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Nicholas Mesarites 1207
Both texts employ the symetrical contrast of Constantinople and Judaea: the Passion occurred there, but the relics are here.
In 1207 the same Nicholas Mesarites, former overseer of relics, was in the capital pronouncing his eulogy (Epitaphios) for his deceased brother, John. We must understand that for the last three years he had been totally excluded from any official function in the capital, and certainly from the Pharos relic treasury. Indeed, Latin clerics had replaced Greeks in every important capacity including that of Patriarch.4 0 In the midst of this speech, Nicholas conjured up for the Greeks then present in Hagia Sophia a reminiscence of the greatness of their city which his brother had served so loyally, and of the atrocities of the looting by the crusaders, which he himself had witnessed. In this eulogy Mesarites again refers to Constantinople as possessing the burial wrappings of Jesus, and this reference has been used as evidence that the Shroud was still present in the city in 1207.4 1 The latter position breaks down when it is noticed that in fact, Mesarites words in the Epitaphios are largely a direct quote from his 1201 report (Doc. XI) and are used by him here only for rhetorical effect.4 2 1. In both places Mesarites lists the relics of Jesus Passion, including the burial wrappings. 3. Both texts add, identically, Why should I go on and on? . . . (The Lord himself) is here, as if in the original, his impression stamped in the towel and impressed into the easily broken clay (tile) as if in some graphic art not wrought by hand." 4. He completes both texts by stating in each, but in a different order, that this place (Constantinople) is another Bethlehem, another Jerusalem, Tiberias, Nazareth, Bethany, Mount Tabor, and another Golgotha. Since, additionally, every existing document dealing with the Latins disposition of the relics and with the diminished role of the Greek clergy after the sack is evidence that Mesarites no longer had any knowledge of the whereabouts of the relics of which he had been the solicitous guardian in 1201, the Epitaphios of 1207 clearly is not a proof that the shroud of Jesus was still in Constantinople at that time, but only that Mesarites and his audience of Greek prelates thought it was. Scavone Introduction to Several Documents Scavone Summary of Several Documents Narratio De Imagine Edessena 944 Symeon Magister 944 Gregory Referendarius 944 Letter Of Constantine VII 958 Liturgical Tractate CA. 960 Alexius I Comnenus English Pilgrim 1150 Nicholas Soemundarson 1157 William Of Tyre Nicholas Mesarites 1201 Antonius Of Novgorod Robert Of Clari 1203 Nicholas Mesarites 1207 Nicholas Of Otranto 1207 Theodore Angelus Letter 1205 Baldwin II: Golden Bull 1247 "
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