Create http://bonmot.ca/gorilla8/ as a test
Your PHP installation is too old. Drupal requires at least PHP 5.5.9. See the system requirements page for more information.
Currently running php 5.4.45
Run apt-get update ; apt-get upgrade
Failed because mysql would not shut down
Shut down by hand & retry - success
/usr/bin/php --> /etc/alternatives/php --> /usr/bin/php5
root@mercury:/etc/drupal/8# ls -l /usr/bin/php5 -rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 8413740 Dec 16 15:41 /usr/bin/php5
PHP 5.4.45-0+deb7u6 (cli) (built: Dec 16 2016 19:26:57)
Follow upgrade instructions at http://stackoverflow.com/questions/27413509/debian-wheezy-upgrade-php-5-4-to-5-5
root@mercury:/etc/drupal/8# /usr/bin/php5 -v
PHP 5.5.38-1~dotdeb+7.1 (cli) (built: Jul 21 2016 19:11:26)
Copyright (c) 1997-2015 The PHP Group
Zend Engine v2.5.0, Copyright (c) 1998-2015 Zend Technologies
with Zend OPcache v7.0.6-dev, Copyright (c) 1999-2015, by Zend Technologies