Alternate Translations of "The Self-Harming Bishop of Rome"

View the translation that PEMM posted. 

Recension 2 of "The Self-Harming Bishop"

Translated by Jeremy Brown and Dawit Muluneh, with Wendy Laura Belcher, from EMML 9002, ff. 181r-182v

A miracle [performed] by Our Lady Mary, Mariham, Holy Virgin, Mother of God, may Her intercession be with us, amen.

A patriarch in the city of Rome was a good and righteous person. He revered the Lord Most High and guarded his soul from every impure thought. 

One feast day, he went to church and sat near its gates before the liturgy began.

All the people came to him to be blessed, kissing his hands and feet. 

A group of women came to be blessed by him, and one of them kissed his hand.

Immediately, beastly desire was stirred up in his body, burning like a fire.

Once all the people had been blessed, he leapt up, entered the church treasury, seized a dagger, and cut off his hand.

Instantly, he began to wail and grieve. 

Then, as he lingered in the treasury, the people muttered about him.

The priest and deacons went to him, saying, “Our dear father and lord, all of the people are upset and muttering because you have stayed in here and not performed the Eucharist on time.”

When he heard this, his grief and wailing grew worse. 

He threw himself on the ground, prostrating himself before the icon of Our Lady Mary, Mariham, Holy Virgin. He appealed to her and begged her to show mercy on him and help him. 

Immediately, Our Lady Mary, Mariham, appeared and picked up his [severed] hand with her blessed and holy hand, full of grace.

She returned his hand to its place on his wrist and it became as healthy as before. 

Then, Our Lady Mary, Mariham, disappeared. 

When the Patriarch saw the mercy of Our Lady Mary, Mariham, and the miracle that she had performed for him, he rejoiced joyfully. He worshiped the praiseworthy and almighty God, and praised Our Lady Mary, Mariham, the Holy Virgin, the one who is able to perform these miracles and wonders. 

Then, he entered into the [church’s] Holy of Holies, performed the liturgy, administered the Holy Mysteries to the people, and blessed them.

Afterwards, the Patriarch told the people about the beastly desire that had been stirred up in his body, and how he had cut off his own hand. He told them what Our Lady Mary, Mariham, the Merciful Holy Virgin, had done for him, and how she had healed his hand. 

After the people heard about this great miracle, they were astonished by the mercy of Our Lady Mary, Mariham. They worshiped God and praised him.

The Patriarch told the people that, “Whenever trouble, suffering, grief, or illness comes upon you, seek refuge in Our Lady Mary, Mariham, the Holy Virgin! Ask her for help, because she is the Mother of Mercy, and she intercedes with her praiseworthy son on behalf of sinners. She is the performer of miracles and mighty deeds and never ignores those who seek refuge in her.”

May the prayers and blessings of Our Lady Mary, Mariham, the Holy Virgin, be with your servant Emperor Constantine[, Dawit I,] forever and ever, amen!

Recension 3 of "The Self-Harming Bishop"

Translated by Jeremy Brown and Dawit Muluneh, with Wendy Laura Belcher, from EMML (HMML) 3872, f. 55v-56r

A miracle [performed] by Our Lady Mary, the Twofold Virgin, may her prayer be with her servant Simon, forever and ever, amen. 

A man called Abbas was one of the bishops of Rome. He was a good and holy man, respected as a priest. He revered God and kept himself pure, avoiding sexual sin and impurity, and the turmoil of wicked thoughts. 

On one of the feast days, Abbas performed the liturgy. He offered the Eucharist, [first] for the men and [then] the women. [During that,] each came forward to bow and kiss his hands and feet. Then the women came forward to receive the host, kissing his hands and feet, and he smelled the fragrance of one of the women. Lust entered his heart and he was consumed by its flames. 

After he completed the Eucharistic service, he ritually cleaned the holy vessels.Then, he quickly got ready and went [out of the sanctuary and] into the church treasury. 

He picked up a dagger and cut off his own hand while sobbing.  

He lingered so long in the treasury, that the people became very concerned. They called out his name, wailing. 

Then, the priests and the deacons came to the door, saying, “Our lord and our leader, the steward of the people, we are worried and very concerned.”

But, when they said this to him, he sobbed all the louder. 

Then, he came out [of the treasury], stood among the people [in the sanctuary], and started wandering around, until he came to the icon of Our Lady Mary, the Twofold Virgin. 

He fell face down on the ground, prostrating himself while asking and begging for her to show him mercy, to be compassionate, to help him, and forgive his sins.

Instantly, Our Lady Mary, the Twofold Virgin appeared in front of him. She picked up his severed hand, held it in her holy hand, returned it to the place where it had been cut off, and reattached it. It was fully restored! The scar where it had been severed was undetectable. 

Then, she disappeared.

When the priests and the deacons saw this miracle, they marveled and were amazed, telling  everyone about it. They worshiped God.

Then that man, Abbas of Rome, pronounced the benediction over the people after the Euchaist was done and dismissed the congregation to their homes.

Abbas left the church, beginning to walk back to his monastic cell. The clergy, deacons, and congregation followed him, carrying the cross with a Gospel book and incense, singing and shouting with joy, until they arrived at his house and put the cross, the Gospel book, and the incense inside. Then, they feasted.

They discussed the hope and mercy of the Mother of Life. They begged her to intercede on their behalf with her beloved son Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World, and to deliver them from turmoil and remove sorrow from their hearts. 

Those who trust in her will never be forgotten. 

May her prayer be with her servant Simon, forever and ever, amen.