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The Emperor Julian "the Apostate" ... promulgates a letter to authorize the re-build of the temple.

He’s called "the Apostate" because he was the first emperor, post-Constantine, to attempt to re-establish paganism in the Roman Empire.

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"When I have successfully concluded the war with Persia, I may rebuild by my own efforts the sacred city of Jerusalem (closed to the jews since Hadrian, 135 A.D.), which for so many years you have longed to see inhabited, and may bring settlers there, and, together with you, may glorify the Most High God therein."

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So that ... we know for a fact that Julian "the Apostate" ... did in fact propose the rebuilding of Jerusalem for the sake of worshipping what the jews thought was God ... which would necessarily imply the rebuilding of the temple.

Ammianus Marcellinus, was perhaps the preeminent pagan historian of the late Roman Empire. Edward Gibbon, in his ... "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire", described Marcellinus as "an accurate and faithful guide, who has composed the history of his own times without indulging the prejudices and passions."

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"His (Julian the Apostate’s) desire to leave a monument to perpetuate the memory of his reign led him to think in particular of restoring at enormous expense the once magnificent temple at Jerusalem, which, after much bitter fighting during its siege first by Vespasian and then by Titus, had finally been stormed with great difficulty. Alypius of Antioch, who had once governed Britain as the praetorian prefect's deputy, was placed in charge of this project. He set to work boldly, assisted by the governor of the province, but repeated and alarming outbursts of fire-balls near the foundations made it impossible to approach the spot. Some of the workmen were burnt to death, and the obstinate resistance of the fiery element caused the design to be abandoned.

Start ... Catholic account of the event ...

These accounts are from men who were either alive at the time ... or soon after. Several appeal to living witnesses,
and all of them speak of the event as if it was common and undisputed knowledge.

Bishop Ambrose of Milan (c. 340-397 A.D.)

The most succinct comes from St. Ambrose of Milan, the Bishop of Milan who played a key role in the conversion of Saint Augustine (both of them would later be declared Doctors of the Church). Writing to the Emperor Theodosius in December 388 A.D., Ambrose speaks of the event as if it was common knowledge.

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"Have you not heard how, when Julian had ordered the temple of Jerusalem rebuilt, those who were clearing the rubbish were burned by fire from Heaven ? Are you not afraid that this will also happen now? In fact, you should never have given an order such as Julian would have given."

An earlier account comes from Gregory Nazianzen, Archbishop of Constantinople. His account is much longer, and includes an extensive theological reflection on the event.

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"At last he (Emperor Julian "the Apostate") stirred up against us the nation of the jews, making his accomplice in his machinations ... now was the appointed time come for them to return into their own land, and to rebuild the temple."

"And when he had formed this plan ... they began to debate about rebuilding the temple, and in large number and with great zeal set about the work."

"But what all people nowadays report ... a flame issued forth from the "sacred" place and stopped them, and some it burnt up and consumed so that a fate befell them similar to the disaster of the people of Sodom. Whilst others it maimed in the principal parts of the body, and so left them for a living monument of God’s threatening and wrath against sinners."

"But what is yet more strange and more conspicuous, there stood in the heavens a light circumscribing a Cross, and that which before on earth was contemned by the ungodly both in figure and in name is now exhibited in Heaven, and is made by God a trophy of His victory over the impious, a trophy more lofty than any other !"

"Was it then only earth and Heaven, and did not air likewise give a sign on that occasion, and was hallowed with the badges of the Passion ?  Let those who were spectators and partakers of that prodigy exhibit their garments, which to the present time are stamped with the brandmarks of the Cross !"

"Such great consternation at the spectacle that nearly all, as by one signal and with one voice, invoked the God of the Christians, and propitiated Him with many praises and supplications: whilst many, without further delay, but at the moment of the occurrence, ran up to our priests, and besought them earnestly that they might be made members of the Church."

Another account comes from John Chrysostom, Archbishop of Constantinople, and a Doctor of the Church.

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"Even in our generation, in the instance of him who surpassed all in ungodliness, I mean Julian, many strange things happened. Thus when the jews were attempting to raise up again the temple at Jerusalem, fire burst out from the foundations, and utterly hindered them all."

"Moreover, the fountains failing ... for it is usual with God to do such things; when evils are multiplied, and He sees His own people afflicted."

The next account comes from a fourth/fifth centuries Church historian, Socrates Scholasticus, who was a contemporary of Theodoret and Sozomen, who were also Church historians.

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"He (Julian the Apostate) sent for the jews and enquired of them why they abstained from sacrificing, since the law of Moses enjoined it ?  On their replying that it was not permitted them to do this in any other place than Jerusalem, he immediately ordered them to rebuild Solomon’s temple."

"The jews who had been long desirous of obtaining a favorable opportunity for rearing their temple afresh in order that they might therein offer sacrifice, applied themselves very vigorously to the work."

"The emperor having ordered that the expenses of this structure should be defrayed out of the public treasury, all things were soon provided, such as timber and stone, burnt brick, clay, lime, and all other materials necessary for building."

"On this occasion Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem, called to mind the prophecy of Daniel, which Christ also in the holy gospels has confirmed, and predicted in the presence of many persons, that the time had indeed come "in which one stone should not be left upon another in that temple," but that the Savior’s prophetic declaration should have its full accomplishment."

"Such were the Bishop’s words: and on the night following, a mighty earthquake tore up the stones of the old foundations of the temple and dispersed them all together with the adjacent edifices. Terror consequently possessed the jews on account of the event; and the report of it brought many to the spot who resided at a great distance: when therefore a vast multitude was assembled, another prodigy took place. Fire came down from Heaven and consumed all the builder's tools: so that the flames were seen preying upon mallets, irons to smooth and polish stones, saws, hatchets, adzes, in short all the various implements which the workmen had procured as necessary for the undertaking; and the fire continued burning among these for a whole day."

"The jews indeed were in the greatest possible alarm. Even a third miracle which afterwards happened failed to lead them to a belief of the truth. For the next night luminous impressions of a Cross appeared imprinted on their garments, which at daybreak they in vain attempted to rub or wash out. They were therefore ‘blinded’ as the apostle says, and cast away the good which they had in their hands: and thus was the temple, instead of being rebuilt, at that time wholly overthrown."

The next account comes from Theodoret, another Church historian whose life spanned the fourth and fifth centuries. Theodoret, however, was not just an historian, but a bishop, and a theologian. He writes as follows:

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"He (Julian the Apostate) began by enquiring of some whom he got together why, though their law imposed on them the duty of sacrifices, they offered none."

"On their reply that their worship was limited to one particular spot, this enemy of God immediately gave directions for the re-erection of the destroyed temple."

"The jews heard his words with delight and made known his orders to their countrymen throughout the world. They came with haste from all directions, contributing alike money and enthusiasm for the work."

"When they had begun to dig and to carry out the earth a vast multitude of them went on with the work all day, but by night the earth which had been carried away shifted back from the ravine of its own accord. They destroyed moreover the remains of the former construction, with the intention of building everything up afresh; but when they had got together thousands of bushels of chalk and lime, of a sudden a violent gale blew, and storms, tempests and whirlwinds scattered everything far and wide."

"They still went on in their madness, nor were they brought to their senses by the Divine longsuffering. Then first came a great earthquake, fit to strike terror into the hearts of men quite ignorant of God’s dealings; and, when still they were not awed, fire running from the excavated foundations burnt up most of the diggers, and put the rest to flight."

"Moreover, when a large number of men were sleeping at night in an adjacent building it suddenly fell down, roof and all, and crushed the whole of them. On that night and also on the following night the sign of the Cross of salvation was seen brightly shining in the sky, and the very garments of the jews were filled with crosses."

"When God’s enemies saw these things, in terror at the Heaven-sent plagues they fled, and made their way home, confessing the Godhead of Him who had been crucified by their fathers."

The further account comes from Sozomen, a fifth century Church historian.

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"For he (Julian the Apostate) sent for some of the chiefs ... and exhorted them to return to the observance of the laws of Moses and the customs of their fathers. On their replying that because the temple in Jerusalem was overturned, it was neither lawful nor ancestral to do this in another place."

"He gave them public money, commanded them to rebuild the temple, and to practice the cult similar to that of their ancestors, by sacrificing after the ancient way."

"The jews entered upon the undertaking, without reflecting that, according to the prediction of the Holy Prophets, it could not be accomplished."

"They sought for the most skillful artisans, collected materials, cleared the ground, and entered so earnestly upon the task, that even the women carried heaps of earth, and brought their necklaces and other female ornaments towards defraying the expense."

"The emperor, the other pagans, and all the jews, regarded every other undertaking as secondary in importance to this."

"Although the pagans were not well-disposed towards the jews, yet they assisted them in this enterprise, because they reckoned upon its ultimate success, and hoped by this means to falsify the prophecies of Christ. Besides this motive, the jews themselves were impelled by the consideration that the time had arrived for rebuilding their temple."

"When they had removed the ruins of the former building, they dug up the ground and cleared away its foundation; it is said that on the following day when they were about to lay the first foundation, a great earthquake occurred, and by the violent agitation of the earth, stones were thrown up from the depths, by which those of the jews who were engaged in the work were wounded, as likewise those who were merely looking on."

"When God caused the earthquake to cease, the workmen who survived again returned to their task, partly because such was the edict of the emperor, and partly because they were themselves interested in the undertaking."

"The jews, I believe, were just in this state; for, instead of regarding this unexpected earthquake as a manifest indication that God was opposed to the re-erection of their temple, they proceeded to recommence the work. But all parties relate, that they had scarcely returned to the undertaking, when fire burst suddenly from the foundations of the temple, and consumed several of the workmen."

"A more tangible and still more extraordinary prodigy ensued; suddenly the sign of the Cross appeared spontaneously on the garments of the persons engaged in the undertaking. These Crosses were disposed like stars, and appeared the work of art. Many were hence led to confess that Christ is God, and that the rebuilding of the temple was not pleasing to Him."

"If any one does not feel disposed to believe my narrative, let him go and be convinced by those who heard the facts I have related from the eyewitnesses of them, for they are still alive. Let him inquire, also, of the jews and pagans who left the work in an incomplete state."

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Catholic Faith (pre-fulfillment) writing of Isaias 64:10 >
"The city of thy sanctuary is become a desert, Sion is made a desert, Jerusalem is desolate."

Note: Regarding the text ... gone away backwards ... this is about the portion of the Old Testament Israelites (they were not jews) who rejected all the Old Testament prophesies of the Catholic Jesus Christ , the Blessed Virgin, water baptism, etc.

Note: The group that calls themselves jews ... had nearly forty years to convert before the temple was taken down. The Israelites did convert, the Israelites (who were not jews) ... believed the Abraham covenant writings.

Note 1: Regarding the word ... Ariel ... this word signifies, the lion of God, and here is taken for the strong city of Jerusalem.

Note 2: Verses 3 and 4 are about the Roman siege of Jerusalem.

Note: Regarding the words ... "the vessel was broken" ... this was the breaking of the Old Testament ... which simply foretold the Catholic eternal realities as to how Heaven was to be re-opened for men's souls ... after being closed temporarily by Original Sin.

Note: The Catholic God is ... the potter and His creation is the clay ... He can easily destroy nations and cities.

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