GM 94

English

The Seven Sleepers at Ephesus

Here is an account of seven brothers who are buried at Ephesus. During the reign of the emperor Decius when there was a persecution against the Christians, seven men were captured and brought before the emperor. These seven men were named Maximianus, Malchus, Martinianus, Constantinus, Dionysius, Johannes, and Serapion. Although they were tempted by various suggestions to yield, they never acquiesced. Because of his regard for them the emperor granted time to think, so that they would not die immediately. But the seven men shut themselves up in one cave, and there they lived for many days. One of them would leave, purchase supplies, and bring back necessities. When the emperor returned to Ephesus, the seven men requested of the Lord that he deign to rescue them from this danger. They prayed, and while bowed to the ground they fell asleep. When the emperor learned that they were staying in this cave, by the will of God he ordered that the mouth of the cave be blocked off with huge stones. He said: 'Let those who refuse to sacrifice to our gods die there.' While this was being done, a Christian wrote the names of the martyrs on a lead tablet and secretly put it in the entrance to the cave before it was blocked off. After many years had gone by and peace had been granted to the churches, Theodosius, a Christian, became emperor. The impure heresy of the Sadducees, who denied that there would be a resurrection, was spreading. Then a citizen of Ephesus who decided to use this mountain as a sheepfold for his flocks overturned stones for the construction of walls for his pens. Not knowing what had happened within, he opened the entrance to the cave; but he did not find the inner chamber that was further inside. The Lord sent the breath of life to the seven men and they awoke. Thinking that they had been asleep for only one night, they sent a young man from their number to purchase food. When the young man came to the gate ofthe city, he was surprised upon seeing an image ofthe glorious cross and hearing the people take oaths in the name of Christ. As soon as he presented the coins that he had from the reign of Decius, a merchant seized him and said: 'You have found a hoard that was buried years ago.' The young man denied [the accusation] and was brought to the bishop and the judge of the city, who denounced him. Compelled by force the young man revealed the hidden mystery and brought them to the cave where the other men were. As the bishop entered, he found the lead tablet on which everything the men had endured was recorded in writing. The bishop spoke with the men; then the bishop and the judge quickly announced this news to the emperor Theodosius. The emperor came and honored them by kneeling on the ground. The seven men spoke to the same emperor with these words: 'A heresy has spread, glorious Augustus, that attempts to mislead the Christian people from the promises of God by saying that there is no resurrection of the dead. Therefore, because, as you know, we will all be held responsible before the tribunal of Christ in accordance with what the apostle Paul wrote [cf. II Corinthians 5: 10], the Lord has ordered us to be awakened and to say these things to you. Take care lest you be seduced and excluded from the kingdom of God.' The emperor Theodosius listened and glorified the Lord who did not allow his people to perish. But the men again lay down on the ground and fell asleep. When the emperor Theodosius wished to construct tombs of gold for them, he was wamed in a vision not to do so. Even today the men lie asleep in that spot, covered by cloaks made ofsilk or linen. The record oftheir suffering, which with the assistance of a Syrian I translated into Latin, gives a fuller account.

Latin

Septem vero germanorum, qui apud urbem Ephesum requiescunt, haec est ratio. Tempore Decii imperatoris, cum persecutio in christianos ageretur, septem viri conprehensi sunt et ducti sunt coram principe. Horum nomina haec sunt: Maximianus, Malchus, Martinianus, Constantinus, Dionisius, Iohannes, Serapion; qui diversis verbis temptati, ut cederent, nequaquam adquieverunt. Imperator vero pro eligantia eorum, ne in momento perirent, spatium tractandi indulget. At illi in unam se speluncam concludunt, ibique per multos dies habitaverunt. Egrediebatur tamen unus ex eis et conparabat victus et quae necessaria erant exhibebat. Revertente autem imperatore in eadem civitate, isti petierunt ad Dominum, ut eos ab hoc periculo dignaretur eruere; factaque oratione, prostrati solo obdormierunt, Cumque imperator didicisset, eos in hoc antro morari, nutu Dei iussit os speluncae magnis lapidibus oppilari, dicens: 'Ibi intereant, qui diis nostris immolare noluerunt. Quod dam ageretur, quidam christianus in tabula plumbea nomina et martyrium eorum scribens, clam in aditu cavernae, priusquam oppilaretur, inclusit. Post multorum vero annorum curricula, cum, data eclesiis pace, Theodosius christianus obtenuisset imperium, surrexit hereses inmunda Sadduceorum, qui negant resurrectionem futuram. Tunc quidam civis Ephesius, dum caulas ovibus secum montem ipsum facere destinat ac lapides divolvit ad coaptanda earum septa, ignarus quae agerentur introrsum, patefecit ingressum eius; non tamen cognovit arcanum, quod habebatur intrinsecus. Dominus autem inmisit septem viris spiritum vitae, et surrexerunt, putantesque, quod una tantum nocte dormissent, miserunt puerum unum ex se, qui cibos emeret. Cumque veniens supra portam civitatis vidisset crucis gloriosae signaculum audissetque per Christi nomen iurare populum, obstipuit; prolatisque nummis, quos a tempore Decii habebat, a mercatore conprehenditur, dicente sibi, quia: 'Absconditos antiquitus thesauros repperisti'. At ille negans, deducitur ad episcopum ac iudicem civitatis. Cumque ab his argueretur, conpellente necessitate, absconditum misterium revelavit et deduxit eos ad speluncam, in qua viri erant. Cumque ingrederetur episcopus, invenit tabulam plumbeam, in qua omnia quae pertulerant habebantur scripta, locutusque cum eis, nuntiaverunt haec cursu rapido imperatori Theodosio. At ille veniens, adoravit eos pronus in terram; qui tali colloquio cum eodem usi sunt principe: 'Surrexit, gloriosae auguste, hereses, quae populum christianum a Dei promissionibus conatur evertere, ut dicant, non fieri resurrectionem mortuorum. Ergo ut scias, quia omnes iuxta apostolum Paulum repraesentandi erimus ante tribunal Christi, idcirco iussit nos Dominus suscitari et tibi ista loqui. Vide ergo, ne seducaris et excludaris a regno Dei'. Haec audiens Theodosius imperator, glorificavit Dominum, qui non permisit perire populum suum. Viri autem iterum prostrati in terram, obdormierunt; quibus cum Theodosius imperator sepulchra ex auro fabricare velit, per visum prohibitus est, ne faceret. Viri autem usque hodie palliolis siricis aut carbassinis cooperti in ipso loco requiescunt. Quod passio eorum, quam Siro quodam interpretante in Latino transtulimus, plenius pandit.