# The Travels of Macarius, Patriarch of Antioch/Volume 1/Part 1/Author's Preface

Travels
of
Macarius.
(from the Arabic.)
Preface.
In the name of the one eternal God, without beginning and without end. In him is my confidence, and upon him my reliance.
Praise to God, who formed the heaven, and raised it without pillars; who spread the earth, and laid it as an habitation for His servants; so that the sons of our father Adam have become nations exceeding all number, and have multiplied on it; and built towns, and cities, and capitals in every climate and country, and on every side, south and north, east and west. To his Sovereignty and Divinity it is fitting that we offer praise ever and at all times, now and continually, throughout all ages.
I, the poor servant, and of all men the most necessitous of the mercy, of the Lord my God; Paul by name, Archdeacon, or Shammas, of the Orthodox Religion, of Aleppo, was natural son to the Distinguished, Most Holy, Exalted, and Munificent Father, Kyr Kyr Macarius, Patriarch of Antioch, son of the late Canon (الخوري) Paul, son of the Canon Abd-al-Mesih-al-Protos, celebrated by the title of Beit-az-Zaaimi. I was brought up in the closest intimacy and union with my father, having no relish for any friendship but his, from the time that I was weaned from my mother's breast by her lamented death. Thereupon he took the pains to attend me; nor had I any but him to assuage my grief. My constant food were his vivifying words; and my drink were his sweet and invigorating instructions. I obeyed him in every command; and wherever he was, there was I, at all times inseparable from his company. After various promotions, he ​became Metropolitan of Aleppo, where he remained twelve years. He then ascended the throne of the Patriarchate of Antioch, the See of Peter (the Apostle), the first in rank, which is at the present day established in Damascus of Syria. Here for a length of time he devoted his incessant labours to the regulation of the affairs of his Province, and governed it with upright intention and the most clear-sighted prudence; till lie was led, by the hand of Providence, to the enterprise of a tour through the remotest of countries, of towns, and of islands: not for recreation, nor for the pleasure of travelling, nor to make visits; but forced to it by the straits and difficulties of the times, which left him no will to choose: for the debts of the above-mentioned See, incurred during the life-time of the late Patriarch, Kyr Ephthimius, the Sciot, of well-known celebrity, were by this time doubled, and its revenues eaten up by usury; so that the farmers of the tithes, however great the collection or abundant the harvests, could not make them suffice to the payment of the interest. Astounded and depressed with anguish at the sight of this distress, he sighed over the hope of a release. But in his own country he could find none to interpose between him and this increasing misery, nor any one to suggest a plan of escape.
No resource remained, but to stir the foot of activity, and to mount the patient horse of toil and travel. He determined upon turning his face and steps towards the high road of royalty, and, crossing the weary paths of the sandy desert, to make his way good to the fountains of sweet water, rather the vast and swelling lakes, the lords of high excellences and precious qualities, the refuge of the suppliant and contentment of the applicant, the powerful and victorious Monarchs, and the pious Princes and Begs, who are celebrated for their true religion and sincere faith, (may God continue their empire and perpetuate their dynasty! may he confirm their existence, and eternize in the zenith of splendour the towers of their felicity!) to beg of their generosity and rare munificence, wherewithal to pay his debts; and help, to stand up in the support of his religion. Upon this journey I resolved to be his companion, with a view to assist him in its fatigues and dangers; and, with the Divine favour, we made our preparations for it, and fixed our minds upon the route.
Forthwith, one of my most respected and sincere friends, my reverend, learned and excellent Brother, the phœnix of his age and admiration of his contemporaries, Deacon Gabriel, son of the late Constantine, the goldsmith, a man superior in ability, eminent in learning, and of intuitive elegance of language and manners; this friend expressed to me his wish, that I would collect a Journal, that should contain every circumstance and incident of our way and deviations, from day to day, during the ​whole time of our absence; that I would describe with accuracy the whole of the affairs of those countries through which we should pass; and so enable him to verify, in general and in particular, what he heard of them from the details of history, and its mysteries. I excused myself to him, that I was unequal to the undertaking, being deficient in the requisite means in the art of composing and joining sentences, in the grammatical precision of words, and in the skill of forming beautiful and appropriate phrases, after the manner of the masters of this queen of sciences: and I asked him to pardon my inability; the more so, as we should travel with inconvenience and haste. But he refused to accept this excusation for me; and, insisting on his request, persevered in its repetition.
I now therefore roused my languid mind, and stretched towards the object my recoiling hand: not that I may take rank in the troop of Chroniclers, but wishing to confirm a multitude of facts, which have hitherto been disbelieved to their reporters, and to which all men refuse their due credit; being of opinion, that the writers have noted such matters merely in jest, and for their own amusement, or that of their readers. So thought we; until, in the progress of our journey to the country of the Christians, either by becoming a personal witness, or by hearing indubitable accounts, I verified to the utmost whatever met the glance of an observing eye, not only in part, but comprehensively. What we shall relate, therefore, will he upon the surest evidence; and we will omit nothing, which, either along the road, or during our halts in various places, until our return to our own country, we were able to ascertain as matter of truth. Accustomed from my childhood to devote stated hours to the study of history, I have passed much time with my attention fixed upon its interesting pages. Whatever ability, therefore, I may have acquired by such pursuits, I have summoned to the performance of the present work: and having exerted my utmost efforts in collecting all the information which came within my reach, I hope it will prove a delight to the reader, and a solace to his mind; and that all who see or hear it, will bless Almighty God for this treasure of descriptions and entertaining narratives.
May the Christian community of our country derive a multitude of benefits from hearing of the noble customs of the true Believers in foreign parts; of their assiduity in divine worship with boundless perseverance; of their strict observance of the seasons of fast and hours of prayer; of their admirable religiousness, perfect faith, and sound morality; and of the purity of their intentions, thoughts and secrets! Such will be our descriptions in the course of this work, elucidating and explaining what with our own eyes we have seen and witnessed.