Isapostolos Thekla: Her paradoxical baptism in the lake with the seals – Her rescue from the raging bullstranslated

After they had taken her from there, they led Saint Thekla to a very deep and terrible lake, in which there were many seals. As soon as the Saint saw the lake, she fell into it saying: "In your name, my Lord Jesus Christ, I receive today the Holy Baptism". The women wept, thinking that she would be eaten by the seals and that such a beauty would be lost, and begged her not to enter.

But immediately divine help came down from above, like fire and lightning, from which the seals died, while a cloud covered Thekla so that those standing around would not see her naked.

Then they threw other wild beasts into the lake. But the women threw in nard, cassia, and sand, so that the beasts would fall asleep from the fragrance of the odors and not harm her, as it was.

Then the ruler Alexander said to the proconsul: "I have two very fierce and terrible bulls; let us give her to them to kill her."

And he replied: "Do whatever you want with her, because I'm not laying a hand on her anymore."

So after they tied her, they put her on the bulls, which they burned with red-hot irons and embroidered them to make them wilder.

But even then they did nothing,…