Anecdota Oxoniensia. Semitic series.

CHURCH OF SAINT MERCURIUS.

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or in a lie. So the Christians assembled and went out to the mountain, Fol. 35 a
and the Muslims and Jews went out at the same time, on account of
a certain event which is related in the history of the church. Many of
the Muslim sayyidsl came forward, and prayed, and cried Alldih akbar,
and implored the assistance of God, but no sign appeared to them.
Then the Jews followed them, and still no result followed. Then the
patriarch came forward, and the tanner, for whom God had performed
a miracle, followed him; and all the orthodox people followed them.
They prayed to the most high God, and burnt incense, and cried
Kyrie eleison2 three times; and God showed his wonders, and the
mountain moved: namely, that part of the Mulkattam hills which is
near the hill of Al-Kabsh, between Cairo and Misr. This miracle
took place through the faith of the tanner, who had plucked out
his own eye by the root, and in the presence of Al-'Aziz3 and the
chief men of his government, and the cadis of the Muslims. When
Al-'Aziz had witnessed this great miracle, he said: 'It is enough,
O patriarch; we recognize what God has done for you;' and then he
added: ' Desire of me what thou choosest, and I will do it for thee.'
The patriarch, however, refused with thanks; but Al-'Aziz begged him
to ask for something, and did not cease until the patriarch had asked
for a certain church, which had fallen into ruin. So Al-'Aziz Fol. 35 b
commanded that this church should be restored for the patriarch,
and it is said to have been the church of Saint Mercurius.
When the patriarch was about to begin to work upon this church,
the common people of the Muslims attacked him. For the church had
fallen into ruin, and nothing was left to mark it except the walls, which
were also in a state of decay; and it had been turned into a storehouse
for sugar-canes. So the command was issued that it should be restored
by the patriarch, and that money should be allowed him from the
1 Or members of the family of the prophet Mahomet.
2 It is well known that this liturgical formula of the first Christians has been
preserved in the original Greek in the Coptic ritual, as it has been in the Latin mass.
3 The caliph Al-'Aziz bi-'llah Abu M\ansur Nazar, fifth of the Fatimides,
reigned from A. H. 365 to 386=A.. 975 to 996.