17 When the ninth hour [of the
day] was completed, he rose to give thanks, and laid his hands on those who
were sick, and prayed for them; he blessed them all, took his leave, and went
back to his own house with the brethren. The crowd followed him, asking to be
baptized by him. St Aberkios accepted their eagerness and their faith with joy,
but because the late hour did not permit it, he promised that on the following
day he would provide the grace of holy baptism to those who wished it and who
believed. So some of them did not even go away, but spent the night in front of
St Aberkios’ gateway.
18 He arose early, as he normally
did, finished his prayers, and then went out of his house and saw the crowd
standing waiting for him, to receive the grace of holy baptism. He looked up to
heaven, held out his hands, and said,
19 ‘I thank you, holy Jesus
Christ of God, that you have had mercy on so great a multitude of human beings
who were in error, and have thought it right that they should set their desire
on being baptized into your name, and that of your blessed Father, and that of
your Holy Spirit,’
and he told the crowd to follow
him to the church.
And when they went there, he
taught them, and baptized them in the name of the Father and the Son and the
Holy Spirit, into a full forgiveness and ransom from sins, men to the number of
about five hundred. And from that point on, many of them hurried to him every
day to be taught the word of truth by him, not only from the neighbouring
country of Greater Phrygia, but also from the provinces of Asia, Lydia, and
Caria. For the word of him was spread abroad, as a wondrous man and one who
performed healings. And it was not only those needing to be taught the word of
truth by him who hurried to him, but also a multitude of beggars and sick
persons – for he provided unstintingly for those who were in need, and he
healed the sick. (“Appendix 1–Vita Abercii,” in Paul McKechnie, Christianizing
Asia Minor: Conversion, Communities, and Social Change in the Pre-Constantinian
Era [Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2019], 268-69)
74 And from then on he continued
to teach with great boldness and to baptize those who came to Christ, in the
name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. And he compiled a book of
his teaching, which was very helpful to those who came across it; and this he
gave to his presbyters and deacons. So he travelled round the whole district
healing the sick and casting demons out of those who were afflicted by them. (“Appendix
1–Vita Abercii,” in Paul McKechnie, Christianizing Asia Minor: Conversion,
Communities, and Social Change in the Pre-Constantinian Era [Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press, 2019], 286-86)