Sophronius of Jerusalem writes the Miracles of Saints Cyrus and John recounting seventy miracles of *Kyros and Ioannes/Cyrus and John (physician and soldier, martyrs of Egypt, S00406), almost all at their sanctuary at Menouthis (near Alexandria, Lower Egypt). Written in Greek in Alexandria, 610/615. Overview entry
E08545
Literary - Hagiographical - Collections of miracles
Sophronius of Jerusalem, The Miracles of Cyrus and John
Overview entry:
Mir. 1: Healing of Ammonios, a prominent citizen of Alexandria, from scrofula and a stomach disease. See E06029.
Mir. 2: Healing of Theodoros, an Alexandrian, from leucoma. See E05914.
Mir. 3: Healing of the broken leg of Kalos, an Alexandrian. See E06035.
Mir. 4: Healing of Isidoros, from the Alexandrian district of Maioumas, from a pulmonary disease. See E06037.
Mir. 5: Healing of Menas, a philoponos and director of an Alexandrian confraternity of Andrew the Apostle, from an occlusion. See E06044.
Mir. 6: Healing of Geddaios, an Alexandrian, from an inguinal fistula. See E06247.
Mir. 7: Healing of a certain Menas of Alexandria from weakness of the legs. See E06259.
Mir. 8: Saving of Christodoros, oikonomos/manager of the saints' shrine at Menouthis from shipwreck; and later, when summoned by Theodore 'Stratelates', also curing him of buboes. See E06263.
Mir. 9: Healing of Theodora, wife of the oikonomos of the saints' shrine at Menouthis, both from an eye disease and the consequences of a bad fall. See E06839.
Mir. 10: Healing of Marou, the young daughter of the oikonomos of the saints' shrine at Menouthis, from disease of both the teeth and ears, and an older woman, named Maria, of the same affliction; in the first miracle, Cyrus acts alone. See E06903.
Mir. 11: Saving of the life of a little girl, when she fell out of a window of her house by the saints' shrine at Menouthis; Sophronius also describes the symbolic dream of a certain deacon Ioannes, which predicted this miracle. See E06938.
Mir. 12: Healing a rich and dissolute young man of Alexandria, Ioulianos, in both body and soul by making him renounce the heresy of the Gaianites and join the Catholic Church in a church of Alexandria dedicated to *Mary (Mother of Christ, S00033). See E06978.
Mir. 13: Healing of Elias, an Alexandrian, of leprosy, even though he had also sought aid from *Metras (martyr of Alexandria, S00045) at his shrine in Alexandria. See E07022.
Mir. 14: Delivering of a poor man of Alexandria, Theopompos, from a demonic possession. See E07026.
Mir. 15: Healing of Ioannes, an Alexandrian, from elephantiasis. See E07028.
Mir. 16: Healing of Zacharias, an Alexandrian, from a disease of the testicles. See E07056
Mir. 17: Healing of Ioannes, a rich Alexandrian, from a thigh disease. See E07057.
Mir. 18: Healing of Paulos, a poor man of Alexandria, from a disease of the head. See E07062.
Mir. 19: Healing of Stephanis, an Alexandrian, from cancer. See E07063.
Mir. 20: Healing of Maria, an Alexandrian, from dropsy. See E07068.
Mir. 21: Healing of Martyria, an Alexandrian, from a stomach disease. See E07070.
Mir. 22: Healing of a young man of Alexandria, Sarapammon, from a disease of the leg. See E07094.
Mir. 23: Healing of Gennadios, an Alexandrian, from a disease of the head. See E07096.
Mir. 24: Healing of two women of Alexandria (one rich, one poor), both named after the martyr Iouliana (perhaps *Iouliana/Iouliana, the fellow martyr of Paulos of Ptolemais, S01535), respectively from a chest disease and blindness See E07099.
Mir. 25: Healing of Elpidia, an Alexandrian, from a bloody flux. See E07102.
Mir. 26: Healing of Theodora, an Alexandrian, from stomach pains. See E07108.
Mir. 27: Healed of Theodoros, an Alexandrian, from poison in his intestines. See E07111.
Mir. 28: Healed from blindness of Photeinos, a man who sold fruit in front of the Alexandrian church of the 'three holy children' (certainly the *Three Hebrew Youths of the Old Testament Book of Daniel, S01198); involved in the cure was another blind Alexandrian, Nemesion, a rich and influential man who was a follower of the doctrine of fatality; the latter was not cured but commemorated the miracle by setting up at the shrine images of Christ, *John the Baptist (S00020) and Saint Kyros. See E07113.
Mir. 29: Punishing and then healing of a rich and noble Alexandrian, Athanasia, who doubted the saints' sainthood on account of the lack of reliable trial records for their martyrdom. See E07156.
Mir. 30: Striking with paralysis and then healing and converting of Gesios, a teacher of medicine in Alexandria and a sceptical Christian. See E07359.
Mir. 31: Punishing of Theodoros, an Alexandrian, for his blasphemy, by depriving him of his sight, but later restoring it. See E07360.
Mir. 32: Punishing with death a pagan Alexandrian, Agapios, for sacrilegiously taking communion. See E07361.
Mir. 33: Healing of a certain Kosmiana, at her home in Alexandria, from an injury to her back incurred on a journey to the saints’ shrine. See E07362.
Mir. 34: Healing of an Alexandrian boy, Kallinikos, from a terrible pain in the stomach caused by a serpent that he had swallowed. See E07363.
Mir. 35: Liberating of Theophilos, an Alexandrian, from a magical binding spell. See E07364.
Mir. 36: Healing from gout and converting of Theodoros, a man from Thennesos (Lower Egypt) who was a heretical follower of Julian of Halicarnassus, through multiple appearances in dreams. See E07375.
Mir. 37: Healing from blindness and converting of Ioannes, a man from Cynopolis (Upper Egypt) who was a heretical follower of Theodosius and Severus. See E07439.
Mir. 38: Healing from blindness and converting of Stephanos, a man from Nikiou (Lower Egypt) who was a heretical follower of Theodosius and Severus. See E07545.
Mir. 39: Healing and converting of two heretics from Herakleion and Alexandria (both close to the shrine), followers of the sect of Theodosius and Severus. See E07546.
Mir. 40: Healing several times of Ioannes, a man from Libya, and delivering him from a demonic possession. See E07548.
Mir. 41: Healing from a monstrous deformity of a young boy from Babylon (Lower Egypt) named Menas, after *Menas (the soldier and martyr buried at Abu Mena, S00073). See E07549.
Mir. 42: Healing of a surveyor named Eugenios from dropsy. See E07558.
Mir. 43: Healing of the diseased leg of Taurinos, a maker of nails from a village close to the saints’ shrine at Menouthis. See E07559.
Mir. 44: Healing of Anna, a young religious virgin from Herakleion (close to the shrine), from a stomach disease. See E07560.
Mir. 45: Healing of a camel-driver, from a village on Lake Mareotis (Lower Egypt), of deafness. See E07573.
Mir. 46. Healing from blindness of two men who came to the saints’ sanctuary at Menouthis, one from a village close to the sanctuary of *Menas (soldier and martyr buried at Abu Mena, S00073), the other from the monastery of Tabennesos (in Lower and Upper Egypt, respectively), by sending them to wash at the pool of Siloam in Jerusalem. See E07665.
Mir. 47: Healing from blindness of Patrikios, a man from Pelusium (in the western delta of Lower Egypt). See E07692.
Mir. 48: Healing from a mysterious disease of the intestines of Antonios, a man from the Thebaid (Upper Egypt), and of an unnamed woman, similarly afflicted, from an Egyptian village. See E07693.
Mir. 49: Punishing of two thieves who appropriated offerings dedicated to them at the saints’ sanctuary at Menouthis. See E07694.
Mir. 50: Healing of Nonnos, a rich aristocrat from Libya living at Nikiou (Lower Egypt), from a leg disease. See E07695.
Mir. 51: Healing of the presbyter Georgios, originally from Tarsus in Cilicia (south-east Asia Minor), from a cataract and delivering him from death during a pestilence. Sophronius also mentions veneration of *Paul (the Apostle, S00008) and *Menas (soldier and martyr buried at Abu Mena, S00073). See E07696.
Mir. 52: Healing of Zosimos, a doctor from Constantinople, from paralysis. See E07759.
Mir. 53: Rescuing and healing of Theodoros, a slave from Eleutheropolis in Palestine, from drowning and the bite of a shark, at the seashore near their sanctuary at Menouthis. The afflicted man had first invoked *Theodore (the soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00480). See E07760.
Mir. 54: Delivering of a young boy from Damascus, Isidoros, from demonic possession. See E07762.
Mir. 55: Delivering of Theodoros, a man from Lapithos on Cyprus, from a leg disease caused by magic. See E07769.
Mir. 56: Delivering of Georgios, a Cypriot, from a leg disease caused by a demon. See E07773.
Mir. 57: Delivering of Kyriakos, a Rhodian, from a demonic possession. See E07774.
Mir. 58: Healing of Petros, a man from the province of Palaestina Tertia, of scrofula. See E07775.
Mir. 59: Healing of a certain Stephanos, from Aphrodisias (western Asia Minor), of a haemorrhage. See E07776.
Mir. 60: Healing of a certain Theodoros from Constantinople of an inflammation of the foot. See E07777.
Mir. 61: Healing of Philemon, a man from a village in Phoenicia, from both a neck and a liver disease. See E07788.
Mir. 62: Foretelling of her imminent death to a certain Rhodopis, who had come from Alexandria in search of a cure at the saints’ sanctuary at Menouthis. See E07790.
Mir. 63: Delivering of a certain Elpidios from a demonic possession. See E07791.
Mir. 64: Healing of a certain Phoenician from Tyre, who had been mute from birth. See E07798.
Mir. 65: Delivering of a certain Theodoros from Anazarba in Cilicia (south-eastern Asia Minor) both from blindness and a demonic possession. See E07799.
Mir. 66: Healing from dropsy of a certain Menas from Patara in Lycia. See E07800.
Mir. 67: Delivering of Georgios, a Cypriot, from demonic possession, and also punishing by whipping of Kaloetes, a doorkeeper at the shrine, for seeking aid for Georgios from physicians, but afterwards healing of his wounds. See E07801.
Mir. 68: Healing from poisoning of Ioannia, an aristocratic woman from Caesarea of Palestine. See E07825.
Mir. 69: Healing of his blindness of a certain Ioannis from Rome. See E07826.
Mir. 70: With the aid of *Theodore 'Stratelates' (general and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00136) and *Thomas (the Apostle, S00199), healing of a disease of his eyes of Sophronius of Jerusalem, the author of the miracle collection, who composed this book in gratitude. See E07827.
Martyr shrine (martyrion, bet sāhedwātā, etc.)
Non Liturgical ActivityIncubation
MiraclesMiracle after death
Healing diseases and disabilities
Punishing miracle
Miracles causing conversion
Apparition, vision, dream, revelation
Exorcism
Source
Sophronius (c. 560-c. 637) was born to a Chalcedonian family in Damascus, and was probably familiar with both Greek and Syriac culture. He was educated as a teacher of rhetoric, but in c. 580 became an ascetic while in Egypt, and entered the monastery of St. Theodosios near Bethlehem. He travelled widely to monastic centres in Egypt, the Near East, Aegean, and North Africa, accompanying his friend, the monk and writer John Moschus, who dedicated to him his treatise on the religious life, the Spiritual Meadow (Leimon pneumatikos). In 633-634, Sophronius travelled to Alexandria and to Constantinople in order to persuade the patriarchs to renounce Monoenergism. In 634, he was elected patriarch of Jerusalem. He is venerated as a saint in the catholic and orthodox churches; in the Byzantine rite he shares with John Moschus a feast day on 11 March. He died in Jerusalem in about 637.His extant doctrinal writings include a Letter to Arcadius of Cyprus and the Synodical Letter against Monenergism. Other works have also been preserved, such as an encomium on the Alexandrian martyrs Cyrus and John (in gratitude for healing his vision), The Miracles of the Saints Cyrus and John, a collection of 23 Anacreontic poems, and several patriarchal sermons on such themes as the Muslim siege of Jerusalem and on various liturgical celebrations.
The Miracles of the Saints Cyrus and John comprise 70 stories; this number, as explained by the author in the Preface to the Encomium on the saints Cyrus and John, consists either of 7 decades or 10 heptades, both of which refer to biblical and pagan (Pythagorean) arithmetic, where 7 is a mystic number and 10 is a perfect number. References to the number 7 and its multiple (14) recurs in the work several times (Miracles 5, 15, 23, 39, 43; Gascou 2006: 11 with notes). The significance of other numbers has also been noted: for the number 3, see Fernández Marcos 1975: 42, n. 15; for the number 67 (Miracle 1), see Nissen 1939: 377, n. 2.
All 70 stories concern miraculous healings performed by the two martyrs, considered saints of the first rank by Sophronius (Miracle 29), in their sanctuary at Menouthis, near Alexandria. The first 35 miracles concern Alexandrians, the next 15 Egyptians and Libyans, mostly of the Alexandrian region, and the last 20 foreigners of whom some were settled in Alexandria. Sophronius wanted to flatter in this way the self-esteem of the Alexandrians who were the possessors of the saints' relics. He also argued that the miracles of Alexandria were particularly credible, since they delivered plenty of verifiable facts. For the same reason, the miracles selected by him were limited to those of his own times and concerned persons who were still alive and could testify to the events. Sophronius seems also to have had at his disposal earlier and parallel collections. A powerful feature of the miracle stories is a disdain for secular doctors, but not medicine per se, who are seen as ineffective in comparison to the power of the saintly healing of Cyrus and John. The collection is also notable for Sophronius’ polemic against Miaphysites, who evidently attended the shrine.
The most recent edition of Sophronius' text is Fernandez Marcos 1976, but Gascou in his translation of 2007 includes several textual emendations which we have followed when they occur.
Bibliography
Text:Fernández Marcos, N., Los thaumata de Sofronio. Contribución al estudio de la "Incubatio" cristiana, Manuales y anejos de "Emérita" 31 (Madrid, 1975), 243-400.
Translations:
Gascou, J., Sophrone de Jérusalem, Miracles des saints Cyr et Jean (BHGI 477-479) (Paris, 2006). French translation and commentary.
Peltier, D., "Sophrone de Jérusalem, Récit des miracles des saints Cyr et Jean" (unpublished dissertation; Paris 1978).
Further reading:
Duffy, J., “Observations on Sophronius' Miracles of Cyrus and John,” Journal of Theological Studies 35 (1984), 71-90.
Duffy, J., “The Miracles of Cyrus and John: New Old Readings from the Manuscript,” Illinois Classical Studies 12:1 (1987), 169-177.
Gascou, J., “Religion et identité communautaire à Alexandrie à la fin de l'époque byzantine, d'après les Miracles des saints Cyr et Jean,” in: J.-Y. Empereur and C. Décobert (eds.), Alexandrie médiévale, 3 (Cairo, 2008), 69-88.
Gascou, J., Les origines du culte des saints Cyr et Jean (2006); online document: https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00009140/
Le Coz, R., “Les Pères de l'Eglise grecque et la médecine,” Bulletin de Littérature Ecclésiastique 98 (1997), 137-154.
Maraval, P., “Fonction pédagogique de la littérature hagiographique d'un lieu de pèlerinage: l'exemple des Miracles de Cyr et Jean,” in: Hagiographie, culture et sociétés (IVe-XIIe siècles), Actes du Colloque organisé à Nanterre et à Paris (2-5 mai 1979) (Paris, 1981), 383-397.
Nissen, T., “Sophronios-Studien III, Medizin und Magie bei Sophronios,” Byzantinische Zeitschrift 39 (1939), 349–81.
Papaconstantinou, A., Le culte des saints en Égypte des Byzantins aux Abbassides. L'apport des inscriptions et des papyrus grecs et coptes (Paris, 2001).
Sansterre, J.-M., "Apparitions et miracles à Ménouthis: de l'incubation païenne à l'incubation chrétienne," in E. Dierkens (ed.), Apparitions et miracles (Brussels, 1991), 69-83.
Schönborn, C., Sophrone de Jérusalem. Vie monastique et confession dogmatique (Paris, 1972).
Julia Doroszewska
13.05.2024
| ID | Name | Name in Source | Identity | S00406 | Kyros and Ioannes/Cyrus and John, physician and soldier, martyrs of Egypt | Κῦρος καὶ Ἰωάννης | Certain |
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