Presbyter (continued)  Chapter CVIII, Book X

But the following night the same figure appeared to the presbyter as before.
"Come," he said, "let us go back to the place in the city where the bishop locked you up."
And  he took the presbyter with him and led him back to be locked up in the prison, without the governor being aware of it. The next day the bishop learned from the governor that the presbyter had come back into custody without his knowledge. The bishop sent and enquired from the presbyter how it was that he had got out of the prison and got back in again without the governor being aware of it.
"A very beautiful and well dressed young man," he said, "on the staff of your episcopate, so he said, opened the doors for me and walked before me for the mile to my village early on the Sunday morning, and came to bring me back the night after."
The bishop summoned all his staff, but the presbyter recognised none of them. Then the bishop knew that it was an angel of God who had done  all this, so that the virtue of the presbyter should no longer be hidden, but that all should learn from it and glorify God who glorifies those who glorify him. Greatly edified, the bishop let him go in peace, but with many harsh words for those who had accused him unjustly.

Chapter CIX
The life of abba GEORGIUS, who never became agitated.

Abba Theodosius, a gentle and humble man who was bishop of Capitoliadis, was a disciple of abba Georgius, one of the fathers of the monastery of abba Theodosius. Theodosius watched him for the space of twelve years to see whether Georgius would ever become agitated about anything, but he never once saw him at all upset, no matter how much in all that time there was any idleness, negligence, decadence or disobedience going on.
"For who governed his eyes," he said, "like our holy father Georgius? Or who closed the doorways of his ears like this blessed man? Who bridled his tongue like this father of ours?  What shining light ever illuminated the earth as our father lit up the hearts of us all?"

Chapter CX
The sayings of a certain outstanding holy OLD MAN, an Egyptian.

My friend Sophronius and I went to a monastery eighteen miles from Alexandria to see a man of great virtue, an Egyptian.
"Give us a word, father," I said, "by which we may live, for my friend Sophronius has a desire to renounce the world."
"You do well, my son," he said, "to renounce the world and save your soul. So remain in the cell you have chosen, soberly and watchfully, keeping silent and restful, and praying without ceasing. Continue to hope in God, my sons, that he will send you the knowledge of himself which may illuminate your souls."
Again he said: "Flee from human company, my sons, if you wish to be saved. People today never cease trying to manipulate others, and to go around every possible city and region in order to gather for themselves the rewards of avarice and empty fame, and fill their souls with vanity."
Again he said: "Let us flee now, my sons, for the time is drawing near."
Again he said: "Alas, alas, how much we weep, how much we do penance, for the fact that we are not willing to repent!"
Again he said: "When we are praised we don't know how to accept it with humility, when we are reviled, we can't put up with it. Something happens to make us feel pleased with ourselves, something else fills us with misery, but you never gain any lasting good from either self-congratulation or misery.
Again he said: "Our great and wonderful fathers gave nourishment to many; I am unable to take care of a single sheep, but am subject to the bites of wild beasts."
Again he said: "This is how the demons work: They tempt a soul into sin, then cast him into despair in order to destroy him utterly. They are forever saying to the soul. 'When you are dead, won't your name perish forever?' But if you keep your soul in sobriety you will on the contrary cry out, saying, 'I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.' (Psalms 118.17). This greatly provokes the demons and they cry out, 'Flee into the mountains like a sparrow' (Psalms 11.1), but our reply to this is, 'But he is my God, my Saviour and my defence, therefore I shall not be moved' (Psalms 62.6)"
Again he said: "Be the doorkeeper of your own heart, forbidding entry to strange thoughts. Always ask, 'Are you one of ours or do you belong to the enemy?'"

Chapter CXI
The deeds of a certain BALD MAN, dressed in sacking

When my friend Sophronius and I were in Alexandria we were going one day to the church of Theodosius when we met a bald man in the village, dressed in a sack coming down to his knees. He gave the appearance of being stupid or mentally lacking.
"Give me some money," abba Sophronius said to me, "and we will test the virtue of this man coming towards us."
So I offered him five nummi which he took and gave to this simpleton, who took it saying nothing. As we followed him discreetly, he turned off from the road and lifted up to heaven his right hand holding the money. He then prostrated himself before God, put the money down on the ground and went his way.

Chapter CXII
The life and death of LEO, a Cappadocian monk.

When that man of faith, Tiberius Caesar, was emperor, we went up to Oasis, where we met a monk called Leo, a man of Cappadocia highly versed in divine matters. Many people had told us many admirable things about him. And certainly, after we had had some intimate conversation with him and experienced the holiness of this great man, we were wonderfully edified, especially by his humility and silence, the meagreness of his possessions and the charity which he showed towards everyone.
But this venerable old man used to say, "Believe me, my sons, I have the power to be a king (regnare habeo)."
"No, you believe us, abba Leo," we would say, "no one from Cappadocia has ever become a king. This thought of yours is out of order."
"It is true, my sons," he repeated, "that I do have the power to be a king." And no one could move him from this position.
Now during the invasion of the Mazices, after they had plundered and laid waste the whole province, they arrived at Oasis, killed some of the monks and took most of them captive. Among them were abba Johannes (he was lector of the great church of Constantinople), abba Eustathius of Rome, and abba Theodorus of Cilicia. The three of them were rather infirm.
"If you take me to the city," said abba Johannes to the barbarians, after they had bound him, "I will ensure that the bishop will give you twenty-four numismas for us."
They agreed, and one of the barbarians led him to the city so that he could see the bishop. Abba Leo and several other fathers were in the city, and for that reason had not been attacked (sc. by the barbarians). So Johannes went in to the bishop and asked for the ransom of twenty-four numismas, but the bishop found that he could not scrape together more than eight. He offered these eight to the barbarian, but he would not accept them.
"Either you give me the twenty-four numismas or I keep the monk," he said.
So they had no option but to hand abba Johannes, weeping and sighing,  back to the barbarian, who took him back to the camp.
But after three days abba Leo took the eight numismas and went out to the desert place where the barbarians were.
"Why don't you take me, along with these eight numismas," he said, "and let these three men go. They are very frail and would not get very far through the desert. It would kill them, and you would have gained nothing. Whereas I am perfectly healthy and would be able to give you service."
And the barbarians agreed to take Leo and the eight numismas and to let the three men go. Abba Leo went with them to their own place, and when he got to be past the age of being able to serve them they beheaded him. And so abba Leo fulfilled the Scripture, 'Greater love hath no man than that he lay down his life for his friends' (John 15.13). Then at last we understood what he had meant when he said, "regnare habeo", for indeed, he who lays down his life for his friends does indeed reign as a king.

Chapter CXIII
The advice of abba JOHANNES DE PETRA.

I took my companion Sophronius with me to abba Johannes of Petra.
"Speak a word to us, " we asked him.
"Love stripping yourself of all possessions," he said, "and love self-control. Believe me when I tell you that when I was a young man in Scete, one of the old men was suffering from his spleen, so four of the monasteries in that place were asked if they could supply a little bit of vinegar, but none of them had any. That was what their poverty, asceticism and self-control was like (paupertas, nuditas et continentia).

Chapter CXIV
The life of abba DANIEL of Egypt.

A holy man told us the following about abba Daniel of Egypt.
This old man went up to Therenutis once to sell his work, where a young man made him a request.
"For the Love of God, sir (senior)," he said, "come to my house and pray for my wife who is sterile."
The old man agreed to his request, went home with him and prayed over his wife. By the will of God the woman conceived, and there were those who did not fear God who began to spread scandalous rumours about him.
"It was the husband who was the infertile one," they said. "The woman was impregnated by that old man."
This rumour came to the ears of the old man, and he wrote a letter to the husband.
"Let me know when your wife gives birth," he wrote.
So when the woman gave birth the young man sent word to the old man, saying, "God and your prayers, father, have caused my wife to give birth."
So abba Daniel went to visit the young man.
"Prepare a meal," he said, "and invite your friends and relations."
When they had all dined the old man took the baby into his arms.
"Who is your father, my child?" he asked the infant.
"This man" said the infant, pointing at the young man. And this little infant was only twenty-five days old.

Chapter CXV
The advice of abba JOHANNES of Cilicia

Abba Johannes of Cilicia, the prior of Raythum, said to the brothers:
"My sons, just as you have fled from the world, fly also from the sins of the flesh.
And again he said: "Let us imitate our fathers who lived in this place in silence and such great austerity of life."
And again he said, "Let us not pollute this place, my sons, which our fathers cleansed of demons."
And again he said, "This place is for monks, not businessmen."
And again he said, "I found some old men here who lived for seventy years in this place living on nothing but herbs and dates."
And again he said, "I have lived here seventy-six years, withstanding many evil and horrible attacks from the demons."

Chapter CXVI
The BROTHER who was falsely accused of stealing a numisma

When we were in Raythum, abba Andreas Messenius told us the following story.
When I was a young man I went with my abbot from Raythum to Palestine where we stayed with a certain old man. This old man had one numisma which he had put down somewhere and then forgotten where he had put it, and accused me of stealing it.
"Brother Andreas has stolen my numisma," he said to the fathers of that place.
As soon as my abbot heard about this he summoned me.
"Tell me, Andreas," he said, "Did you steal the old man's numisma?"
"I'm sorry, father," I said, "but I did not."
Now I had a cloak which I went away and sold for one numisma, which I took back to the old man and prostrated myself before him.
"Forgive me, father," I said, "for Satan deceived me and I did steal your numisma" Now there was a layman standing by.
But the old man said, "Don't worry, my son. I have lost nothing."
"For the Lord's sake, father," I said, prostrating myself again, "take the numisma. Here it is. And pray for me. For Satan entered into me and I stole the coin and caused you all this trouble."
"But, my son, I have not lost anything" he said for the second time.
Then the layman, seeing that I could not understand this said, "The fact is, brother, that when I arrived here yesterday evening I found this old man weeping, and prostrating himself and asking forgiveness in great distress.
"For pity's sake," I said, whatever is the matter?"
"I have grossly slandered my brother," he said, "accusing him of stealing a numisma, but look, I have found it."
And the old man was greatly edified by the fact that even though I had not stolen the numisma, I had offered to give him another, saying that I had indeed stolen it.

Chapter CXVII
A brother possessed by a demon, healed by abba ANDREAS.

A brother possessed by a demon went to abba Simeon Stylites on his wonderful pillar begging him to pray for him and cast out the demon.
"Where do you live?" asked Simeon
"In Raythum," he replied.
"I am astonished," said the old man, "that you have gone to the enormous trouble of making this long journey to come and see me, a sinful man, when you have so many great fathers in your own monastery. Go back and ask abba Andreas to pray for you. He will cure you."
So the brother went back to Raythum, and prostrated himself before abba Andreas, as Simeon had said.
"Pray for me, father," he said.
"Abba Simeon can take the credit for any cure," said abba Andreas as he offered a prayer. The brother was immediately cleansed and gave thanks to God.

Chapter CXVIII
The life of MENAS, a monk deacon in Raythum

Abbot Sergius of Raythum told us the story of a certain deacon brother called Menas.
Menas once had to go out on an errand but went back to secular life. We don't know what happened to him there except that he abandoned his monastic habit and became a secular. Quite some time after, he journeyed to Theopolis, and on the way back to Seleucia he saw in the distance the monastery of the holy abba Simeon Stylites.
"I'll go and have a look at this great Simeon," he said to himself. "I've never seen him before."
As he drew near to the pillar, Abba Simeon saw him and by divine inspiration knew that he was a monk and an ordained deacon. He called his servant to him.
"Bring me some scissors," he said. And they brought them.
"Blessed be God, tonsure that man," he said, pointing out the brother from among the crowd standing around the pillar.
He was awestruck by the old man's words and seized by great fear, but he submitted to the tonsure saying nothing, aware that God had revealed to the old man who he was.
When he had been tonsured, Simeon said. "Say a prayer, deacon", which he did.
"Go back to Raythum, from where you came" Simeon then said.
" I am afraid that the fathers' frowns will be more than I can bear," he said.
"Believe me my son," said Simeon, "you need not fear. The fathers will take you back with joyful faces and grateful hearts. They will be full of joy and exaltation that you have turned again. And know this, my son, God will perform a sign in you, to convince you that his immense and ineffable goodness has forgiven you your sin."
So he went back to Raythum where the fathers welcomed him with open arms and reinstated him in his holy office. And one Sunday while he was administering the holy and life-giving blood of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, suddenly one of his eyes went blind. And the fathers knew by this sign that God had pardoned his sin, according to the word of the great Simeon.

Chapter CXIX
A demon dressed as a monk visits the cell of a certain old man in Raythum.

When we visited abba Eusebius, a presbyter of the monastery of Raythum, he told us of how a demon dressed as a monk knocked on the door of an old man's cell.
"Offer a prayer," said the old man when he opened the door.
"Now and always and unto the ages of ages, Amen," said the demon.
"Offer a prayer," the old man repeated.
"Now and always and unto the ages of ages, Amen," the demon said again.
"Offer a prayer and say, 'Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages, Amen.'"
As soon as the old man had said this, the demon vanished as if driven back by fire.

Chapter CXX
Three MONKS, found dead by Pharanite fishermen

Fishermen from Pharan told us the following story
One day we crossed the Red Sea to Buchrin, and after we had caught some fish we turned back and came to Pereleus. We wanted to cross over to Raythum, but were held up for ninety days by contrary winds and stormy seas. Walking about in the great desert, however, we found the bodies of three anchorites under a rock, dressed in tunics and with their sheepskin cloaks placed nearby. We gathered them up and took them to the ship and immediately the sea calmed and the contrary winds became favourable. We crossed over with a following wind and came to Raythum where the fathers buried them with the ancient fathers.


Home  List of Contents   Next   Top of Page