Bishop Rejects The Divinity Of FireBishop Rejects The Divinity Of FireThe Parsarmenians visited the Emperor (Roman Emperor of the East) with a great store of unwoven silk, seeking his friendship and declaring themselves to be enemies of the Persian Emperor. Persian emissaries had come to them with this message: Our King in his solicitude sends to ask if you intend to preserve the treaty which you have made with him. When they answered that they would keep intact all the promises they had made, the envoys then replied. It will be made clear that you propose to keep the terms of the treaty if you agree to worship fire as he does (i.e. Chosroes Emperor of Persia). The people had answered that they would never do this, Their bishop who was present added: What is there divine about fire, that it should be worshiped? God created it for men to use. It is lighted from tinder.
If you put water on it, it goes out. It burns as long as it has fuel but if you neglect it it soon looses its heat. The envoys were furious when they heard the bishop continue in this strain.They abused him roundly and hit him with their sticks.When the people had seen their bishop covered in blood, they had attacked the envoys,seized hold of them by main force and killed them. Then as I said, they went to seek an alliance with the Emperor.