hom nothing is
impossible, than to wish to define rashly[113] by our own authority any
thing, which we do not approve of.... Because nothing is impossible with
God, we do not deny that something of the kind was done with regard to
the blessed Virgin Mary; although for caution's sake (salva fide)
preserving our faith, we ought rather with pious desire to think, than
inconsiderately to define, what without danger may remain unknown." This
letter, at the earliest, was not written until the beginning of the
fifth century.

[Footnote 113: These last words, stamping the author's own
opinion, "Which we do not approve of," are left out in the
quotation of Coccius.]

Subsequent writers were not wanting to fill up what this letter declares
to have been at its own date unknown, as to the manner and time of
Mary's assumption, and the persons employed in effecting it. The first
authority appealed to in defence of the tradition relating to the
assumption of the Virgin[114], is usually cited as a well-known work
written by Euthymius, who was contemporary with Juvenal, Archbishop of
Jerusalem. And the testimony simply quoted as his, offers to us the
following account of the miraculous transaction[115]:--

[Footnote 114: Coccius heads the extract merely with these
words: "Euthumius Eremita Historiae Ecclesiasticae, lib. iii. c.
40;" assigning the date A.D. 549.]

[Footnote 115: This version by Coccius differs in some points
from the original. Jo. Dam. vol. ii. p. 879.]

"It has been above said, that the holy Pulcheria {307} built many
churches to Christ at Constantinople. Of these, however, there is one
which was built in Blachernae, in the beginning of Marcian I's _reign_ of
divine memory. These, therefore, namely, Marcian and Pulcheria, when
they had built a venerable temple to the greatly to be celebrated and
most holy mother of God and ever Virgin Mary, and had decked it with all
ornaments, sought her most holy body, which had conceived God. And
having sent for Juvenal, Archbishop of Jerusalem, and the bishops of
Palestine, who were living in the royal city on account of the synod
then held at Chalcedon, they say to them, 'We hear that there is in
Jerusalem the first and famous Church of Mary, mother of God and ever
Virgin, in the garden called Gethsemane, where her body which bore the
Life was deposited in a coffin. We wish, therefore, her relics to be
brought here for the protection of this ro