Saint Porphyrius facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintPorphyrius of Gaza |
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| Bishop and Confessor | |
| Born | c. 347 Thessalonica, Roman Empire |
| Died | February 26, 420 Gaza, Eastern Roman Empire |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Oriental Orthodox Churches |
| Major shrine | Church of Saint Porphyrius |
| Feast | February 26 |
| Attributes | vested as a bishop with omophorion, often holding a Gospel Book, with his right hand raised in blessing |
Porphyrius (born around 347, died 420) was a bishop in the city of Gaza. He served from 395 to 420. He is famous for helping to spread Christianity in Gaza. At that time, Gaza was a city where many people still followed older, non-Christian religions. Porphyrius worked to close their temples and change the city to Christianity.
Most of what we know about Porphyrius comes from a detailed book called the Vita Porphyrii. This book was written by Mark the Deacon, who worked with Porphyrius. Some people in modern times think the book is more like a saint's story (called a hagiography) than a perfect history book. However, the author knew Gaza very well in those ancient times. This means the book still tells us a lot about how people thought in the 400s.
Porphyrius is believed to be buried under the ruins of Saint Porphyrius' Church in Gaza City. There is even a street named after him in Zejtun, Malta.
Contents
Porphyrius's Story in the Vita
Gaza was a difficult place for early Christians. Many Christians were killed there during a time of great persecution (303–313 AD). Later, when a Roman emperor named Julian tried to bring back older religions (362–363 AD), a Christian church was burned. Some Christians were also put to death.
Christians in Gaza
The people of Gaza were not friendly to Christians. Because of this, the Christian church had to be built outside the city walls. It was placed at a safe distance. The Christian leaders in the 300s were called "bishops of the churches around Gaza." The Christian community in Gaza was very small, with only about 280 members. Most people in the city did not want to close their temples or remove their religious statues.
Porphyrius Becomes Bishop
According to the Vita, Porphyrius became bishop when he was 45 years old. He arrived in Gaza without any problems. But then, a drought happened that same year. The non-Christian people blamed Porphyrius for the drought. They said their god, Marnas, told them that Porphyrius brought bad luck to the city. Porphyrius and the Christians faced more trouble and harassment from local leaders.
Efforts to Close Temples
In 398 AD, Porphyrius sent his assistant, Marcus, to Constantinople. This was the capital city of the Roman Empire. Marcus's job was to get an order to close the non-Christian temples in Gaza. An official named Hilarius came to Gaza with soldiers to close the temples. However, the most important temple, the Marneion, stayed open. This was because Hilarius was given a lot of money.
Even after this, the people of Gaza did not change their minds much. They refused to let Christians hold any important jobs in the city. They treated Christians like "naughty slaves."
Empress Eudoxia's Help
Porphyrius decided to go to Constantinople himself in 401–402 AD. He went with another bishop. They met the Empress Eudoxia. She was very powerful in the emperor's court. Porphyrius and the other bishop convinced her to help. She then asked the emperor to issue a new order. This order was for the destruction of all non-Christian temples in Gaza.
Temples Are Destroyed
In May 402 AD, a special imperial messenger named Cynegius arrived. He carried out the emperor's order. Eight temples were either torn down or burned. These included temples dedicated to Aphrodite, Hecate, the Sun, Apollo, Kore (Persephone), Tyche, and a hero's shrine. Even the Marneion temple was destroyed.
Marcus, Porphyrius's assistant, wrote that there were also many other religious statues in homes and villages. But the rich people who owned them had already left the city. Soldiers went into the empty houses. They took and burned the statues and private libraries. These books were seen as "books of magic."
The Marneion Temple
The Marneion was a very important temple. It was dedicated to Zeus Marnas, a local god of farming. This god had been worshipped in the area for thousands of years. The Marneion temple was set on fire with tar, sulfur, and fat. It burned for many days. The stones from the destroyed Marneion were then used to pave the streets. This was a sign of victory for the Christians.
The Eudoxiana Church
Right on the ruins of the Marneion temple, a large new church was built. It was paid for by the empress herself. The church was named the Eudoxiana in her honor. It was officially opened on April 14, 407 AD. After this, the old non-Christian religions officially ended in Gaza.
About the Vita Porphyrii Today
The Vita Porphyrii is a very important text. It exists in Greek and Georgian languages. Scholars have studied it a lot. They have debated how much of it is true history and how much is a special kind of religious story.
Some scholars believe that the Vita was written in two parts. First, an eyewitness (like Mark the Deacon) wrote down notes. Later, another author shaped these notes into the final story. This second author might have added details from other church histories.
Other scholars are more doubtful. They think that many of the detailed parts about important people and events might not be real. However, they agree that the Vita still gives us a good idea of what life was like in the Roman Empire around the 400s. It shows how Christianity spread and how older religions slowly disappeared.
See also
In Spanish: Porfirio de Gaza para niños
