Авва Аммой

1. They said about Abba Ammo: when he went to church, he did not allow his disciple to walk near him, but ordered him to follow from afar. If a student approached to ask about something, Ammoy, having given an answer, immediately sent him away, saying: “I do not allow you to stay near me for the reason that idle words do not creep into our conversation about spiritual benefits.” 2. Abba Ammoy was ill for several years. They brought him a lot of things like he was sick. What was brought was placed in the inner cell. He lay on his bed and never allowed his thoughts to look into the inner cell to see what was there. When his disciple, John, entered and left this cell, the abba closed his eyes so as not to see what the student was doing in the inner cell, knowing that John was a true monk. 3. For twelve years Abba John of Thebes served the sick elder, Abba Ammo. Although John worked a lot for the elder, the elder never said to him during all twelve years: “Save yourself!” When the time came for the death of Abba Ammoy, and the elders gathered to him, he took John by the hand and said to him: “You are saved! you are saved! - and, turning to the elders, added: “This is an angel, not a man” 202. 4. One day a certain brother came to Abba Ammo to receive instruction from him. The brother stayed with the elder for seven days, but the elder did not give him any instruction. The brother got ready to head back; seeing him off, the elder said with a sigh: “Brother! pay attention to yourself! as for me, my sins have become a dark wall between me and God” 203. You might be interested in: