Letter to John of Jerusalem · §2 · Epiphanius of Salamis

The Unfeigned Love and Truth of Christ

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Regarding the unfeigned love and peace and right faith and truth of Christ. Since I have heard that certain people have grumbled against us, claiming that as we were passing through the holy place of Bethlehem to be gathered by your honor, just as we arrived at the village called Anautha, we saw a lamp burning and, having asked, we learned that there was a church in that place; but upon entering to fulfill our prayer, we find a stone at the door, upon which was painted something idol-like and man-like, which they perhaps said that

Greek

Χριστοῦ ἀνυποκρίτου ἀγάπης καὶ εἰρήνης καὶ ὀρθῆς πίστεως καὶ ἀληθείας. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἤκουσα ὅτι τινὲς ἐγόγγυσαν καθ' ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ διαβαίνειν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸν ἅγιον τόπον τῆς Βεθῆλ τοῦ συναγελασθῆναι τῇ σῇ τιμιότητι ὡς ἤλθομεν εἰς τὴν κώμην τὴν λεγομένην Ἀναυθά, θεασάμενοι λύχνον καιόμενον καὶ ἐρωτήσαντες ἔγνωμεν ἐκκλησίαν εἶναι ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, εἰσερχόμενοι δὲ τοῦ εὐχὴν ἐπιτελέσαι εὕρομεν βῆλον ἐν τῇ θύρᾳ βαπτὸν ἐν ᾧ ἐζωγράφητο ἀνδροείκελόν τι εἰδωλοειδές, ὃ ἔλεγον τάχα ὅτι