Сказание о юродивой

In the women's (Tavenisiot) monastery there was a virgin who seemed feeble-minded and possessed. They abhorred her so much that they didn’t even eat with her. Therefore, living in the cookhouse, she corrected every service there and, one might say, in practice fulfilled what was written: “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). Having tied a rag on her head (all the others had tonsured hair and wore kukuli), she served in this form. Of the four hundred nuns, not one had ever seen her eat. All the time of her life she did not sit at a meal, did not take a piece of bread, but, wiping the crumbs from the table and washing the pots, she was content with that; She did not offend anyone, did not say anything small or great, did not murmur, although they beat her with their fists and smeared her in mockery. So, to Saint Pitirim, a hermit very worthy of respect, when he was in solitude in Porfirit, an Angel appears to him and says to him: “Why do you think so much about yourself that you are a reverent person and are in solitude in such a place? Do you want to see a woman who is more reverent than you? Go to the monastery of the women of Tabenisiot and you will find one there with a bandage on her head. She is better than you because she struggles with need and has never strayed from God in her heart. And you, sitting here, wandered with your mind around the cities and seemed to never leave them.” Pitirim, getting up, came to the place where the monastery was, and asked the mentors for permission to enter the nunnery. They dared to introduce him as an elder and respected by everyone. And so, entering, he demanded to see everyone. But the holy fool did not appear. Finally he tells them: “Introduce everyone to me, because someone else is missing.” And they say to him: “In our monastery, in the kitchen, there is one holy fool, for that is what they call the weak-minded.” The elder tells them: “Bring her too and let her see.” They called to her, but she did not listen, perhaps understanding what was going on or knowing this by revelation. The sisters forcefully draw her in, saying: “Saint Pitirim wants to see you,” and he was an eminent husband. So, when she came and Pitirim saw the rag on her forehead, then, falling at her feet, he said in a loud voice: “Bless me, my mother.” But she also fell at his feet, saying: “Bless me, Mr. Abba!” Everyone was amazed and said to Pitirim: “Don’t be offended, Abba, because she is a holy fool.” The elder tells them: “You are holy fools, she is the mother of both you and me (this is what they call the wives of spiritual life). And I wish to be worthy of it on the day of judgment.” Hearing this, they all fell at her feet, confessing various insults to her: one, that she poured slop from the dishes on her; another who beat her with her fists; another one poured mustard into her nose. In a word, everyone announced that they had insulted her in various ways. So, having prayed for them, Pitirim left a few days later. She, not tolerating the glory and respect from the sisters and burdened by their apologies, left the monastery. And no one knew where she went, where she hid and where she died. This is foolishness to God and hatred of glory! For, having rejected human glory, she withdrew, desiring above all that God should be glorified, glorifying those who love Him, because to Him be glory forever! Amen. You might be interested in: