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Selected and rare materials, excerpts and observations from ancient, medieval and contemporary authors, travelers and researchers about Cyprus.
 
 
 
 
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CLAUDE DELAVAL COBHAM
Exerpta Cypria
page 230

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a ship, and on this he embarked with the soldiers mentioned abore, and reached the famous Cyprus, by God's guidance as I ween, and arriving there they left the ship, and all the soldiers, one here, one there, were scattered abroad, and where each chose his dwelling-place there he followed in all strictness the life of a monk. But himself, onr holy father Anxeutios, reached Carpus, a village so called which is a part of the said island, and finding a cave in a place called by the natives Toution, dwelt therein. He gave himself np to the severest fasting and discipline, until, having cleansed his soul and body from lusts he made them a temple of the Holy Ghost, and receptacle of His gifts, and with unceasing prayer, and sleepless entreaty, speaking with God alone, he received from Him the gifte of healing, and became a worker of not a few miracles. Bnt the wonders wrought by him we have not set forth in this history, as it is for those who must be brief, but we shall mention one only, which shall give credit to the rest. After he had passed some time in the cave which we spoke of, he went to his rest in peace, and Hew up to his much loved Lord, and received from Him rewards in due recompense of his labours, and joined with the angelic hosts in their dances and rejoicings. After the lapse of many years his sacred coipse was found in the said cave, exhaling perfume, and full of a marvellons sweet smell, by certain faithful 'persons from both the inland village and that by the seashore (for men from the two villages were assembled together), whence no small strife arose among them, who of thein should take the relic, for those of the seaside village said, "It is meet that we shonld take it, for it was found near our village." But those of the inland village replied, "Nay, but we will take it to our village, for there were most of us among those who found it." This being so they agreed to bring a cart and oxen, one from the one, and one from the other village, and to put the sacred nnd precious body thereon, and then to let the oxen start without a guide, that they might go whither they should be led by instinct given from above, as the saint might desire. So did they, and ceased their strife: they brought the cart and laid npon it the holy and sweet-smelling corpse, being yet whole and incorrupt. They brought the oxen also, and yoked them to the cart, and loosing them they walked without a guide, and the men followed them. They went until they readied the spot where now is to be seen the church built to the saint, and there— Ο Christ onr King, what wonder is this!—the oxen stood finn and still. And when the people saw this strange and wondrous thing, they lifted up their voices, and for a long time kept saying, " Lord, have mercy upon us." They took down the most precious relic from the cart, and raised a fair and goodly shrine, to the glory of the Father, Son nnd Holy Spirit, the one and only God, who had made His mint a wonder-worker. From this miracle then, as Τ said before, let credence be given to those worked daily by the saint upon all who approach with faith his holy body, and celebrate year by year his honoured and light-giving feast. By the intercession of Thy Saint Auxentios, Ο Christ our God, free Thy people from every kind of danger and injury: give peace to Thy world, crown Thy churches with unity, and have mercy upon ns all, as Thou art good and gracious. Amen. Oetober 6. Commemoration of our holy father KEXDEAS, the wonder-worker. This Saint Kendens at eighteen yea re of age leaves his country Germany, and, going to Jerusalem, becomes a monk. Then he went to the deserts of Jordan, and finding there a cave in a precipitous and inaccessible spot, dwelt therein, feeding himself on the tips of the trees which were near. Him God willed to glorify, and revealed him thus, liiere was a 220 EXCERPTA CYPRIA.

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