Translatio Philippi
Anthony Alcock
I. In the course of our travels to the confines of east and west and north to south, we heard that the blessed Peter had been crucified in Rome, Andrew at Achaean Patrae, and that Philip too had suffered honourable crucifixion, upside down, at Ophiorymos. Almost all believers rushed to where the bodies of the holy apostles lay to worship them. The physical remains of Philip were moved to Hierapolis by the faithful. Forty days after his crucifixion St Philip appeared to all the brothers in every church. Of certain philosophers at Athens, those from Hierapolis were guided by Philip to Ophiorymos where he had been crucified. They spent three days there, communing with the brothers, secretly taking the apostle's remains, travelling across sea and impassable desert, as if bearing the bones of the sober Joseph, so that Jesus appeared to them in the form of Philip and the sea and road were illuminated for them by his bright light. Within a few days the philosophers came to Hierapolis with the bones of St Philip.
II. It was night and the gate was locked, which was a problem for them. One of them named Basilicus called out: "Shining cross, which made the sea calm and illuminated the way through the desert, come and open this very heavy gate." The gates opened forthwith, and the whole city shone, as if illuminated by lightning. The light of the cross moved across the whole gateway, and in the middle of the night everyone rushed out to the square in astonishment, leaping up and down, saying: "What is this alien light in our city in the middle of the night ?!" Amid the general confusion among the people and almost all the Greeks, Jews and Christians, who had been believing in the passage of Saint John on his way to Laodicea, a voice was heard from heaven: "People who are still half-asleep in the middle of the night, raise your eyes to the right and listen. Why are you so frightened ?" They all turned and saw on a certain place in the city a cross reaching up to heaven, amid the sound of hymns and voices, that kept repeating: 'Alleluia. Glory to the Father, praise to the Crucified and honour to the Holy Spirit'.
III. Many wanted to approach the place where the cross stood but could not because of the blinding light. The bishop consecrated by John, together with 24 elders and virgins who had consecrated themselves, tried fearfully to approach the vision of the cross, and the heavenly voice said: 'Approach the Lord's cross and be illuminated.' As they approached, they saw a shining figure at the cross with ten philosophers: 'Blessings be upon you, bishop Eliphatha, for this is your name. Blessings be upon your flock, for you have seen me. I am Philip the apostle of Christ, and my crucified body lies in Ophiorymus but I am at peace in this city. Make a home for me and pure flowers will bloom. See to it that the earth opens and make smooth a place for my remains. Many voices in heaven echoed this with 'Amen' and 'Alleluia'. The cross ascended and said to Philip: "Behold the place of your rest until I come in the glory of my Father and awaken you. Receive now the crown of your apostolate in heaven where I am seated at the right hand of my Father."
IV. When it was daylight, there was a fragrant opening in the earth, and the philosophers laid down the remains of Philip rejoicing. The whole city rushed there and filled it with costly perfumes. The earth drew the opening closed, and the bones were covered by the more costly of the perfumes. The bishop brought an offering to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, gloriously saying 'Amen'. As each one made his way from the place, there was much noise and weeping and the sound of flagellation, as if the entire demonic world had been aroused by the cross and their father the devil uprooted. They were saying things such as: "On all sides we are exhausted fugitives, from persecution in Rome, Apamea, Galilee, Achaea and India. We migrated to Persia, and the Crucified One threatened us with unquenchable lightning. And even now, from Hierapolis, whence we have been ejected, even though the remains of Philip have migrated, he has banished us from Greece and Ophiorymos. Gaza and Azotos, Samaria and the land of the Candaceni. And now the remains of Philip are here to destroy us and preach salvation for the city."
V. All those listening were seized by fear, but thereafter there was great rejoicing in the city, The brothers travelled all over Laodicea to broadcast that Philip the apostle of Christ who had appeared at Hierapolis had found rest through the appearance of the cross of the Son of God. Shortly afterwards, there were many cures. People glorified God and set up a cult11 of the holy apostle Philip to the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who alone is majestic forever. Amen.
https://www.academia.edu/104119612/Translatio_Philippi
Note: Footnotes removed above.
Anthony Alcock
- The text translated here is from Codex Barrocianus 180, but was not included by Tischendorf. Just over thirty years later it was published by M. R. James Apocrypha Anecdota (1893) pp. 161-163. Portions of the 'Acts of Philip' (Paris grec 1468 fols. 326v-331v) and 'Martyrdom of Philip' (Codex Barrocianus 180) are published by C. Tischendorf in Apocalypses Apocryphae (1866) pp. 141ff. More information about Philip came to light in a Greek text discovered in 1974.
The text is essentially about the final obsequies of the apostle, during which there is a miraculous event: a cross, perhaps that on which Philip was crucified, appears surrounded by dazzling light that made it unapproachable, except by the bishop and his entourage. The cross identifies itself as Philip, who tells the bishop what he wants. Speaking animals are not unknown in hagiographic texts, but inanimate objects with the gift of speech are less common.
I. In the course of our travels to the confines of east and west and north to south, we heard that the blessed Peter had been crucified in Rome, Andrew at Achaean Patrae, and that Philip too had suffered honourable crucifixion, upside down, at Ophiorymos. Almost all believers rushed to where the bodies of the holy apostles lay to worship them. The physical remains of Philip were moved to Hierapolis by the faithful. Forty days after his crucifixion St Philip appeared to all the brothers in every church. Of certain philosophers at Athens, those from Hierapolis were guided by Philip to Ophiorymos where he had been crucified. They spent three days there, communing with the brothers, secretly taking the apostle's remains, travelling across sea and impassable desert, as if bearing the bones of the sober Joseph, so that Jesus appeared to them in the form of Philip and the sea and road were illuminated for them by his bright light. Within a few days the philosophers came to Hierapolis with the bones of St Philip.
II. It was night and the gate was locked, which was a problem for them. One of them named Basilicus called out: "Shining cross, which made the sea calm and illuminated the way through the desert, come and open this very heavy gate." The gates opened forthwith, and the whole city shone, as if illuminated by lightning. The light of the cross moved across the whole gateway, and in the middle of the night everyone rushed out to the square in astonishment, leaping up and down, saying: "What is this alien light in our city in the middle of the night ?!" Amid the general confusion among the people and almost all the Greeks, Jews and Christians, who had been believing in the passage of Saint John on his way to Laodicea, a voice was heard from heaven: "People who are still half-asleep in the middle of the night, raise your eyes to the right and listen. Why are you so frightened ?" They all turned and saw on a certain place in the city a cross reaching up to heaven, amid the sound of hymns and voices, that kept repeating: 'Alleluia. Glory to the Father, praise to the Crucified and honour to the Holy Spirit'.
III. Many wanted to approach the place where the cross stood but could not because of the blinding light. The bishop consecrated by John, together with 24 elders and virgins who had consecrated themselves, tried fearfully to approach the vision of the cross, and the heavenly voice said: 'Approach the Lord's cross and be illuminated.' As they approached, they saw a shining figure at the cross with ten philosophers: 'Blessings be upon you, bishop Eliphatha, for this is your name. Blessings be upon your flock, for you have seen me. I am Philip the apostle of Christ, and my crucified body lies in Ophiorymus but I am at peace in this city. Make a home for me and pure flowers will bloom. See to it that the earth opens and make smooth a place for my remains. Many voices in heaven echoed this with 'Amen' and 'Alleluia'. The cross ascended and said to Philip: "Behold the place of your rest until I come in the glory of my Father and awaken you. Receive now the crown of your apostolate in heaven where I am seated at the right hand of my Father."
IV. When it was daylight, there was a fragrant opening in the earth, and the philosophers laid down the remains of Philip rejoicing. The whole city rushed there and filled it with costly perfumes. The earth drew the opening closed, and the bones were covered by the more costly of the perfumes. The bishop brought an offering to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, gloriously saying 'Amen'. As each one made his way from the place, there was much noise and weeping and the sound of flagellation, as if the entire demonic world had been aroused by the cross and their father the devil uprooted. They were saying things such as: "On all sides we are exhausted fugitives, from persecution in Rome, Apamea, Galilee, Achaea and India. We migrated to Persia, and the Crucified One threatened us with unquenchable lightning. And even now, from Hierapolis, whence we have been ejected, even though the remains of Philip have migrated, he has banished us from Greece and Ophiorymos. Gaza and Azotos, Samaria and the land of the Candaceni. And now the remains of Philip are here to destroy us and preach salvation for the city."
V. All those listening were seized by fear, but thereafter there was great rejoicing in the city, The brothers travelled all over Laodicea to broadcast that Philip the apostle of Christ who had appeared at Hierapolis had found rest through the appearance of the cross of the Son of God. Shortly afterwards, there were many cures. People glorified God and set up a cult11 of the holy apostle Philip to the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, who alone is majestic forever. Amen.
https://www.academia.edu/104119612/Translatio_Philippi
Note: Footnotes removed above.
How do people explain talking crosses? Is the author a satirist?
