Our Venerable Father Evagrius, Formerly Ruler of Tsikhedidi, Fellow Ascetic of Shio of Mghvime (VI)
Before he was tonsured a monk the venerable Evagrius was the ruler of Tsikhedidi. The son of devout and believing noble parents, he was trained in Holy Scripture from his youth. The valiant and vigorous ruler was one of the closest counsellors and helpers of Parsman, king of Kartli.
Once Evagrius went hunting on the mountain of Sarkineti, where the venerable Father Shio of Mghvime (commemorated 9 May) was labouring. During the hunt his attendants scattered. Left alone, Evagrius looked round about. Suddenly he saw a strange bird like a dove, which carried some food in its beak into a cave. Evagrius noted the place where the dove had flown, sought it out the next day, and saw a monk living in seclusion in the cave. Amazed, Evagrius asked the hermit who he was. The venerable Shio said to him: “I am a stranger and a worshipper of Christ, and I am in this small cave so that I may finish the days of my life in seclusion and so, undisturbed, be pleasing to God.” Astonished at the wonderful sight, Evagrius was filled with godly zeal and said to the venerable father: “As the Lord lives, I will not leave you, nor will I go to my house.” Saint Shio advised Evagrius to give up his resolve, since, brought up in luxury, he would not be able to bear the hardship of desert life, but Evagrius answered firmly: “Even if my death with you should come this very day, I will not leave you.”
The venerable Shio gave Saint Evagrius his staff and commanded: “Put this staff of mine into the Mtkvari, and it will give you a way, and cross over on dry ground, and go to your house and set all your affairs in order, and come back; and when you reach the Mtkvari, put my staff in again, and if it gives you a way, come to me, but if it does not give you a way, go home, for the thing you intend is not pleasing to God.” Saint Evagrius received the venerable father’s staff with obedience and touched the river with it. The Mtkvari parted, and the saint crossed in peace to the other bank of the river.
Having returned to his palace, Evagrius distributed his possessions to the poor, took leave of his household and went back to Father Shio. At the Mtkvari the miracle was repeated: the river parted in two and let through the ascetic who had set out on the way of the angelic life.
Soon the labours of the venerable fathers became known, and many Christians hastened to the mountain of Sarkineti. King Parsman learned late that his beloved and faithful ruler had been tonsured a monk, and he himself visited the desert of the venerable Shio. He wanted to persuade Evagrius to return to worldly service, but the venerable father answered the king with monastic calm: “O king, why do you trouble a creature of God, that I should be counted like the dogs that return to their own vomit?” Parsman visited the cave of the venerable Shio, and when he saw his face lit with wonderful grace he took off his royal crown and knelt before the wonderful monk.
The venerable Shio blessed the devout king and with his own hand set the crown upon his head. With a generosity befitting a king, Parsman made a great offering to the monastery, among which were a Gospel adorned by Vakhtang Gorgasali (commemorated 30 November), a golden chalice and paten, thirty litrai of gold, four villages...
All Georgia heard of the labours of the venerable Shio, Evagrius and their fellow ascetics. Many, filled with godly zeal, left the worldly life and put on the monastic habit. When the venerable Shio grew old, he gathered the brotherhood together and said to them: “Choose one of the brethren who will take care of your life; for from now on I intend to go down into the cave which I have prepared as my dwelling and my grave.” It was hard for the brethren to part from their teacher; they begged him for a long time to remain in the monastery, but in vain. At last they asked him to choose the abbot himself. The holy father chose the venerable Evagrius.
It was hard for Saint Evagrius to be abbot over the brethren. “I am not able to fulfil the service of the brethren as it ought to be done; therefore do not compel me to take in hand this task beyond my strength, for I am an unlearned man and too weak to bear the proper care of so many monks,” he entreated Saint Shio. But Shio comforted him thus: “If you are obedient, you will receive a great reward from God and inherit the blessedness of the obedient, that invisible glory.” The venerable Evagrius received his teacher’s blessing with obedience. With God’s help and through the prayers of Father Shio he governed the monastery wisely. He reposed in peace. He is buried in the monastery of Shiomghvime.
