The discovery of the relics of Barnabas in Cyprus

From: the LAUDATIO on St. Barnabas, written in Greek by Alexander, a 6th century monk from Cyprus, living in the Convent close to Salamis where the relics of Barnabas were ‘found’. The discovery of the bones (ca. 488) is closely connected to the establishment of the ecclesial autonomy of Cyprus. The “Laudatio Barnabae” sheds light on the intense discussions that took place around the Confession of Chalcedon and serves to attack the monophysite position, which the Antioch Patriarch Petrus Fullo tried to impose on the Cypriote Church. The text below is the one transcribed by Daniel van Papebroek (latinized: Papebrochius ), an Antwerp Jesuit and editor of the famous Acta Sanctorum.1 He published a Vatican manuscript with a Latin translation he erroneously attributed to Franciscus Zeno/Zini.2 I copied the texts from the digital edition of the Acta Sanctorum (and did not check correctness). The source manuscript used by Papebrochius is Codex Vaticanus graecus 655 (also dating from the 16th Century). For a modern edition with commentary and German translation, see Alexander Monachus, Laudatio Barnabae – Lobrede auf Barnabas, ed. B. Kollmann, W. Deuse (Brepols, 2007).

The original (Acta Sanctorum Iunii, t. II, p. 449)

CAPUT QUARTUM. 
Inventio corporis S. Barnabæ, & hujus exinde celebris cultus.

The story of the miraculous discovery of the grave of Barnabas (with his remains still intact!): section 40 (the announcement) and section 41 (the actual finding)
– I highlighted the relevant passages and used bold for the direct reference to the gospel.
– Background: The story itself is part of a series of nightly appearances (in a dream) of Saint Barnabas to the Bishop of Cyprus (Anthemios).
– In it Barnabas first – not revealing his identity – addresses the bishop, comforts him in his struggle/debate with Petrus Fullo (Archbishop of Antioch), but in the third dream he identifies himself as Saint Barnabas (‘Ego sum Barnabas’), instructing him to go out of the city and dig up his relics, buried in a cave under a special tree. I italicized the beginning of Barnabas’ speech (which sounds very much like biblical prose, many references to the appearance of God to young Samuel and mirroring instructions given by Jesus to his disciples etc.).
– The discovery of the relics (intact) has a purpose, which is also revealed by Barnabas: securing the independence of the Church of Cyprus in the context of the monophysite struggle in the Orthodox Church. Anthemios was orthodox (faithful to the Chalcedon-doctrine: Christ is one, but has two natures: he is truly God and truly Man) but the Bishop of Antioch (who claimed to be his superior!) was monophysite. One feels how convenient the ‘discovery’ of Barnabas’ relics must have been. To resist the claim of Antioch he needed to have ‘apostle’ as founder of the Church and preferably (some of) his relics. Fake news is no modern invention, nor is propaganda.
– After the discovery of the apostolic tomb, Anthemios went to Constantinople, met with the Archbishop and the Emperor (sections 42-50). He trumped the Antiochene delegates who claimed authority over Cyprus, revealing the discovery of Barnabas’ tomb. As a result a decree was issued that the Patriarch of Antioch should not interfere in the business of the Church of Cyprus (it became an autocephalous Church). The emperor demanded the gospel of Matthew to be transported to Constantinople. Returning to Cyprus, Anthemios built a church on the place where the remains of St Barnabas were found (close to Salamis, Famagusta). There still is a – now abandoned – monastery. Not mentioned by Alexander, but generally believed: Zeno authorised Anthemios to wear some ‘imperial signs’ and sign his name with vermillion ink, like the Emperors of Byzantium.
– A contradiction exists between this story and the one told in the ‘Acts of Barnabas‘ (slightly ante-dating the ‘Laudatio’ but written with the same purpose) where is said that Barnabas’ bones were completely burnt to ashes and put in a sealed lead box. Afterwards this box was rescued by his companions and buried in the cave, together with ‘the scroll of the Gospel of Matthew’ (by the way: none of these stories suggests in any way that the Gospel found in Barnabas’ grave was Matthew’s). Another contradictory element: in the Hypomnema Barnabae the discovery of the bones of Barnabas was accidental: a farmer ploughing his land stumbled over it.

Greek text

[38] Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ κήρυξ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἁγιώτατος ἐν Ἀποστόλοις Βαρνάβας ἤλεγξεν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἀνόητον, ἐν καιρῷ τῆς πατρίδος γενόμενος ἀντιλήπτωρ. Τοῦ γὰρ Ἐπισκόπου τῆς Σαλαμηνέων κελευθέντοςκαταλαβεῖν τὴν βασιλεύουσαν, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ οἰκουμενικοῦ Πατριάρχου κριθῆναι πρὸς τοὺς ἐξ Ἀντιοχείας, ἀπεναρκώθη τῷ φόβῳ, ὑφορώμενος τὰς τοῦ Κναφέως συσκευάς. Ἀνθέμιος δὲ ἦν ὁ θαυμάσιοςἀνὴρ, τὰ μάλιστα ὀρθοδοξότατος, καὶ βίῳ ἀκηλιδώτῳ λελαμπρυσμένος, ὀλιγοστὸς δὲ πρὸς διάλεξιν ταῖς ἀντιδιατιθεμένων. Ἁμηχανοῦντι τοίνυν καὶ ἀποροῦντι περὶ τὴν ἀποδημίαν, νύκτωρ ἐπίσταταίτις αὐτῷ κατεύδοντι ἐν ἰδιάζοντι τόπῳ, θείκελον ἔχων τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ φωτὸς μαρμαρυγὰς ἀπαστράπτων, στολὴν ἐκ φωτὸς ἠμφιεσμένος, καὶ ἱεροπρεπῶς ἀναβεβλημένος, καί φησι πρὸς αὐτόν· Τίοὕτω λελύπησαι, Ἐπίσκοπε; καὶ τίς ἡ περί σε αὕτη ῥαθυμία, καὶ ἵνα τί συνέπεσέ σου τὸ πρόσωπον; οὐδὲν κτήσῃ δεινὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀντιδίκων· καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀπέστη ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ.

[39] Ἔξυπνος δὲ γενόμενος ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος μετὰ φόβου, ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ πρόσωπον μετὰ πολλῶν δακρύων, καὶ ἐδέετο τοῦ Θεοῦ λέγων· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ, υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, φεῖσαι τῆς δὲ τῆςἐκκλησίας· οἶδα δὲ ὅτι φείδῃ· καὶ εἰ παρά σου γόγονεν ἡ ὀπτασία αὕτη, καταξίωσον δευτερῶσαι μοι καὶ τρισσῶσαι τὴν ὅρασιν, ἵνα πληρωφορηθῶ, ὅτι σὺ μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ εἶ. Ἐν τούτῳ σπουδαιοτέρωςἐκέχρητο τῇ προσευχῇ, μηδενὶ συντυγχάνων· τῇ δὲ ἐπιούσῃ νυκτὶ πάλιν ἐπίσταται αὑτῳ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνηρ ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ ἰδέᾳ καὶ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ σχήματι, λέγων πρὸς αὐτόν· Εἰπόν σοι ἤδη ὁτι ούδὲν τῶνἀπειλουμένων σοι συνβήσεται· βαῖνε τοίνυν προθύμως ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλίδα, μηδὲν ὑφορώμενος· καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀνεχώρησεν. Ἀναστὰς δὲ πάλιν ηὐχαρίστησε τῷ Κυρίῳ μηδὲν λαλήσας μηδενὶ.Ἐξεδέχετο δὲ καὶ τὴν τρίτην ὅρασιν· καὶ τῇ ἐπερχομένῃ νυκτὶ ἐπέστη αὐτῷ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀνὴρ, ἐμβριθέστερον λέγων πρὸς αὐτόν· Ἕως τίνος οὐ πιστεύεις τοῖς λόγοις μου, οἵτινες πληρωθήσονται ἐνταύταις ταῖς ἡμέραις; Βαδίζε προθύμως τὴν βασιλίδα, καὶ μετὰ δόξης ὐποστρέψεις εἰς τὸν θρόνον σου· οὐδὲν πεισῃ δεινὸν ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν, Θεοῦ ὑπερασπίζοντός σου δι᾽ ἐμοῦ τοῦ δούλου αὐτοῦ.

[40] Ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος, τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ἀνοιχθέντος, Σὺ γὰρ τίς εἶ, Κύριέ μου, ὁ ταῦτα λαλῶν παρ᾽ ἐμοί; Ὁ δὲ, Ἐγώ εἰμι, φησὶ, Βαρνάβας, ὁ μαθητὴς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ; ὁἀφορισθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος εἱς ἀποστολὴν ἐθνῶν, μετὰ Παύλου τοῦ Ἀποστόλου τοῦ σκεύους τῆς ἐκλογῆς· τοῦτό σοι ἔστω τὸ σημεῖον· Πορεύου, φησὶν, ἔξω τῆς πόλεως κατὰ δυσμὰς ἀπὸσταδίων πέντε, εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν λεγόμενον τῆς Ὑγιείας· δι᾽ ἐμοῦ γὰρ ἐνεργεῖ ὁ Θεὸς τὰ θαύματα ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἐκείνῳ· καὶ ὤρυξον ἐπὶ τὴν κεραταίαν, καὶ εὑρήσεις σπήλαιον, καὶ λάρνακα ἐν αὐτῷ· ἐκεῖμου τὸ πᾶν σῶμα ἀπόκειται, καὶ εὐαγγελιον ἰδιόχειρον, ὃ ἐξέλαβον ἀπὸ Ματθαίου τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀποστόλου καὶ Εὐαγγελιστοῦ· 3 καὶ ἐπειδὴ οἱ ἀντίδικοί σου δικαιολόγουσιν ἄνω καὶ κάτω, λέγοντες, ὅτιἈποστολικός ἐστιν ὁ θρόνος Ἀντιοχείας, ἀντιδικαιολόγησον καὶ σύ πρὸς αὐτοὺς λέγων, Ὁτὶ καὶ ὁ ἐμὸς θρόνος Ἀποστολικός ἐστι, καὶ Ἀπόστολον ἔχω ἑν τῇ πατρίδι μου.

[41] Ταῦτ᾽ εἰπὼν ἀπῆλθε· καὶ ἁναστὰς ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος καὶ προσκυνήσας τῶ Κυρίῳ, συνήγαγε πάντα τὸν κλῆρον καὶ τὸν φιλόχριστον λαὸν, καὶ ἐξῆλθε μετὰ σταυρωφανίας εἰς τὸν τόπον τὸν δειχθέντααὐτῷ μετὰ πολλῆς παρασκευῆς· καὶ ποιήσας οὐχἦν, ἐκέλευσεν ὀρυγῆναι τὸν τόπον· καὶ μικρὸν ὀρύξαντες, εὗρον σπήλαιον πεφραγμένον ἑν λίθοις· καὶ τούτους ἀποκυλίσαντες, εὗρον τὴν σωρόν·καὶ ταύτην ἀποσκεπάσαντες, εὗρον τὸ τίμιον λείψανον τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἐνδόξου Ἀποστόλου Βαρνάβα, πνέον εὐωδίαν χάριτος πνευματικῆς· εὖρον δὲ καὶ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος αὐτοῦ κείμενον·καὶ σφραγίσαντες τὴν σωρὸν μολίβδῳ, καὶ ποιήσαντες εὐχὴν καὶ προσκυνήσαντες ἀνεχώρησαν, τοῦ Ἐπισκόπου καταστήσαντος ἐν τῷ τόπῳ ἄνδρας εὐλαβεῖς, ἑσπεριναῖς καὶ ἑωθιναῖς ὑμνοδίαις τὸν Θεὸν δοξολογεῖν.

[42] Αὐτὸς δὲ παραλαβὼν τῶν Ἐπισκόπων τοὺς ἐπισήμους, ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλίδα, καὶ κατήχθη ἐν τῷ Ἐπισκοπείῳ. Καὶ ἐμηνύθη τῷ Βασιλεῖ ἡ παρουσία αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐπέτρεψε τῷ Πατριάρχῃδιακοῦσαι μετὰ τῆς ἐνδημούσης συνόδου τὰ μεταξὺ τῶν μερῶν, καὶ τὸ παριστάμενον διαλαλῆσαι. Τοῦ δὲ συνεδρίου συγκροτηθέντος, καὶ τῆς ὑποθέσεως κινηθείσης, οἱ ἐξ ἐναντίας χρώμενοι ὡςᾤοντο τοῖς ἑαυτῶν δικαίοις, ἔλεγεν, Οτι Πατριαρχικός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς Ἀντιοχέων καὶ Ἀποστολικὸς θρόνος· καὶ δὴ τὰς ἄλλας ἐπαρχίας εἴται ὑπ᾽ αὐτόν. Ἐδόκουν δὲ τοῖς παροῦσιν εὔλογα λαλεῖν. Ὁ δὲμακάριος Ἀνθύμιος μικρὸν ἐπισχὼν, ἀνθυπήνεγκε λέγων. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ ἐμὸς θρόνος Ἀποστολικός ἐστιν ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, καὶ ἐλευθερίᾳ τετιμημένος ἐστὶ. καὶ Ἀπόστολον ὁλόσωμον ἔχω ἐν τῇ πατρίδιμου, τὸν ἐν ἁγίαις εὐφημίαις Βαρνάβαν τὸν τρισμακάριον. Τούτου λαληθέντος·, οὐκέτι ἦν τόπος, τῶν Ἐπισκόπων κυρωσάντων σιωπῇ τὸν λόγον, καὶ οἱ ἐξ ἐναντιας εἰστήκεισαν μετ᾽ αἰσχύνης ἐννεοὶ,τὸ εὔλογον τῆς ἀποκρίσεως ἐκπληττόμενοι.

[43] Ταῦτα μαθὼν ὁ Βασιλεὺς, μεταμεμψάμενος μετὰ σπουδῆς τὸν Ἐπίσκόπον Κύπρου, ἐπυνθάνετο περὶ τῆς ἀποκαλύψεως τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀποστόλου Βαρνάβα. Ὁ δὲ μηδὲν μελλήσας λείπει, καὶ μηδὲν, ἤ τιτοιοῦτος τοῦ ἀληθοῦς ἀποκρύψαι, πάντα καθεξῆς διηγήσατο τῷ Βασιλεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας, ἐχάρη, λίαν θαυμάζων ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ πλουσίᾳ χάριτι, ὅτι ἐν τοῖς χρόνοις τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ τηλικοῦτονθαῦμα ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεός. Τότε ἀπεσόβησεν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἀντιοχείας Ἐπίσκοπον, κελεύσας τοῦ λοιποῦ τὸ παράπαν μὴ παρενοχλεῖσθαι τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον Κύπρου, ἕνεκεν τῆς ὑποθέσεως ταύτης. Τότεπαρακαλεῖ τὸν μακάριον Ἀνθέμιον τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον λέγων· Ἐπειδὴ ἐν τοὶς χρόνοις τῆς ἁγίας σου ἱεραρχίας, ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ηὐδόκησεν ἀποκαλύψαι τὸν ἅγιον αὐτοῦ Ἀπόστολον Βαρνάβαν, κέλευσον ἐνταῦθά μοι τὸ τάχος ἀνακομισθῆναι τὸ εὑρεθὸν εὐαγγέλιον, χαριζόμενός μοι ἐν τούτῳ τῷ τέκνῳ σου χάριν ὅτι μάλιστα πλείστην· ἔξεις γὰρ κᾀμὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν εἰς πάνταὐπακούοντα τῇ σῇ πατρωσύνη.

[44] Ἐπινεύσας δὲ ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος ἀπέσταλεν ἕνα τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ Ἐπισκόπων, μετὰ πιστοτάτου ἀνθρώπου τοῦ Βασιλέως· καὶ λαβόντες τὸ Ἐὐαγγέλιον ἀνήγαγον ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, ἔχων ἐκ θυήνωνξύλων τὰ πθύχια. Λαβὼν δὲ ὁ Βασιλεὺς, καὶ καταφιλήσας, καὶ χρυσίῳ κοσμήσας, ἀπέθετο ἐν τῳ Παλατίῳ, καὶ μέχρι τῆς σύμερον φυλάττεται. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ μεγάλῃ πέμπτῃ τοῦ Πάσχα, καθ᾽ ἕκαστονἐνιαυτὸν, ἐν αὐτῷ ἀναγινώσκουσι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἐν τῷ εὐκτηρίῳ τοῦ Παλατίου. Τὸν δὲ Ἐπίσκοπον μεγάλως ὁ Βασιλεὺς τιμήσας, ἀπέλυσεν, αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν Κύπρον μετὰ χρημάτων πολλῶν καὶκελεύσεως, ἐντειλάμενος αὐτῷ ἐγεῖραι ναὸν τῷ ἁγίῳ Ἀποστόλῳ Βαρνάβα, ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, ἐνθα εὑρέθη τὸ τίμιον αὐτοῦ λείψανον· πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν μεγιστάνων δεδώκασιν αὐτῷ χρήματα εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴντοῦ ναοῦ.

[45] Ὁ δὲ καταλαβὼν τὴν Κυπρίων, καὶ συναγαγὼν πλῆθος τεχνητῶν καὶ ἐργατῶν, οὐ παρέργως εἴχετο τῆς οἰκοδομῆς· ἀλλ᾽ ἤγειρεν ναὸν τῷ Ἀποστόλῳ παμμεγεθέστατον, λαμπρὸν τοῖς μηχανήμασι,λαμπρότερον τῇ ποκιλίᾳ τῆς διακοσμήσεως, ἐμβόλοις ἔξωθεν κὺκλῳ περιεσφιγμένον. Κατὰ δὲ τὸ κλίτος τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ πρὸς Λιβα, ἐποίησεν αὐλὴν μεγάλην, τέσσαρας στοὰς ἔχουσαν· καὶ οἰκίσκουςἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν τῆς αὐλῆς οἰκοδομήσας, καταμένειν ἐν αὐτοῖς προσέταξε τοὺς τὰς θείας λειτουργίας ἐν τῷ ναῷ ἐπιτελοῦνττας, λειτουργοῦντας μοναχούς· τὸν δὲ ὑδραγωγὸν ἐνέγκας ἀπὸ μακρόθεν,ἀναβλύσαι πλουσίως πεποίηκεν ἐν μέσῳ τῆς αὐλῆς, ὑδροχεῖον κάλλιστον οὶκοδομήσας, ὅπως οἱ παροικοῦντες εν τῷ τόπῳ καὶ οἱ ξένοι ἔχωσιν ἀφθόνως τὴν τοῦ νάματος ἀπόλαυσιν· πολλὰς δὲ καὶἑτέρας ζενίας ᾠκοδόμησε τῷ τόπῳ, εἰς ἁνάπαυσιν τῶν ἐπιδημούντων ξένων· καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν ἐκεῖνον τὸν κῶρον τῇ ὡραιότητι μιμούμενον μικράν τινα πόλιν καὶ τερπνὴν λιαν.

[46] Τὴν δὲ ἁγίαν Ἀποστόλου θήκην ἀπέθετο ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, ἀργυρίῳ ἱκανῷ καὶ μαρμάροις κατακοσμήσας τὸν τόπον· τὴν δὲ ἡμέραν τῆς ἐνδόξου μνήμης τοῦ τρισμακαρίου Ἀποστόλουκαὶ γενναίου Μάρτυρος Βαρνάβα, ἐδικαίωσαν γίνεσθαι καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἐνιαυτὸν, κατὰ μὲν Ῥωμαίους τῇ πρὸ τριῶν εἰδῶν Ἰουνιῶν, κατὰ δὲ Κυπρίους Κωνσταντιεῖς μηνὶ Μεσωρεῖ, τοῦ καὶ δεκάτου ια᾽,κατὰ δὲ Ἀσιανοὺς ἤτοι κατὰ Παφίους μηνὶ Ηληθυπάτω, τοῦ καὶ ἐννάτου ιθ᾽, συναγόμενοι καὶ τὰς πνευματικὰς ἐπιτελοῦντες λειτουργίας, εἰς δόξαν τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος,ὅτι αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

[47] Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἀποκάλυψις τῶν λειψάνων τοῦ ἁγίου Ἀποστόλου Βαρνάβα, τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον. Τὰ δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας αὐτοῦ θήκης ἀναβρύοντα καθ᾽ ἑκάστην νάματα, εἴ τις θελήσει ἐγγράψαι, οὐδὲ ὁπᾶς αὐτῷ ὡς οἶμαι ἐπαρκέσειεν χάρτης· Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν προλαβόντων μνήμην ἀναδραμόντες, τοῦτον τὸν πένταθλον τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγωνιστὴν καὶ στεφανίτην ἀνυμνήσωμεν, μακαρίσωμεν,εὐφημήσωμεν· οὗτος γὰρ ὡς ἐλαῖα κατάκαρπος ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ πεφυτευμένος, καρποὺς εὐωδίας, καθ᾽ ἑκάστην τῷ Θεῷ προσφέρει· οὗτος βασιλέων δόξα, καὶ Ἱερέων εὐφροσύνη, λαῶνἀγαλλίαμα· οὗτος θλιβομένων παράκλησις, καταπονουμένων ἀντίληψις, ἀπελπισμένων ἐλπὶς, ἀπεγνωσμένην βοηθὴς, ξένων παρηγορία, νοσούντων ἰατρεία, ὑγιαινόντων φύλαξ, πηγὴ χαρισμάτωνπνευματικῶν, ἐκκλησίας τεῖχος, ὀρθοδοξων στήριγμα, πιστῶν ὀχύρωμα, καύχημα πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης.

[48] Ἀλλὰ σοῦ μὲν ὁ ἔπαινος, ὦ πανόλβιε καὶ τρισμακάριε Ἀπόστολε Χριστοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν Βαρνάβα, παντα νοῦν καὶ λόγον ἀνθρώπων ὑπερβάλλει· τῆς δὲ ἡμετέρας πτωχείας τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνηνὅμως ἀποδεξάμενος, πρέσβευε ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, πρὸς ὃν ἠγάπησας Χριστὸν τὸν μονογενῆ υἱον καὶ λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅπως ῥύσηται ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ ἐνεστῶτος αἰῶνος πονηροῦ, καὶ δῴη ἡμῖν ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶνεὑρεῖν, καὶ ἕλεος καὶ οἰκτιρμοὺς ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ τῇ φοβερᾳ, ὅταν ἔλθῃ κρῖναι ζώντας καὶ νεκρούς.

[49] Τὸν δὲ τὸν διάδοχον τὸν διέποντα τὸν ἅγιόν σου θρόνον, τὸν σύμφρονα τῆς σῆς ἀκλινοῦς πίστεως, τὸν γνήσιον ὐποφήτην τῆς σῆς ὀρθοδοξίας, τὸν μιμητὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, τὸν ποιμένα καὶπατήρα ἡμῶν καὶ ἱεράρχην, τὸν παρόντα καὶ νῦν καὶ φαιδρύνοντα τὴν ἁγίαν σου μνήμην, ἰκέτευε ἐκτενῶς τὸν Θεὸν, φυλαχθῆναι τῷ ἁγιωτάτῳ θρόνῳ, ἐν πολλαῖς ἐτῶν ἀνακυκλὼσεσιν, ὑγιαίνοντακαὶ ποιμαίνοντα ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ, τὸν ἐν πάσῃ ὁσιύτητι καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας.

[50] Τῆς δὲ πατρίδος σου πάσης φρόντισον, ὡς πάντοτε καὶ νῦν, ταῖς σαῖς ἁγίαις εὐχαῖς φυλάττων αὐτὴν ἀπὸ παντὸς κακοῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ σκανδάλων ἐργαζομένων τὴν ἀνομίαν· ἵνα εἰρηνικῶς, σωφρόνωςτε καὶ εὐσεβῶς ζήσωμεν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι, προσδεχόμενοι τὸ ἔλεος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιων, ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ οἰκτιρμοῖς καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦΚυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ᾽ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ δόξα, σὺν τῷ παναγίῳ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

LATIN TRANSLATION

 

[38] Sed pietatis præco & sanctissimus Apostolus Barnabas, patriæ suæ opportuno tempore subveniens, [Anthemio Episc. adire CP. timenti,] illius Petri stultitiam vel malitiam potius redarguit. Cum enim Episcopus Salaminæ jussus fuisset ad regiam urbem se conferre, & adversus Antiochenos coram Patriarcha causam dicere; præ timore torpescebat, Fullonis illius insidias suspectas habens. Erat tunc Salaminæ urbis Episcopus Anthemius, vir cum primis admirabilis, quod ad rectam fidem & vitæ innocentiam pertineret; sed ad disputationem cum adversariis sustinendam, parum valebat. Cum igitur ancipiti cogitatione fluctuaret, neque certum haberet quid ageret, num videlicet Constantinopolim proficisci deberet, necne; nocte in somnis adstitit illi quidam, [S. Barnabas apparet eumque animat,] divinam quamdam speciem præse ferens, & luminis splendore multo effulgens, lucidaque veste indutus, ac sacro habitu decorus; qui & hæc dixit: Cur ita tristis es nunc, Episcope? Quomodo tantus iste torpor te corripuit? Cur vultus tuus ita concidit? Nihil mali ab adversariis tuis patieris.

[39] Hæc cum dixisset, ab Anthemio discessit. Qui experrectus, & timore perterritus in faciem se prostravit, & multis lacrymis Deum ita precatus est: Domine Jesu Christe, fili Dei vivi, adjuva Ecclesiam hanc. Scio autem, quod illam adjuvas. Si visio hæc a te profeta est, fac, quæso, ut eadem iterum ac tertio mihi ostendatur, ut te mecum esse certo scire possim. Interea Episcopus ille divinis precibus attentius vacabat, [Iterumque] ab omnium hominum congressione remōtus. Nocte autem, quæ deinceps consecuta est, cum adstitisset idem ille vir, eadem forma & habitu, quo antea visus fuerat: Jam, inquit, tibi dixi, nihil mali te pasturum ex iis, quæ tibi adversarii minantur. Nihil igitur suspicans, prompto animo ad urbem Constantinopolim venias. Hæc cum dixisset, discessit. Episcopus vero rursus Domino gratias egit, neque quidquam alicui dixit, sed expectabat tamen revelationem tertiam. Nocte igitur consequente idem vir apparuit, [ac tertio,] qui gravius eum increpans: Quousque, inquit, non vis credere verbis meis, quæ diebus his complenda sunt? Proficiscere in urbem regiam prompto & alacri animo: illinc enim cum gloria reverteris, neque quidquam mali ab adversariis passus fueris, cum Deum ipsum, propter me servum suum, tui propugnatorem habeas.

[40] Tunc Episcopus os suum aperiens, Quæso, inquit, [& indicat quo loco inventurus sit suum corpus.] Domine mi, dic: Quis hæc mecum loqueris? Tum ille ait: Ego sum Barnabas, discipulus Domini nostri Jesu Christi, segregatus a Spiritu sancto, ut una cum Paulo Apostolo electionis vase munus Apostolicum inter Gentes exercerem. Hujus rei signum hoc habeas: Egredere extra urbem Occidentem versus stadiis quinque, in eam regionem, quæ Sanitatis locus appellatur (Per me enim Deus ipse in loco illo miracula efficit) & sub arbore Siliqua effodias: speluncam enim atque arcam invenies, quoniam illic totum corpus meum conditum est, & Euangelium manu propria scriptum, quod a sancto Apostolo & Euangelista Matthæo excepi.4 Quoniam vero adversarii tui, sursum & deorsum miscentes omnia, & jura quædam objicientes, tecum disceptant, Antiochiæ sedem Apostolicam esse contendentes; & tu contra jus tuum illis opponas; Et mea, inquiens, sedes Apostolica est: nam & Apostolum habeo in patria mea. His dictis, Barnabas discessit.

[41] Episcopus vero experrectus, Deum adoravit, totoque clero & populo Christi amantissimo congregato, [Is eo reperto] exiit in eum locum, quem per revelationem didicerat, multo apparatu & Cruce ipsa prælata. Cumque preces ad Deum misisset, jussit locum effodi: quem postquam paulum fodissent, invenerunt speluncam lapidibus obstructam. Illis autem sublatis, apparuit arca illa: qua detecta, invenerunt venerandas sancti & venerabilis Apostoli Barnabæ reliquias, suavem gratiæ spiritualis odorem spirantes; invenerunt etiam Euangelium supra Barnabæ pectus impositum. Illam vero arcam plumbeo sigillo munierunt: cumque Deum precati essent & adorassent, discesserunt; viris religiosis in loco illo ab ipso Episcopo constitutis, qui vespertinis & matutinis hymnis Deum collandarent.

[42] [Regiam adit,] Ille igitur, insigniores Episcopos secum habens, venit in urbem regiam Constantinopolim, & ad Patriarchæ b domum deductus est. De cujus adventu cum Imperator audivisset, Patriarchæ ipsi mandavit, ut cum Synodo, quæ illuc convenerat, omnium partium controversiam audiret, & quod illi videretur decerneret. Coacto igitur Concilio, cum causa illa tractaretur, adversarii afferebant sua jura, ut sibi videbantur, quod Antiochena Sedes Apostolica & Patriarchica Sedes esset; ob idque contendebant & alias provincias sibi subjectas esse debere. Hæc cum assererent, iis, qui præsentes erant, rationi consentanea dicere videbantur. Beatus vero Anthemius paulum moratus, contra objiciens: Et mea, inquit, Sedes Apostolica fuit, inde usque a principio, & libertate honorata; qui & Apostolum habeo in patria mea integro corpore constantem, beatissimum, inquam, illum Barnabam, sanctarum laudum præconiis celeberrimum. Hoc cum Anthemius opposuisset, nihil loci adversariis relictum est: cum Episcopi, qui præsentes erant, Anthemii orationem silentio confirmassent. Adversarii vero ipsi rubore perfusi, muti remanserunt, responso illo tam justo perculsi.

[43] [& causam obtinet.] Hæc cum Imperator audivisset, Episcopum Cypri ad se accersiri jussit. & de revelatione sancti Apostoli Barnabæ diligenter ab eo quæsivit. Ille nihil ex his, quæ vera cognoverat, occultavit; sed ordine rem omnem Imperatori narravit: qui hæc audiens, valde gavisus est, divinæ gratiæ divitias admirans, quod Imperii sui temporibus tantum miraculum a Deo factum cognosceret. Tunc Antiochenæ urbis Episcopum illinc expulit, & jussit, [Imperator Euangeliū Matthæi mitti sibi petit:] ut in posterum Cypri Episcopo, quod ad eam causam pertinebat, nihil omnino molestus esset. Beatum vero Anthemium Episcopum ita rogavit: Quoniam sancti Pontificatus tui temporibus Domino nostro Jesu Christo placuit, sanctum suum Apostolum Barnabam revelare; jube, quæso, celeriter Euangelium illud, quod inventum est, nobis afferri. Id si feceris, mihi filio tuo gratissimum erit: habebis enim & meipsum posthac tibi, Pater, in omnibus obtemperantem.

[44] Assensus est ejus petitioni Episcopus, & quemdam ex iis, quos secum habebat, [& jubet S. Barnabæ templum erigi,] una cum fidelissimo Imperatoris ministro Episcopum misit, qui Euangelium illud in urbem Constantinopolim attulerunt. Erant autem libri tabellæ thyinis lignis compositæ. Euangelium illud Imperator in manus sumpsit, & deosculatos est, auroque multo exornatum in palatio suo reposuit; ubi ad hodiernum usque diem servatur, & in magna quinta Paschæ feria quotannis in palatii oratorio Euangelium ex eo libro recitatur: Episcopum vero Anthemium magnis honoribus prosecutus, pecuniis multis donatum, ad insulam Cyprum remisit; eique mandavit, ut sancto Apostolo Barnabæ templum in eo loco erigeret, ubi venerandæ ipsius Reliquiæ inventæ fuerant: multi autem ex Optimatium numero, pro illius templi ædificatione, pecuniam contulerunt.

[45] Ille igitur in Cyprum reversus, multos artifices atque operarios collegit, & ædificationi non mediocrem operam dedit, & Apostolo Barnabæ templum valde magnum, tum ædificio, [Episcopus pulcherrimū condit] tum multo & vario ornatu insigne, construxit. Ad eam vero templi partem quæ ad Libyum spectat, aulam quandam composuit, quatuor porticus habentem: & cellas hinc atque illinc e regione sibi oppositas in aula construxit, ut qui divina Officia in templo illo Monachi celebrarent, in illis cellis habitare possent. Quin etiam e longinqua regione aquæ ductum derivari fecit, [cum monasterio] & in medio atrio concham quamdam pulcherrimam construxit, in quam aqua illa deflueret; ut tam qui eo in loco habitabant, quam qui peregre venissent, abunde aquis illis frui possent. Multa etiam alia hospitia illic ædificavit, in quibus peregrini & hospites recreari possent; [& hospitali:] ita ut qui locum illum vidisset, parvæ alicujus & jucundæ urbis figuram videre sibi visus esset.

[46] Dein arcam illam, in qua Barnabæ Apostoli reliquiæ conditæ erant, in dextera sacræ aræ parte collocavit, qui locus multo argento & marmoreis columnis ornatus erat. Diem vero festum, quo beati Apostoli & generosi Martyris Barnabæ memoria celebraretur, Patres agi per singulos annos constituerunt, tertio Idus Junii, ut Romani numerant: ut vero Cyprii Constantienses, die undecimo ejus mensis, [festum 11 Junii.] qui ab illis dicitur Mesores, & decimus numeratur; ut autem Asiani homines, vel Paphii numerant, decimonono mensis, qui Phthipatus dicitur, & nonus numeratur. Hoc igitur anni tempore in eum locum, quem supra diximus, gentes plurimæ conveniunt, & divina officia concelebrant in gloriam Patris, Filii, & Spiritus sancti, cui debetur gloria in secula seculorum, Amen.

[47] Reliquiarum sancti Apostoli Barnabæ revelatio ita habuit, [Miracula innumera ad sepulcrum ejus.] ut diximus. Quæ vero miracula quotidie a sanctissimo ipsius sepulcro abunde proficiscuntur, ea siquis conscribere velit, ne multis quidem voluminibus (ut opinor) illa complecti poterit. Nos igitur ad eorum, quæ supra diximus, memoriam redeuntes, virum hunc, pietatis causa omnibus certaminibus egregie functum, ob idque cælesti corona donatum, hymnis divinis prosequamur; & eumdem beatum prædicantes, [Egregia illius epitheta.] laudum præconiis celebremus. Hic enim, tamquam oliva quædam fructifera, in domo Dei plantatus, quotidie fructus suavem odorem spirantes Deo ipsi offert. Hic Imperatorum gloria, Sacerdotum jucunditas, Populorum exultatio, eorum qui angustiis premuntur consolatio, afflictorum perfugium ac recreatio, desperatorum spes atque adjutor, peregrinorum requies, ægrotantium medicina, sanorum custos, spiritualium gratiarum fons, Ecclesiæ murus, orthodoxorum firmamentum, fidelium hominum propugnatio, totius orbis terrarum decus.

[48] Ceterum tot & tantæ sunt, beatissime Apostole Jesu Christi Barnaba, [Auctor invocat S. Barnabam;] laudes tuæ, ut omnium hominum mentem atque orationem superent. Nihilominus tamen nostri sermonis paupertatem exiguam illam quidem, sed promptam certe, acceptam habens, pro nobis apud eum, quem dilexisti, Christum, unigenitum Dei Filium & Verbum, intercedere non graveris, ut ille a præsenti & laborioso hoc seculo nos eripiat, nobisque concedat, ut remissionem peccatorum, [sibi-ipsi,] clementiam & misericordiam multam assequamur, in illo die terribili, cum venerit judicare vivos & mortuos.

[49] Tuum vero successorem, qui sanctam Sedem tuam gubernat, [& Archiepiscopo Salaminæ:] firmam atque immobilem, cujus & tu propugnator fuisti, fidem eodem sensu tuentem, orthodoxæ veritatis legitimum & verum doctorem, Salvatoris nostri imitatorem, pastorem & patrem nostrum, qui præsens est, & sanctam tui memoriam illustrem repræsentat, Deum exora, ut multis annorum circulis in sanctissima tua Sede conservet valentem, & populum ipsius in pace & tranquillitate regentem, qui & veritatis doctrinam omni cum sanctitate & justitia dirigat.

[50] Te insuper oramus, ut qua cura patriam tuam semper prosecutus es, eadem & nunc illam prosequaris, eamque tuis sanctis apud Deum precibus custodias, & a scandalis operantium iniquitatem eripias, [totique patriæ.] ut in pace, modestia, ac pietate vitam in hoc seculo ducamus; & misericordiam Domini nostri Jesu Christi expectantes, ad æternam illam vitam pervenire possimus, cujus nos Christi omnes participes fieri optamus, gratia, misericordia & benignitate Domini nostri Jesu Christi; cui gloria sit, Patrique & sancto Spiritui, nunc & semper, & in secula seculorum. Amen.


  1. Acta Sanctorum Junii, tomus secundus, Antwerp 1698. Section about June, 11 (die undecima iunii, p. 436ff)[]
  2. In reality the translation was by Guglielmo Sirleto (1514–1585), and not Pier Francesco Zini (1500–1579). Papebrochius probably borrowed this translation from the Vitae sanctorum patrum by Luigi Lipopomano (1500–1559). For this, see the introduction to the critical edition of the Encomium Barnabae (Ἐγκώμιον εἰς τον ἅγιον Βαρνάβαν), by P. van Deun and J. Noret in Hagiographica Cypria: Sancti Barnabae Laudatio autore Alexandro Monacho et Sanctorum Bartholomaei et Barnabae Vita e Menologio Imperiali Deprompta. Vita Sancti Auxibii [Corpus Christianorum Series Graeca XXVI], Brepols-Turnhout, 1993, p. 77-79. []
  3. translation: [Eng] and a Gospel written by his own hand (in greek this is one word: ‘own-handedly’), which he had received from Mattheuw, the holy Apostle and Evangelist; [Dutch] en een eigenhandig geschreven Evangelie, dat hij van Mattheuüs, de heilige apostel en evangelist had ontvangen []
  4. translation: [Eng] and a Gospel written with (his) own hand, which he had received from the holy Apostle and Evangelist Matthew; [Dutch] en een eigenhandig geschreven Evangelie, dat hij van de heilige apostel en evangelist Mattheüs had ontvangen []