In the seventh century an Anonymous author compiled a number of miracles of Saint Artemios, whose healing activities were predominantly centered in the Church of Saint John the Forerunner in Constantinople and who "specialized" in healing hernias and diseases affecting the genitals of mostly male patients. Below are five examples of the forty-five listed:
Miracle 15: Narses’ blasphemy
There was a certain man in voluntary service who was attending one of the men of prominence and who was devoted to the all-night vigil of the Forerunner every Saturday. Another young man named Narses, who was also in the same official’s service, with allusion to the saint frequently chided the one devoted to the all-night vigil, mocking both the singing of hymns and those involved in it. Not only that, but he even uttered blasphemous words, saying ironically: “Yes, and perhaps does St. Artemios heal hernia patients?”
The adherent of the vigil said to Narses who continually used these words: “Narses, stop, lest you experience misfortune.” But he persisted all the more. Now after some time it happened that Narses fell severely ill and his genitals became swollen with the same disease. So then indeed the free man who had been chided by him, on visiting him, exhorted him to go to St. Artemios and conveyed him on a litter to the church of the Forerunner, where the saint lies in repose. And there he was regretting what he had previously uttered in folly. So while he was waiting, feeling very repentant, one day at the second hour he happened to fall asleep, and saw someone dressed in the garb of the patrician class (as he related). This person was coming from the direction of the narthex, preceded by a spotless white dove. Upon entering the nave and then making a turn, he entered the left colonnade through the upper railings proceeding as if in the direction of the sacristy and stood before the sick man; taking the dove which had preceded him he slew it against the sick man’s testicles. Narses woke up and related the dream to the church warden. Since thereafter it was the hour for communal eating, he stood up, lifted with difficulty by the church warden. Supported by him, Narses descended to the holy tomb, intending to drink from the saint’s lamp in the customary manner. As he lifted up his robes, so as not to trip on them, he noticed some moisture on his legs. And he thought that, while washing his face, he had splashed himself. After he touched his robes as well, he noticed that they were wet. He was puzzled at what had occurred and after a time, touching his testicles, he found them ruptured to the length of three fingers and the wetness of his legs and his robes caused by blood and pus. Overwhelmed by fear and fainting, he fell down. Those present lifted him up, carried him to his bed, washed his legs and wound with warm water and sponges and applied the holy martyr’s salve like a plaster and in this way the ailing Narses recovered.
Miracle 16: Sergios the granary guard from Alexandria
There was a certain man, named Sergios, an Alexandrian by birth, who was a guard at the granary which was nicknamed “Lamia” or “Glutton” in the district of Kaisarios. He was about 60 years old and had a hernia. Sergios frequented the martyr and begged him speaking thus: “St. Artemios, you were Doux and Augoustalios in my native land of Alexandria; cure me along with the many. For you know both that I am an old man and that I cannot leave the granary and wait upon you. For if I leave it, they will employ another and I will be deprived both of my position and my livelihood, unable to do even this job.” These and similar things he would say whenever he went to pray to the saint. While he was sleeping at the granary, the saint appeared to him one night. The old man seemed to see the Administrator of Granaries. And the saint approached him and said: “You sleep a great deal and are neglecting the granary. Look, pay attention, lest what is here be stolen.” Giving him a gold coin, he said: “Take this that you may drink.” It was in fact a salve. After Sergios woke up, he was pleased with the gift of the coin. For while still drowsy with sleep, he believed he actually held the gold coin. But when he opened his palm and fingers and found that he possessed a wax seal bearing an image of the saint, coming to his senses, he recognized the miracle that was worked upon him and that St. Artemios was the one who had appeared to him. Immediately softening the seal, he anointed his genitals and as soon as the softened wax of the seal touched him, instantly he became healthy and glorified God and the holy martyr.
Miracle 17: Sergios’ relative and the Alexandrian actor
In the reign of Herakleios of divine portion (610–641), a certain member of the senate named Sergios, nicknamed “Mensch”, who was a patrikios and imperial judge, had a certain relative about 40 years old; this man suffered from hernia. Since the patrikios was in distress over him, someone suggested that he send him to St. Artemios. Sergios sent him with the obligatory offering but when he was on the point of leaving, a certain Alexandrian who performed theatricals in which officials especially tend to delight heard. And hearing, he proposed to escort him saying: “By the fear of God, let me go with him.” The sick man, in order to be entertained by him, took the Alexandrian along with him and they went to the church where St. Artemios lies in repose. At the tenth hour he prayed and invited the hebdomarioi to dinner. After dinner he exhorted them and said: “Come, let me sleep below by the holy coffin.” But they prevented him, saying no one was permitted to sleep below except on Sunday before dawn. Upon hearing this he was dejected. But lest the hebdomarioi gave the appearance of offending him, as if the denial were a pretext for extorting some money, they allowed him to sleep by the holy tomb, and especially as he was one of the grandees. The Alexandrian scoffed greatly and strove also to sleep below but was not allowed to by the hebdomarioi who scarcely persuaded him to sleep above in the church. In the end he lay down before the icon of St. John, where the arch is situated at the top of the right staircase leading downward. About midnight the actor was forced to urinate, and making a circuit through the whole of the church but not finding an exit (because normally the church is secured at night along with the four chancel barriers on either side), he stood by the right-hand entrance to the church (nearby is the well and the representation of the Samaritan woman), and there he urinated. And after urinating he developed a hernia which reached below his knees. He cried out in pain in the funny sounding (as we know) dialect of the Alexandrian: “By the fear of God, this saint is an impostor. He creates hernias, by St. Menas! Woe to him through whom I have witnessed such things!” And while he was persistently crying aloud, the one who was lying by the holy tomb, thinking that the actor was crying out as a joke, came up and, pretending to suffer from stomach distress, demanded that the chancel barrier be opened for him. But when he came out, he summoned the actor as he sat down and reprimanded him saying: “Not even in church can you shut up and be quiet but you babble away and do not allow us to sleep. If I had known this, you would not have set out with me.” The actor replied: “Alas for the hour I came to this saint.” But the other reprimanded him the more, unaware of what had happened to him. After more words, the actor said to the sick man: “Lift up your garment so that I may see your hernia.” And after he obliged, the actor saw that he was healthy and had no disease. Then the actor as well lifted his robe and showed him what had befallen him. Seeing this the healed man struck himself on the forehead. At the same time both an urge to laugh and a sense of dismay came upon him and he was completely torn between the two. The actor kept saying to him: “By holy Menas, both you and this saint are impostors! Alas, alas! He sent me your hernia! Ah patronage! Ah support! Woe to this saint. Look, who they say cures hernias! I came here a healthy man and am leaving with a hernia!” As day approached, the news spread abroad and the church was thronged. Setting out, they made their way homeward, the one who was formerly diseased now healthy, the healthy one now afflicted with a hernia. What noteworthy things were said by the actor on the way, I think it superfluous to report and I omit them because of their number. Since they were about to dine with the patrikios, the two went together and the patrikios said to his kinsman: “How are you? How are you feeling?” But the actor who was still upset quickly lifted his robe and stripping himself showed himself to all saying: “See how it is! That saint who allegedly became Doux and Augoustalios of my country sent me this man’s hernia.” At these words those present both laughed and wept. And while they were dismayed at what had happened and were struggling with many thoughts, as all were looking on, the actor’s affliction disappeared so that they were astonished and raising their hands cried out “Lord have mercy!” for a long time and glorified God on account of His holy martyr Artemios.
Miracle 18: St. Artemios identifies two burglars
There was a certain man who from a tender age used to attend the all-night vigil of the Forerunner and who sang the hymns of humble Romanos among the saints right up to the present day. In the time of the reign of the Emperor Herakleios, this man was burglarized as the birthday of the holy Forerunner was dawning (June 24). For knowing that he lived alone (for up to the present time indeed he has lived alone for 52 years) and watching for a time when he was singing, the burglar found an opportunity and broke in. After completing the all-night vigil, the other went home and found the lock secure, as if it had in no way been tampered with. Then suspecting nothing unusual, especially since he had just come from the vigil, he went to sleep without any concern. When day came and he sought to change clothes and to dress more resplendently in honor of the feast, he did not find a single one of his garments, not even his belt, except for what he was wearing when he returned from the all-night vigil. Mounting an investigation, he asked his neighbors to tell him if they knew how the burglary had occurred. They said that they did not know. But when they saw him lamenting over the burglary, they suggested to him that he go to Saint Panteleemon in the Rouphinos quarter, saying that someone was there dispensing information who would tell him the burglar. For it happened at that time that there were a very large number of possessed in many churches. Relieved for the moment by these words, the man went off to Saint Panteleemon’s, but upon hearing the cry of the possessed one said to himself: “Now I am forsaking God and approaching demons; now I have been robbed of and lost my soul.” Saying this, he returned home and in a state of dejection threw himself on his bed and bewailing his fate he fell asleep. It was approximately the second hour. Because he did not have a change of clothes and besides was constantly gripped by depression as well, he did not go out to church. But St. Artemios appeared to him in his sleep in the garb of a man of rank wearing civilian clothes, and said to him: “Why did you not go to meet and escort in procession the holy objects with your candle, as is customary for you celebrants of the all-night vigil?” He responded: “I was burglarized and I do not have anything to wear.” And the saint said to him: “And do you wish to find what you lost?” And he replied: “I really do for I am naked.” The martyr said to him: “Swear to me that you will not harm the thief and I will tell you who he is.” The victim said: “By God, I will do him no harm; on the contrary I will treat him as a friend.” The saint said: “I do not believe you.” And taking the hand of the victim, he placed it on an icon of St. John, which this self-same victim owned and said to him: “By him i.e. St. John swear to me; for I know that you respect and love him.” And he took an oath saying to him: “I will do him no harm; on the contrary I will even make him my great friend and even give him a gift, if I find my property.” Then the saint said: “Theodosios the psaltes took and keeps them.” Waking up in a good mood about the seventh hour, he went to the moneychanger Abraamios near the church of St. John, who was also the treasurer of the society of all-night celebrants. And the treasurer said to him: “Where were you? Why did you not go to meet the holy objects with your candle? Give me your candle and the fine.” He answered: “By God, I was burglarized and because I did not have anything to wear I did not go.” Since those sitting next to him and the moneychanger were nosy about the identity of the burglar and the manner of the burglary, he said to them: “By God, I don’t know ... except, well perhaps I was dreaming, perhaps not, but someone said to me a short time ago in a dream while I was asleep that the psaltes Theodosios took them.” This very singer was seated opposite the moneychanger and was playing dice with various people, and, as events later showed, while playing dice there he bent his ear to what was being said. Those around him said discreetly to the burglary victim: “See where the psaltes is sitting and speak to him.” And so while the victim was speaking a second time about the same things and saying that Theodosios took them, that one, abandoning the dice and cutting through those sitting about, came abruptly into the center and said: “What are you saying, sir? ‘That Theodosios took them’? That I stole something?” The victim, realizing that if he shamed him in front of everyone, he would deny it, said to him: “I did not say that you took, but that if Theodosios desires, they will be found.” But Theodosios contradicted him saying: “I heard you say that ‘Theodosios took them.’” Then the victim spoke bluntly: “By God, whether you like it or not, a short time ago, while I was sleeping, someone said to me that Theodosios took them.” And Theodosios said to him: “Make a list and allow me to see what you lost.” He made one and gave it to him and the psaltes received the list and said: “Go in peace. Don’t be concerned. God is our help.” Now he had a brother, with whom he in fact committed the burglary, who had taken even more things, as was shown later. And about the eighth hour he brought this very brother held prisoner by Drosos who is presently sekretarios, but was then the komentarêsios of Alexander of Perada. And when the victim saw the prisoner, he said: “By God, he is wearing my clothes and my belt.” For he led him, proudly wearing the stolen articles. The komentarêsios said to them: “Over here by my sekretarios.” The victim and the burglars went with him. The burglary victim did not remember what he swore to the saint. When the sekretarios received them, he did not interrogate them but immediately led the thieves into the presence of the eparch (who was Theodore (formerly) in the service of Kallinikos) but he positioned the victim near the curtain. For the latter was inexperienced in legal affairs and had never seen a praitôrion. After the thieves were led in, the eparch (for he was talking) interrupted and asked the sekretarios about the case. But the sekretarios did not testify to the facts but otherwise saying: “Look, Your Honor, the one standing near the curtain lent them clothes in order that they might look their best for a wedding and they pawned them.” The victim, hearing none of what was being said but assuming that they were reporting the truth of the matter, when questioned by the eparch and his staff whether the testimony was true, said: “Yes, Your Honor.” But one of the bystanders, Theophylaktos by name who was a deputy in the eparch’s office and a devotee of the all-night vigil, escaping the notice of the eparch, approached the victim (for he was conversant with the case) and said to him: “Why did you agree and say ‘Yes’? Say that you were burglarized in order that they might be publicly disgraced. For the sekretarios falsely testified that he got them from you for his own use.” Then the victim remembered the oath that he had given the saint and in consequence of the disagreement decided that this too was the saint’s doing and, to insure their not being harmed, he took the sekretarios and the burglars aside and said: “Let me get back my things, Your Honor; I will pay you for your services; just set them free.” And he extracted an oath from the sekretarios that by God and the salvation of emperors they would suffer no harm and after giving the sekretarios eight silver hexagrams and three to the komentarêsios, he got all his clothes back except for his shirt and breeches, which one of the thieves was wearing and he forfeited them out of compassion that he might not be stark naked and he gave the psaltes, as he had promised the saint, half a gold coin.
Miracle 19: George a chartoularios of the imperial logothesion
This too is one of the martyr’s miracles. It happened once that a chartoularios of the imperial logothesion, George by name, who was 20 years old, fell from a height in some house and injured himself and was lame for a long time. One of those who frequented the night vigil suggested that he visit St. Artemios and that he anoint his ailing hip-bone with the oil from lamps lit upon his coffin. Upon hearing this he immediately went to his all-holy church and since he was in a hurry to descend to the coffin on the right hand side, he tripped and slid from the very first topmost step and rolled all the way down to the very doors of the tomb so that, frightened by the fall, he despaired for himself and cried out in a loud voice and said: “Oh wretched me. I’ve been fractured all over.” And while remaining as he fell for a time in terror and lying on the ground, he thought that his hip joint was completely fractured. But after coming to his senses and attempting to stand up, he found himself completely without pain and standing up he walked about upright as though he had never suffered any injury.
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Miracle 15: Narses’ blasphemy
There was a certain man in voluntary service who was attending one of the men of prominence and who was devoted to the all-night vigil of the Forerunner every Saturday. Another young man named Narses, who was also in the same official’s service, with allusion to the saint frequently chided the one devoted to the all-night vigil, mocking both the singing of hymns and those involved in it. Not only that, but he even uttered blasphemous words, saying ironically: “Yes, and perhaps does St. Artemios heal hernia patients?”
The adherent of the vigil said to Narses who continually used these words: “Narses, stop, lest you experience misfortune.” But he persisted all the more. Now after some time it happened that Narses fell severely ill and his genitals became swollen with the same disease. So then indeed the free man who had been chided by him, on visiting him, exhorted him to go to St. Artemios and conveyed him on a litter to the church of the Forerunner, where the saint lies in repose. And there he was regretting what he had previously uttered in folly. So while he was waiting, feeling very repentant, one day at the second hour he happened to fall asleep, and saw someone dressed in the garb of the patrician class (as he related). This person was coming from the direction of the narthex, preceded by a spotless white dove. Upon entering the nave and then making a turn, he entered the left colonnade through the upper railings proceeding as if in the direction of the sacristy and stood before the sick man; taking the dove which had preceded him he slew it against the sick man’s testicles. Narses woke up and related the dream to the church warden. Since thereafter it was the hour for communal eating, he stood up, lifted with difficulty by the church warden. Supported by him, Narses descended to the holy tomb, intending to drink from the saint’s lamp in the customary manner. As he lifted up his robes, so as not to trip on them, he noticed some moisture on his legs. And he thought that, while washing his face, he had splashed himself. After he touched his robes as well, he noticed that they were wet. He was puzzled at what had occurred and after a time, touching his testicles, he found them ruptured to the length of three fingers and the wetness of his legs and his robes caused by blood and pus. Overwhelmed by fear and fainting, he fell down. Those present lifted him up, carried him to his bed, washed his legs and wound with warm water and sponges and applied the holy martyr’s salve like a plaster and in this way the ailing Narses recovered.
Miracle 16: Sergios the granary guard from Alexandria
There was a certain man, named Sergios, an Alexandrian by birth, who was a guard at the granary which was nicknamed “Lamia” or “Glutton” in the district of Kaisarios. He was about 60 years old and had a hernia. Sergios frequented the martyr and begged him speaking thus: “St. Artemios, you were Doux and Augoustalios in my native land of Alexandria; cure me along with the many. For you know both that I am an old man and that I cannot leave the granary and wait upon you. For if I leave it, they will employ another and I will be deprived both of my position and my livelihood, unable to do even this job.” These and similar things he would say whenever he went to pray to the saint. While he was sleeping at the granary, the saint appeared to him one night. The old man seemed to see the Administrator of Granaries. And the saint approached him and said: “You sleep a great deal and are neglecting the granary. Look, pay attention, lest what is here be stolen.” Giving him a gold coin, he said: “Take this that you may drink.” It was in fact a salve. After Sergios woke up, he was pleased with the gift of the coin. For while still drowsy with sleep, he believed he actually held the gold coin. But when he opened his palm and fingers and found that he possessed a wax seal bearing an image of the saint, coming to his senses, he recognized the miracle that was worked upon him and that St. Artemios was the one who had appeared to him. Immediately softening the seal, he anointed his genitals and as soon as the softened wax of the seal touched him, instantly he became healthy and glorified God and the holy martyr.
Miracle 17: Sergios’ relative and the Alexandrian actor
In the reign of Herakleios of divine portion (610–641), a certain member of the senate named Sergios, nicknamed “Mensch”, who was a patrikios and imperial judge, had a certain relative about 40 years old; this man suffered from hernia. Since the patrikios was in distress over him, someone suggested that he send him to St. Artemios. Sergios sent him with the obligatory offering but when he was on the point of leaving, a certain Alexandrian who performed theatricals in which officials especially tend to delight heard. And hearing, he proposed to escort him saying: “By the fear of God, let me go with him.” The sick man, in order to be entertained by him, took the Alexandrian along with him and they went to the church where St. Artemios lies in repose. At the tenth hour he prayed and invited the hebdomarioi to dinner. After dinner he exhorted them and said: “Come, let me sleep below by the holy coffin.” But they prevented him, saying no one was permitted to sleep below except on Sunday before dawn. Upon hearing this he was dejected. But lest the hebdomarioi gave the appearance of offending him, as if the denial were a pretext for extorting some money, they allowed him to sleep by the holy tomb, and especially as he was one of the grandees. The Alexandrian scoffed greatly and strove also to sleep below but was not allowed to by the hebdomarioi who scarcely persuaded him to sleep above in the church. In the end he lay down before the icon of St. John, where the arch is situated at the top of the right staircase leading downward. About midnight the actor was forced to urinate, and making a circuit through the whole of the church but not finding an exit (because normally the church is secured at night along with the four chancel barriers on either side), he stood by the right-hand entrance to the church (nearby is the well and the representation of the Samaritan woman), and there he urinated. And after urinating he developed a hernia which reached below his knees. He cried out in pain in the funny sounding (as we know) dialect of the Alexandrian: “By the fear of God, this saint is an impostor. He creates hernias, by St. Menas! Woe to him through whom I have witnessed such things!” And while he was persistently crying aloud, the one who was lying by the holy tomb, thinking that the actor was crying out as a joke, came up and, pretending to suffer from stomach distress, demanded that the chancel barrier be opened for him. But when he came out, he summoned the actor as he sat down and reprimanded him saying: “Not even in church can you shut up and be quiet but you babble away and do not allow us to sleep. If I had known this, you would not have set out with me.” The actor replied: “Alas for the hour I came to this saint.” But the other reprimanded him the more, unaware of what had happened to him. After more words, the actor said to the sick man: “Lift up your garment so that I may see your hernia.” And after he obliged, the actor saw that he was healthy and had no disease. Then the actor as well lifted his robe and showed him what had befallen him. Seeing this the healed man struck himself on the forehead. At the same time both an urge to laugh and a sense of dismay came upon him and he was completely torn between the two. The actor kept saying to him: “By holy Menas, both you and this saint are impostors! Alas, alas! He sent me your hernia! Ah patronage! Ah support! Woe to this saint. Look, who they say cures hernias! I came here a healthy man and am leaving with a hernia!” As day approached, the news spread abroad and the church was thronged. Setting out, they made their way homeward, the one who was formerly diseased now healthy, the healthy one now afflicted with a hernia. What noteworthy things were said by the actor on the way, I think it superfluous to report and I omit them because of their number. Since they were about to dine with the patrikios, the two went together and the patrikios said to his kinsman: “How are you? How are you feeling?” But the actor who was still upset quickly lifted his robe and stripping himself showed himself to all saying: “See how it is! That saint who allegedly became Doux and Augoustalios of my country sent me this man’s hernia.” At these words those present both laughed and wept. And while they were dismayed at what had happened and were struggling with many thoughts, as all were looking on, the actor’s affliction disappeared so that they were astonished and raising their hands cried out “Lord have mercy!” for a long time and glorified God on account of His holy martyr Artemios.
Miracle 18: St. Artemios identifies two burglars
There was a certain man who from a tender age used to attend the all-night vigil of the Forerunner and who sang the hymns of humble Romanos among the saints right up to the present day. In the time of the reign of the Emperor Herakleios, this man was burglarized as the birthday of the holy Forerunner was dawning (June 24). For knowing that he lived alone (for up to the present time indeed he has lived alone for 52 years) and watching for a time when he was singing, the burglar found an opportunity and broke in. After completing the all-night vigil, the other went home and found the lock secure, as if it had in no way been tampered with. Then suspecting nothing unusual, especially since he had just come from the vigil, he went to sleep without any concern. When day came and he sought to change clothes and to dress more resplendently in honor of the feast, he did not find a single one of his garments, not even his belt, except for what he was wearing when he returned from the all-night vigil. Mounting an investigation, he asked his neighbors to tell him if they knew how the burglary had occurred. They said that they did not know. But when they saw him lamenting over the burglary, they suggested to him that he go to Saint Panteleemon in the Rouphinos quarter, saying that someone was there dispensing information who would tell him the burglar. For it happened at that time that there were a very large number of possessed in many churches. Relieved for the moment by these words, the man went off to Saint Panteleemon’s, but upon hearing the cry of the possessed one said to himself: “Now I am forsaking God and approaching demons; now I have been robbed of and lost my soul.” Saying this, he returned home and in a state of dejection threw himself on his bed and bewailing his fate he fell asleep. It was approximately the second hour. Because he did not have a change of clothes and besides was constantly gripped by depression as well, he did not go out to church. But St. Artemios appeared to him in his sleep in the garb of a man of rank wearing civilian clothes, and said to him: “Why did you not go to meet and escort in procession the holy objects with your candle, as is customary for you celebrants of the all-night vigil?” He responded: “I was burglarized and I do not have anything to wear.” And the saint said to him: “And do you wish to find what you lost?” And he replied: “I really do for I am naked.” The martyr said to him: “Swear to me that you will not harm the thief and I will tell you who he is.” The victim said: “By God, I will do him no harm; on the contrary I will treat him as a friend.” The saint said: “I do not believe you.” And taking the hand of the victim, he placed it on an icon of St. John, which this self-same victim owned and said to him: “By him i.e. St. John swear to me; for I know that you respect and love him.” And he took an oath saying to him: “I will do him no harm; on the contrary I will even make him my great friend and even give him a gift, if I find my property.” Then the saint said: “Theodosios the psaltes took and keeps them.” Waking up in a good mood about the seventh hour, he went to the moneychanger Abraamios near the church of St. John, who was also the treasurer of the society of all-night celebrants. And the treasurer said to him: “Where were you? Why did you not go to meet the holy objects with your candle? Give me your candle and the fine.” He answered: “By God, I was burglarized and because I did not have anything to wear I did not go.” Since those sitting next to him and the moneychanger were nosy about the identity of the burglar and the manner of the burglary, he said to them: “By God, I don’t know ... except, well perhaps I was dreaming, perhaps not, but someone said to me a short time ago in a dream while I was asleep that the psaltes Theodosios took them.” This very singer was seated opposite the moneychanger and was playing dice with various people, and, as events later showed, while playing dice there he bent his ear to what was being said. Those around him said discreetly to the burglary victim: “See where the psaltes is sitting and speak to him.” And so while the victim was speaking a second time about the same things and saying that Theodosios took them, that one, abandoning the dice and cutting through those sitting about, came abruptly into the center and said: “What are you saying, sir? ‘That Theodosios took them’? That I stole something?” The victim, realizing that if he shamed him in front of everyone, he would deny it, said to him: “I did not say that you took, but that if Theodosios desires, they will be found.” But Theodosios contradicted him saying: “I heard you say that ‘Theodosios took them.’” Then the victim spoke bluntly: “By God, whether you like it or not, a short time ago, while I was sleeping, someone said to me that Theodosios took them.” And Theodosios said to him: “Make a list and allow me to see what you lost.” He made one and gave it to him and the psaltes received the list and said: “Go in peace. Don’t be concerned. God is our help.” Now he had a brother, with whom he in fact committed the burglary, who had taken even more things, as was shown later. And about the eighth hour he brought this very brother held prisoner by Drosos who is presently sekretarios, but was then the komentarêsios of Alexander of Perada. And when the victim saw the prisoner, he said: “By God, he is wearing my clothes and my belt.” For he led him, proudly wearing the stolen articles. The komentarêsios said to them: “Over here by my sekretarios.” The victim and the burglars went with him. The burglary victim did not remember what he swore to the saint. When the sekretarios received them, he did not interrogate them but immediately led the thieves into the presence of the eparch (who was Theodore (formerly) in the service of Kallinikos) but he positioned the victim near the curtain. For the latter was inexperienced in legal affairs and had never seen a praitôrion. After the thieves were led in, the eparch (for he was talking) interrupted and asked the sekretarios about the case. But the sekretarios did not testify to the facts but otherwise saying: “Look, Your Honor, the one standing near the curtain lent them clothes in order that they might look their best for a wedding and they pawned them.” The victim, hearing none of what was being said but assuming that they were reporting the truth of the matter, when questioned by the eparch and his staff whether the testimony was true, said: “Yes, Your Honor.” But one of the bystanders, Theophylaktos by name who was a deputy in the eparch’s office and a devotee of the all-night vigil, escaping the notice of the eparch, approached the victim (for he was conversant with the case) and said to him: “Why did you agree and say ‘Yes’? Say that you were burglarized in order that they might be publicly disgraced. For the sekretarios falsely testified that he got them from you for his own use.” Then the victim remembered the oath that he had given the saint and in consequence of the disagreement decided that this too was the saint’s doing and, to insure their not being harmed, he took the sekretarios and the burglars aside and said: “Let me get back my things, Your Honor; I will pay you for your services; just set them free.” And he extracted an oath from the sekretarios that by God and the salvation of emperors they would suffer no harm and after giving the sekretarios eight silver hexagrams and three to the komentarêsios, he got all his clothes back except for his shirt and breeches, which one of the thieves was wearing and he forfeited them out of compassion that he might not be stark naked and he gave the psaltes, as he had promised the saint, half a gold coin.
Miracle 19: George a chartoularios of the imperial logothesion
This too is one of the martyr’s miracles. It happened once that a chartoularios of the imperial logothesion, George by name, who was 20 years old, fell from a height in some house and injured himself and was lame for a long time. One of those who frequented the night vigil suggested that he visit St. Artemios and that he anoint his ailing hip-bone with the oil from lamps lit upon his coffin. Upon hearing this he immediately went to his all-holy church and since he was in a hurry to descend to the coffin on the right hand side, he tripped and slid from the very first topmost step and rolled all the way down to the very doors of the tomb so that, frightened by the fall, he despaired for himself and cried out in a loud voice and said: “Oh wretched me. I’ve been fractured all over.” And while remaining as he fell for a time in terror and lying on the ground, he thought that his hip joint was completely fractured. But after coming to his senses and attempting to stand up, he found himself completely without pain and standing up he walked about upright as though he had never suffered any injury.
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