n which is to the west and
spreads towards the east: and this is because the moon's proper
movement from west to east is more rapid than that of the sun, and
consequently the moon, coming up from the west, overtakes the sun and
passes it on its eastward course. But in this case the moon had
already passed the sun, and was distant from it by the length of half
the heavenly circle, being opposite to it: consequently it had to
return eastwards towards the sun, so as to come into apparent contact
with it from the east, and continue in a westerly direction. This is
what he refers to when he says: "Moreover, we saw the eclipse begin
to the east and spread towards the western edge of the sun," for it
was a total eclipse, "and afterwards pass away." The fourth miracle
consisted in this, that in a natural eclipse that part of the sun
which is first eclipsed is the first to reappear (because the moon,
coming in front of the sun, by its natural movement passes on to the
east, so as to come away first from the western portion of the sun,
which was the first part to be eclipsed), whereas in this case the
moon, while returning miraculously from the east to the west, did not
pass the sun so as to be to the west of it: but having reached the
western edge of the sun returned towards the east: so that the last
portion of the sun to be eclipsed was the first to reappear.
Consequently the eclipse began towards the east, whereas the sun
began to reappear towards the west. And to this he refers by saying:
"Again we observed that the occultation and emersion did not begin
from the same point," i.e. on the same side of the sun, "but on
opposite sides."

Chrysostom adds a fifth miracle (Hom. lxxxviii in Matth.), saying
that "the darkness in this case lasted for three hours, whereas an
eclipse of the sun lasts but a short time, for it is soon over, as
those know who have seen one." Hence we are given to understand that
the moon was stationary below the sun, except we prefer to say that
the duration of the darkness was measured from the first moment of
occultation of the sun to the moment when the sun had completely
emerged from the eclipse.

But, as Origen says (on Matt. 27:45), "against this the children of
this world object: How is it such a phenomenal occurrence is not
related by any writer, whether Greek or barbarian?" And he says that
someone of the name of Phlegon "relates in his chronicles that this
took place during the reign of Tiber