge rock in the place where holy Moses came down with Joshua son of Nun, against which rock, in anger, he broke the tablets he was carrying.

They also showed how throughout the valley each of them had had dwellings, of which the foundations still appear to this day, how they were encircled with stone; they also showed the place where holy Moses, returning from the mountain, commanded the children of Israel to run from gate to gate.

Likewise they showed us the place where the calf which Aaron had made for them was burned at holy Moses's command. Likewise they showed that stream from which holy Moses gave the children of Israel to drink, as it is written in Exodus.

They also showed us the place where the seventy men received of the spirit of Moses. Likewise they showed the place where the children of Israel had a craving for food. For they showed us also that place which was called Burning, because a certain part of the camp was burned, when at holy Moses's prayer the fire ceased.

They also showed the place where manna and quails rained on them. And so each thing that is written in the holy books of Moses to have been done in that place, that is, in the valley which I said lies below the mountain of God, that is, holy Sinai, was shown to us; it was enough to write all these one by one, for so many could not be retained; but when your affection reads the holy books of Moses, it will see more carefully all that was done there.

This, then, is the valley where the Passover was celebrated when a year had been completed since the departure of the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, since the children of Israel stayed in this valley for some time, that is, until holy Moses went up the mountain of God and came down, the first time and again; and they stayed there again until the tabernacle was made, and each of the things that were shown on the mountain of God. For we were also shown the place where the tabernacle was first set up by Moses, and each of the things completed which God had commanded Moses on the mountain to be made.

At the far end of the valley we also saw the Graves of Craving, in the place where we came back to our road, that is, where, coming out of that great valley, we re-entered the way by which we had come, between those mountains I spoke of above. On that same day we also went on to the other very holy monks who, because of age or weakness, could not come to meet us on the mountain of God for the making of the offering; yet they were kind enough to receive us very kindly when we came to their monasteries.

And so, having seen all the holy places we desired, and also all the places which the children of Israel touched in going to and returning from the mountain of God, and having seen also the holy men who lived there, in God's name we returned to Pharan.

And although I ought always to give thanks to God in all things, not to speak of these great things which he deigned to bestow on me, unworthy and undeserving, that I should walk through all the places which were beyond my merit, yet I cannot even thank enough all those holy men who were kind enough to receive my littleness willingly in their monasteries or indeed to guide me through all the places which I always sought according to the holy Scriptures. Very many of those holy men who lived on the mountain of God or around it, those who were of stronger body, were kind enough to guide us as far as Pharan:

And so when we came to Pharan, which is thirty-five miles from the mountain of God, we had to stay there two days to rest. And on the third day, setting out early from there, we came again to the staging post, that is, in the desert of Pharan, where we had stayed on the way out too, as I said above. From there again the next day, taking on water and going a little further between the mountains, we came to the staging post which was already above the sea, that is, at the place where one comes out from between the mountains and begins again to walk the whole way beside the sea; yet beside the sea in such a way that at one moment the waves strike the animals' feet, and at another one walks through the desert a hundred or two hundred paces, sometimes even more than five hundred paces, from the sea; for there is no road there at all, but it is all sandy desert.

The Pharanites, who are used to travelling there with their camels, set up markers for themselves from place to place, and make for those markers, and so travel by day. By night the camels watch for the markers. And what more? From custom the Pharanites travel by night in that place more carefully and safely than any men can travel in places where the road is open.

So returning, we came out from between the mountains at the place where, going out, we had entered between the mountains, and so we turned again towards the sea. The children of Israel too, returning from Sinai, the mountain of God, went back by the way they had come as far as that place, that is, as far as the place where we came out from between the mountains and joined the Red Sea again; and from there we went back by our own route, by which we had come, while the children of Israel walked their way from that same place, as it is written in the books of holy Moses.

And we returned by the same route and the same staging posts by which we had gone to Clysma. When we came to Clysma <again>, we had to rest there again, because we had made a very sandy desert journey.

Now although I already knew the land of Goshen, that is, from when I was first in Egypt, yet so that I might see all the places which the children of Israel touched on their way out of Rameses until they reached the Red Sea — the place which is now called Clysma from the fort that is there — it was my desire that we should go out from Clysma to the land of Goshen, that is, to the city called Arabia, which city is in the land of Goshen; for the territory itself is so called from it, that is, the land of Arabia, the land of Goshen, which is a part of the land of Egypt, but much better than all Egypt.

So from Clysma, that is, from the Red Sea, to the city of Arabia there are four staging posts through the desert; yet through the desert in such a way that at each staging post there are monasteries with soldiers and officers, who always escorted us from fort to fort. On that journey the holy men who were with us, that is, clergy and monks, showed us each of the places which I always sought according to the Scriptures; for some were on the left of the road, some on the right, some further from the way, some close by.

For I want your affection to believe me, as far as I could see, that the children of Israel walked in such a way that as far as they went to the right, so far they came back to the left; as far as they went forward again, so far they came back again, and so they made that journey until they reached the Red Sea.

For Epauleum too was shown to us, though from opposite, and we were at Migdol. For there is now a fort there, with an officer and soldiers, who command there now for the Roman order. And they escorted us from there, according to custom, to another fort, and the place Baal-zephon was shown to us; indeed we were in that place. For it is a plain above the Red Sea, beside the side of the mountain I spoke of above, where the children of Israel cried out when they saw the Egyptians coming after them.

Etham too was shown to us, which is beside the desert places, as it is written, and also Succoth. Succoth is a modest rise in the middle of a valley, beside which little hill the children of Israel pitched camp; for this is the place where the law of the Passover was received.

The city of Pithom too, which the children of Israel built, was shown to us on that very journey, at the place where we entered the borders of Egypt, leaving now the lands of the Saracens; and Pithom itself is now a fort.

The city of Heroes, which existed at that time, that is, where Joseph met his father Jacob as he came, as it is written in the book of Genesis, is now a kome, but a large one, what we call a village. For the village has a church and martyrs' shrines and very many monasteries of holy monks, and to see each of them we had to stop there, according to the custom we kept.

The village is now called Hero, and Hero is already at the sixteenth milestone from the land of Goshen, for it is within the borders of Egypt; the place itself is very pleasant, for a certain branch of the river Nile runs there too.

And so, going out from Hero, we came to the city called Arabia, which is a city in the land of Goshen. Hence it is written that Pharaoh said to Joseph: “In the better land of Egypt settle your father and brothers, in the land of Goshen, in the land of Arabia.”

From the city of Arabia it is four miles to Rameses. So that we might come to the staging post of Arabia, we passed through the middle of Rameses, which city of Rameses is now a field, so that it has not a single dwelling. It is clear that it was huge in circumference and had many buildings; for its ruins, as they have collapsed, appear endless to this day.

Now there is nothing else there but only one huge Theban stone, on which two huge statues are carved, which they say are of holy men, that is, of Moses and Aaron; for they say that the children of Israel set them up in their honour.

And there is besides a sycamore tree there, which is said to have been planted by the patriarchs; for it is already very old and therefore very small, though it still bears fruit. For whoever has an ailment goes there and takes shoots, and it does them good.

We learned this from the account of the holy bishop of Arabia; for he told us the name of that tree, as they call it in Greek, that is, dendros alethiae, which we call the tree of truth. This holy bishop was kind enough to meet us at Rameses; for he is already an elderly man, truly very religious, from being a monk, and affable, receiving pilgrims very well; and he is very learned in the Scriptures of God.

So when he had been kind enough to trouble himself and meet us there, he showed and told us each thing there about those statues I mentioned, and also about that sycamore tree. For the holy bishop also told us this, that Pharaoh, when he saw that the children of Israel had left him, before he set out after them, went with all his army into Rameses and burned it all, because it was very vast, and from there set out after the children of Israel.

This happened to us by chance most pleasantly, that the day on which we came to the staging post of Arabia was the eve of the most blessed day of Epiphany; for on that day the vigils were to be kept in the church. And so the holy bishop kept us there for some two days, a holy and truly a man of God, already well known to me from the time when I had been in the Thebaid.

This holy bishop is from being a monk, for he was brought up in a monastery from a little child, and therefore he is so learned in the Scriptures and so upright in all his life, as I said above.

From there we now sent back the soldiers who had given us help for the Roman order as long as we had been walking through suspect places; now, since there was the public highway through Egypt which passed through the city of Arabia, that is, the one which goes from the Thebaid to Pelusium, it was no longer necessary to trouble the soldiers.

So setting out from there through the land of Goshen, we went the whole way among vineyards that give wine and vineyards that give balsam, and among orchards and very well-cultivated fields and very beautiful gardens; we had our route the whole way along the bank of the river Nile among very many estates, which were once the farms of the children of Israel. And what more? I think I have never seen a more beautiful territory than the land of Goshen.

And so, travelling two days from the city of Arabia, the whole way through the land of Goshen, we came to Tanis, to the city where holy Moses was born. This city of Tanis was once Pharaoh's capital.

And although I already knew those places, as I said above, that is, from when I had been at Alexandria or in the Thebaid, yet because I wished to learn fully the places which the children of Israel walked when they set out from Rameses to Sinai, the holy mountain of God, it was necessary to return again to the land of Goshen and from there to Tanis; so setting out from Tanis, walking by a road already known, I came to Pelusium.

And setting out from there again, travelling through each of the staging posts of Egypt through which we had come, I came to the borders of Palestine. And from there, in the name of Christ our God, again making a number of stages through Palestine, I returned to Aelia, that is, to Jerusalem.

Likewise, after some time had passed, and at God's bidding, there was again a wish to go as far as Arabia, that is, to Mount Nebo, to the place to which God commanded Moses to go up, saying to him: “Go up the mountain Arabot, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab opposite Jericho, and see the land of Canaan which I give to the children of Israel as a possession, and die on the mountain which you go up.”

And so our God Jesus, who does not forsake those who hope in him, deigned to grant fulfilment to my wish in this too.

So setting out from Jerusalem, travelling with holy men, that is, a presbyter and deacons from Jerusalem and some brothers, that is, monks, we came to that place of the Jordan where the children of Israel had crossed when holy Joshua son of Nun had brought them across the Jordan, as it is written in the book of Joshua son of Nun. For we were also shown the place, slightly higher, where the children of Reuben and Gad and the half tribe of Manasseh had made an altar, on that side of the bank where Jericho is.

So crossing the river, we came to the city called Livias, which is in the plain in which the children of Israel had then pitched camp. For the foundations of the camp of the children of Israel and of their dwellings, where they stayed, appear in that place to this day. For the plain itself is endless, below the mountains of Arabia above the Jordan. For this is the place of which it is written: “And the children of Israel wept for Moses in Arabot of Moab and the Jordan opposite Jericho for forty days.”

This too is the place where, after Moses's departure, Joshua son of Nun was at once filled with the spirit of knowledge: for Moses had laid his hands on him, as it is written.

For this is the place where Moses wrote the book of Deuteronomy; this too is the place where Moses spoke in the ears of the whole assembly of Israel the words of the song to its end, which is written in the book of Deuteronomy. This is the very place where holy Moses, the man of God, blessed the children of Israel one by one in order before his death.

So when we came into that plain, we went to the place itself, and prayer was made there; a certain part of Deuteronomy was read in that place, and also his song, and the blessings he had spoken over the children of Israel. And again after the reading prayer was made, and giving thanks to God we moved on from there. For it was always our custom that wherever we were able to reach the places we desired, first prayer was made there, then the reading itself was read from the book, one psalm pertinent to the matter was said, and again prayer was made there. This custom, at God's bidding, we always kept, wherever we were able to reach the places we desired.

And so, so that the work begun might be completed, we began to hurry to reach Mount Nebo. As we went the presbyter of that place, that is, of Livias, whom at our request we had brought with us from the staging post because he knew those places better, advised us; the presbyter said to us: “If you want to see the water that flows from the rock, that is, which Moses gave to the thirsting children of Israel, you can see it, if you are willing to take on the labour of turning off the road about six miles.”

When he had said this, we, being very eager, chose to go; and at once turning off the road we followed the presbyter who was leading us. In that place there is a little church below a mountain, not Nebo, but another further in, though it too is not far from Nebo; and very many monks live there, truly holy, whom here they call ascetics.

These holy monks were kind enough to receive us very kindly, for they allowed us to come in and greet them. When we had come in to them, after prayer had been made with them they were kind enough to give us blessings, as they are accustomed to give to those whom they receive kindly. There, then, between

the church and the monasteries, in the middle, a great stream of water flows from the rock, very beautiful and clear, of excellent taste. Then we asked those holy monks who lived there what this water was, of such quality and such taste. Then they said: “This is the water which holy Moses gave to the children of Israel in this desert.”

So prayer was made there according to custom, and the reading itself was read from the books of Moses, one psalm was also said, and so together with those holy clergy and monks who had come with us we went on to the mountain. And many of the holy monks themselves who lived there beside the water, those who were able to take on the labour, were kind enough to climb Mount Nebo with us.

So setting out from that place we came to the foot of Mount Nebo, which was very high, yet such that the greatest part of it could be climbed sitting on donkeys, but there was a little steeper part which had to be climbed on foot with labour, as was done.

So we reached the summit of that mountain, where there is now a church, not large, on the very summit of Mount Nebo. Inside this church, at the place where the pulpit is, I saw a place a little raised, as it were, having as much space as tombs usually have.

Then I asked those holy men what this was, and they answered: “Here holy Moses was laid by the angels, since, as it is written, no man knows his burial: <for it is certain that he was buried by the angels.> For his tomb, where he was laid, is shown to this day; for as it was shown to us by the elders who lived here, where <he was laid>, so we too show it to you; and those elders themselves said that it had been handed down to them so by their elders.”

So prayer was soon made, and all that we had been accustomed to do in order at each of the holy places was done here too; and so we began to go out of the church. Then those who knew the place, that is, the presbyters or holy monks, said to us: “If you want to see the places which are written of in the books of Moses, come outside the door of the church, and from the summit itself, on the side from which they can be seen from here, look and see, and we will tell you each of these places which are visible.”

Then, very glad, we at once went outside. For from the door of the church we saw the place where the Jordan enters the Dead Sea, which place appeared below us as we stood. We also saw opposite not only Livias, which was on this side of the Jordan, but also Jericho, which is across the Jordan; so high stood the place where we were standing, that is, before the door of the church.

The greatest part of Palestine too, which is the land of promise, was seen from there, and also the whole land of the Jordan, as far as could be seen by the eyes. On the left side we saw all the lands of the Sodomites, and also Zoar, which Zoar alone of those five still stands today.

For there is a memorial there too; but of those other cities nothing else appears but the overthrow of ruins, as they were turned into ash. The place too where the monument of Lot's wife was was shown to us, which place is also read of in the Scriptures.

But believe me, venerable ladies, the pillar itself no longer appears, only the place itself is shown; the pillar itself is said to have been covered by the Dead Sea. Certainly, when we saw the place, we saw no pillar, and so I cannot deceive you about this matter. For the bishop of that place, that is, of Zoar, told us that it was now some years since that pillar had been visible. For the place where that pillar stood <is> perhaps at the sixth milestone from Zoar, and now the water covers it all.

Likewise, going to the right side of the church, though outside, we were shown from there, opposite, two cities, that is, Heshbon, which was King Sihon's, king of the Amorites, which is now called Exebon, and the other of Og king of Bashan, which is now called Sasdra. Likewise from the same place we were shown opposite Fogor, which was a city of the kingdom of Edom.

All these cities which we saw were set on mountains, but a little lower down a flatter place was seen by us. Then we were told that in the days when holy Moses or the children of Israel fought against those cities, they had their camp pitched there: for the marks of the camp appeared there too.

Indeed <on> that side of the mountain which I called the left, which was above the Dead Sea, we were shown a very steep mountain, which was formerly called Agrispecula. This is the mountain on which Balak son of Beor set Balaam the soothsayer to curse the children of Israel, and God would not allow it so, as it is written.

And so, having seen all that we desired, returning in God's name through Jericho and all the road by which we had come, we went back to Jerusalem.

Likewise after some time I wished also to go to the region of Ausitis to see the tomb of holy Job, for the sake of prayer; for I saw many holy monks coming from there to Jerusalem to see the holy places for the sake of prayer, and they, telling of each of those places, made my desire greater to take on the labour of going even to those places, if indeed it can be called labour where a person sees her desire being fulfilled.

So I set out from Jerusalem with holy men who were kind enough to keep me company on my journey, they too for the sake of prayer; having then a journey from Jerusalem to Carneas, going by eight stages — Carneas is now the name of the city of Job, which was formerly called Dennaba, in the land of Ausitis, on the borders of Idumaea and Arabia — on this journey, as I went, I saw on the bank of the river Jordan a very beautiful and pleasant valley, abounding in vines and trees, since there were many waters there and very excellent.

For in that valley there was a large village, which is now called Sedima. In that village, which is set in the middle of the plain, in the middle of the place is a little hill, not very large, but shaped as tombs usually are, but large ones: on the top of it there is a church, and below, round about the little hill, great ancient foundations appear; and now a number of people live in the village.

When I saw so pleasant a place, I asked what that place so lovely was. Then I was told: “This is the city of King Melchizedek, which was formerly called Salem, from which now, by a corruption of the word, the village is called Sedima. For on this little hill, which is set in the middle of the village, on its summit, the building you see is a church, which church is now called in Greek opu Melchisedech. For this is the place where Melchizedek offered pure sacrifices to God, that is, bread and wine, as it is written that he did.”

As soon as I heard this, we got down from the animals, and behold, the holy presbyter of that place and the clergy were kind enough to come to meet us; they at once received us and led us up to the church. When we had come there, at once, according to custom, first prayer was made, then the passage itself was read from the book of holy Moses, one psalm suited to the place was also said, and when prayer had been made again we came down.

When we had come down, that holy presbyter, already elderly and well instructed in the Scriptures, that is, the one who presided over that place, being from the monks, to whom very many bishops too, as we learned afterwards, bore great testimony of his life — for they said of him: worthy to preside in this place, where holy Melchizedek first offered pure sacrifices to God as holy Abraham arrived — when we had come down, as I said above, from the church, that holy presbyter said to us: “Behold, these foundations round this little hill, which you see, are of the palace of King Melchizedek. For even now, if anyone suddenly wants to build a house for himself nearby and strikes on the foundations there, he sometimes finds there small pieces of silver and bronze.

For behold, this road which you see passing between the river Jordan and this village is the road by which holy Abraham returned from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, king of the nations, coming back to Sodom, where holy Melchizedek, king of Salem, met him.”

Then, because I remembered that it is written that holy John baptized in Aenon near Salim, I asked him how far that place was. Then that holy presbyter said: “Behold, it is here, two hundred paces away; if you wish, I will now take you there on foot. For this water so great and so pure, which you see in this village, comes from that spring.”

Then I began to thank him and ask him to take us to the place, as was done. So at once we began to go with him on foot through a most pleasant valley, until we came to a very pleasant orchard garden, where he showed us in the middle a spring of very good and pure water, which at once sent forth a whole stream. In front of it the spring had as it were a pool, where it appeared that holy John the Baptist had worked.

Then the holy presbyter said to us: “To this day this garden is called in Greek nothing else but cepos tu agiu iohanni, that is, what you call in Latin the garden of Saint John. For many brothers too, holy monks coming from various places, make their way to wash in that place.”

So again, at the spring itself, as at each place, prayer was made and the reading itself was read, a suitable psalm was also said, and each of the things which it was our custom to do wherever we came to holy places we did there too.

The holy presbyter also told us this, that to this present day always at Pascha, whoever were to be baptized in that village, that is, in the church called opus Melchisedech, were all baptized in that spring, and so returned early by candlelight with the clergy and monks, saying psalms or antiphons, and so all who had been baptized were led early from the spring to the church of holy Melchizedek.

So receiving blessings from the presbyter, that is, from the orchard of holy John the Baptist, and likewise from the holy monks who had monasteries there in that orchard garden, and always giving thanks to God, we set out on the road by which we were going.

And so, going for some time through the valley of the Jordan along the bank of that river, because our route lay there for some time, suddenly we saw the city of the holy prophet Elijah, that is, Thisbe, from which he had the name Elijah the Tishbite. There to this day is the cave in which that holy man sat, and there is the tomb of holy Jephthah, whose name we read in the books of Judges.

And so there too, giving thanks to God according to custom, we went on our way. Likewise going on that road we saw a most pleasant valley coming down on our left, which was a huge valley sending a stream into the Jordan, very great, and there in that valley we saw the monastery of a certain brother, that is, a monk.

Then I, since I am very curious, began to ask what this valley was, where a holy monk had now made a monastery for himself; for I did not think this was without reason. Then the holy men who were travelling with us, that is, those who knew the place, said to us: “This is the valley of Corra, where holy Elijah the Tishbite sat in the times of King Ahab, when there was a famine, and at God's command a raven brought him food, and he drank water from that stream. For this stream, which you see running from that valley into the Jordan, is Corra.”

And so, nonetheless giving thanks to God, who deigned to show us, undeserving, each thing we desired, we began to go on our way as on each day. And so, journeying each day, suddenly on the left side, from where we saw opposite the parts of Phoenicia, there appeared to us a huge mountain, endlessly high, which stretched out in length …

… which holy monk, an ascetic man, had to move after so many years in which he had sat in the desert and come down to the city of Carneas, to warn the bishop and clergy of that time, according to what had been revealed to him, that they should dig in the place that had been shown him, as was done.

Digging in the place that had been shown, they found a cave, which they followed for perhaps a hundred paces, when suddenly, as they dug, a stone appeared; and when they had fully uncovered this stone, they found carved on its lid “Job”. For this Job, then, this church which you see was made in that place, yet in such a way that the stone with the body was not moved to another place, but was put where the body had been found, and that the body should lie under the altar. That church, which some tribune or other was building, has remained unfinished to this day.

And so the next day in the morning we asked the bishop to make the offering, as he was kind enough to do, and the bishop blessing us, we set out. So having communicated there too, always giving thanks to God, we returned to Jerusalem, travelling by each of the stages by which we had gone, three years.

Likewise in the name of God, after some time had passed, when three full years had now passed since I came to Jerusalem, and I had seen all the holy places to which I had made my way for the sake of prayer, and I therefore now had in mind to return to my homeland, I wished, at God's bidding, to go also to Mesopotamia of Syria to see the holy monks, who were said to be very many there and of a life so excellent that it can scarcely be told, and also for the sake of prayer at the martyr-shrine of holy Thomas the apostle, where his body is laid entire, that is, at Edessa; whom our God Jesus testified that he would send there after he had ascended into heaven, by the letter which he sent to King Abgar by Ananias the courier; and this letter is kept with great reverence at the city of Edessa, where that martyr-shrine is.

For I want your affection to believe me that there is no Christian who does not make his way there for the sake of prayer, whoever has come as far as the holy places, that is, to Jerusalem; and this place is the twenty-fifth stage from Jerusalem.

And since Mesopotamia is nearer from Antioch, it was very convenient for me, at God's bidding, that as I was returning to Constantinople, since the route was through Antioch, I should go from there to Mesopotamia, as was done at God's bidding.

And so in the name of Christ our God I set out from Antioch for Mesopotamia, making my way through several stages or cities of the province of Syria Coele, which is Antioch's, and from there, entering the borders of the province of Augusta Euphratensis, I came to the city of Hierapolis, which is the capital of that province, that is, of Augusta Euphratensis. And since this city is very beautiful and rich and abounding in everything, I had to make a halt there, since the borders of Mesopotamia were not far from there.

And so setting out from Hierapolis, at the fifteenth milestone, in the name of God, I came to the Euphrates, of which it is very well written that it is the great river Euphrates; and it is huge and as it were terrible; for it runs down with such force as the river Rhône has, except that the Euphrates is still greater.

And so, since it had to be crossed by ships, and only by larger ships, I stayed there perhaps more than half a day; and from there, in the name of God, having crossed the river Euphrates, I entered the borders of Mesopotamia of Syria.

And so, again travelling by several stages, I came to a city whose name we read set down in the Scriptures, that is, Batanis, which city exists to this day. For it has a church with a truly holy bishop, a monk and confessor, and several martyr-shrines. The city itself abounds in a multitude of people, for soldiers are stationed there with their tribune.

Setting out again from there, we came in the name of Christ our God to Edessa. When we arrived there, we at once went to the church and the martyr-shrine of holy Thomas. And so, according to custom, after prayers and the other things that it was the custom to do in holy places, we also read there some of the writings of holy Thomas himself.

The church which is there is huge and very beautiful and of new design, so that it is truly worthy to be the house of God; and since there were many things there I wished to see, I had to make a three-day halt there.

And so I saw in that city very many martyr-shrines and also holy monks, some living at the martyr-shrines, others having monasteries further from the city in more secluded places.

And since the holy bishop of that city, a truly religious man, a monk and confessor, receiving me gladly, said to me: “Since I see, daughter, that for the sake of religion you have taken on so great a labour as to come from the farthest lands to these places, therefore, if you are willing, whatever places here are pleasing for Christians to see, we will show you,” then, first giving thanks to God, I asked him very much to be so kind as to do what he said.

And so he led me first to the palace of King Abgar, and there showed me his great statue, very lifelike, as they said, of marble, of such brilliance as if it were of pearl, in whose face, Abgar's, it appeared plainly from opposite that this man was truly very wise and honoured. Then the holy bishop said to me: “Behold King Abgar, who before he saw the Lord believed in him, that he was truly the Son of God.” For there was also beside it a statue made likewise of such marble, which he said was of his son Magnus, it too having some grace in its face.

Likewise we went into the inner part of the palace; and there were pools full of fish, such as I have never yet seen, that is, of such size or so bright or of such good taste. For the city itself has no other water at all now but that which comes out of the palace, which is like a great silver river.

And then the holy bishop told me about that water, saying thus: “At a certain time, after King Abgar had written to the Lord and the Lord had written back to Abgar by Ananias the courier, as is written in that letter, after some time had passed the Persians come upon us and surround this city. But at once Abgar,

carrying the Lord's letter to the gate with all his army, prayed publicly. And afterwards he said: Lord Jesus, you had promised us that no enemy would enter this city, and behold, now the Persians attack us. When he had said this, the king holding that open letter in his raised hands, suddenly such darkness came, yet outside the city, before the eyes of the Persians, when they were already drawing near the city, so that they were at the third milestone from the city; but they were soon so confused by the darkness that they could scarcely pitch camp and surround the whole city at the third milestone.

And the Persians were so confused that they never afterwards saw on what side to enter the city, but they guarded the city closed round about against enemies, though at the third milestone, and guarded it for some months.

Afterwards, when they saw that they could in no way enter the city, they wished to kill by thirst those who were in the city. For this little hill which you see, daughter, above this city, at that time supplied this city with water. Then the Persians, seeing this, turned that water away from the city and made it a channel towards the place where they themselves had pitched their camp.

On that day and at that hour when the Persians had turned the water away, at once these springs which you see in this place burst out at once by God's command; from that day these springs remain here to this day by the grace of God. But that water which the Persians had turned away was so dried up at that hour that even they who were besieging the city had not even for one day anything to drink, as indeed still appears to this day; for afterwards never any moisture whatever appeared there to this day.

And so, at the bidding of God, who had promised that this would be, they had to return at once to their own land, that is, to Persia. And afterwards too, whenever enemies wished to come and storm this city, this letter was brought out and read at the gate, and at once by God's will all the enemies were driven out.”

The holy bishop also told this, that where these springs burst out there had before been a field within the city lying below Abgar's palace. That palace of Abgar was placed as it were on higher ground, as it still appears now, as you see. For such was the custom at that time, that palaces, whenever they were built, were always made on higher places.

But after these springs burst out in that place, then Abgar himself built this palace in that place for his son Magnus, that is, the one whose statue you see placed beside his father, yet in such a way that these springs were enclosed within the palace.

So after the holy bishop had told all these things, he said to me: “Let us go now to the gate through which Ananias the courier entered with that letter of which I spoke.” So when we had come to that gate, the bishop, standing, made a prayer and read us there those letters, and again, blessing us, a further prayer was made.

The holy man himself also told us this, saying that from the day on which Ananias the courier entered through that gate with the Lord's letter to the present day, care is taken that no unclean person, no mourner, passes through that gate, nor is the body of any dead person carried out through that gate.

The holy bishop also showed us the tomb of Abgar and of all his family, very beautiful, but made in the ancient fashion. He also took us to that upper palace which King Abgar had first had, and showed us whatever other places there were.

This too was very pleasing to me, that I received from the holy man himself those letters, whether of Abgar to the Lord or of the Lord to Abgar, which the holy bishop had read to us there. And although I had copies of them at home, yet it seemed more pleasing to me to receive them there from him too, lest perhaps something less had reached us at home; for what I received here is truly fuller. Hence, if our God Jesus commands it and I come home, you too, ladies, my very souls, will read them.

And so, having spent three days there, I had to go on further as far as Carrhae, as it is now called. For in the holy Scriptures it is called Haran, where holy Abraham stayed, as it is written in Genesis, the Lord saying to Abraham: “Go out from your land and from your father's house and go to Haran,” and so on.

<There>, then, when I had come, that is, to Haran, I went at once to the church which is within the city itself, and soon saw the bishop of that place, truly holy and a man of God, he too a monk and confessor, who was soon kind enough to show us all the places there that we desired.

For he took us at once to the church which is outside the city in the place where the house of holy Abraham was, that is, on its very foundations and of its very stone, as the holy bishop said. So when we had come into that church, prayer was made and the passage itself was read from Genesis, one psalm was also said, and after a further prayer and the bishop blessing us, we went outside.

Likewise he was kind enough to take us to that well from which holy Rebecca carried water. And the holy bishop said to us: “Behold the well from which holy Rebecca watered the camels of the servant of holy Abraham, that is, Eleazar”; and so he was kind enough to show us each thing.

For in the church which I said is outside the city, venerable ladies, sisters, where Abraham's house first was, there is now also a martyr-shrine placed, namely of a certain holy monk named Helpidius. This happened very pleasantly for us, that we came there on the eve of the martyr's day, that is, of that holy Helpidius, the ninth day before the Kalends of May, for which day all the monks from everywhere and from all the borders of Mesopotamia had to come down to Haran, even those elders who sat in solitude, whom they call ascetics, for that day, which is kept there very grandly, and also because of the memory of holy Abraham, since his house was where the church now is, in which the body of that holy martyr is laid.

So this happened very pleasantly for us, beyond hope, that we saw there the holy and truly men of God, the Mesopotamian monks, even those whose fame or life was heard of far away, whom I did not think I could possibly see; not that it would be impossible for God to grant me this too, who deigned to grant me everything, but because I had heard that, except on the day of Pascha and except on this day, they do not come down from their places, since they are such that they also work many miracles, and because I did not know in what month this day of the martyr was that I mentioned. So, at God's bidding, it happened that I came there on the day I did not even hope for.

So we spent two days there too, because of the martyr's day and because of seeing those holy men, who were kind enough to receive me very willingly to greet and talk with me, which I did not deserve. For they too, at once after the martyr's day, were not seen there, but at once by night made for the desert, each of them to his own monastery, wherever he had one.

In the city itself, apart from a few clergy and holy monks, if any live in the city, I found no Christian at all, but they are all pagans. For as we attend with great reverence to that place where the house of holy Abraham first was, for his memory, so do those pagans; perhaps a mile from the city they attend with great reverence to the place where the tombs of Nahor and Bethuel are.

And since the bishop of that city is very instructed in the Scriptures, I asked him, saying: “I ask you, lord, to tell me what I desire to hear.” And he said: “Say, daughter, what you wish, and I will tell you if I know.” Then I said: “I know from the Scriptures that holy Abraham came to this place with his father Terah and Sarah his wife and Lot his brother's son; but I have not read when Nahor or Bethuel passed through this place, except that I know only this, that later the servant of Abraham came to Haran to ask for Rebecca, daughter of Bethuel son of Nahor, for the son of his master Abraham, that is, Isaac.”

Then the holy bishop said to me: “Truly, daughter, it is written, as you say, in Genesis that holy Abraam passed through here with his household; but the Scripture of the canon does not say at what time Nahor with his household or Bethuel passed through. But clearly they too passed through here later; and indeed their tombs are here, perhaps a mile from the city. For Scripture truly testifies that the servant of holy Abraham came here to take holy Rebecca, and again that holy Jacob came here when he took the daughters of Laban the Syrian.”

Then I asked where that well was where holy Jacob had watered the flocks which Rachel, daughter of Laban the Syrian, was pasturing. And the bishop said to me: “The place itself is at the sixth milestone from here, beside a village which was then the farm of Laban the Syrian; but when you wish to go, we will go with you and show you, for there are also many very holy monks there, ascetics, and there is a holy church there.”

I also asked the holy bishop where that place of the Chaldeans was, where Terah with his household had first lived. Then the holy bishop himself said to me: “That place, daughter, which you seek, is the tenth stage from here, inside Persia. For from here to Nisibis there are five stages, and from there to Ur, which was a city of the Chaldeans, there are five more stages; but at present the Romans have no access there, for the Persians hold all of it. This part in particular is called Oriental, which is on the border of the Romans and the Persians or Chaldeans.”

And he was kind enough to tell many other things, as the other holy bishops or holy monks were kind enough to do, all of them, however, from the Scriptures of God or deeds of holy men, that is, monks, whether of those who had already departed, what wonders they had done, or of those who are still in the body, what they do daily, those, however, who are ascetics. For I do not want your affection to think that the stories of the monks are ever anything else but either from the Scriptures of God or the deeds of the older monks.

After two days, which I had spent there, the bishop led us to that well where holy Jacob had watered the flocks of holy Rachel; this well is at the sixth milestone from Carrhae; and in honour of the well a very large and beautiful holy church has been built there beside it. When we came to the well, prayer was made by the bishop, the passage itself from Genesis was also read, one psalm suited to the place was also said, and after a further prayer the bishop blessed us.

We also saw lying in a place beside the well that very huge stone which holy Jacob had moved from the well, which is shown to this day.

No one else lives there around the well but the clergy of the church that is there and monks having their monasteries nearby, whose life the holy bishop told us of, truly unheard of. And so, having prayed in the church, I went with the bishop to the holy monks in their monasteries, giving thanks both to God and to them, who were kind enough to receive me willingly in their monasteries wherever I went in, and to speak to me with such words as it was fitting should come from their mouth. For they were also kind enough to give blessings to me and to all who were with me, as it is the custom of monks to give, to those, however, whom they receive willingly in their monasteries.

And since the place itself is in a great plain, the holy bishop showed me opposite a very large village perhaps five hundred paces from the well, through which village we made our way. This village, as the bishop said, was once the farm of Laban the Syrian, and the village is called Fadana. For I was shown in that village the tomb of Laban the Syrian, Jacob's father-in-law; I was also shown the place from which Rachel stole her father's idols.

And so in the name of God, having seen everything, saying farewell to the holy bishop and the holy monks, who had been kind enough to escort us as far as that place, we returned by the road and stages by which we had come from Antioch.

When I had returned to Antioch, I spent a week afterwards until the things necessary for the journey were prepared. And so setting out from Antioch, travelling through several stages, I came to the province called Cilicia, which has as its capital city Tarsus, where indeed I had already been, at Tarsus, on my way to Jerusalem.

But since at the third stage from Tarsus, that is, in Isauria, is the martyr-shrine of holy Thecla, it was very pleasing to go there too, especially as it was so near.

For setting out from Tarsus I came to a certain city on the sea, still in Cilicia, which is called Pompeiopolis. And from there, entering now the borders of Isauria, I stayed in the city called Corycus, and on the third day I came to the city called Seleucia of Isauria. When I arrived there, I went to the bishop, a truly holy man from the monks, and saw too a very beautiful church in that city.

And since from there to holy Thecla, which place is beyond the city on a hill, but a flat one, it was perhaps fifteen hundred paces from the city, I chose to go on there, so as to make there the halt which I was to make. There at the holy church there is nothing else but countless monasteries of men and women.

For I found there a very dear friend of mine, to whose life everyone in the East bore testimony, the holy deaconess named Marthana, whom I had known at Jerusalem, where she had gone up for the sake of prayer; she governed monasteries of renunciants or virgins. When she saw me, what joy hers or mine could have been, can I even write?

But to return to the matter: there are very many monasteries there over the hill, and in the middle a huge wall, which encloses the church in which the martyr-shrine is, and this martyr-shrine is very beautiful. The wall was put there to guard the church because of the Isaurians, since they are very bad and often rob, lest perhaps they try to do something against the monastery assigned there.

When I had come there in the name of God, having prayed at the martyr-shrine and also read the whole Acts of holy Thecla, I gave endless thanks to Christ our God, who deigned to fulfil my desires in everything, unworthy and undeserving as I am. And so, having spent two days there, having seen

also the holy monks or renunciants, both men and women, who were there, and having prayed and communicated, I returned to Tarsus to my road, where, having made a three-day halt, in the name of God I set out from there on my way. And so arriving the same day at the staging post called Mansocrenae, which is below Mount Taurus, I stayed there.

And from there the next day, going over Mount Taurus and making the journey already known through each of the provinces which I had crossed on the way out, that is, Cappadocia, Galatia and Bithynia, I came to Chalcedon, where I stayed because of the most famous martyr-shrine of holy Euphemia, already known to me long since, which is there.

And so the next day, crossing the sea, I came to Constantinople, giving thanks to Christ our God that he deigned to grant me, unworthy and undeserving, so great a grace, that is, that he had deigned to grant not only the will to go but also the means of walking through what I desired, and of returning again to Constantinople.

When I had come there, through each of the churches, or the Apostles, and also through each of the martyr-shrines, of which there are very many there, I did not cease to give thanks to our God Jesus, who had deigned so to show his mercy upon me.

From this place, ladies, my light, as I was sending these things to your affection, it was already my intention in the name of Christ our God to go to Asia, that is, to Ephesus, because of the martyr-shrine of the holy and blessed apostle John, for the sake of prayer. And if after this I am still in the body, if I am able to learn of any other places, I will either tell your affection in person, if God is pleased to grant it, or at least, if I have something else in mind, I will report it in writing. Only, ladies, my light, be so kind as to remember me, whether I am in the body or already out of the body.

So that your affection may know what service is held each day daily in the holy places, I ought to inform you, knowing that you would be glad to know these things. For each day before cockcrow all the doors of the Anastasis are opened, and all the monazontes and parthenae, as they call them here, come down, and not only these, but also lay people besides, men or women, those who want to keep vigil earlier. And from that hour until daylight hymns are said and psalms are responded, and likewise antiphons; and after each hymn a prayer is made. For presbyters, two or three, and likewise deacons, take turns each day together with the monazontes, who say prayers after each hymn or antiphon.

But when it begins to grow light, then they begin to say the morning hymns. And behold, the bishop arrives with the clergy and at once goes inside the cave, and from inside the screens he first says a prayer for all; he himself also commemorates the names of those he wishes, and so blesses the catechumens. Likewise he says a prayer and blesses the faithful. And after this, as the bishop comes out from inside the screens, all come up to his hand, and he blesses them one by one as he goes out, and so the dismissal takes place, by daylight.

Likewise at the sixth hour all come down again similarly to the Anastasis, and psalms and antiphons are said until the bishop is summoned; he likewise comes down and does not sit, but at once goes inside the screens within the Anastasis, that is, within the cave, where he went in the morning too, and from there likewise he first makes a prayer, then blesses the faithful, and so, as he comes out from <inside> the screens, likewise they come up to his hand. So at the ninth hour too it is done as at the sixth.

At the tenth hour, which they call here licinicon, for we say lucernare, the whole multitude likewise gathers at the Anastasis; all the lamps and candles are lit, and there is endless light. The light is not brought from outside, but is brought out from the inner cave, where a lamp always shines night and day, that is, from inside the screens; the lamp-lighting psalms are also said, and antiphons for a long time. And behold, the bishop is summoned and comes down and sits on high, and the presbyters too sit in their places; hymns or antiphons are said.

And when these have been completed according to custom, the bishop rises and stands before the screen, that is, before the cave, and one of the deacons makes the commemoration of individuals, as is the custom. And as the deacon says the names of individuals, very many little boys always stand responding: kyrie eleison, which we say: Lord, have mercy; and their voices are endless.

And when the deacon has said all he has to say, the bishop first says a prayer and prays for all, and so all pray, both faithful and catechumens together. Likewise the deacon raises his voice, that each catechumen, where he stands, should bow his head, and so the bishop, standing, says the blessing over the catechumens. Likewise a prayer is made, and again the deacon raises his voice and admonishes that each of the faithful, standing, should bow their heads; likewise the bishop blesses the faithful, and so the dismissal takes place at the Anastasis.

And they begin to come up one by one to the bishop's hand. And afterwards the bishop is led <with> hymns from the Anastasis to the Cross, and all the people go together. When they have come there, he first makes a prayer, likewise blesses the catechumens, likewise another prayer is made, likewise he blesses the faithful. And after this again both the bishop and the whole crowd go again behind the Cross, and there again the same is done as before the Cross. And likewise they come up to the bishop's hand, as at the Anastasis, so before the Cross and so behind the Cross. Huge glass lamps hang everywhere, very many, and there are very many candelabra, both before the Anastasis and also before the Cross and behind the Cross; so all these things end with darkness. This service is held thus daily for six days at the Cross and at the Anastasis.

But on the seventh day, that is, the Lord's day, before cockcrow the whole multitude gathers, as many as can be in that place, as at Pascha, in the basilica which is in the place next to the Anastasis, but outside, where lamps hang for this very purpose. For since they fear that they will not arrive at cockcrow, they come beforehand and sit there. And hymns and antiphons are said, and prayers are made after each hymn or antiphon. For the presbyters and deacons too are always ready in that place for the vigils, because of the multitude that gathers. For the custom is that the holy places are not opened before cockcrow.

But as soon as the first cock has crowed, at once the bishop comes down and goes inside the cave at the Anastasis; all the doors are opened and the whole multitude goes into the Anastasis, where endless lights are already shining; and as the people come in, one of the presbyters says a psalm and all respond; after this a prayer is made. Likewise one of the deacons says a psalm, likewise a prayer is made; a third psalm is said by one of the clergy, and a third prayer is made and the commemoration of all.

So when these three psalms have been said and the three prayers made, behold, censers too are brought into the cave of the Anastasis, so that the whole basilica of the Anastasis is filled with fragrance. And then the bishop stands there inside the screens, takes the gospel, goes to the door, and the bishop himself reads the resurrection of the Lord. And when it begins to be read, there is such groaning and moaning of all the people and such tears that even the hardest could be moved to tears that the Lord endured so much for us.

So when the gospel has been read, the bishop goes out and is led with hymns to the Cross, and all the people with him. There again one psalm is said and a prayer is made. Likewise he blesses the faithful and the dismissal takes place.

And as the bishop goes out all come up to his hand. Soon the bishop withdraws to his house, and from that hour all the monazontes return to the Anastasis, and psalms and antiphons are said until daylight, and after each psalm or antiphon a prayer is made; for the presbyters and deacons keep vigil daily in turn at the Anastasis with the people. Of the lay people too, men or women, those who wish stay in the place until daylight; those who do not wish return to their houses and lie down to sleep.

At daylight, because it is the Lord's day, they go in procession to the major church, which Constantine built, which church is at Golgotha behind the Cross, and everything is done according to the custom that is followed everywhere on the Lord's day. Indeed, because the custom here is that of all the presbyters who are seated, as many as wish preach, and after them all the bishop preaches; these sermons are always on the Lord's days so that the people may always be instructed in the Scriptures and in the love of God; while these sermons are being given there is a great delay before the dismissal of the church takes place, and therefore the dismissal takes place not before the fourth or perhaps the fifth hour.

But when the dismissal of the church has taken place according to the custom which is followed everywhere, then the monazontes lead the bishop with hymns from the church to the Anastasis. And when the bishop begins to come with hymns, all the doors of the basilica of the Anastasis are opened, and all the people go in, the faithful, however, for the catechumens do not.

And when the people have gone in, the bishop goes in and at once enters inside the screens of the cave. First thanks are given to God, and so a prayer is made for all; afterwards the deacon raises his voice, that all should bow their heads where they stand, and so the bishop blesses them, standing inside the inner screens, and afterwards goes out. And as the bishop goes out all come up to his hand.

And so it is that the dismissal is drawn out almost to the fifth or sixth hour. Likewise at the lamp-lighting it is done similarly according to the daily custom. This custom, then, is kept thus each day through the whole year, except on the solemn days, how it is done on which we will note below.

But this is very remarkable among all they do, that the psalms or antiphons are always suitable, both those said at night and those, on the other hand, in the morning, and also those during the day or at the sixth or ninth hour or at the lamp-lighting, always so suitable and so reasonable that they pertain to the very matter that is being done.

And though through the whole year on the Lord's day they always go in procession to the major church, that is, the one at Golgotha, that is, behind the Cross, which Constantine built, on one Lord's day only, that is, of Pentecost, at the fiftieth day, they go in procession to Sion, as you will find noted below; yet to Sion in such a way that, before the third hour, they go there, the dismissal is first made in the major church … “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” and the rest that follows. And because, for the sake of the monazontes who go on foot, they must go more slowly, they come into Jerusalem at the hour when one person begins to be able to recognize another, that is, near daylight, but before it is light.

When they arrive there, at once the bishop goes into the Anastasis and all with him, where the lights are already shining exceedingly. So one psalm is said there, a prayer is made, the catechumens are first blessed by the bishop, then the faithful. The bishop withdraws and each goes to his lodging to rest. But the monazontes stay there until daylight and say hymns.

But when the people have rested, at the beginning of the second hour all gather in the major church, which is at Golgotha. What the adornment is on that day of the church or of the Anastasis or the Cross or at Bethlehem, it would be superfluous to write. There you see nothing but gold and gems or silk; for if you see hangings, they are of pure silk striped with gold; if you see curtains, likewise they are of pure silk striped with gold. Every kind of vessel brought out that day is of gold set with gems. The number or weight of the candelabra or chandeliers or lamps or the various vessels — can it even be estimated or written?

For what shall I say of the adornment of the building itself, which Constantine, in the presence of his mother, adorned with gold, mosaic and precious marble, as far as the resources of his empire allowed, both the major church and the Anastasis, and at the Cross, and the other holy places in Jerusalem?

But to return to the matter: on the first day, then, the service is held in the major church, which is at Golgotha. And whatever they preach or the individual readings they read or the hymns they say, all are suited to that day; and from there afterwards, when the dismissal of the church has taken place, they go with hymns to the Anastasis according to custom; and so the dismissal takes place perhaps at the sixth hour. On that day too the lamp-lighting is done according to the daily custom.

On the next day again they go in procession likewise to that church at Golgotha, and the same on the third day; so for three days all this festivity is celebrated in the church which Constantine built, until the sixth hour. On the fourth day at the Eleona, that is, in the church on the Mount of Olives, which is very beautiful, everything is likewise adorned and celebrated there; on the fifth day at the Lazarium, which is perhaps fifteen hundred paces from Jerusalem; on the sixth day on Sion; on the seventh day at the Anastasis; on the eighth day at the Cross. And so for eight days all this festivity and this adornment is celebrated in all the holy places which I named above.

At Bethlehem, however, for the whole eight days this adornment is there daily and the same festivity is celebrated by the presbyters and all the clergy of that place and by the monazontes who are assigned to that place. For from the hour when all return by night to Jerusalem with the bishop, then the monks of that place, whoever they are, keep vigil until daylight in the church at Bethlehem, saying hymns or antiphons, because the bishop must always spend these days in Jerusalem. For the solemnity and joy of that day endless crowds gather in Jerusalem from everywhere, not only monazontes but also lay people, men or women.

Indeed the fortieth day after Epiphany is celebrated here with the very highest honour. For on that day there is a procession to the Anastasis, and all go in procession, and everything is done in its order with the highest joy, as at Pascha. All the presbyters preach, and then the bishop, always treating of that passage of the gospel where on the fortieth day Joseph and Mary brought the Lord into the temple, and Simeon and Anna the prophetess, daughter of Phanuel, saw him, and of the words they said on seeing the Lord, and of the offering itself which the parents offered. And afterwards, when everything customary has been celebrated in order, the sacraments are performed and so the dismissal takes place.

Likewise, when the Paschal days come, they are celebrated thus. For as with us the forty days before Pascha are kept, so here eight weeks are kept before Pascha. Eight weeks are kept because on Lord's days and on the sabbath there is no fasting, except one sabbath day, on which the Paschal vigils are held and fasting is necessary: apart from that day there is never fasting on the sabbath here in the whole year. And so from the eight weeks, deducting eight Lord's days and seven sabbaths, since it is necessary to fast on one sabbath, as I said above, there remain forty-one days which are fasted, which here they call eortae, that is, Lent.

Each day of each week is kept thus: on the Lord's day at the first cockcrow the bishop reads inside the Anastasis the passage of the Lord's resurrection from the gospel, as is done on Lord's days through the whole year, and likewise until daylight the things are done at the Anastasis and at the Cross that are done on Lord's days through the whole year.

Afterwards in the morning, as always on the Lord's day, they go in procession and do what it is customary to do on Lord's days, in the major church called the Martyrium, which is at Golgotha behind the Cross. And likewise, when the dismissal from the church has taken place, they go to the Anastasis with hymns, as is always done on Lord's days. While these things are being done, it comes to the fifth hour; the lamp-lighting likewise is done at its hour, as always at the Anastasis and at the Cross, as is done at each of the holy places; for on the Lord's day the ninth hour is not kept. Likewise

on the second day of the week likewise at the first cockcrow they go to the Anastasis as through the whole year, and the usual things are done until morning. Again at the third hour they go to the Anastasis and do what is usually done through the year at the sixth, since in the days of Lent this too is added, that they go at the third hour as well. Likewise at the sixth and the ninth and the lamp-lighting things are done as it is customary through the whole year always to do in those holy places.

Likewise on the third day of the week everything is done as on the second. On the fourth day, however, they likewise go by night to the Anastasis and do the usual things until morning, likewise at the third and at the sixth; but at the ninth, because it is the custom always, that is, through the whole year, on the fourth and sixth day of the week to go in procession to Sion at the ninth hour — since in these places, except when a martyrs' day falls, the fourth and sixth day of the week are always fasted, even by the catechumens — therefore they go in procession to Sion at the ninth hour. For if by chance in Lent a martyrs' day falls on the fourth or sixth day, they do not go in procession to Sion at the ninth.

But in the days of Lent, as I said above, on the fourth day they go in procession to Sion at the ninth hour, according to the custom of the whole year, and everything is done that is customary at the ninth hour except the offering; for so that the people may always learn the law, both the bishop and a presbyter preach diligently. And when the dismissal has taken place, the people lead the bishop from there with hymns to the Anastasis; they come from there so that when they enter the Anastasis it is already the hour of the lamp-lighting; so hymns and antiphons are said, prayers are made and the dismissal of the lamp-lighting takes place at the Anastasis and at the Cross.

The dismissal of the lamp-lighting in these days, that is, of Lent, always takes place later than through the whole year. On the fifth day everything is done likewise as on the second and third days. On the sixth day everything is done likewise as on the fourth, and likewise they go to Sion at the ninth hour, and likewise the bishop is led from there with hymns to the Anastasis. But on the sixth day vigils are celebrated in the Anastasis from the hour at which they come from Sion with hymns until morning, that is, from the hour of the lamp-lighting until they enter on the next day in the morning, that is, the sabbath. The offering is made in the Anastasis earlier, so that the dismissal takes place before sunrise.

Through the whole night, in turns, responsorial psalms are said, in turns antiphons, in turns various readings, all of which are drawn out until morning. The dismissal which takes place on the sabbath at the Anastasis is made before sunrise, that is, the offering, so that at the hour at which the sun begins to come out the dismissal in the Anastasis has also been made. So, then, each week of Lent is celebrated.

As I said, the dismissal is made earlier on the sabbath, that is, before sunrise; this is done so that those whom they call here hebdomadarii may finish sooner. For the custom of fasts here in Lent is such that those whom they call hebdomadarii, that is, those who keep the weeks, eat on the Lord's day, because the dismissal takes place at the fifth hour. And when they have eaten on the Lord's day, they do not eat again until the sabbath morning, as soon as they have communicated at the Anastasis. For their sake, then, so that they may finish sooner, the dismissal at the Anastasis on the sabbath is made before sunrise. As I said, the dismissal is made in the morning for their sake, not that they alone communicate, but all communicate who wish to communicate on that day at the Anastasis.

For the custom of fasts here in Lent is such that some, once they have eaten on the Lord's day after the dismissal, that is, at the fifth or sixth hour, do not eat again through the whole week until the sabbath comes, after the dismissal of the Anastasis: these are those who keep the weeks.

On the sabbath, having eaten in the morning, they do not eat in the evening either, but on the next day, that is, the Lord's day, they dine after the dismissal of the church at the fifth hour or later, and afterwards do not eat again until the sabbath comes, as I said above.

For the custom here is such that all who are, as they say here, renunciants, men or women, not only in the days of Lent but through the whole year, when they eat, eat once a day. If any of those renunciants cannot keep whole weeks of fasting, as we said above, through the whole of Lent they dine in the middle of the week, on the fifth day; and whoever cannot do even this keeps two-day fasts through the whole of Lent; and whoever cannot do even that eats from evening to evening.

No one demands how much one ought to do, but each does as he can, and neither is he praised who has done much, nor he blamed who has done less. For such is the custom here. Their food on the days of Lent is this: they taste neither bread, which cannot be weighed, nor oil, nor anything that comes from trees, but only water and a little gruel of flour … Lent is kept thus, as we have said.

And when those weeks have been completed … the vigils are held in the Anastasis from the hour of the lamp-lighting on the sixth day, when they come from Sion with psalms, until morning on the sabbath, when the offering is made in the Anastasis. Likewise the second week and the third and the fourth and the fifth and the sixth are done like the first of Lent.

When the seventh week comes, that is, when there remain two, including it, before Pascha, on each day everything is done as in the other weeks that have passed; only that the vigils, which in those six weeks were held in the Anastasis, in the seventh week, that is, on the sixth day, are held on Sion, according to the custom by which they were held in the Anastasis for six weeks. Through all the vigils psalms or antiphons are always said that suit both the place and the day.

But when it begins to become morning, as the sabbath dawns, the bishop offers and makes the offering in the morning of the sabbath. Now, so that the dismissal may take place, the archdeacon raises his voice and says: “Let us all be ready today at the seventh hour at the Lazarium.” And so when it begins to be the seventh hour, all come to the Lazarium. The Lazarium, that is, Bethany, is perhaps at the second milestone from the city.

Going from Jerusalem to the Lazarium, perhaps five hundred paces from that place, there is a church on the road at the place where Mary, the sister of Lazarus, met the Lord. When the bishop has come there, all the monks meet him, and the people go in there; one hymn and one antiphon are said and the passage itself is read from the gospel where the sister of Lazarus met the Lord. And so, prayer having been made and all blessed, they go from there with hymns to the Lazarium.

When they have come to the Lazarium, the whole multitude gathers so that not only the place itself but all the fields round about are full of people. Hymns and antiphons suited to that day and place are said, and likewise whatever readings are read suit the day. Then, so that the dismissal may take place, Pascha is announced, that is, a presbyter goes up to a higher place and reads that passage which is written in the gospel: “When Jesus came to Bethany six days before the Passover,” and so on. When that passage has been read and Pascha announced, the dismissal takes place.

This is done on that day because, as it is written in the gospel, this happened in Bethany six days before the Passover; for from the sabbath to the fifth day, on which after supper the Lord was seized by night, there are six days. So all return to the city straight to the Anastasis, and the lamp-lighting is done according to custom.

So on the next day, that is, the Lord's day, on which they enter the Paschal week, which here they call the Great Week, when what is customary has been celebrated from cockcrow at the Anastasis and at the Cross until morning, on the Lord's day in the morning they go in procession according to custom to the major church, which is called the Martyrium. It is called the Martyrium because it is at Golgotha, that is, behind the Cross, where the Lord suffered, and therefore Martyrium.

So when everything has been celebrated according to custom in the major church, and before the dismissal takes place, the archdeacon raises his voice and says first: “This whole week, that is, from tomorrow, let us all meet at the ninth hour at the Martyrium,” that is, in the major church. Likewise he raises a second announcement and says: “Today let us all be ready at the seventh hour at the Eleona.”

So when the dismissal has taken place in the major church, that is, at the Martyrium, the bishop is led with hymns to the Anastasis, and there, when the things have been completed that are customary on Lord's days at the Anastasis after the dismissal of the Martyrium, each one going home hurries to eat, so that at the beginning of the seventh hour all may be ready in the church which is at the Eleona, that is, on the Mount of Olives, where that cave is in which the Lord used to teach.

So at the seventh hour all the people go up to the Mount of Olives, that is, to the Eleona, to the church, and the bishop too; hymns and antiphons suited to that day or place are said, and readings likewise. And when it begins to be the ninth hour, they go up with hymns to the Imbomon, that is, to the place from which the Lord ascended into heaven, and they sit there; for all the people, when the bishop is present, are always told to sit; only the deacons always stand. There too hymns or antiphons suited to the place or day are said, and likewise readings and prayers interspersed.

And when it begins to be the eleventh hour, that passage of the gospel is read where the children with branches or palms met the Lord, saying: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” And at once the bishop rises, and all the people, and then from the top of the Mount of Olives they go the whole way on foot. For all the people go before him with hymns or antiphons, always responding: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

And all the children in these places, even those who cannot walk on foot because they are small, their parents hold on their necks, all holding branches, some of palms, others of olives; and so the bishop is escorted in the same manner in which the Lord was then escorted.

And from the top of the mountain to the city, and from there to the Anastasis through the whole city, all go the whole way on foot, even any ladies of rank or any gentlemen; so they escort the bishop, responding, and so slowly, slowly, lest the people be tired, they come late to the Anastasis. When they have arrived there, however late it is, the lamp-lighting is held, a prayer is made again at the Cross, and the people are dismissed.

Likewise on the next day, that is, the second day of the week, the things customary from the first cockcrow until morning are done at the Anastasis, and likewise at the third and sixth hours the things done through the whole of Lent. But at the ninth hour all gather in the major church, that is, at the Martyrium, and there until the first hour of the night hymns and antiphons are always said, readings suited to the day and place are also read, with prayers always interspersed.

The lamp-lighting is also held there when its hour comes; so it is that the dismissal at the Martyrium takes place at night. When the dismissal has taken place there, the bishop is led from there with hymns to the Anastasis. And when he has entered the Anastasis, one hymn is said, a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, likewise the faithful, and the dismissal takes place.

Likewise on the third day of the week everything is done as on the second. This alone is added on the third day, that late at night, after the dismissal has taken place at the Martyrium and they have gone to the Anastasis and the dismissal has again taken place at the Anastasis, all go at that hour by night to the church which is on the Mount of Eleona.

When they have come into that church, the bishop goes inside the cave in which the Lord used to teach the disciples, and takes the book of the gospel, and the bishop himself, standing, reads the words of the Lord which are written in the gospel according to Matthew, that is, where he says: “See that no one leads you astray.” And the bishop reads through that whole discourse. And when he has read it through, a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, and the faithful too, the dismissal takes place, and each returns from the mountain to his home, very late in the night.

Likewise on the fourth day of the week everything is done through the whole day from the first cockcrow as on the second and third days; but after the dismissal has taken place at night at the Martyrium and the bishop has been led with hymns to the Anastasis, at once the bishop goes into the cave which is in the Anastasis and stands inside the screens, while a presbyter stands before the screen and takes the gospel and reads that passage where Judas Iscariot went to the Jews and settled what they would give him to betray the Lord. And when that passage has been read, there is such groaning and moaning of all the people that there is no one who cannot be moved to tears at that hour. Afterwards a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, afterwards the faithful, and the dismissal takes place.

Likewise on the fifth day of the week the things customary from the first cockcrow until morning are done at the Anastasis, likewise at the third and sixth hours. But at the eighth hour, according to custom, all the people gather at the Martyrium, earlier than on other days, because the dismissal must take place sooner. And so, when all the people have gathered, the things to be done are done, the offering is made on that day at the Martyrium, and the dismissal takes place there at perhaps the tenth hour. But before the dismissal takes place, the archdeacon raises his voice and says: “At the first hour of the night let us all meet in the church which is at the Eleona, since the greatest labour awaits us tonight.”

So when the dismissal of the Martyrium has taken place, they come behind the Cross, only one hymn is said there, a prayer is made, and the bishop offers the offering there and all communicate. For except on that one day, through the whole year the offering is never made behind the Cross, but only on that day. So when the dismissal has taken place there too, they go to the Anastasis, a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed according to custom, and then the faithful, and the dismissal takes place. And so each hurries to return to his home to eat, because as soon as they have eaten, all go to the Eleona, to the church in which is the cave where on that very day the Lord was with the apostles.

And there until perhaps the fifth hour of the night hymns or antiphons suited to the day and place are always said, and likewise readings; prayers are interspersed, and those passages of the gospel are read in which the Lord spoke to the disciples on that same day, sitting in that same cave, which is in that church. And

from there, at perhaps the sixth hour of the night, they go up with hymns to the Imbomon, to the place from which the Lord ascended into heaven. And there again likewise readings, hymns and antiphons suited to the day are said, and whatever prayers are made, which the bishop says, he always says suited to the day and the place.

And so, when cockcrow begins, they come down from the Imbomon with hymns and go to the place where the Lord prayed, as it is written in the gospel: “And he went forward about a stone's throw and prayed,” and so on. In that place there is an elegant church. The bishop and all the people go in there; a prayer suited to the place and day is said there, one suitable hymn is also said, and the passage itself is read from the gospel where he said to his disciples: “Watch, that you may not enter into temptation.” And the whole passage is read through there, and a prayer is made again.

And from there with hymns, down to the smallest child, they go down on foot with the bishop to Gethsemane, where, because of so great a crowd of people, and wearied by vigils and tired by daily fasts, because they have to come down so great a mountain, they come slowly, slowly with hymns to Gethsemane. More than two hundred church candles are prepared to give light to all the people.

So when they have come to Gethsemane, first a suitable prayer is made, then a hymn is said, likewise that passage of the gospel is read where the Lord was seized. And when that passage has been read, there is such groaning and moaning of all the people, with weeping, that perhaps the lamentation of all the people was heard as far as the city. And from that hour they go to the city on foot with hymns; they reach the gate at the hour when one person begins as it were to recognize another; from there through the middle of the city all, to a man, old and young, rich, poor, are all there ready; on that day especially no one leaves the vigils until morning. So the bishop is escorted from Gethsemane to the gate and from there through the whole city to the Cross.

And when they have come before the Cross, it is already beginning to be quite light. There again that passage of the gospel is read where the Lord is brought to Pilate, and everything that is written that Pilate said to the Lord or to the Jews is all read.

Afterwards the bishop addresses the people, strengthening them, since they have laboured all night and are still to labour that day, that they should not grow weary, but have hope in God, who will give them a greater reward for that labour. And so strengthening them as he can, he addresses them and says: “Go now meanwhile each of you to your little homes, sit down a little, and at about the second hour of the day all be ready here, so that from that hour to the sixth you may see the holy wood of the cross, each of us believing that it will profit him for salvation; for from the sixth hour we must all meet again here in this place, that is, before the Cross, so that we may give ourselves to readings and prayers until night.”

After this, then, when the dismissal from the Cross has taken place, that is, before the sun rises, at once each of them eagerly goes to Sion to pray at that column at which the Lord was scourged. Returning from there, they sit a little in their houses and at once are all ready. And so a chair is placed for the bishop at Golgotha behind the Cross, which stands there now; the bishop sits in the chair; a table covered with a linen cloth is placed before him; the deacons stand round the table, and a silver-gilt casket is brought in, in which is the holy wood of the cross; it is opened and brought out, and both the wood of the cross and the title are placed on the table.

So when it has been placed on the table, the bishop, sitting, presses the ends of the holy wood with his hands, while the deacons who stand round keep watch. It is guarded so because the custom is that all the people, coming one by one, both faithful and catechumens, bowing down to the table, kiss the holy wood and pass on. And because, I do not know when, someone is said to have taken a bite and stolen from the holy wood, therefore it is now so guarded by the deacons who stand round, lest anyone coming should dare to do so again.

And so all the people pass by one by one, all bowing down, touching the cross and the title first with the forehead, then with the eyes, and so kissing the cross they pass on, but no one puts out a hand to touch it. And when they have kissed the cross <and> passed on, a deacon stands holding the ring of Solomon and that horn from which the kings were anointed. They kiss the horn too, and look at the ring; [from the] second [hour] until the sixth hour all the people pass by, entering through one door and going out through the other, since this is done in the place where on the previous day, that is, the fifth day of the week, the offering was made.

But when the sixth hour has come, they go before the Cross, whether it is rain or heat, because that place is open to the sky, that is, as it were a courtyard, very large and quite beautiful, which is between the Cross and the Anastasis. There, then, all the people gather, so that it cannot even be opened.

A chair is placed for the bishop before the Cross, and from the sixth to the ninth hour nothing else is done but readings are read thus: that is, first is read from the psalms wherever it spoke of the passion; there is read also from the apostle, whether from the letters of the apostles or from their Acts, wherever they spoke of the Lord's passion; and also from the gospels are read the passages where he suffers. Likewise there is read from the prophets, where they said the Lord would suffer; likewise there is read from the gospels, where it speaks of the passion.

And so from the sixth hour to the ninth readings are always read or hymns said, so that it may be shown to all the people that whatever the prophets said would happen concerning the Lord's passion is shown, both by the gospels and also by the writings of the apostles, to have been done. And so through those three hours all the people are taught that nothing was done which was not first foretold, and nothing was foretold which was not wholly fulfilled. Prayers are always interspersed, and these prayers too are suited to the day.

At each of the readings and prayers there is such emotion and lamentation of all the people that it is wonderful; for there is no one, old or young, who on that day in those three hours does not weep as much as cannot be estimated, that the Lord suffered these things for us. After this, when the ninth hour begins, that passage of the gospel according to John is read where he gave up his spirit; when it has been read, a prayer is made

and the dismissal. And when the dismissal from before the Cross has taken place, at once all [go] to the major church, to the Martyrium …, and the things are done which through that week, from the ninth hour, when they meet at the Martyrium, are customarily done until evening through that week. When the dismissal from the Martyrium has taken place, they come to the Anastasis; and when they have come there, that passage of the gospel is read where Joseph asks Pilate for the Lord's body <and> places it in a new tomb. When this has been read, a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed, and so the dismissal takes place.

On that day no announcement is made to keep vigil at the Anastasis, since it is known that the people are tired; but it is the custom to keep vigil there. And so those of the people who wish, or rather who can, keep vigil; those who cannot do not keep vigil there until morning; but the clergy keep vigil there, that is, those who are stronger or younger; and through the whole night hymns and antiphons are said there until morning. A very great crowd keep vigil, some from evening, some from midnight, as each can.

On the sabbath, the next day, according to custom the third hour is kept, likewise the sixth; but the ninth is no longer kept on the sabbath, but the Paschal vigils are prepared in the major church, that is, in the Martyrium. The Paschal vigils are held as with us; only this is done here in addition, that the infants, when they have been baptized and clothed, as soon as they have come out of the font, are led first with the bishop to the Anastasis.

The bishop goes inside the screens of the Anastasis, one hymn is said, and so the bishop makes a prayer for them, and so he comes to the major church with them, where according to custom all the people keep vigil. The things are done there that are customary with us too, and when the offering has been made the dismissal takes place. And after the dismissal of the vigils has taken place in the major church, at once they come with hymns to the Anastasis, and there again that passage of the gospel of the resurrection is read, a prayer is made, and again the bishop offers there; but everything is done quickly because of the people, lest they be delayed longer, and so the people are dismissed. The dismissal of the vigils on that day takes place at the same hour as with us.

Late those Paschal days are kept as with us too, and the services take place in their order through the eight Paschal days, as is done everywhere at Pascha until the octave. Here there is the same adornment and the same arrangement through the eight days of Pascha as at Epiphany, both in the major church and at the Anastasis or the Cross or at the Eleona, but also at Bethlehem and also at the Lazarium or everywhere, because they are the Paschal days.

On the first Lord's day itself they go in procession to the major church, that is, to the Martyrium, and on the second and third days of the week, yet so that always, when the dismissal has taken place at the Martyrium, they come to the Anastasis with hymns. On the fourth day they go in procession to the Eleona, on the fifth to the Anastasis, on the sixth to Sion, on the sabbath before the Cross, and on the Lord's day, that is, the octave, again to the major church, that is, to the Martyrium.

On those eight Paschal days, daily after the midday meal, the bishop with all the clergy and all the infants, that is, those who have been baptized, and all who are renunciants, men and women, and also as many of the people as wish, go up to the Eleona. Hymns are said and prayers made both in the church at the Eleona, in which is the cave where Jesus taught the disciples, and also at the Imbomon, that is, at the place from which the Lord ascended into heaven.

And after psalms have been said and prayer made, they come down from there with hymns to the Anastasis at the hour of the lamp; this is done through all eight days. Indeed on the Lord's day at Pascha, after the dismissal of the lamp-lighting, that is, from the Anastasis, all the people lead the bishop with hymns to Sion.

When they have come there, hymns suited to the day and place are said, a prayer is made, and that passage of the gospel is read where on that same day the Lord, in the same place where that church on Sion now is, came in to the disciples when the doors were shut, that is, when one of the disciples was not there, that is, Thomas; and when he returned and the other apostles told him that they had seen the Lord, he said: “I do not believe unless I see.” When this has been read, a prayer is made again, the catechumens are blessed, likewise the faithful, and each returns to his home late, at perhaps the second hour of the night.

Likewise on the octave of Pascha, that is, on the Lord's day, at once after the sixth hour all the people go up with the bishop to the Eleona; first they sit for some time in the church that is there; hymns are said, antiphons suited to the day and place are said, prayers likewise suited to the day and place are made. Again from there they go up with hymns to the Imbomon, and likewise there the same things are done as there. And when the hour comes, all the people and all the renunciants lead the bishop with hymns to the Anastasis. They arrive at the Anastasis at the hour when the lamp-lighting is usually held.

So the lamp-lighting is held both at the Anastasis and at the Cross, and from there all the people, to a man, lead the bishop with hymns to Sion. When they have come there, likewise hymns suited to the place and day are said, and that passage of the gospel is read again where on the octave of Pascha the Lord came in where the disciples were and rebuked Thomas for having been unbelieving. And then the whole reading is read through, afterwards a prayer is made, and when <both> the catechumens and the faithful have been blessed according to custom, each returns to his home, as on the Lord's day of Pascha, at the second hour of the night.

From Pascha until the fiftieth day, that is, Pentecost, no one here fasts at all, not even those who are renunciants. For always on these days, as through the whole year, the customary things are done at the Anastasis from the first cockcrow until morning, likewise at the sixth hour and at the lamp-lighting. On Lord's days they always go in procession to the Martyrium, that is, the major church, according to custom, and from there go to the Anastasis with hymns. On the fourth and sixth days of the week, since on those days no one fasts at all, they go in procession to Sion, but in the morning; the dismissal takes place in its order.

On the fortieth day after Pascha, that is, on the fifth day of the week, all go on the day before, after the sixth hour, that is, on the fourth day, to Bethlehem to celebrate the vigils. The vigils are held in the church at Bethlehem, in which church is the cave where the Lord was born. On the next day, that is, the fifth day, the fortieth, the service is celebrated in its order, so that both the presbyters and the bishop preach, speaking suitably to the day and the place; and afterwards in the evening each returns to Jerusalem.

On the day of the fiftieth, that is, the Lord's day, on which there is the greatest labour for the people, everything is done thus from the first cockcrow according to custom: vigil is kept at the Anastasis, so that the bishop may read that passage of the gospel which is always read on the Lord's day, that is, the resurrection of the Lord, and afterwards the customary things are done at the Anastasis, as through the whole year.

When it is morning, all the people go in procession to the major church, that is, the Martyrium; all the customary things are done; the presbyters preach, afterwards the bishop; everything prescribed is done, that is, the offering is made according to the custom in which it is usually done on the Lord's day; but on that day the dismissal at the Martyrium is hastened, so that it takes place before the third hour. For as soon as the dismissal has taken place at the Martyrium, all the people, to a man, lead the bishop with hymns to Sion, but <so that> they are on Sion at the full third hour.

When they have come there, that passage is read from the Acts of the apostles where the Spirit came down, so that all tongues were heard and all understood what was being said; afterwards the dismissal takes place in its order. For the presbyters read there from the Acts of the apostles about this very thing that has been read, because this is the place on Sion — now there is another church — where once, after the Lord's passion, the multitude was gathered with the apostles, when this happened, as we said above. Afterwards the dismissal takes place in its order, the offering is made there too, and now, so that the people may be dismissed, the archdeacon raises his voice and says: “Today at once after the sixth hour let us all be ready at the Eleona, at the Imbomon.”

So all the people return, each to his home, to rest, and at once after the midday meal the Mount of Olives, that is, the Eleona, is climbed, each as he can, so that no Christian remains in the city; all go.

So as soon as they have climbed the Mount of Olives, that is, the Eleona, they go first to the Imbomon, that is, to the place from which the Lord ascended into heaven, and there the bishop and presbyters sit, and all the people sit; readings are read there, hymns are said interspersed, antiphons suited to the day and place are also said; the prayers too that are interspersed always have such wording as suits both the day and the place; there is also read that passage of the gospel which speaks of the Lord's ascension, and there is read again from the Acts of the apostles, where it speaks of the Lord's ascension into heaven after the resurrection. When this has been done, there are blessed

the catechumens, then the faithful; and now at the ninth hour they come down from there and go with hymns to that church which is also at the Eleona, that is, in which cave the Lord sat and taught the apostles. When they have come there, it is already past the tenth hour; the lamp-lighting is held there, a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed and then the faithful. And from there they come down with hymns, all the people to a man, all with the bishop saying hymns or antiphons suited to that day; so they come slowly, slowly to the Martyrium.

When they reach the gate of the city, it is already night, and church candles, perhaps two hundred, come to meet them for the people; and from the gate, since it is quite far to the major church, that is, to the Martyrium, they arrive at perhaps the second hour of the night, because they go the whole way slowly, slowly for the people, lest they be tired on their feet. And when the great doors have been opened, which are on the side of the market street, all the people enter the Martyrium with hymns and the bishop. When they have entered the church, hymns are said, a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed and then the faithful; and from there again they go with hymns to the Anastasis.

Likewise when they have come to the Anastasis, hymns or antiphons are said, a prayer [is made], the catechumens are blessed, then the faithful; likewise it is done at the Cross too. And again from there all the Christian people, to a man, lead the bishop with hymns to Sion.

When they have come there, suitable readings are read, psalms or antiphons are said, a prayer is made, the catechumens are blessed and then the faithful, and the dismissal takes place. When the dismissal has taken place, all come up to the bishop's hand, and so each returns to his home at perhaps midnight. So, then, the greatest labour is borne on that day, since vigil has been kept from the first cockcrow at the Anastasis and from then there has been no pause through the whole day; and so everything celebrated is drawn out, so that at midnight, after the dismissal which takes place on Sion, all return to their homes.

From the next day after the fiftieth all fast according to custom as through the whole year, each as he can, except on the sabbath and the Lord's day, on which there is never fasting in these places. Afterwards too, on the other days, everything is done as through the whole year, that is, <that> vigil is always kept from the first cockcrow at the Anastasis. For if it is the Lord's day, first at the first

cockcrow the bishop reads the gospel according to custom inside the Anastasis, the passage of the Lord's resurrection, which is always read on the Lord's day, and afterwards hymns or antiphons are said until daylight at the Anastasis; but if it is not the Lord's day, only hymns or antiphons are likewise said from the first cockcrow until daylight at the Anastasis. All the renunciants go; of the people

those go who can, each as he is able; the clergy go daily in turn; the clergy from the first cockcrow, but the bishop always goes when it grows light, so that the morning dismissal may take place, with all the clergy, except on the Lord's day, because he must go at the first cockcrow to read the gospel at the Anastasis. Again at the sixth hour the customary things are done at the Anastasis, likewise at the ninth, and likewise at the lamp-lighting, according to the custom with which it is usually done through the whole year. On the fourth and sixth days of the week the ninth hour is always kept on Sion according to custom.

And I ought to write this too, how those who are baptized at Pascha are taught. For he who gives his name gives it before the day of Lent, and the presbyter notes down the names of all; this is before those eight weeks in which I said Lent is kept here.

When the presbyter has noted down the names of all, afterwards, on the next day of Lent, that is, when the eight weeks begin, a chair is placed for the bishop in the middle of the major church, that is, at the Martyrium; the presbyters sit on chairs on either side and all the clergy stand; and so the competentes are brought one by one; if they are men they come with their fathers, if women with their mothers.

And so the bishop individually questions the neighbours of the one who has come in, saying: “Is this person of good life? Does he respect his parents? Is he not a drunkard or a boaster?” And he asks about each of the vices, the more serious ones at least, in a person.

And if he finds him without reproach in all these things about which he has asked in the presence of witnesses, he himself notes down his name with his own hand. But if he is accused in anything, he orders him to go out, saying: “Let him amend himself, and when he has amended himself, then let him come to the font.” So he speaks, asking about men and about women. But if anyone is a stranger, unless he has testimonies from those who know him, he will not so easily come to baptism.

I ought to write this, ladies, sisters, lest you think it is done without reason. For the custom here is that those who come to baptism, through those forty days on which there is fasting, are first exorcized early by the clergy, as soon as the morning dismissal has taken place at the Anastasis. And at once a chair is placed for the bishop at the Martyrium in the major church, and all who are to be baptized, both men and women, sit round near the bishop; the fathers or mothers stand in their place too, and also those of the people who wish to hear, all come in and sit, but only the faithful.

A catechumen does not come in there, at the time when the bishop teaches them the law thus: that is, beginning from Genesis, through those forty days he goes through all the Scriptures, first expounding them literally and then unfolding them spiritually. They are also taught all about the resurrection, and likewise about the faith, through those days; this is called catechesis.

And when five weeks have been completed since they began to be taught, then they receive the creed; and the meaning of this creed, as with the meaning of all the Scriptures, he expounds to them, each phrase first literally and then spiritually; so too he expounds the creed. And so it is that in these places all the faithful follow the Scriptures when they are read in church, because all are taught through those forty days, that is, from the first hour to the third, since the catechesis lasts three hours.

God knows, ladies, sisters, that the voices of the faithful who come in to hear the catechesis are louder at what is said or expounded by the bishop than when he sits and preaches in church about each of the things that are expounded in this way. When the dismissal of the catechesis has taken place, already at the third hour, at once the bishop is led from there with hymns to the Anastasis and the dismissal at the third hour takes place; and so they are taught three hours a day for seven weeks. For in the eighth week of Lent, that is, the one called the Great Week, there is no longer time for them to be taught, so that the things which have been <said> above may be fulfilled.

When seven weeks have passed <and> that one Paschal week remains, which here they call the Great Week, then the bishop comes in the morning to the major church, to the Martyrium. Behind, in the apse, behind the altar, a chair is placed for the bishop, and there one by one they go, a man with his father or a woman with her mother, and recite the creed to the bishop.

When the creed has been recited to the bishop, the bishop addresses them all and says: “Through these seven weeks you have been taught the whole law of the Scriptures, and you have also heard about the faith; you have heard too about the resurrection of the flesh, and also the whole meaning of the creed, as far as you could hear it while still catechumens; but the words which belong to the higher mystery, that is, of baptism itself, you cannot hear, because you <are> still catechumens; and lest you think anything is done without reason, when you have been baptized in the name of God, you will hear them through the eight Paschal days after the dismissal from the church, in the Anastasis; because you are still catechumens, the more secret mysteries of God cannot be told you.”

When the days of Pascha have come, through those eight days, that is, from Pascha to the octave, as soon as the dismissal from the church has taken place and they go with hymns to the Anastasis, at once a prayer is made, the faithful are blessed, and the bishop stands leaning on the inner screen which is in the cave of the Anastasis and expounds everything that is done in baptism.

At that hour no catechumen comes to the Anastasis; only the neophytes and the faithful who wish to hear the mysteries enter the Anastasis. The doors are shut, lest any catechumen should direct himself there. As the bishop discusses and tells each thing, there are such voices of those praising that their voices are heard far outside the church. For truly he so unfolds all the mysteries that no one could fail to be moved by what he hears so expounded.

And since in that province part of the people knows both Greek and Syriac, another part knows Greek alone, and some part only Syriac, therefore, since the bishop, although he knows Syriac, yet always speaks Greek and never Syriac, a presbyter always stands by who, as the bishop speaks in Greek, interprets into Syriac, so that all may hear what is expounded.

The readings too, whatever are read in the church, because they must be read in Greek, there is always someone standing by who interprets into Syriac for the sake of the people, so that they may always learn. Indeed, whoever are Latins here, that is, those who know neither Syriac nor Greek, lest they be saddened, it is expounded to them too, because there are other brothers and sisters, Greek-Latins, who expound it to them in Latin.

But this is very pleasing above all here and very admirable, that always both the hymns and the antiphons and the readings, and also the prayers which the bishop says, have such wording that they are always suited and fitting both to the day that is celebrated and to the place in which it is done.

Likewise the days of the Encaenia are so called, when the holy church which is at Golgotha, which they call the Martyrium, was consecrated to God; and the holy church too which is at the Anastasis, that is, in the place where the Lord rose after his passion, was itself consecrated to God on that day. So the Encaenia of these holy churches are celebrated with the highest honour, since the cross of the Lord was found on that very day.

And therefore it was so ordered for this reason, that when the holy churches mentioned above were first consecrated, it should be the day on which the cross of the Lord had been found, so that they might be celebrated together with all joy on the same day. And this is found through the holy Scriptures, that the day of the Encaenia is the day on which holy Solomon too, having completed the house of God which he had built, stood before the altar of God and prayed, as it is written in the books of Chronicles.

So when these days of the Encaenia come, they are kept for eight days; for many days before, crowds begin to gather from everywhere, not only of monks or renunciants from various provinces, that is, both from Mesopotamia or Syria or from Egypt or the Thebaid, where there are very many monazontes, but also from all various places or provinces; for there is no one who does not make his way to Jerusalem on that day for such great joy and such honourable days; and lay people too, both men and women, with faithful spirit, because of the holy day, likewise gather from all provinces to Jerusalem on those days.

Bishops, when they are few, are in Jerusalem on those days more than forty or fifty; and with them come many of their clergy. And what more? He thinks he has incurred the greatest sin who on those days has not been at so great a solemnity, unless some contrary necessity has kept a person from a good intention.

So on these days of the Encaenia there is the same adornment of all the churches as at Pascha or Epiphany, and so on each day they go in procession to the various holy places, as at Pascha or Epiphany. For on the first and second day they go in procession to the major church, which is called the Martyrium. Likewise on the third day to the Eleona, that is, to the church which is on the very mountain from which the Lord ascended into heaven after his passion, within which church is that cave in which the Lord taught the apostles on the Mount of Olives. But on the fourth day …