Various tales from the paterikon
In the days of the apostle John the Theologian there lived in Ephesus a certain Christian who became so poor that he could by no means pay his debts.
In despair he resolved to take his own life and asked a certain Jewish magician for a strong-working poison.
The Jew gave him the poison. Returning home, the Christian signed the cup of poison with the cross and drank it, but he remained unharmed, for the sign of the cross took away the poison's power.
The next day he came again to the Jew, told him that the poison had done him no harm, and asked him to give him a stronger poison. The astonished Jew did not delay and gave the Christian a still stronger poison.
The Christian again remained alive, and now with mockery told the magician that he was powerless in his sorcery. Then the astonished Jew asked him to tell in detail how he had taken this poison.
— According to the custom of Christians, before drinking I signed the cup of poison with the sign of the cross, — he answered.
The Jew did not know that the power of the cross delivers from death, and, to establish the truth, gave this drug to a dog, which died at once. The Jew together with the Christian came to the apostle John and told him of this wonder. John preached to him, after which the Jew declared his wish to be baptised.
Once a monk asked Saint Macarius by what way he might be saved. Macarius answered:
— Go to the cemetery and revile the dead.
The monk obeyed without a word, went, and spared the graves neither reviling nor stones.
— Tell me, did the dead say nothing to thee? — Macarius asked the monk.
— No, father, — the monk answered in amazement.
— Now go and praise them.
The monk went and adorned the dead with many good words, praised them as righteous and holy men, and then returned again to Macarius.
— What did the dead say to thee? — Macarius asked the monk again.
— Again they said nothing! — answered the monk.
— Thou seest: they said nothing to thee, neither when thou didst dishonour them nor when thou didst render them praise and glory. Remember: if thou wouldest be saved, become like the dead: be not angry when they dishonour thee, and be not lifted up if anyone praises thee. Be as one dead, and thou shalt be saved.
A certain servant of Christ told us: before the persecutions of Christians began, a bishop for some cause forbade a priest to serve. He went into another country on some business. There the heathen seized him and cruelly tortured him, that he might deny Christianity, but he did not deny it. Then they cut off his head, and he became a martyr of Christ.
Soon the persecution of Christians ceased. To the ruler of that city it was made known in a wondrous way concerning that martyr, and he built a church in his name. He took up his holy relics, laid them in a reliquary and set them among the holy things of the church. Then he called the people and the bishop to consecrate the church. As soon as the priest began the evening prayer, the reliquary moved and went out of the church by itself. All who were there were seized with fear and trembling. They set the reliquary again in the same place in the church, but no sooner did the bishop begin the prayer than the reliquary at once went out of the church. Seeing this, the head of the city was afraid and began to confess and to lament before God. He said: because of my sins the holy martyr does not wish to dwell in this church. The same was repeated by all the people. Those who saw such a marvel wept and wailed; and when evening drew near, that holy martyr appeared to the bishop and said: what has grieved you? Do you know why I did not remain with you in the church? If you wish to do me good, go to my bishop and bring him, that he may loose me; for the Lord Himself said of you, the hierarchs: “Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.” Having said this, he vanished.
The next day the bishop announced this to the ruler, and he rejoiced greatly. The bishop with a council set out to that bishop of whom the holy martyr had spoken, and they told him everything about him. He at once rose and went with them. He came, bowed before the holy martyr and said to him: may Christ, Who bound thee by my humble hand, now loose thee, who hast shed thy blood for His name. Enter in and be with us. They brought the reliquary into the church and performed the divine service. The reliquary moved from its place no more, and from that day it worked many wonders.
From all this, O lovers of God, understand how great is the power and authority of a hierarch. Whom he binds on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whom he looses on earth shall be loosed in the heavens. So says our Lord and gives them this power.
A certain God-fearing, Christ-loving merchant of Alexandria, merciful to the poor and hospitable to strangers, had a meek and ever-fasting wife and a six-year-old daughter. One day this man went to Constantinople to trade and left one servant in the house. When he had gone aboard the ship to set sail, his wife asked him: my lord, to whom do I commend us? — to which he answered: to our Lady the Theotokos.
One day this woman was sitting with her child and working at her handiwork. A demon attached itself to their servant and moved him to kill the woman and the child and to seize their riches. He took a kitchen knife and went to the room where his mistress was, but as he entered the door of that room he became rigid. He could neither enter the room nor return to the kitchen. He called his mistress to come to him, but the woman was surprised that he had stopped in the doorway and answered: come thyself, child. She did not know that he was held by an unseen power. The servant grew agitated and called his mistress again. But she did not go. Then the child said to her mother: let me go, I shall go — but the woman would not let her, and again calmly said to the servant: brother, if thou wilt come, come here thyself.
When the servant was convinced that nothing was working for him, he thrust the knife into himself. Seeing this, the mistress called the neighbours. When they came, the servant was still alive and himself told them what had happened. All glorified God and the most holy Theotokos Mary, Who had worked such a wonder, saved the woman and the child who had been commended to Her, and the devil could do them no harm.
A certain ascetic father of great virtue, who struggled by God's inspiration, came to a monastery but could not find an empty cell. Then another monk, who had a spare cell, offered him to stay there until he found a better one. The holy elder obeyed and settled there. This elder had a word full of grace and was not slothful. Therefore they often came to him for soul-profiting instruction, and often brought him gifts.
Seeing this, the owner of the cell began to murmur and to reproach: I have been here so long, I fast and struggle, and no one comes to me, while to this newcomer they show more honour. He was filled with demonic envy and charged his disciple: go and tell that elder to leave my cell, for I need it myself. The disciple came to the holy elder, bowed to him and said: honourable father, my guide asks after thee: art thou well? The elder answered: may God glorify thy guide; tell him that I am a little unwell, and ask him to pray for me. The disciple went and said to his guide: I gave the elder thy message, and he answered me: I shall find another cell and move.
Two days later the monk again charged his disciple: go and tell him that if he does not move in haste, I shall come and with my staff drive him out by force. That wise brother went again and said: my guide, hearing of thy illness, was much grieved and sent me to visit thee, God-inspired father: art thou better? He answered: tell thy guide that blessed is God and blessed is the soul of thy all-honourable guide. By his holy prayer I am already better. The brother went and said to his guide: the elder sends thee word — give me until Sunday, and then, God willing, I shall move. When Sunday came too and he did not leave, the owner of the cell took his staff and went to drive him out with blows. The disciple said to him: father, wait a little; let me go first, lest someone be with him in the cell and be scandalised. The disciple came quickly to the holy elder and said: my guide is coming to thee, God-clothed father, to invite thee to his cell and to honour thee. Hearing this, the elder quickly came out to meet him, bowed to him from afar and said: all-blessed father, trouble not thyself to come to such an unworthy man as I am — I shall come to thee myself.
When God saw such peacemaking in the disciple and such humility in the elder, He accepted it. He drove the demon of envy away from the monk who owned the cell. And he came to repentance, cast away his staff, bowed down and kissed the holy elder. After the kiss and the greeting he took him to his own cell. The elder talked with him spiritually and with an upright heart, as though nothing had been sent to him at all. The monk asked his disciple: child, didst thou then say nothing to him of what I sent? Nothing, — answered the disciple. The elder rejoiced and understood that he had done all this out of demonic envy; he fell down before his disciple and said to him: from henceforth thou art my guide, and I the disciple. Thou hast shown such wondrous wisdom that by thine effort thou hast saved the souls of us both. By this thou hast fulfilled the Lord's commandment: “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Matt. 5:9). Everyone who heard of the art of this disciple's wisdom remained in amazement. His deed was held to be greater than the wonder of raising the dead, for one raised in the body dies again afterwards, while one raised in spirit will not fall again. Only the demon of envy shall fall, by the power of Christ, to Whom be glory unto the ages of ages.
A certain God-clothed holy elder, who had attained the highest measure of the spiritual life, besought God: O Lord, I wish to see how the souls of the sinner and of the righteous go out of the body. The boundlessly merciful and man-loving God heard his entreaty and by His providence brought him to a certain city.
First the elder stopped at a monastery outside the city, where a monk of great renown, famed among the people but worthless in his deeds, was struggling with death. The elder saw that there was great grief all around. They were preparing thick candles and lamps. The whole city wept and mourned for him. Thus they lamented: by his prayer God gave us both bread and water.
When death drew near, the elder by God's providence saw that the pit of hell opened, that spirits with fiery spears came out of it, and a voice was heard from heaven: not for a moment did his soul give Me rest. Do not you spare him either. Torment him and cruelly draw out his soul. From henceforth he shall never see relief. Then an angel mercilessly thrust into his mouth a three-pronged fiery spear, tormented him long within his very body, and only then with dreadful cruelty drew out his wretched soul. Seeing this, the elder was terrified. In amazement he wept and said, as the prophet David says: “Truly the death of sinners is evil.”
After this the elder entered the city and saw something altogether different. In the street lay a dying man with none to care for him, and no one paid him any heed. That day the elder stayed with him, and when the hour of the sick man's death came, he saw the chiefs of the heavenly powers — Michael and Gabriel — who had come to take his soul. One stood at the dying man's right hand, the other at his left, and they gently asked his soul to go with them. But the soul did not wish to leave the flesh. At last the archangel Michael said to Gabriel: it is time to receive the soul and to take it away; but the archangel Gabriel answered: we are commanded by our Master to bring it out without pain and not to compel it. Then the archangel Michael with his beautiful voice cried out to God: O Lord of hosts, what shall we do with the soul of this man, which will not come out? From heaven a voice was heard: I shall send you David with his harp and with angels. They shall sing to him with one voice. Sweet sounds shall delight him, and with joy his soul shall come out. So with all honour bring him to Me and compel him in nothing. * * * * * * * * * * * * Saint Spyridon takes care for the feast
And indeed, at once there appeared David and the singing angels. They surrounded that most blessed soul, began to praise it and to sing with wondrously sweet and pleasant voices. This filled his soul with delight and with festal joy, and with gladness it flew into the hands of the archangel Michael. With such indescribable glory, with boundless splendour, with wondrous praise, they bore his all-blessed soul up to heaven, which from earth to heaven the ranks of angels met and encouraged with words: rejoice, righteous soul!.. Enter into the joy of thy Lord, for there awaits thee the crown of righteousness. With such glory and honour they brought it to the King of all. Of just such a case the prophet David says: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Ps. 115:15).
Anthony the Great was once seized by despondency and evil thoughts; but soon, taking fright, he cried out to God: “O God! I wish to be saved, but I do not myself know what carries me away. Show me the way by which I may overcome these dreadful thoughts. Teach me how to be saved.” A little later Saint Anthony came out of his cell and saw a stranger, who first sat at his handiwork, then rose and prayed. Then he sat again and plaited, and then again stood up to pray... This was an angel, who appeared to Anthony in the form of a monk, to correct him and to warn him. At that moment, while the holy hermit was looking at him, the bodiless guardian said to him: do thou also thus, and thou shalt be saved. Hearing this, Saint Anthony was filled with joy and hope, and after this he never broke the angelic rule.
Once the venerable Ephraim resolved to go into Mesopotamia, to the city of Edessa, and turned to the Lord with this request: “O Lord Jesus Christ! Make me worthy to see Thy city, and at the entrance send to meet me such a man as will speak with me of the Holy Scriptures for the profit of my soul.”
When he drew near the city, a woman met him at the gate. Seeing her, he was grieved and turned in his mind to the Lord: “O Lord, why hast Thou not heard the entreaty of Thy servant? How will she speak with me of the wisdom of books?”
But the woman stood and looked at him. Saint Ephraim asked her: “Tell me, woman, why dost thou stand and look at me so boldly?”
She answered: “I look at thee because woman was created from man; but do thou not look at me; look upon the earth, from which thou thyself wast created.”
Hearing this, Ephraim glorified the Lord, Who had granted the woman such understanding, and understood that the Lord had heard his prayer.
To a home for the aged a certain monk used to go to help. He was so simple that the Ascension, which the monastery kept as its feast, he took to be as great a saint as Saint Barbara, and while praying with his prayer rope he would say: “Holy Ascension, be our helper!” Once there came to the home a brother worn out with sickness, and since there was no strengthening food to be found, the monk hurried down to the cellar, put his hands out of the window that looked upon the sea, and asked: “Holy Ascension, give me one fish for my brother” — and, behold a wonder! — into his hands fell a large fish that had leapt out of the sea. The monk received the fish as naturally as though nothing marvellous had happened, and, rejoicing, prepared the fish to strengthen the ailing brother.
In the house of Iviron the monk Nicholas, a member of the Markianei brotherhood, told us of a father who was marked by the same childlike simplicity.
Once, when the water in the well had dried up, the monk lowered on a rope to the dry bottom an icon of Saint Nicholas and said:
— Saint Nicholas, come up with the water, if thou wouldest have me light thy lamp. Thou canst do this. Thou seest how many people come, and we have no cool water to give them to drink.
And, behold a wonder! — the water rose little by little, and the saint's icon came up with it; the monk caught it up, then with reverence kissed it and made for the church.
Once, when at the Corfiot cell of Saint Spyridon, which belongs to the monastery of Koutloumousiou, the saint's feast was drawing near, the fathers were troubled, for they had not been able to get any fish. The monks proposed to the elder that, since fresh fish could not be got, they should buy dried roach. The elder said to them:
— Be patient; Saint Spyridon will bring us fish, — and he prayed unceasingly with his prayer rope.
When the monks' patience ran out and they grew very troubled, for the time was already drawing near and they had to begin the preparations, suddenly they hear a knock at the door; they open the door — and what do they see! Two fishermen with two baskets full of fish, asking for the elder. The novices called the elder, but the fishermen said:
— This is not that elder; another elder came to us and said: “Take the fish to the cell of Saint Spyridon, where there is a feast, and you will receive good payment. If you wish, I shall leave you a pledge as well.”
The elder understood that a wonder had taken place and led the fishermen into the church to venerate. As soon as the fishermen saw the icon of Saint Spyridon, they said:
— There he is, that elder who told us to bring the fish here!
Then the elder answered them:
— Ah, children, why did you not take a pledge from the saint, that we might have it for a blessing!
