“In thy cell is mine enemy”

In the Lavra of Calamon, which is near the Jordan, we visited the presbyter Abba Cyriacus, and this is what he told us:

— One day in a dream there appeared to me a majestic Lady clothed in purple, and with Her two shining men. She stood outside my cell. I understood that this Lady was the most holy Theotokos, and Her companions John the Baptist and John the Theologian. I came out of the cell in haste and began to entreat the Theotokos to come in and say a prayer in my cell. But She would not come in. Long did I stand and entreat Her, not letting Her go, abased and rebuffed. And when She saw that I would not leave off, the Theotokos answered me sternly:

— In thy cell is mine enemy; how then dost thou ask Me to come in?

Having said this, She withdrew from me. Then I awoke, and, deeply grieved, began to consider whether I had sinned against the Theotokos in anything, even in thought — for there was no one in the cell but myself — yet I could call nothing to mind. Then I resolved to read something and so at least dispel my grief. There came into my hands the works of Hesychius, Patriarch of Jerusalem. I opened the book, and on the last leaves I saw two writings of the impious Nestorius. Then I understood that this was the enemy of the most holy Theotokos. At once I carried the book back and returned it to the brother from whom I had taken it.

— Take back thy book, brother, — I said, — for the good it did me was not so much as the harm.

The brother pressed me to say what I meant by these words; and when I had told him the dream, he was filled with divine zeal, tore the writings of Nestorius out of the book and cast them into the fire, saying:

— Neither will I keep in my cell an enemy of the most holy Theotokos!