Venerable Theophanes the Merciful

The Venerable Theophanes laboured in the Syrian city of Gaza. The saint was kind and merciful; he spent all his property on serving his neighbours and himself became utterly poor. The blessed one’s health too was taken from him, and a disease tormented him: his body swelled, rotted and stank. He bore the pain magnanimously and fervently thanked the Lord for everything. When he was dying a terrible storm arose. The saint’s wife was distressed that she would not be able to bury her husband fittingly, but Theophanes calmed her: “Do not weep! Until today the Lord has been testing me, but the time of mercy too will come, and at my death, by the will of God, the storm will die down!” And so it happened: as soon as Theophanes reposed, the wind dropped and calm settled all around. After the saint’s death his body was cleansed of its sores and pus, and a fragrant healing myrrh flowed from it.