Chapter XI (continued), Life of S Basil, Book 1a

When Ephraem was living in the desert he learned of the wonderful doings of our father Basil, sometimes by direct revelation of the holy Spirit, sometimes by question and answer, and he prayed constantly to be given an insight into what made the great Basil what he was. He was taken up into an ecstasy, and saw a column of fire, the top of which reached up to heaven and heard a voice coming from above, "Ephraem, Ephraem, the great Basil is like this column of fire that you have seen." So taking an interpreter with him, because he did not speak Greek, he went to the great church that had the great name of Caesarea, and arrived during the holy feast of the Theophany. He went in, unrecognised, and saw the great Basil processing in to the church. He saw that he was dressed in a glistening white robe, and surrounded by reverend clergy all clothed in white and bowing to him.
"I think we have been labouring in vain," he said, as he watched the service from an inconspicuous part of the church, "for this brother, living in such ceremony, is nothing like the vision I saw. We who have borne the labour and heat of the day profit nothing, and yet this man is given such obsequiousness and human respect! I am amazed!"
At the very moment that he was saying this, the holy man sent his Archdeacon out, telling him to go down to the West door where he would find in an inconspicuous place a man dressed in a monastic robe, with a thinning beard, rather small, and mentioning other details of his appearance, and tell him that his holy father the Archbishop invited him to come up into the sanctuary.
"You have made a mistake," said Ephraem through his interpreter. "We are simply visitors."
The Archdeacon went back and repeated this to the great Basil as he was singing from the sacred books. The holy man looked down and saw a tongue of fire coming from Ephraem's mouth and he spoke to the Archdeacon again.
"Go down and say, 'Master Ephraem, please come up into the holy sanctuary, it is the Archbishop who asks you into the holy sanctuary.'"
The holy Ephraem was thunderstruck at these words, gave glory to God and changed his mind completely.
"Truly, Basil is great," he said. " Basil truly is a column of fire. Truly the holy Spirit speaks through his mouth. But tell him I would rather greet him in the sacristy after the Mass."
When the Mass was over he went up into the sacristy. Basil greeted him by name and gave him a holy kiss in the Lord.
"You are more than welcome," he said, "for you have multiplied the disciples of Christ in the Church and expelled demons through Christ in whose power you have laboured. Father, what you see in me is just a human sinner. May the Lord give you the reward of all your labour. "
The praiseworthy Ephraem replied by telling him all that was in his heart, as did the abba who was with him. They placed themselves in his holy hands, and with great affection and esteem the holy Ephraem had a request to make.
"Reverend father", he said, "there is one gift I would ask of you and I pray that you will grant it me."
"Ask whatever you like, for I owe you a great deal, especially for all the work you have done and for coming here today."
"Holy father, I know that whatever you ask from God is granted. Pray God that I may be able to speak Greek."
"That is beyond my power to grant. But since you have asked in faith, come, father and teacher of the desert, let us pray to the Lord together, for he is able to grant your request. It is written, 'He grants the wishes of those who fear him and hears their prayer and brings them into a place of safety' (
Psalms 145.19)."
They prayed together for several hours.
"Master Ephraem," said Basil when they had risen from prayer, "why should you not be ordained to the presbyterate, for you are worthy of it."
"Because I am a sinner," he said through the interpreter.
"I wouldn't mind if I only had your sins! Come, let us prostrate ourselves."
And as they lay on the floor that great priest laid his hand on holy Ephraem, said the prayer for the Deacon and told him to stand up. His tongue was opened and he recited in Greek the
salve, the miserere, the suscipe, and the conserva nos Deus in tua gratia. and so it was fulfilled what was written in the scriptures, 'Then shall the lame man leap like a hart, and the mouth of the dumb shall be unstopped' (Isaiah 35.5) And at that hour they both praised God in the Greek tongue. For he is all powerful and hears the prayers of those who fear him.
He ordained Ephraem presbyter and his interpreter deacon, and sent them on their way in peace, 'glorifying God for all they had heard and seen, as it was told them' (
Luke 2.20).

End of Book 1a


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