Gaddis brings up how various holy men, their hagiographers anyway, demonstrated their holiness by miracle. Some examples of these miracles might illustrate their nature.
The archaeretic Arius died through a wracking dysentery. A holy fire destroyed the Holy Wisdom in Constantinople, as John Chrysostom and his enemies staged a riot. Palmyra, after refusing Alexander's band of mendicants, suffered a three year drought.
The Eunomians called foul and blamed their bishop's miserable death upon poison. John's detractors blamed John for the fire.
Then there are the monks, to whom Theodosius ascribed "many crimes". As to Palmyra: I must wonder if any record of actual drought can be found in Alexander's time. Such cities in the Syrian desert depended upon manmade canals and cisterns, as much as upon God.
Alleluia! What a civilisation you got there; may our Lord continue to bless it. Can we get an ay-men?
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