The Phœnician origin of Britons, Scots & Anglo-Saxons : discovered by Phœnician & Sumerian inscriptions in Britain, by preroman Briton coins & a mass of new history : with over one hundred illustrations and maps

ARYAN PRE-CHRISTIAN CULT OF MICHAEL 359

Michael the recognized titles of Archangel of Heaven and Vanquisher of ‘“‘the Dragon, the old Serpent,’’ just as in the Sumerian texts. St. Paul deprecates the worship of angels amongst the Christians in central Asia Minor of the Hittites." The tomb of the non-Christian emperor Hadrian was consecrated to St. Michael. Constantine rebuilt an old shrine to Michael on the Bosphorus, where cures had been effected by Michael, at the site of an old temple which was traditionally built by the Argonauts,* i.e., the pioneer exploring sailors under Hercules of the Phenicians. And Constantine also built, or rebuilt, two other shrines to Michael on the Asiatic coast opposite Constantinople. * And many of the earliest Christian churches, from the beginning of the fifth century onwards, both in Asia and Europe, were dedicated to Michael and in some of these the Saint retained the attributes of Zeus. One of these fifth-century churches in Italy bears an inscription calling Michael “ The God of the Angels who has made the Resurrection,” *i.e., precisely his ancient title in the Sumerian litanies, Trojan amulets, and in the cup-mark inscriptions of prehistoric Britain.

The Early Fathers of the Christian Church also credit Michael with the same functions ascribed to him in the Sumerian texts and pre-Christian monuments and coins in Britain.

[In the rubrics of the fifth century A.D, details are given for his festival, and Food and Wine offerings are prescribed. A fast of forty days in his honour are mentioned,* presumably for his conquest of the Dragon Satan, The orations in the seventh century of Theodosius, archbishop of Alexandria, make Michael declare :

~ Iam Michael, the governor of the denizens of Heaven and Earth, who brings the offerings of men to God, my king, who walks: with those whose trust is in God.”? ‘I hearken unto everyone who prayeth to God in my name.”* His chief enemy

1 Coloss., ii, 18. ? H.E.R., 8, 620.

3W.M. Ramsay, Church in Roman Empire, 477, etc., and H.E.R., 8, 621.

*HLE.R., 621,

* Site of temple of Jupiter, Clitum, in Umbria with inscription, “S.C.S. deus Angelorum qui fecit Resurrectionem.’’ H.E.R., 8, 620.

§ Jn Life of St. Francis, H.E.R., 8, 622.

7E. Budge, St. Michael, 40. 8 7b., 100.