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No sooner had the emperor departed from Antioch, than the Saracens,
who had before been in alliance with the Romans, revolted from them,
being led by Maria their queen, whose husband was then dead. All the
regions of the East therefore were at that time ravaged by the
Saracens: but a certain divine Providence repressed their fury in the
manner I am about to describe. A person named Moses, a Saracen by
birth, who led a monastic life in the desert, became exceedingly
eminent for his piety, faith, and miracles. Maria the queen of the
Saracens was therefore desirous that this person should be constituted
bishop over her nation, and promised on the condition to terminate the
war. The Roman generals considering that a peace founded on Such
terms would be extremely advantageous, gave immediate directions for
its ratification. Moses was accordingly seized, and brought from the
desert to Alexandria, in order that he might there be invested with
the bishopric: but on his presentation for that purpose to Lucius,
who at that time presided over the churches in that city, he refused to
be ordained by him, protesting against it in these words: 'I account
myself indeed unworthy of the sacred office; but if the exigences of
the state require my bearing it, it shall not be by Lucius laying his
hand on me, for it has been filled with blood.' When Lucius told
him that it was his duty to learn from him the principles of religion,
and not to utter reproachful language, Moses replied,' Matters of
faith are not now in question: but your infamous practices against the
brethren sufficiently prove that your doctrines are not Christian.
For a Christian is "no striker, reviles not, does not fight"; for
"it becomes not a servant of the Lord to fight." But your deeds cry
out against you by those who have been sent into exile, who have been
exposed to the wild beasts, and who had been delivered up to the
flames. Those things which our own eyes have beheld are far more
convincing than what we receive from the report of another.' As
Moses expressed these and other similar sentiments his friends took him
to the mountains, that he might receive ordination from those bishops
who lived in exile there. Moses having thus been consecrated, the
Saracen war was terminated; and so scrupulously did Maria observe the
peace thus entered into with the Romans that she gave her daughter in
marriage to Victor the commander-in-chief of the Roman army. Such
were the transactions in relation to the Saracens.
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