One of the most extensive resources on the internet 
for the study of early Christianity
“Eusebius of Caesarea - Rain sent from Heaven in answer to Christian prayers - original Greek Text with English translation”
From Historia Ecclesiastica, 5. 5. Eusebius relates how a miracle happened in response to the prayers of Christians in the Roman army.
| 
 This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Find out more about our use of cookies here. Click here to read at earlychurchtexts.com in the original Greek (with dictionary lookup links). The English translation below is from the NPNF series. earlychurchtexts.com 
  
      Try out the feature 
      rich subscription version of the Early Church Texts website for just $5 
      for a trial period or $30 for a year ($15 student rate). Click
      
      here for more information. Check out the video demo of the site. Click here to go to the Early Church Texts Home Page 
    for the publicly available version of the site which has just the original Greek and Latin texts with dictionary lookup links.   | 
    
     Relevant 
    books Eusebius studies and translations Several also below TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS History of the Church Andrew Louth ed. ----- Cameron and Hall ----- ----- W. J. Ferrar ----- 
    Eusebii Pamphili Evangelicae Praeparations, Tomus I (Greek Edition)  ----- 
    Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea - the Ecclesiastical History and the Martyrs of Palestine. Two Volumes ----- ----- Notley and Safrai ----- STUDIES Eusebius, Christianity and Judaism Harold W. Attridge ----- Constantine and Eusebius Timothy Barnes ----- Glenn Chesnut ----- Robert Grant ----- Eusebius of Caesarea Against Paganism Aryeh Kofsky -----  Eusebius of Caesarea and the Arian Crisis C. Luibheid ----- Christ as Mediator: A Study of the Theologies of Eusebius of Caesarea, 
    Marcellus of Ancyra, and Athanasius of Alexandria ----- Wallace-Hadrill 
  | 
 1. It is reported that Marcus Aurelius Cæsar, brother of Antoninus, being about to engage in battle with the 
    Germans and Sarmatians, was in great trouble on account of his army 
    suffering from thirst. But the soldiers of the so-called Melitene 
    legion, through the faith which has given strength from that time to the 
    present, when they were drawn up before the enemy, kneeled on the ground, as 
    is our custom in prayer, and engaged in supplications to God. This was 
    indeed a strange sight to the enemy, but it is reported that a stranger 
    thing immediately followed. The lightning drove the enemy to flight and 
    destruction, but a shower refreshed the army of those who had called on God, 
    all of whom had been on the point of perishing with thirst. This story is 
    related by non-Christian writers who have been pleased to treat the times 
    referred to, and it has also been recorded by our own people. By those 
    historians who were strangers to the faith, the marvel is mentioned, but it 
    is not acknowledged as an answer to our prayers. But by our own people, as 
    friends of the truth, the occurrence is related in a simple and artless 
    manner. Among these is Apolinarius, who says that from that time the 
    legion through whose prayers the wonder took place received from the emperor 
    a title appropriate to the event, being called in the language of the Romans 
    the Thundering Legion. Tertullian is a trustworthy witness of these things. 
    In the Apology for the Faith, which he addressed to the Roman Senate, and 
    which work we have already mentioned, he confirms the history with 
    greater and stronger proofs. He writes that there are still extant 
    letters of the most intelligent Emperor Marcus in which he testifies 
    that his army, being on the point of perishing with thirst in Germany, was 
    saved by the prayers of the Christians. And he says also that this emperor 
    threatened death to those who brought accusation against us. He adds 
    further: “What kind of laws are those which impious, unjust, and cruel 
    persons use against us alone? which Vespasian, though he had conquered the 
    Jews, did not regard; which Trajan partially annulled, forbidding 
    Christians to be sought after; which neither Adrian, though 
    inquisitive in all matters, nor he who was called Pius sanctioned.” But 
    let any one treat these things as he chooses; we must pass on to what 
    followed.  | 
    
  
Mac Users please note that the site may not work with Safari versions lower than version 4. (It has been tested with version 4.0.3.) It will work with Firefox, which can be downloaded from here.
Please note that for all features of the site to work correctly javascript must be enabled and the operation of "pop-up" windows must not be blocked. Click here for more information.
Roman Army
Battle saved
Rain sent in answer to prayer
Melitene legion
Thundering Legion
Marcus Aurelius Caesar
battle with the Germans and Sarmatians
Antoninus Pius
Eusebius
Μελιτηνῆς
Κεραυνοβόλον
Κεραυνοβόλος
Μελιτηνῆς οὕτω καλουμένης λεγεῶνος 
Original Greek text
Migne Greek Text
Patrologiae Graecae Cursus Completus
Patrologia Graeca