II. ПОДВИЖНИЦЫ ВЕРХНЕГО ЕГИПТА

She who is now revered among the great saints was for a long time a great sinner. Taisiya's fatherland and the city that witnessed her sad victories are unknown. What is known is that she lived in Egypt and all of Egypt knew about her excessive debauchery. Her mother was a woman of bad life and not only did not care about instilling good rules in her, but she herself taught her to trade in debauchery. With such lessons, the beautiful daughter became scary. Rich people of all ages rushed to catch her attention and ruined their fortunes on gifts; lovers in the charming woman’s house not only fought, but also killed each other; The peace and happiness of many families were upset by the mercy of this servant of Satan. The rumor about the charming Taisia ​​reached the Heraclean monastery Abba Paphnutius. Paphnutius was such a high ascetic that they looked at him as an angel of God. Zealous for the salvation of souls, he turned many forgetful laymen to the path of salvation. Hearing about Taisia, Paphnutius took off his hermit's clothes and, in the attire of a rich secular man, with a supply of money, appeared in the crowd of admirers of the charming woman. Taisiya had not yet completely drowned out the demands of religion in her heart; she still believed in the Omniscient God, she believed that after death there would be a Judgment of Truth. But these thoughts only flickered in her soul, like all secular women, they were obscured and did not reach the depths of her heart under the influence of her addictions to secular pleasures, to luxury, bliss, carnality, and a cheerful life. Paphnutius used the truths accessible to her soul to save Taisia. Having used means that would open access to pitiful women, Paphnutius asked Taisia ​​to set up a meeting in a secret place, in such a secret place where not only people, but God himself could not see them. She answered with a smile that this was impossible - God is everywhere and sees everything. Then Paphnutius vividly imagined to her the horror of the audacity to sin so brazenly, so vilely, as she sins; revealed to her what a terrifying answer she must give before God both for her abominations, and for the iniquities of the souls seduced and destroyed by her, for the many souls tormented by her debauchery or who lost their very life in the pursuit of her. Taisiya soon felt that the one who spoke to her in such a language was not a secular sinner or even a secular wise man, but a man sent to her by God, and her heart was illuminated with heavenly light. Trembling, shedding tears, she threw herself at the hermit’s feet and said: “Subject me to any kind of repentance, I feel my abomination, I tremble at the torment ready for me, but I also hope that through your prayers God will have mercy on me. Give me no more than three hours of the time I need, and I will appear wherever you order and do everything that you require of me.” Paphnutius agreed and appointed a meeting place. Taisiya collected all the treasures she had collected, the fruits of her terrible debauchery, outfits, jewelry that cost a huge amount, and ordered everything to be demolished to the square. Here, in the presence of the people, she herself lit everything on fire and loudly called on the participants in her depraved life to repent of their sins. Consigning the fruits of sin to the fire, she made it clear that she recognized her former life as vile, did not find property acquired by sin worth even distributing it to the poor, but burned everything like the plague. Having completed this, she appeared at the place appointed by Paphnutius. He took her to a convent and locked her in a cramped cell; A lead seal was attached to the door, and through a small window it was ordered that a piece of bread and some water be served to the repentant. Imprisoned as if in a coffin, Taisiya asked the departing Paphnutius one thing: how should she pray to God? “You are not worthy to call on God and call Him with your lips; you are not worthy to raise your hands to Him; your lips are full of wickedness, and your hands are defiled with transgressions. Turning to the east, repeat one thing: “He who created me! Have mercy on me!" The penitent religiously fulfilled the severe repentance assigned to her. Three years later, Paphnutius felt regret for the prisoner in his heart. He went to the Great Anthony to find out whether God had forgiven Taisiya’s sins? Appearing to him, he told him about Taisiya’s life. St. Anthony gathered his main disciples and invited them to spend the night in prayer, would the Lord reveal His will about the need of Paphnutius? The will of God was revealed to Paul, whose name was the Most Simple. A bed appeared to him in heaven, covered with robes of inimitable beauty and guarded by three maidens with bright and beautiful faces. Paul said with delight: “Surely, this is ready for my father Anthony.” Then a voice told him: “No, this is not for Anthony, but for the harlot Taisia.” This is how Paphnutius learned the will of God about Taisiya. Appearing at the monastery where Taisiya was locked, he opened the door of her cell. Taisiya meekly told him that she would like to remain in seclusion. Paphnutius announced: “Come out, God has forgiven you your sins.” She obeyed and also said. “God is my witness, from the moment I entered the cell, all my sins were before my eyes - and I shed tears, looking at them.” “It is precisely for this,” said Paphnutius, “that the merciful Lord had mercy on you, and not for the severity of your imprisonment.” Taisiya lived only 15 days after leaving the purification prison. Her soul, washed by repentance and allowed by Him who took upon Himself the sins of the whole world, flew to heaven for an imperishable reward. The day before his death, Paphnutius spoke about Taisia ​​to his former hermits, showing from experience that there is no state in life that is allowed to be despised, and that the greatest criminals can achieve both forgiveness and great rewards through sincere repentance. Since blessed Taisiya labored and rested, she led. Anthony ( 356) and Paul Preprost ( 340), then their death followed no later than 340. We consider it necessary to say here about the peculiarity that distinguished Pavel the Simple, who learned about the fate of Taisiya. He had a gift from the Lord to see the hearts of people, as they see the face of another. Once he stood at the door of the church, where the evening service began. The monks entered one after another with cheerful eyes. But one walked gloomy and upset - the spirit of malice grabbed his hands to drag him away from the house of God. The monk sat down at the threshold and wept bitterly; He wept so much throughout Vespers. When the service ended and his brother walked along with the others, previously upset, but now cheerful, Pavel jumped up with joy and stopped his brother in full view of everyone. “For the common good,” said Paul, “reveal how it happened that you became a different soul?” He answered freely: “Yes, I was definitely a sinner, I lived viciously and carefree. But now in the church I heard the words of the prophet: “Wash yourselves and be clean... Even though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow” (Is. 1:16, 18). And in the church I decided to change my life. And now I swear before everyone that I will serve the Lord with a sincere heart.” “You see, brethren,” Paul added, “the Lord is ready to accept every sinner, if only we come to Him.” When St. Pachomius founded the Tavenna brotherhood in Upper Thebaid, in the diocese of Tentira, and the Lord wanted him to be the organizer of a hostel for nuns here. This is how it was: Pachomius left his sister in the world. The desire to see her beloved brother and personally see the miracles that were associated with the name of Pachomius brought the sister to Tavenna. Pachomius constantly avoided conversations with women; He had renounced family ties long ago, and his soul burned with nothing but love for the Lord. When the gatekeeper told Pachomius that his sister wanted to see him, he ordered him to tell her that he was alive, and that was enough for her, but let her give up the hope of seeing him in person. Wanting to give her good advice, he added: let her think about whether she would like to imitate his kind of life. By her example, God, perhaps, will attract other wives to a pure life, with them she will be sanctified with the praises of God, and this will mean a lot for her, for her eternity. He asked her to slowly and soberly consider his proposal and, if she decided to accept, to announce it to him, and he would begin building the monastery. His sister, who did not expect such a reception, cried bitterly, but at the same time God touched her heart with His wondrous grace. Having calmed down from her anxiety, she thought over the proposal and asked her brother to answer that she had fully decided to follow his advice. The sister’s determination to perform holy deeds brought Pachomius great joy. He thanked God for his sister and, without any delay, took all measures to build a women’s monastery. The chosen place for the monastery was called Men and was located on the other bank of the Nile, while the monastery of monks was on an island in the middle of the Nile. Having settled in the monastery, the new hermit spent her life in the fear of God and in holy labors, as St. Pachomius. She soon became the spiritual mother of many hermits. Under the influence of the advice of the great Abba, she was a worthy leader of the souls who entrusted themselves to her, with her instructions and example she detached their hearts from everything earthly and elevated their souls to heavenly, indestructible blessings. St. Pachomius gave the hermits almost identical monastic rules to his own; they did not wear the goat's casing alone, which constituted the clothing of his monks, but cut their hair and covered their heads with a kamilavka, which covered their head and shoulders. Their needlework consisted of weaving flax and wool, which the Tavern economy purchased for them. Not a single monk was allowed into Zhenya’s monastery without special permission; brothers or relatives came very rarely, and then only accompanied by proven elders; the sister being visited was also accompanied by an old woman. It was not allowed to give gifts or accept them from anyone, because the nuns could not have anything of their own, but everything was common. All secular speech, rumor, news, news were expelled from the conversation; its only subject was the salvation of the soul. The monks who came for construction or other necessary work did not even take food in the nunnery, but returned to their place. The priest and deacon came to the church only for worship. The first spiritual father to whom Pachomius entrusted the leadership of the sisters was the monk Peter, venerable as much for his old age as for the holiness of his life. Widows and girls were equally accepted into this monastery, the sisters of Petronius, one of the first disciples of Pachomius, were tonsured here, and the mother, sister and grandmother of Theodore the Sanctified, Pachomius’s favorite disciple, labored as monks here. When the hermit died, the sisters, singing psalms, carried the body to the bank of the Nile, and the monks of Tavenna, with the same singing, carrying olive or palm branches, crossed the river from their monastery, raised the deceased and buried her on the mountain, where there was a general Tavenna cemetery. The fame of the exploits of the Tavenna nuns reached the West. In Rome, she awakened the determination to achieve feats of virginity even among aristocrats, such as the rich widow Markey. What Blessed Augustine wrote in his book about the purity of life of the Catholic Church applies to the Tavenna ascetics. Having saluted the exploits of monks and hermits, he says: “Nuns, following the same rules, serve God as if with even greater purity and zeal; not only separated, but also distant from the male monasteries, whose assistance they often need, they endure, stay awake and unite with them only in prayers, mercy and deeds; not a single man can even approach the women’s monastery, and the experienced elders, appearing there only to provide the sisters with everyday needs, never enter the cell, but only into the common vestibule. Hermit women make woolen and linen products both for themselves and for their brothers, from whom in return they receive the necessities of life.” The Monk Pachomius reposed in the year 348; his venerable sister completed her ascetic journey, probably no later than 355. During the time of Palladius, there were up to four hundred sisters in the Tavenna monastery of Men. St. was a high ascetic here. Isidora, called Varankis in Coptic. This holy virgin was tormented by an uncontrollable desire to humble and humiliate herself in order to purify her spirit. In order to be humiliated and mistreated by her sisters, she assumed the appearance of being stupid and crazy (holy fool) and conducted her business so skillfully that everyone considered her truly insane. She exactly fulfilled the words of the Gospel: “Whoever wills to be in you, let him be slave to all and servant to all” (Matthew 20:26). “If anyone thinks that he will be wise in you in this world, let him be, for he will be wise” (1 Cor. 3:18). Instead of wearing a doll and shoes, she threw some kind of rag over her head and walked barefoot. She never sat down to eat with others, but was content with crumbs and washing up, constantly working in the kitchen, doing all the difficult jobs, and being a servant to everyone. Many of the sisters treated her as if she were truly insane, others beat her, looked at her with disgust, considering her to be possessed. Isidora bore all this calmly. No one heard a rude answer or a murmur from her: the more harshly they scolded and humiliated her, the more cheerful she was. Thus she trained herself in the wise madness of the Cross of the Lord. Only God knew the hidden virtue, and He, the good Judge, who loves to exalt the humble even in this life, considered it necessary to finally discover the virtues of Isidora. An angel, appearing to the Great Pitirim (a student of St. Anthony), who lived in the Porphyrite desert, announced to him: “Let him not consider himself too virtuous and do not dream of his exploits, if you want to see an incomparably more perfect soul, then in the Tavenna nunnery he will meet a virgin covered with an old scarf, who knows how to rejoice at the most rude and ill-treated by all the sisters and always their zealous obedient, while he, calmly remaining body in the desert, rushes through the cities with his thoughts.” Pitirim came to the Tavenna convent and asked the abbess for permission to see all the sisters. He was highly respected for his renowned virtue and long years of asceticism in the desert, and his request could not be refused. All the nuns, except Isidora, were presented to Pitirim, but not seeing exactly the one who was indicated to him by the Angel, he asked to call the others and, in response to the answer that everything was before his eyes, said that this was not true, he did not see between them exactly the one who was indicated to him by God himself. Then they told him that there was only one mad woman. “Bring her,” he answered, “and let me talk to her.” Isidora, perhaps sensing, through inspiration from above, what was about to happen to her, so contrary to her deep humility, at first did not want to obey, so she was brought in almost by force. When he saw Isidora’s head covered with a rag, he fell at her feet with the words: “Bless me, amma (mother).” This was the name given to ascetics of high spiritual life. She also fell at his feet and said: “Bless me.” The surprise of all the sisters at the sight of the great Pitirim at the feet of the madwoman was unimaginable! “Father,” they said, “do not humiliate your holiness, because it is insane.” “God has deprived you of your understanding, not her,” he answered them sternly. I see this because you have not yet understood her merits: she is the amma of both you and me (that’s what spiritual mothers are called there).” Abba added: “May God send me mercy on the Day of Judgment to be with the perfections of her madness.” Then, unable to recognize the high virtue of the sister, who had been humiliated for so long and for so long, everyone threw themselves at the feet of Pitirim, asking to forgive their spiritual ignorance, and each sincerely confessed her guilt before Isidora. “I made fun of her,” says one. “And I laughed at her veil,” says another. The third confessed with sorrow: “I poured slop on her.” “And I, unfortunate one,” said the fourth, “was so impudent that I poured mustard into her nostrils.” Each sincerely revealed her guilt. Pitirim prayed to God for them to forgive them their sins, and after a long conversation with Isidora he went back to the desert. The respect with which the holy humble woman was surrounded from that moment, the attention with which her every action, her every word was noticed, the continuous repentance and apologies for her previous treatment weighed heavily on the humble Isidora, and she secretly disappeared from the monastery. After that, it remained unknown where she ended her life to receive the crown of eternal glory. Palladius tells about this in 420. But far before him, the “legend of the holy fool” was proposed by St. Ephraim the Syrian, who visited the deserts of Egypt in 371. So, St. Isidora finished her exploits not after 365. St. Talida, Taora and two nameless ascetics In Upper Egypt, otherwise known as Thebaid, there were many women's monasteries in the 4th and 5th centuries. In the city of Oxyrhynchus, now almost covered with sand, there were up to 20 thousand nuns. Ancient public buildings and churches, previously dedicated to false deities, were converted into monastic monasteries. The influence of monastic life on the townspeople was amazing. They had such a love for reassuring strangers that they sent servants to the city gates and went out themselves to see if any stranger was approaching somewhere? If the wanderer was a monk, they ran towards him, each one pulled him towards him, grabbed his shoulders, his clothes, just to have the good fortune to calm him down. Rufim says as an eyewitness that in his time there was not a single pagan and not a single heretic in Oxyrhynchus, so that the bishop could preach with the same freedom in the square as in churches. Bishop Apphius was also marvelous here. When he was a monk, he led a very strict life; and when he became a bishop, he wanted to lead the same strict life among the world, but he could not. Prostrating himself before God, he said: “Is it really because of the episcopacy that grace has departed from me?” And it was revealed to him: “No, but then you were in the desert, there was not a single person there and God helped you, but now you are in the world and people are helping you.” On the eastern bank of the Nile stood the city of Antinous, and opposite Antinous - Hermoiol, now, since the 7th century, Ashmuneim. On the eastern shore, the continued Arabian Mountains are dotted with caves; these are the oldest quarries and tombs. Here were the Thebaid solitudes, glorified by the deeds of Christian ascetics and ascetics. They started from the present Minieta and stretched far to the south. In Sheikh Abad, near the disappeared Antinous, in the mosque they show the tomb of the Antinian bishop Ammon, who signed the definition of the Council of 394. According to Palladius, there were 12 women’s monasteries in Antinous, where they led a godly life. Among the Antinoan ascetics, Elder Amma (mother) Talida was distinguished by a particularly high spiritual life. She had already been in asceticism for eighty years when Palladius saw her. Sixty virgins lived with her. According to her instructions, they lived a fasting and pure life. They all respected and loved her so much that the gates of the monastery were not closed, as in other monasteries. Only love and respect for the will of amma kept them within the walls of the monastery, and they firmly preserved the purity of soul and body for eternal glory. The words of the apostle, conveyed to them by Amma, constantly sounded in their ears and hearts. Walk “worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all humility, meekness and long-suffering, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Eph. 4:1–3). Amma Talida achieved imperturbable spiritual purity. “When I came to her and sat down,” says Palladius, “she sat down next to me and put her hands on my shoulders, with amazing trust in Christ, who preserves the purity of her thoughts.” What is this dispassion of Talida? Isn't this a characteristic of a decrepit organism? Oh no, in the world there are old men and women of 80 years old, such that unclean sin plays strongly in their members. On the other hand, one lived in the desert since childhood, but when he saw women on the road for the first time, he said to his father: “These are the same ones who came to me at night in the monastery.” Abba Anthony said: “I think that the body has a natural movement, innate to it, but it does not act when the soul does not want, and there is movement without lust. There is another movement that comes from nourishing and heating the body with food and drink. The heat of the blood arising from them produces impure excitement in the body. That is why the apostle said: “Do not get drunk with wine, for there is fornication in it” (Eph. 5:18); Likewise, the Lord in the Gospel said to the disciples: “Take heed... lest your hearts be burdened with gluttony or drunkenness” (Luke 21:34). There is also another movement among ascetics – from the deceit and envy of the devil.” Apply these words to Talida, and you will see the truth. The one who ascended from earth to heaven said about himself that before separation from his body he did not consider himself free from danger: but at the same time, the will, strong by grace, now and yesterday gains victories over the natural movements of the corrupted flesh and from time to time leaves earth for heaven. In the same Antinoian monastery lived the virgin Taora, a disciple of St. Talids. She had already labored for 30 years when Palladius saw her. She never wanted to take a new tunic, a coat, or shoes. “For me there is no need,” she said, “otherwise they would not be forced to go out of the gate.” When the other sisters usually went to church on Sunday (and only on Sunday) to receive the Holy Mysteries, she, covered with rags, remained in the monastery, constantly busy with her work. Her face was so beautiful that the most determined could hardly help but be carried away by her beauty, but her asceticism inspired involuntary fear even in the most shameless eye. The faithful servant of God denied herself the spiritual consolation of visiting the church of God - because she was afraid of tempting someone with her face and was saving herself from dangerous temptation. A glance at a man is caustic or hurt, says spiritual experience. “A virgin,” wrote the great Anthony, “should not harbor feelings characteristic of a wife; she must avoid unclean thoughts, pride and everything that pleases the devil; must love everyone, flee from worldly glory, be devoted to God, bridle the tongue and strictly observe fasting.” This is how the Monk Taora labored. “There was also in Antinous,” says Palladium, “a true virgin who vigilantly performed the work of asceticism. She lived a long way from me.” Palladius traveled through the deserts of Egypt in 388–392, including living in Antinous. “I have not seen her in person,” he continues, “she, as those who knew her said, had never left her cell since she renounced the world, and spent 60 years in asceticism with her mother. When the time finally came for her to pass from this life to eternal life, the holy martyr Kolluf, who was famous for his courage in that place, appeared to her and said: “Today you will go to your Lord and see all the saints. Therefore, come and share a meal with us in the monastery.” The blessed one, getting up early in the morning, got dressed, put bread, olives and several vegetables in her basket, and after so many years of seclusion, she went to the church of the martyr. Here she prayed, sat down and waited all day for the time to eat. At the ninth hour, when the time came to taste the food and there was no one in the church, she laid out the food and turned to the martyr with a prayer: “Bless my food, Saint Kolluf, and may your prayers accompany me!” After that, she sat down and tasted it. Then, after praying some more, she came home around sunset. Here she conveyed to her mother the interpretation of the stromatopist Clement on the prophet Amos with the words: “Tell this to the bishop sent to prison, and tell him to pray for me, I am going to the Lord.” That same night she died: without suffering from a fever or a headache, she prepared herself for burial and gave up her spirit into the hands of God.” About 420, Abba Daniel, visiting the deserts of Thebaid, came to Hermopolis and said to his disciple: “Go to that convent and tell the abbess that I want to be with them.” It was a monastery founded by Fr. Jeremiah, there were up to 300 sisters in it. The disciple knocked on the gate. The gatekeeper quietly asked: what do you need? The student answered: “Tell the abbess that a certain monk wants to talk with her.” The abbess came and asked: what do you need? The brother answered: “Create love, let me and my brother spend the night in your monastery, so that otherwise the animals will not eat us.” The abbess answered: “A man never enters here, and it is more beneficial for you to be food for animals than for passions.” The disciple announced that Abba Daniel of the monastery wanted to visit them. Then the abbess ordered the gates to be opened and immediately called all the sisters. The fasting women from the gate to the place where the elder stood covered the path with carpets and, bowing to him, kissed his feet and joyfully led him into the monastery. The abbess ordered a basin to be brought, and, pouring warm water, putting fragrant herbs in the water, placing the sisters in two rows, she herself washed the feet of him and his disciple with her own hands, and then sprinkled that water on all the sisters, and washed her own head. The fasting women stood silent and only made signs to let them know what was needed; They walked very quietly and modestly. The elder said to the abbess: “Are the sisters ashamed of us, or are they always like this?” “Always like that,” answered the abbess. “Tell my student,” said the elder, “let him learn silence, he is a true Gothic (German).” Of the nuns, one lay in the monastery with her clothes torn. The elder asked the abbess: “Who is this lying?” The abbess answered: “This is one of the sisters, drunk, I don’t know what to do with her? I’m afraid to kick her out of the monastery, I wouldn’t sin; keeping her would be an embarrassment for others.” The elder said to the disciple: “Take the washbasin and pour water on it.” When he did this, she stood up as if drunk. “She is always like this,” said the abbess. Then the abbess led the elder to the meal and proposed supper for him and the sisters. “Bless, father, your slaves to eat in your presence,” said the abbess. She herself and the other one sat down with the elder. The elder was offered: pickled lentils, uncooked vegetables, dates and water; The student was given bread, boiled vegetables and wine diluted with water; The nuns were offered various boiled foods, fish and wine. When the elder got up from the meal, he said to the abbess: “Why is this like this with you? We should have eaten the best food, but with you you ate the best.” The abbess answered: “You, father, are a monk, and you have been offered monastic food; Your disciple has been given food suitable for the disciple of a great elder; and my sisters, like beginners, ate the food of beginners.” “May the Lord reward you for your love, for the lesson that is useful for us,” said the elder. When everyone had gone to bed, the elder ordered the disciple to go and see where the drunk woman would sleep. He looked and said: “In the latrine.” The elder said: “Let’s beat this night.” When the nuns fell asleep, the elder and the disciple came to the place where the supposed drunken woman was, and they saw: she was standing with her hands raised to the sky, tears flowing down her cheeks, she bowed earnestly. When my sister went out to relieve herself, she lay down as if drunk and snored. “Call the abbess and her second in line to me,” the elder said to the disciple. They arrived and watched all night. The abbess said with tears: “How much trouble I caused her!” When they hit the beater, the abbess told all the fasting women about the feat of the imaginary drunkard. But when she saw that they recognized her, she secretly came to where the elder was sleeping, took away his staff with the mantle, opened the gate and wrote on the gate: “Forgive me, sisters, for what I have sinned, and pray for me.” Then she disappeared. The sisters searched for her all day and, not finding her, saw her farewell words on the gate. The sisters cried for her. The elder told them: “These are the kind of drunkards God loves.” Venerable Eupraxia, mother and daughter, Abbess Theodula and Venerable Julia Under Emperor Theodosius the Great, there was a senator in the Royal City, Antigonus, close to the emperor both by kinship and official relations, intelligent in word and deed, a benevolent adviser, who ruled the Lyceum honestly, and a compassionate person. The emperor loved him not only as a senator, but also as a Christian, always ready to give the best advice. He was rich like no other nobleman today. His wife Eupraxia was also related to the emperor's house and was also pious. She, offering prayers to God with tears, made many offerings to churches and monasteries. God blessed the good couple with the birth of their daughter Eupraxia. Both father and mother were very happy. At one time, Antigonus says to his wife: “You know, good Eupraxia, how insignificant this life is, how insignificant wealth is, how insignificant the pomp of this world is. We waste our days in vain if we do not care about the salvation of souls.” Eupraxia said: “As you command, my lord, so we will live.” He continued: “God gave us a daughter, that is enough for us, and we will no longer share a bed.” Eupraxia answered with delight of joy: “Blessed is God, who gave you a holy thought. I've been praying for this for a long time. “The time... is short,” says the apostle, “let those who have wives live as if they had none” (1 Cor. 7:29). Antigonus generously gave alms from that time on. And a year after the vow he died peacefully. The emperor was struck by grief over the loss of a man who, due to the severity of his rules and his experienced mind, was very difficult to replace with anyone. Moreover, he tried to console the widow. When her daughter was 5 years old, the emperor, who declared himself her guardian, advised her mother to betroth her to the son of an honest and rich senator. The mother agreed with the smart advice and accepted the gifts. Meanwhile, at the same time that the mother was arranging her daughter’s fate, her own hand was sought by a nobleman who, secretly from the emperor, was seeking the empress’s help, and the empress took the side of the seeker. With the greatest amazement, Eupraxia accepted the offer made to her on behalf of the empress. She, without requiring time to think, flatly refused the seeker. The emperor, having learned about this, was very dissatisfied with his wife. He knew Eupraxia’s determination to serve the Lord; to propose marriage to her meant insulting her undeservedly - this is how the emperor understood the matter. Noticing with sadness that the foolish invitation to marriage became the cause of coldness between the emperor and empress, Eupraxia secretly went to Egypt under the pretext of the need to inspect her estates. Along the way, she visited many monasteries, leaving generous alms in them. The Tavenn convent of Amma Theodula with 130 sisters was famous for the severity of its rules. “Here they did not drink wine, apples, grapes, dates, or anything else pleasant to the taste; others did not even eat oil; some fasted from morning to evening, others took food every other day, and some after two or three days. Not one washed her feet; others, hearing about the bath, laughed and considered it an abomination, intolerable to the ears. For each bed there was earth, covered with a hair shirt a cubit wide and three lengths long, and here she rested. Their clothes were made of wool and reached to their heels. Each one worked as much as she could. If someone fell ill, they did not turn to medical benefits; they accepted the illness as a blessing from God and patiently endured suffering if healing was not sent by the Lord. Not a single one went beyond the gates of the monastery. There was a gatekeeper, all answers were transmitted through her. Their whole concern was how to please the Lord with their prayerful thoughts. Therefore, God performed many signs here, providing healing for those who came here.” Deeply amazed by such a life of nuns, Eupraxia often visited their monastery with her daughter, who was eight years old. She gave the monastery candles and incense. Once she said to the abbess: “I would like to provide the income of the monastery with 20 or 30 liters (pounds) of gold, so that you may pray for your servant and for her father Antigonus.” The abbess answered: “My noble lady! Your slaves do not demand either gold or property; they have left everything in order to deserve eternal blessings, and they shun everything worldly, fearing to lose the Kingdom of Heaven. So that you do not be sad with us, bring us oil for lamps and incense for censers, and for this you will be rewarded.” When this was brought, Eupraxia asked to pray for Antigonus and his daughter Eupraxia.” The abbess loved to work with little Eupraxia. “Does she like the monastery and the sisters?” – she asked the girl. “I like it very much,” she answered. “If so, why don’t you stay with us?” - continued the abbess. “I would stay with great pleasure,” the girl objected, “but I’m afraid that this will upset my kind mother.” “Whom do you love more,” said the abbess, “us or your fiancé, to whom you are engaged?” “I don’t know him at all,” answered little Eupraxia, “and he doesn’t know me either; and I know and love you; but who do you love, me or my fiancé?” “We love you very much,” answered the abbess, but we love our Lord Jesus Christ most of all.” “And I,” said the girl, “love you very much, and more than you I love the Lord Jesus.” This conversation was conducted joyfully. Mother Eupraxia expressed her joy with tears. When it was necessary to leave the monastery, Eupraxia the daughter announced to her mother that she wanted to stay in the monastery. Trying to dissuade her, they told her that she could not stay in the monastery except by vowing to devote herself to Christ. The girl asked: where is Christ? The abbess showed her the image of the Savior. The girl rushed to the icon, kissed it and firmly said: “Truly, sincerely, I make a vow to Christ and will not return home with my mother.” Then they decided to let her spend the night in the monastery, believing that she would not want to stay longer. But the next day they were convinced that her intention had not changed. The abbess noted that if she wanted to stay, she must memorize the entire Psalter, must fast until the evening and sleep little. The child agreed to everything, insisting on staying in the monastery. This determination was so extraordinary that the abbess said to the mother: “Is it not God Himself who inspires such a desire in your daughter? Apparently, the virtues and prayers of her parents called upon her the special grace of God. Leave her with us." Eupraxia's love for the Lord was higher than her tender affection for her only daughter. She led the girl to the image of the Savior and, raising her hands to the sky, said with a loud cry: “Lord Jesus! Take this child under Your protection.” Then, turning to her daughter, she said: “May the Creator, who established the mountains, establish you, my daughter, in His fear!” Then she handed her daughter over to the abbess. A few days later, the abbess, with prayers in the prayer house, dressed the girl in the clothes of a hermit. Her mother asked her: does she like the new outfit? The girl answered that she loved him more than anyone else, because Christ gives him only to the chosen ones. “May He make you completely worthy of His merciful election,” said the good mother. She hugged her, said goodbye to the abbess and, entering a lonely life, decided to choose a new path for herself. She continued her acts of generous charity, but at the same time she became stricter with herself, stopped drinking wine, meat, fish and ate only vegetables once a day. The emperor, hearing about the change in her life, was both amazed and glad. In the exploits of her spiritual life, Eupraxia the Elder approached the end of her life. This was revealed to the abbess of the monastery, where her daughter remained. She saw in a dream Antigonus, surrounded by light and asking the Lord for permission to bring his wife. The abbess announced this to Eupraxia herself. Eupraxia was already so strong that she considered only Heaven her homeland. Having learned that the end was near, she thanked the Lord for the sign of His mercy towards her and asked to complete the mercy by resting her in the monastery of His saints. When the mother conveyed to her daughter the news of the proximity of her death, the daughter, carried away by her tender affection for her rare mother, sobbed inconsolably that she had to part with such a mother. To calm her down, her mother reminded her that she had vowed to love the Lord Jesus above all else. Here, she said, is the testament of your beloved mother: “Love the Lord Jesus with awe of reverence, respect your sisters, never dare to think that they are lower than you and can serve you, be poor in your thoughts in order to use spiritual treasures, you now own all my fortune, provide what is necessary for the monastery, pray for your father and for me, that He will grant us merciful forgiveness.” Three days later she died and was buried in the monastery. Having learned about the death of old Eupraxia, the emperor ordered that the senator’s son be told about it and informed that since his daughter accepted monasticism, his connection with her was terminated. Then, yielding to the requests of the senator, he himself wrote to his daughter and asked her to return to Constantinople to enter into the promised marriage. Eupraxia answered the emperor: “Do you really want, good emperor, for your servant to leave the eternal Christ for a mortal man? After all, he could be food for worms tomorrow. May God deliver me from this crime! Tell this person better not to bother you and to forget about the one who is not able to break the vow given to the Lord. I beg you, in memory of my parents, to divide all the property they left among the poor, orphans and churches. I am sure that you remember my parents, and especially my father, who enjoyed such trust in you. In the name of him and my mother, I ask you to turn all their wealth into deeds pleasing to God, give freedom to all slaves and forgive the debts of debtors and mercenaries of the lands. Deign to dispose of everything so that I can freely serve the Lord. Pray to the Lord and the good empress that I may be worthy to be a worthy servant of Christ the Lord.” Eupraxia's letter was read in the Senate and communicated to the groom. Everyone saw that young Eupraxia was a worthy daughter of Antigonus and Eupraxia, the holy branch of pious parents, and no one thought any more about returning her to the world. The emperor ordered that her wishes regarding her inheritance property be immediately fulfilled with all precision. This was just before the death of the emperor (T 395). Eupraxia was then 12 years old. Her successes in spiritual life were beyond her age. Freed from worries about the estate, she devoted herself entirely to serving the Lord. Love for repentance called her to intense fasting. At first she ate once a day; soon afterwards - once every two or three days. She gave herself up to the lowest obediences and was a slave to every sister of the monastery. She did not pay attention to the weakness of her constitution and carried out the work equally with others. It was a rule of the monastery that the sisters should announce to the abbess every temptation they experienced. Eupraxia, like many, was completely amazed and alarmed at the first attacks of the evil enemy; she resorted to the advice of her sister Julia, who was given to her as a leader. According to her instructions, she revealed to the abbess the state of her soul at every temptation and therefore emerged from the battle victorious. The experienced abbess not only prayed with the sisters for the young ascetic, but with advice she led her, as it were, along the steps to a high life. Eupraxia, according to her advice, not only obeyed silently, which was easy and pleasant, but also in that which offended the strings of pride. The humility that Eviraxia assimilated more and more smoothed the road to high exploits for her. In the 20th year of Eupraxia, when, in addition to her intentions, she had become an amazing aristocrat, the abbess subjected her to a cruel test. She ordered her to move a pile of stones from one place to another. The stones were heavy, but Eupraxia carried them. The abbess ordered them to be moved to their original place. Eupraxia performed. Thirty times the abbess ordered the stones to be carried from one place to another. And Eupraxia dragged them thirty times, without saying a word about the weight of the stones or anything else. The sisters were amazed at Eupraxia's submission. And the Lord gave strength to the weak Eupraxia to fulfill obedience. After a strong temptation, Eupraxia begged permission from the abbess to spend a week without any food - only the abbess held such a fast. Her firmness in asceticism was rare. She read for hours aloud to the sisters, prepared meals for them, tidied up, cleaned, chalked in the monastery, chopped and carried firewood, kneaded dough and baked bread. These were her daily labors. And she managed to do everything so that no one was dissatisfied. At the same time, she did not consider herself to have the right, day or night, to be exempt from morning prayers, from the prayers of the third, sixth and ninth hours and from all services. With all her work, not only did she not become exhausted, but her health improved. Who would have thought that a soul so exalted could be reproached? But the Lord allowed one sister to rebel against her out of envy. This sister was Germana. She was of low birth and not high in soul. She was one of those who live in a monastery to test others. Germana reproached Eupraxia for hypocrisy and ambition, attributing all her works and exploits to them. She assured that Eupraxia fasted only in order to humiliate others and earn the position of abbess, which she was impatiently waiting for. Eupraxia was not offended by Germana’s reproaches; she meekly explained that she was fasting at the behest of the abbess, and then fell at Germana’s feet, begging her to forgive her, a sinner. The abbess called the evil sister to her and, assigning her special obedience, said that she was unworthy to live with others. Eupraxia spent a month begging the abbess to forgive Germana, then she persuaded Julia to have all the sisters ask the abbess for poor Germana, and finally achieved that the abbess forgave the culprit. The blessed one faithfully fulfilled the Apostle’s commandment: “Do not repay evil for evil or curse for curse; on the contrary, bless” (1 Peter 3:9). An evil spirit rose up against Eupraxia with obvious violence. Once he pushed her into the well when she was getting water; another time he threw her from the top floor of a building; then he overturned a cauldron of hot food on her; and there, when she was chopping wood for the common kitchen, he pushed, and she cut her leg until she lay unconscious, covered in blood. Eupraxia was saved from death only by the special protection of God. The presence of the spirit of God in Eupraxia was revealed by an accident. A woman brought a child, paralyzed and deprived of hearing and language; She tearfully asked to pray for the child’s health. By the will of the abbess, Eupraxia accepted a child from her mother. Making the sign of the cross over him, she said: “Poor thing! May the Merciful Creator heal you!” She wanted to carry him to the abbess, but she had barely carried him a few steps when the sick man was healed, asked about his mother and, breaking away from the hands of the holy virgin, ran as if he were not sick. After this experience, the abbess instructed Eupraxia to look after the demoniac who had lived in the monastery for a long time. She was kept in chains, and even then they did not dare to approach her; food was given to her in a basket on a long pole. When Eupraxia wanted to feed the demoniac, she gnashed her teeth and rushed at her. The holy virgin threatened the unfortunate woman with the abbess's rod - and the demoniac subsided. Then she accepted food from the hands of Eupraxia. Since then, Eupraxia freely, without fear, served the patient, whom no one else dared to approach. Proud and envious Germana once volunteered: “And I can feed this unfortunate woman.” She approached her, but the possessed woman rushed and threw her to the ground, tore her clothes and began to bite and torment her. Eupraxia came running and saved the bloodied Germana from the demoniac. The abbess said that Eupraxia must cast out the demon from the sick woman. The holy virgin was deeply embarrassed by such an order. Prostrated before the icon of the Savior, in the consciousness of her weakness, with a groan she called on God’s help. And she went to the demoniac. The sisters watched from afar what would happen. Approaching the demoniac, Eupraxia says: “May my Lord Jesus Christ, who created you, heal you.” Suddenly everyone hears a voice: “How? I’ve been living here for so many years, and this unclean and lustful woman wants to drive me out?” Eupraxia said: “It is not I who drive you out, but Christ God.” “I won’t go out, toadstool,” the spirit shouted. “I am truly filthy, full of all uncleanness,” said Eupraxia, “but the Lord commands: come out of her.” No matter how hard the demon resisted, finally, with Eupraxia’s strong prayer to the Lord, he came out screaming. Eupraxia cleaned up the former patient, who had hitherto lived in disgusting uncleanness, and brought her to the abbess. After that, Eupraxia did not live long, having matured for heavenly life. About her imminent death was open to the abbess, who, hiding her sadness about the imminent loss, only told the sisters the day before that the end of Eupraxia was near. The sisters were struck with deep sorrow. Eupraxia, having heard the abbess’s announcement from Julia, fell to the ground unconscious. Out of humility, she considered herself not at all ready for that life, and that is why she was so shocked by the news of her imminent death. She prayed out loud: “Lord! Leave at least one year for earthly life, so that I can repent of my sins and do what is pleasing to You; I have no good deeds to obtain the reward of the righteous.” The abbess consoled her with the goodness of the Savior. It was then that fever broke out. The abbess and Yulia spent the whole night with the patient. Julia begged her to ask the Lord when she would appear to Him, so that she too would soon appear there. In the morning, all the sisters said goodbye to the dying woman, and to the sounds of their quiet prayers, Eupraxia fell asleep sweetly, in the 30th year of her life, in 410. After three days spent in tears, Julia joyfully announced to the abbess that Eupraxia had begged the Creator and was being taken there. The next day, saying goodbye to her sisters, she died peacefully. No more than a month passed when the abbess, at the intercession of Eupraxia, was proclaimed the same mercy. She announced this to the sisters and offered to elect an abbess. Sister Theognia was chosen. The abbess told her: “I beg you in the name of the Holy Trinity not to seek estates and wealth, do not occupy your sisters with worries about temporary things, let them cherish only Heaven; “You, dear sisters,” turn to them, she said, “try to imitate blessed Eupraxia if you want to share her heavenly bliss.” Having parted with everyone, the abbess locked herself in the prayer room, and the next day they found her dead. Eupraxia, Julia and Abbess Theodula were laid in the same grave (in 410). The biographer says that Eupraxia performed many miracles in her afterlife. The pure dove Eupraxia trembled when she learned of her imminent death; She, who had labored for 20 years, said that she still needed to repent. What about us? Of course, almost everyone does not want to die. But why? Is it because they haven’t repented of their sins yet! Is it because the offended are not satisfied? The poor were not given all possible assistance? Are children not raised in the fear of God? If only it were like this! If only all such things were not a third party matter! They want to live simply, without any care, or, even worse, they want to live to envy the peace of others, to argue and quarrel for a warmer, more visible place... Lord! Through the prayers of Your righteous women, enlighten and save us. You might be interested in: