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Shortly before the invasion of the Persians 4107 into the Greek possessions, in the second Cilician diocese, in the city of Adana 4108 lived the steward of the holy cathedral church of this city, named Theophilus. He lived virtuously and holyly, fairly and wisely disposing of church property, managing affairs righteously and in accordance with the will of God. For the bishop, he was the eye watching over everything, and the right hand, carrying out all deeds and commands. He was very loved by his bishop, and not only by the bishop, but by the entire church clergy and all the inhabitants of the city for his virtues, for he was the father of orphans, the breadwinner of widows, the generous refuge of the poor, the protector of the downtrodden, the helper of the helpless; in a word, there was no person whom he would not console in sorrow in word and deed. For this, everyone revered Theophilus as a father, loved him as a benefactor, and praised him. When, by God's will, the bishop of Adana passed away from temporary life, then all the pious inhabitants of this city of every rank, from the greatest to the smallest, moved by true Christian love for Theophilus for his many benefits, and also familiar with his pure and immaculate life, unanimously elected him as their bishop. Then they sent several especially respected citizens to the Metropolitan of Cilicia with written notice of this. Having read the letter, the metropolitan agreed to approve their election: Theophilus was known to himself as a virtuous and godly man, capable of governing the diocese, skillful and experienced in everything. He immediately ordered to call him to himself for installation as a bishop of the Adana Church. But Theophilus, having learned about the metropolitan’s decision, did not want to go to him, stubbornly refusing to accept the episcopal rank. The citizens and the entire clergy for a long time with tears asked and begged him to become their bishop, but to no avail. Then they again sent a petition to the metropolitan so that he would appoint Theophilus as their bishop, even if against the latter’s will. Having finally called him to himself by force, by his imperious command, the Metropolitan received him with joy and love and wanted to immediately ordain him as a bishop. But Theophilus fell prostrate at his feet and with tears began to beg not to place such a burden on him. - I know my sins! - he exclaimed, - I am not worthy of the episcopal rank. After he had lain in this way for a long time at the feet of the metropolitan, weeping and begging to be delivered, the saint gave him three days to think, so that, having considered the circumstances, he would agree to accept the episcopal rank, and not neglect the prayer of so many people who zealously desired to have him as their shepherd. After three days, the Metropolitan again called Theophilus and began to exhort and beg him not to renounce the priesthood; at the same time, he praised the purity of his life and skill in management and called him worthy of this rank. But Theophilus again fell at his feet and, shedding copious tears, continued to exclaim: - I am not worthy of priesthood! Seeing that he remained adamant, stubbornly refused and did not give in to either commands or pleas, the Metropolitan finally left him to his own will. Having appointed another bishop, whom he also considered worthy, he sent him to Adana, entrusting Theophilus to him, so that he would continue to carry out his economic service. After the new bishop had spent some time on his throne, and Theophilus continued his usual service, some enemies, driven by satanic envy, began to slander the bishop about the steward, secretly slandering him and accusing him of many inappropriate acts. At first the bishop did not listen to their slander and did not give them faith, knowing his steward to be a man in all respects virtuous and impeccable. But since they did not stop slandering out of envy, almost daily leveling various humiliating accusations against Theophilus, little by little the bishop began to bow to their words, listen to their slander and trust them. After some time, he dismissed Theophilus from economic service, so that he would no longer manage anything either in the bishop’s house or in church property, but so that he would live at home, quietly and silently, resting from work; the economic service was entrusted to someone else. Freed from the worries and bustle of life, Theophilus began to serve the one God. But, not tolerating the sight of Theophilus’ godly and carefree life, the hater of the human race, the devil, armed himself against him with all his cunning and began to confuse him, either with his own thoughts, or through other people, quietly whispering to him: “The bishop has dishonored you, not remembering your great works; he humiliated you, preferring to you the worst, the unskillful, the unworthy; He gave you to people’s ridicule and reproach.” And Theophilus, at first little by little, began to listen to these demonic slander and thoughts, and then he began to talk more and more about it with himself or with his friends and complain bitterly. Finally, the enemy’s cunning brought him to the point where, having forgotten his usual trust in God, he began to languish in cowardice and sadness and fell into despair. It seemed to him that everyone was laughing and mocking him, that no one respected him anymore; he became ashamed to leave the house in public. An irresistible desire for the former power and management of church property flared up in his heart; Day and night he thought about this, confused himself with thoughts and pondered how to return to his previous position so that his enemies would no longer rejoice at his humiliation. For such a desire and other thoughts displeasing to God, the grace of God retreated from his heart, without which he finally came to extreme despair and began to seek help in magic and demons. Having not wanted to accept the episcopal rank at first, he now began to strive for much less power. God allowed him to do this because he accepted evil thoughts and satanic advice in his heart. In that city lived a certain Jew, the son of perdition, a famous sorcerer, sorcerer and deceiver. He was a true servant of the devil and led many into destruction. Theophilus went to this sorcerer at night and, arriving at his house, began knocking on the gate. The sorcerer went out to see who was knocking and, seeing Theophilus, was horrified. Surprised (since he knew him), he asked him to enter the house and, when Theophilus entered, asked him: “For what reason, my lord, did you take the trouble to come to me at night, wicked and unworthy?” Theophilus, in response, threw himself at his feet and, begging him, said: – If you can help, then help me and do not reject me in my great sadness. Then he told everything to the sorcerer in detail, how the bishop saddened him by taking control away from him, how he gave him over to people to mock, preferring the worst to him, and dismissing him from service; he promised the sorcerer a rich reward if he helped him and returned his former honor. Then the God-hating Jewish sorcerer answered him: “Do not complain about this, my lord, but return home joyfully and with good hope; the very next night, come to me at this hour, and I will take you to my master, and he will help you in everything. Hearing this answer from the sorcerer, the accursed (at that time) Theophilus greatly rejoiced and returned to himself full of disastrous hope. The day passed and night came again. At midnight, by order of the sorcerer, Theophilus appeared to him. The sorcerer took him to the hippodrome, the place where horse competitions took place, and said to him: – If you see some vision, or hear some voice, then do not be afraid and do not make the sign of the cross; the cross does not help people in anything: it is a laughable Christian deception. Theophilus agreed with him in everything and promised not to defend himself with the cross; then the sorcerer immediately showed him in a vision many different extraordinary faces, decorated with various light clothes and with lighted candles in their hands. They were demons; they shouted praises to their prince, Satan; the prince of darkness sat in their midst in pride and illusory glory. Then the accursed Jewish sorcerer took Theophilus by the hand, led him into this disastrous meeting and approached the prince with him. - Why did you bring this man here to us? – the prince of darkness asked the sorcerer. “My lord,” answered the God-hating Jew, “I brought him to you because he, greatly offended by his bishop, asks for your help.” - How can I help someone who is a servant of his God? If he really wants to become my slave and become one of my servants, then I will help him so much that he will receive greater power and honor than he had before, and will be more powerful than the bishop himself. - Do you hear what the prince says? - Then the sorcerer asked Theophilus. “I hear,” he answered, “and I will do everything he orders me.” Having said these words, he immediately fell, bowed to Satan and began to kiss his feet. “Let this man renounce the so-called Son of Mary,” the devil said to the sorcerer, “let him also renounce Herself, since I greatly hate them both.” Let him write the renunciation with his own hand and give it to me. After that, let him ask me what he wants and get what he asks for. Having heard this, Theophilus answered him: “I will do whatever you order, my lord, just to get what you want.” At these words, the insidious enemy of the human race, the devil, stretched out his demonic hands to him and, hugging Theophilus, began to stroke his beard and kiss him, putting his unclean lips to his lips. “Rejoice, my sincere and faithful friend,” he told him. And the accursed Theophilus, affirming his friendship with the devil, renounced Christ, our Savior, and the Most Pure Mother of God; having written his renunciation on the charter 4109, prepared in advance by the sorcerer, and sealed it, he handed it over to the prince of darkness. After that, they hugged in a friendly manner, kissed and parted: the prince of darkness with his servants became invisible and retired to his place, to hell; and Theophilus and the Jew returned from the hippodrome, both rejoicing at their death. The next morning, by God's providence, as it seems, and not by the efforts of the devil, the bishop, waking up, repented that he had dismissed Theophilus from economic service. Having sent people to call him again to himself, to the bishop's house, he elevated him to his former position with great honors, gave him double honor and entrusted him with even greater power over church property and over all affairs. Moreover, the bishop, in the presence of the clergy and citizens, asked Theophilus for forgiveness. “Forgive me, brother,” he said, “forgive me, I sinned before you, dishonoring your shrine, when I put an unworthy person in your place.” Now I am leaving him, I beg you to take over economic management again. From that hour, Theophilus began to live in his former honor and power, revered above all, and in charge of all economic affairs. Not only the clergy and citizens gave him great honors and obeyed with fear, but the bishop himself began to respect him, and his former enemies fell silent with shame and began to humbly seek his favors. At this time, the wicked and cunning sorcerer often visited Theophilus. “You see, my lord,” he said, “how my prince and I helped you at your request, and how quickly you received help from us.” - Truly received. - Theophilus answered, - and I thank you very much. Having lived for a short time in such apostasy, Theophilus began, as it were, to awaken from sleep and come to his senses, realizing his destruction. Our Creator and Redeemer, Christ God, who does not want the death of sinners, but mercifully awaits their repentance 4110, remembered the former virtuous life and works of Theophilus, his numerous works of mercy, caring for the poor and widows, raising orphans, protecting the offended, helping everyone who needed help and all his many good deeds. Without despising His creation due to His ineffable goodness, the Lord showed His mercy on him, for there is no sin that conquers His love for mankind: by His secret and Divine inspiration, He put into Theophilus’ heart the thought of repentance and conversion. Having come to his senses, Theophilus began to reflect on what a great and terrible crime he had committed, renouncing Christ God and the Most Pure Mother of God for the sake of temporary and insignificant human honor. He began to suffer in his soul, mentally grieve and repent, sighing heavily from the depths of his heart, hitting himself on the chest, crying bitterly and sobbing. Meanwhile, the Jewish sorcerer was captured by the ruler of that country, condemned by a legal court to death for his numerous sorceries and atrocities, and received an execution worthy of his deeds: he was burned alive. Theophilus cried and sobbed day and night, with a broken heart, not accepting food or drink and not wanting to talk to anyone. Having shut himself up alone, he lamented and grieved. - Woe to me, wretched one! Woe to me, who perished! - he exclaimed. -What did I do? To what destruction did you fall? Where will I go now to get salvation? Who will I turn to to get a pardon? Is it to Christ to God? But I denied Him. Is it to the Mother of God? But I refused Her. I became a slave of the devil and sealed my slavery with my signature. Who can snatch my manuscript from his hands? Who will help me and deliver me from his power? What need did I have to go to this nasty and godless sorcerer, trust him and, together with him, commit myself to the eternal fire? What benefit did I receive from this temporary honor? What is the pride and prosperity of this vain world? Woe is me! I'm dead, damned one! Woe is me! I'm lost and caught in a net that I don't know how I can get rid of! Woe is me! I have deprived myself of eternal light and am in darkness! Wasn't it better for me when I was dismissed from the economic service? Wasn't it better for me when I lived carefree and silent? Why did I want to plunge my poor soul into Gehenna for the sake of temporary and vain human veneration and vain glory? I myself am the culprit of my own death! I killed myself, I myself am a traitor to my damned soul! Woe is me! What have I lost! Woe is me! How deceived I was! Woe is me! What to do now? Woe is me! What will I answer to God on the day of judgment, when everything will become clear and obvious, when the righteous will be crowned, but I, the accursed one, will be condemned along with Satan, to whom I sold myself! Who will I ask to help me then? Who will have mercy on me then? Truly no one! Woe to my accursed and unfortunate soul! How did you surrender to hellish captivity? How did you ruin yourself? What a terrible fall! What waves I immersed myself in! What refuge will you resort to now? Or to what refuge will you rush? Woe is me, soul! Woe is me! What a disaster has befallen you! Weeping for a long time and tormenting his soul with grief and sadness in despair, Theophilus began to gradually surrender to the hope of God’s mercy. “I have denied my Lord Jesus Christ, born of the Most Pure Virgin Mary,” he said to himself, “and I do not dare to resort to Him.” But, although I also renounced the Mother of God who gave birth to Him, however, I will turn to Her, with all my soul and with all my heart I will fall to Her mercy. I will go to the holy church of the Most Pure Theotokos, fall before Her icon, and remain there in prayer to Her until I appease Her and become worthy of Her intercession of God’s mercy. “But with what lips will I begin to pray to Her,” he continued, “having rejected Her with my bad lips?” How shall I begin my confession? With what heart, with what conscience and with what hope will I move my wicked tongue to prayer? Don't know. How can I ask for forgiveness of my immeasurable sins? I’m afraid that the fire that came down from the sky would burn me, the accursed one, or that the earth, parting, would swallow me alive and cast me into the abyss of hell. But do not despair completely, my soul, and rise up and try to get rid of the evil that possesses you, flow to the Mother of Christ and you will not be put to shame. In one secluded place in the city there was a small church in the name of the Most Pure Mother of God, in which services were held only on holidays. It was in this church that Theophilus wanted to seclude himself for prayer, having first freed himself from all economic affairs and put aside all obstacles and worldly concerns. Having shut himself up in this church and fallen before the honest icon of the Most Pure Mother of God, he began to pray to Her, bitterly crying and sobbing. No one knew about all this except his faithful servant Eutychian, who described the life of Theophilus. Theophilus spent forty days and forty nights in the church, fasting, confessing, repenting, day and night incessantly praying and falling before the icon of the Most Holy Theotokos. After forty days, when he prayed at midnight, the most blessed Mother of our Lord appeared, the true salvation of the whole world, the refuge of the human race and our only hope after God. - Oh man! - She told him. “Why are you bothering me so shamelessly, crying and begging me to help you?” After all, you yourself denied My Son and Me! How will I pray for you to My Son and God, so that He will forgive you, a slave of the devil, who surrendered to him with your handwriting? With what eyes will I look at the bright brow of the Lord when I want to pray for you? Even I cannot tolerate the dishonor brought upon My Son and God. I can forgive you, O man, for what you have sinned against Me, because I very much love the Christian race, especially those who with right faith and warm love come to Me and pray in My church: I help them in every possible way, accept them into My arms and listen to their prayers. But the insults and annoyances you inflict on My Son, whom you crucify a second time with your sins, I cannot see or hear. You need a lot of work, deeds and heartfelt contrition in order to beg His mercy. Although He is very merciful, He is at the same time a righteous Judge and a formidable avenger, rewarding everyone according to their deeds. Delighted by the vision of the Mother of God, Theophilus became a little encouraged. - O my most blessed Lady! - he exclaimed, - Protector of the human race, refuge and salvation of those who flow to You! I know, truly I know, how cruelly I have sinned and angered You and the God You gave birth to. But I see many examples of people who, before me, angered Your Son and our God, who were granted forgiveness of sins for the sake of their repentance and confession. If there had been no repentance, how would Your Son have spared the Ninevites? ( Jonah 2:1–11, 3:1–10 ) If there had been no repentance, how would He have preserved the harlot Rahab? (Joshua 6:24) If there had been no repentance, how would the prophetic David, who fell into adultery and murder (2 Sam. ch. 11) not only receive forgiveness, but also receive the gift of prophecy again after receiving the gift? If there had been no repentance, then, as if after his great fall, he not only received forgiveness, but also received the highest honor - to be made a shepherd of the verbal sheep of Christ (John 21:15-17), the holy supreme apostle Peter, the pillar of the Church, who accepted from God the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 16:19), when he not once or twice, but three times denied the Lord, and then began to weep bitterly (Luke 22:56–62). If there was no repentance, then how would the Lord make a robber, a publican, an evangelist? (Matthew 9:9) If there were no repentance, then how would St. Paul, from a persecutor, become a chosen vessel of Christ? (Acts 9:1–20) If there had been no repentance, how would the Lord have accepted Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1–10), the chief tax collector? If there had been no repentance, how would the returning prodigal son become dear to his father again? (Luke 15:11–32) If there had been no repentance, how would the harlot who wept at the feet of Christ receive forgiveness for her many sins? (Luke 7:36–50) If there were no repentance, how would heaven be opened to the thief? (Luke 23:39–43) If there had been no repentance, how would the apostle have ordered the Corinthian sinner to be received? (1 Cor. 5; 2 Cor. 2:1-8) If there had been no repentance, then how could the sorcerer Cyprian, who was completely like the devil, cut open the wombs of pregnant women for the sake of his sorcery and then converted to Christ by the righteous Justina, not only receive forgiveness for his great atrocities, but also be awarded the crown of martyrdom? Having so many great examples of repentance and looking at the immeasurable mercy of God that covered them, I, a sinner, dared to resort with repentance to Your mercy, all-merciful Lady: give me a helping hand and ask Your Son and our God for forgiveness of my grave sins. When Theophilus said these words, the Most Pure Virgin Mary, the true refuge of sinners, the hope of those who despair and the ambulance of those praying to Her, said to him: “Confess, O man, that My Son, begotten by Me, whom you have denied, is truly the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who will come to judge the living and the dead, and then I will ask Him for you and He will accept your repentance.” “O most blessed Lady,” answered Theophilus, “how dare I, unworthy and accursed, to open my foul and unclean lips, with which, for the sake of a small and vain honor, I renounced Your Son and my God, and from His Holy Cross, the protector of my soul, and from holy baptism, and sealed the renunciation with my handwriting given to the devil.” “Just confess,” the Most Pure Mother of God told him, “and do not doubt his mercy; He is humane and merciful and accepts the tears of those who truly repent: for the salvation of the human race, He deigned to be incarnate from Me and, being God, became a man. Then Theophilus, with fear and shame, with humility and heartfelt contrition, opened his lips and said loudly: “I believe, confess and glorify the One of the Trinity, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, who before the ages was indescribably born of the Father, but at the end of the years came down from heaven and became incarnate for the sake of our salvation from the Holy Spirit and from You, the Most Holy Virgin Mary, the true Mother of God. Perfect God and perfect man, He, by His will, deigned to suffer for our sins and stretched out His most pure hands on the life-giving wood of the cross: the good shepherd, He laid down His soul for His sheep, was buried and resurrected, and with the flesh received from You, the Most Pure Virgin, ascended into heaven, and again with glory will come to earth to judge the living and the dead. I confess all this with my heart and lips and worship Him, my God. I pray to you, Lady! Do not disdain me, the bad one, do not neglect my sinful prayer, do not leave me, accursed, seduced by an evil enemy and plunged into destruction! But pray for me to the One who was born by You, that He would forgive me my great sins and deliver me from destruction, so that I, with all those who have received forgiveness, would sing and glorify the immeasurable mercy of our God, Who was born by You, and Yours, most blessed Virgin! Having accepted these words from him as if some satisfaction for sin, this is how the Most Pure Mother of God answered him, the source of mercy, the seeker of the lost, the true and unceasing intercessor for us to God and the guarantee of our salvation: - Trusting your repentance for the sake of the baptism with which you were baptized into Christ, and having mercy on you (for I have great compassion for all who suffer), I will approach my Son and My God and pray to Him that He will accept your repentance. Having said this, the Most Pure Virgin became invisible, and the day already began to dawn. Oh, how happy this night was for the sinner, during which he was honored with such a vision of the Most Pure Mother of God and a considerable conversation with Her! Having received after this vision some relief from his sadness and an increase in hope, Theophilus spent another three days in weeping and prayer before the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God, looking at it, falling to it, hitting the ground with his head and praying for God to save him through the prayers of the Mother of God. After three days, our hope and refuge appeared to him again - the immaculate Mother of the Lord. This time, looking at Theophilus with her bright eyes with a joyful face, She said: - Man of God! Your repentance is pleasing to the merciful Lord God; He accepted your tears for My sake and heard your prayers. See now for yourself that from now on you will maintain the right faith in Him until the day of your death. “I will truly preserve it, my most blessed Lady,” answered Theophilus, “and I will not transgress Your command.” After God, You are my protection and intercession, and I place all my trust and hope in You. I know, I know well, my most merciful Lady, that people have no other help and no other protection than You; none of those who trusted in You were put to shame, and none of those who prayed to God through Your intercession was abandoned. Therefore, I, a sinner, pray to Your inexhaustible goodness, which heals our weakness: open to me, lost and fallen into the depths of evil, the doors of Your mercy, and command me to give into my hands the accursed handwriting, which I, deceived, gave to Satan: it greatly confuses my soul and I cannot be comforted from great sorrow while this handwriting is in the possession of the devil. As soon as he uttered these words, the Most Pure Virgin became invisible; Theophilus spent another three days in diligent prayer, as before. Then he fell asleep, tired from the labors he had endured, and in a sleepy vision he saw the Most Pure Mother of God bringing him a charter with his handwriting. Waking up with joy, he did not see the Most Pure Virgin, but he found his handwriting sealed and intact, lying on his chest. From joy and horror, his body became even more exhausted and seemed to become half-dead. Having subsequently come to his senses, how great he gave thanks to the merciful Lord Christ and the merciful Mother of God, his helper and intercessor! The next morning (and the day was Sunday) he went to the cathedral, where the bishop served the liturgy. After reading the Holy Gospel, he approached the bishop, who was blessing the people, and with tears threw himself at his feet, begging to be listened to, for he wanted to publicly bring his repentance. Then he told in detail everything that had happened to him: how saddened he was to be removed from his duties as a housekeeper, how out of sadness he renounced Christ God and the Most Pure Mother of God and surrendered himself to Satan with his handwriting; how later, fasting, praying and crying, he saw the Most Pure Mother of God, talked with her, received forgiveness of sins, and how his handwriting was finally returned to him. Having told all this loudly and in detail in the presence of the people and the bishop, Theophilus handed the latter a sealed charter, which he had given to Satan, and begged him to order it to be read aloud, so that everyone would know his sin and glorify God’s mercy interceded by the Mother of God. Having printed out the charter, the bishop gave it to the deacon, who stood on the pulpit and began to read it. And everyone was surprised at such a terrible thing. Thus, all the clergy and people, men and wives and small children, all learned about what happened to Theophilus, how he fell and rebelled and received his handwriting back. The bishop, turning to the people, said loudly: – Come, all you faithful, let us glorify the most good true God, the Lord Jesus Christ! Come, you who are pious and love God, and see wondrous miracles! Come, lovers of Christ, and understand that our most merciful Master does not want the death of sinners, but expects their repentance! Come and see, true believers, how much heartfelt contrition, sighs and tears can do! Who would not be surprised, fathers and brethren, at the great and ineffable patience of the merciful God! Who would not be amazed at His immeasurable mercy and love for mankind, revealed in us sinners! Truly a miracle! The prophet Moses, after a forty-day fast, received from God the tablets of the law (Ex. 24:18, 31:18), and our brother Theophilus, after a forty-day fast, received his handwriting, taken from Satan by the power of God and the intercession of the Mother of God! Let us also, children, sing a song of thanksgiving to the Master, who mercifully accepted his repentance, through the intercession of the most immaculate Mother of God, who for people is a bridge to God, the hope of the desperate, the refuge of the needy, the true door, opening Her mercy to sinners knocking on it and bringing our prayers to our God born of Her. What else can I say, for what song should I sing to glorify Her and Her Son? Truly, wonderful are Your works, O Lord, and no word is enough to praise Your wonders! Truly, “how numerous are Your works, O Lord! You have done everything wisely” (Ps. 103:24). Truly, it is now fitting to repeat the word of the Gospel: “Bring the best robe and dress him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fatted calf, and kill it; Let's eat and have fun! For this “our brother Theophilus” was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15:22–24). While the bishop was saying this, Theophilus lay at his feet and wept; Stretching out his hand, the bishop lifted him from the ground. Theophilus, standing up, began to ask him to burn the manuscript, but the bishop ordered him to do it himself, which Theophilus did in front of everyone. Looking at the burning of the wicked charter, the people cried out for a long time with tears: Having finally commanded the people to remain silent, the bishop continued the Divine service and, after it had been completed, administered Theophilus the most pure and life-giving Mysteries of the Body and Blood of Christ. And immediately Theophilus’s face lit up like the sun. All who saw the change in his face glorified the most good God, who justifies and sanctifies repentant sinners. After all this, Theophilus went to that church of the Most Pure Virgin Mary, where he fasted with tears of repentance, was honored with Her holy vision and received forgiveness of his sins: here he rested a little after his labors. Having learned, after three days, that his death was approaching, he made a will regarding his property, which he ordered to be distributed to the poor. Having then said goodbye to the brethren present, he betrayed his righteous soul into the hands of God and the Mother of God. He was buried under the holy icon of the Most Pure Virgin in the place where he brought his repentance. And the mercy of Christ God and the Most Pure Mother of God was glorified in him, to whom, together with Her Son, may there be from us sinners, who always demand Her help, honor, glory, worship, thanksgiving now and ever and unto the ages of ages. “I, the humble and sinful Eutychian (says the writer of this story), brought up in the house of blessed Theophilus and through his intercession, worthy to become a clerk of the holy Catholic Church, - serving my master in his sorrow and sorrow, and following him everywhere, having seen with my own eyes his repentance and having heard with my own ears the story of this from his lips: - truly and truthfully described everything for the benefit pious, to the glory of Christ our God, glorified forever.” Amen. At the beginning of the 7th century under King Khozroe. Adana is a minor city in Cilicia, a Greek region in Asia Minor. When the preparation of paper was not known, people wrote on specially prepared leather, or on sheets of Egyptian reed called papyrus. Manuscripts on such leather or reed sheets were called charters. You might be interested in: