E05573: The Miracles of Saint Thekla recounts how *Thekla (follower of the Apostle Paul, S00092) healed, at her shrine at Seleucia, the broken leg of an a marble-worker Leontios, which made Maximinos, a pagan noble of Antioch, become a Christian. Written in Greek at Seleucia ad Calycadnum (southern Asia Minor) in the 470s.
Creators: name: Julia
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2018
Subjects: History

description: Miracles of Saint Thekla, 17<br><br>There was a certain Leontios who was a marvellously skilled craftsman in decorating buildings with marble. He decorated the sanctuary [of Thekla in Seleucia], beautifully arranging marble panels on the walls and pavements. He was then hired by a noble man Maximinos to similarly decorate his house in the city of Antioch [on the Orontes]. Leontios worked there with many others on scaffolding at a great height. One day, the scaffolding fell down with all the workmen. Among them, only Leontios survived, but his leg was so badly shattered, that there seemed to be no hope for him. It seriously worried Maximinos, who had Leontios in a great esteem, not only for his skills, but also because he was noble, talented, and quiet.<br><br>With time Leontios' suffering intensified. So he asked Maximinos to let him go to the shrine of Thekla [in Seleucia]. Maximinos allowed it, although with a smirk, since he was then an unbeliever. Thus, Leontios came to the shrine, carried on by others. On the third day of his visit, before dawn, his leg was healed, regained its strength and the broken bone was put back together.<br><br>He returned to Antioch walking unhindered, and hurried at a run, straight to Maximinos. When the latter saw him, was astonished not only at the marvel, but also at the speed [with which it was accomplished] and became a Christian. This was exactly what the martyr intended to do: to remind him of his smirk and lead him to Christ.<br><br>Εἰργάσατο μέντοι γε τὸ θαῦμα ἡ μάρτυς οὕτως, οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον τὸν τῆς θεραπείας σιωπηθῆναι τρόπον ἔχοντά τι καὶ χαρίεν· ἐκάθευδε μὲν γὰρ ὁ Λεόντιος οὗτος ἐν τῷ νεῴ, νυκτός τε οὔσης καὶ κακῶς ἔχων ὡς μηδὲ ἀσκολιάζων βαδίζειν, φοιτήσασα δὲ ἡ μάρτυς εἶπε μὲν οὐδὲν οὐδὲ ἐνέφηνε, πατεῖ δὲ τῷ οἰκείῳ ποδὶ τὸν ἐκείνου πόδα τὸν πεπονθότα, καὶ μάλα ἰσχυρῶς, ὡς τὸν Λεόντιον ἄγαν περιαλγήσαντα ἀναπηδῆσαί τε ἀθρόον καὶ στῆναι, καὶ τότε πρῶτον βαδίσαι τε καὶ δραμεῖν, καὶ οὕτως ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ πάθους εὐπετῶς, ὡς καὶ παραυτίκα τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν ἅψασθαι πορείας, πολλὰ ἐρρῶσθαι φράσαντα τῇ τε θαλάσσῃ, ταῖς ναυσὶ καὶ τοῖς κύμασιν.<br><br>'The martyr accomplished the miracle in the following way, for it is not right to remain silent about the mode of healing when it is so charming: Leontios was sleeping in the church [at the martyr's shrine], it was night, and he was upset that he could not walk unhindered. The martyr visited him, though she said nothing, nor was she visible, but she stepped with her own foot onto Leontios' injured leg, and she did this with vigor. Accordingly, Leontios felt great pain and jumped to his feet and stood up, and was from the start able to walk and run and was so easily healed of his injury that he immediately took up the overland route to Antioch, bidding a hearty farewell to the sea, to its ships and waves.'<br><br>Text: Dagron 1978. Translation: Johnson 2012. Summary: J. Doroszewska.