A Church at Mamre

Such were the chief sacred buildings raised at the emperor’s command. But he heard that the very same Savior who had lately appeared on earth had, in ages long past, shown his divine presence to holy men of Palestine near the oak of Mamre. So he ordered that a house of prayer be built there too, in honor of the God who had appeared in this way. The imperial order was sent to the provincial governors in letters addressed to each of them, requiring that the appointed work be finished quickly. He also sent the writer of this history an eloquent admonition, a copy of which I think it well to include in this work, to give a true idea of his devout diligence and zeal. To express his displeasure, then, at the evil practices he had heard were common at the place just mentioned, he wrote to me in the following terms. [a]