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| Miracle performed by Silvanus Bishop of Troas formerly of Philippopolis.
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Chapter
XXXVII.—Miracle performed by Silvanus Bishop of Troas
formerly of Philippopolis.
Silvanus was formerly a
rhetorician, and had been brought up in the school of Troïlus the
sophist; but aiming at perfection in his Christian course, he entered on the ascetic mode of
life, and set aside the rhetorician’s pallium. Atticus bishop of
Constantinople having taken notice of him afterwards ordained him
bishop of Philippopolis.1021
| 1021Another indication that the patriarchal functions of
the bishop of Constantinople were at this time exercised and
recognized. The Council of Chalcedon somewhat later (in 451 a.d.) formally ordered in its twenty-eighth canon
that the metropolitans of the Thracian Pontic, and Asian dioceses
should be ordained by the bishop of Constantinople, their election
being first secured by the clergy and laity of the dioceses, and
referred to the patriarch afterwards.
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Thus he resided three years in Thrace; but being unable to endure the
cold of that region—for his constitution was delicate and
sickly—he begged Atticus to appoint some one else in his place,
alleging that it was for no other reason but the cold that he resigned
residence in Thrace. This having been done, Silvanus resided at
Constantinople, where he practiced so great austerities that, despising
the luxurious refinements of the age, he often appeared in the crowded
streets of that populous city shod with sandals made of hay. Some time
having elapsed, the bishop of Troas died; on which account the
inhabitants of that city came to Atticus concerning the appointment of
a successor. While he was deliberating whom he should ordain for them,
Silvanus happened to pay him a visit, which at once relieved him from
further anxiety; for addressing Silvanus, he said: ‘You have now
no longer any excuse for avoiding the pastoral administration of a
church; for Troas is not a cold place: so that God has considered your
infirmity of body, and provided you a suitable residence. Go thither
then, my brother, without delay.’ Silvanus therefore removed to
that city.
Here a miracle was performed by his instrumentality,
which I shall now relate. An immense ship for carrying burdens, such as
they term ‘float,’1022
| 1022πλατήν, a sort of raft; the
word is incorrectly spelled πλατή according to Sophocles
(Greek Lexic., &c.), and should be πλωτή.
|
intended for the conveyance of enormous pillars, had been recently
constructed on the shore at Troas. This vessel it was necessary to
launch. But although many strong ropes were attached to it, and the
power of a vast number of persons was applied, the vessel was in no way
moved. When these attempts had been repeated several days successively
with the like result, the people began to think that a devil detained
the ship; they therefore went to the bishop Silvanus, and entreated him
to go and offer a prayer in that place. For thus only they thought it
could be launched. He replied with his characteristic lowliness of mind
that he was but a sinner, and that the work pertained to some one who
was just and not to himself. Being at length prevailed on by their
continued entreaties, he approached the shore, where after having
prayed, he touched one of the ropes, and exhorting the rest to vigorous
exertion, the ship was by the first pull instantly set in motion, and
ran swiftly into the sea. This miracle wrought by the hands of
Silvanus, stirred up the whole population of the province to piety. But
the uncommon worth of Silvanus was manifested in various other ways.
Perceiving that the ecclesiastics made a merchandise of the contentions
of those engaged in law-suits, he would never nominate any one of the
clergy as judge: but causing the documents of the litigants to be
delivered to himself, he summoned to him some pious layman in whose
integrity he had confidence; and committing to him the adjudication of
the case, he soon equitably settled all the differences of the
litigants; and by this procedure Silvanus acquired for himself great
reputation from all classes of persons.
We have indeed digressed pretty much from the course of
our history in giving this account of Silvanus; but yet it will not, we
imagine, be unprofitable. Let us now however return to the place from
which we departed. Maximian, having been ordained on the 25th of
October, under the consulate of Bassus and Antiochus,1023
the affairs of the church were reduced to a better ordered and more
tranquil condition.
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