The Phoenix

1 Our Lord Jesus Christ said: "I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it again"⁠a (John 10:18). And the Jews were angry at what he said. 2 There is a bird in India called the Phoenix. And at the end of five hundred years he comes to the trees of Lebanon, and fills his wings with pleasant fragrances, and he announces his return to the priest of Heliopolis early in the month Nisan or Adar (that is Phamenoti or Pharmuti). And the priest, when he hears the news, comes and fills up the altar with vine wood. And the bird comes to Heliopolis laden with the fragrance of pleasant spices, and settles on the altar, and kindles a fire and burns himself. And on the following morning the priest searches through the ashes on the altar and finds a small worm in them. And on the second day, look, he grows feathers and becomes like a young bird.⁠b And on the third day they find him just as before, the Phoenix,⁠c and he greets the priest, and flies away and returns to his old dwelling-place. 3 If this bird has the power to kill himself and come to life again, how can reasonable men complain about our Lord Jesus Christ when He said: "I have power to lay down my life and to take it again." 4 For the Phoenix takes on the image of our Lord, when, coming down from heaven, he brought with him both wings full of pleasant fragrances, the excellent heavenly words, so that as we stretch out our hands in prayer we become filled with the pleasant scent of his mercy. 5 Physiologus spoke rightly of the Phoenix. 6 [Ponce de Leon] The Phoenix is a bird more beautiful than the Peacock, for the Peacock does have golden and silver wings, but the Phoenix has wings of jacinth and emerald, and is adorned with the colors of every costly precious stone. On his head he has a crown, and spurs on his feet. He dwells in India, lives five hundred years, and nourishes himself on the air by the cedars of Lebanon without food or drink. But, after five hundred years, he fills his wings with pleasant fragrances, and, when the priest at Heliopolis begins the sacrifice, he comes out of his nest and flies to the priest. [Continuation as above] 7 [Syriac] Every Phoenix is the only one of his kind and lives for himself alone and is bound by no marriage. He journeys to the land of Egypt every five hundred years, and is seen by the priest high above the altar coming from the East. And, when he comes, he brings under his wings sweet-smelling cinnamon and other spices; and he collects wood, and heaps it on the altar, and lays himself on his back on the burning wood, and is burned completely to ashes. And out of the ashes rises a worm, which grows into a young bird, and grows wings; and on the third day resumes his full form, and becomes the Phoenix complete and perfect as he was before. Then he goes on his way and flies to India, where he lived before. 8 What an image and symbol the Creator has pictured here for the instruction of mankind! For God, the Creator of the mystery which was fulfilled in Christ, in this way informed us of what he had decreed. Christ came for our salvation, like the Phoenix, after a long period of years, and, taking on our nature, He brought the sweet spices of life and salvation, as Isaiah had prophesied. And He strengthens us through this same sweet odour until we also become sweet smelling. And He willingly raised his Cross on Golgotha in the city of Jerusalem, just as the Phoenix made ready and laid himself on the altar of the City of the Sun in Egypt. And Christ suffered death and parted his soul from his body, just as the Phoenix lies down on his back and burns himself to death. And as on the third day the newly risen worm takes the form of the Phoenix, so through that same mystery God the Word caused His body to rise again on the third day, because it had suffered no corruption in the grave. And as the worm of the Phoenix on the third day took its full and perfect form, so in the same manner the body of Christ, when He arose from the grave on the third day, became immortal and unchangeable. And as the Phoenix at last returns to India, his former dwelling-place, so Christ, after He had risen, carried His body to His eternal dwelling-place.