In 1382, Dionysius traveled to Constantinople to confirm the monastery's rights to property from Emperor John V Palaiologos (1341-1391). The number of monks multiplied, but there were no funds to cover their needs and complete construction work, therefore, leaving Dometius as abbot, Dionysius in 1387 again went to the emperor of Trebizond. Having entrusted the care of his monastery to his brother, Metropolitan Theodosius of Trebizond, Saint Dionysius died at the age of 72 and was buried with great honors. Healings were noted at his coffin.
The day of death of the saint is unknown. In the Life compiled by Hieromonk Mitrofan, he is not indicated, and later Lives name June 25 as the date of celebration of his memory in Dionysiata.
St. Dometius of Dionysiata, Mount Athos, abbot († 1380, commemorated June 25)
Our spirit-bearing and God-bearing father Dometius was a companion and friend of Saint Dionysius, ktitor of the monastery of the honorable Forerunner, and after his death - shepherd and abbot of this monastery.
Prmch. Procopius of Varna, Smyrna († 1810, commemorated June 25)
The birthplace of the holy martyr Procopius was an area near Varna. His parents were pious Christians. Upon reaching the age of twenty, he had a desire to devote himself to monastic life, and therefore, leaving his parents and relatives, he retired to Holy Mount Athos.
Arriving at the Holy Mountain, he at first did not join any monastery, but lived as a wanderer, moving from one place to another throughout Mount Athos, looked closely at various types of monastic life, and finally, choosing the most severe hermit life, he submitted himself to the leadership of the elder of the Baptist monastery Dionysius.
Leading a strict hermit's life, in order to establish himself in even higher deeds, he wished to take on the angelic image, which the elder not only did not forbid him, but even tonsured him into monasticism.
After accepting the angelic image, Procopius began to strive even more in fasting, vigil and prayer; in addition, he had perfect obedience and great patience in enduring the labors of the hermit’s life and, as if the crown of all his exploits, was adorned with a meek and gentle disposition, surprising all the fathers with his kindness and simple-heartedness. But, however, the enemy of our salvation, the devil, seeing Procopius succeeding in virtues, did not doze off himself, but kept a vigilant eye on the ascetic, looking only for an opportune time to unexpectedly attack him, plunder his spiritual treasure and, having dealt a mortal blow to his heart, wait for his final fall.
The all-evil enemy began his crafty attack by daily instilling in his soul thoughts of leaving for the world. The battle raised by the murderer became stronger day by day and, finally, prevailing over the feelings of Procopius, turned into a storm with bitterness, uprooting the unfortunate man of good undertakings from the helicity of Christ and the community of workers toiling in it. Procopius could not resist the enemy storm, and therefore decided to leave the Holy Mountain and go into the world, which he did, and without telling anyone, he went to Smyrna.
As soon as Procopius landed on the shore, the ever-sleeping devil, who had already taken possession of his heart and mind, began to confuse and lead Procopius into despair, suggesting that since he, without any reason, left the Holy Mountain and his labors, in which he did not want to remain any longer, not enduring monastic labors, and returned again to the world, he must certainly undergo torture.
The confusion that took possession of his soul became even stronger when he remembered that by his removal from Mount Athos he had caused sorrow to virtuous men and that all the fathers of the Forerunner monastery considered him as if he had already died for a virtuous life, since he left the Holy Mountain like a thief, without consulting with anyone and without taking a blessing from anyone, not finding it necessary. Likewise, here he did not want to, or perhaps the enemy did not allow him to reveal his thoughts to his confessor and thus act on the latter’s advice177.
The unfortunate man, having destroyed the lamp that enlightened his heart, exchanged it for a gloomy and moonless night, on which the robbers dragged him into the abyss of destruction. Already considering himself lost, the pitiful Procopius decided to take a very desperate and terrible step: to leave the Christian faith and accept the Muslim faith.
Imagining the situation of the unfortunate Procopius, the soul of every Christian should shudder, seeing how the former ascetic of Christ suddenly became an apostate; the reason for this is lack of conscience and secrecy, which led him to a deep fall. Of course, at the same time his soul suffered and struggled until the hellish force took over and, bridling the unfortunate man, led him to death.
And then one day, intending to put an end to all his suffering, he went to the city judge to declare his rejection of Christ, where he was first stopped by the watchmen, who asked him:
– Why do you need a judge, do you want to file a complaint with him or accept the Muslim faith?
“Accept the Muslim faith,” Procopius answered timidly. - The guards immediately brought him to the judge, declaring that Procopius wanted to believe in Mohammed. Then the judge affectionately addressed the outcast:
– Do you really want to accept our faith?
“Yes, indeed,” answered the unfortunate man, having forgotten the vows he had taken during tonsure, the promise of eternal blessings and the threat of eternal torment.
Seeing agreement, the judge ordered Procopius to utter some blasphemous words, and after 15 days he was circumcised. But marvelous are Your destinies, O God! As soon as the apostate was circumcised, his thoughts suddenly changed, his conscience spoke, convicting him of his treacherous renunciation of Jesus Christ, and he, as if from former intoxication, came to full consciousness and immediately decided to seek help in his error.
Having chosen a convenient time, he secretly came to his friend, the confessor, whom he knew when he lived on Mount Athos, but the confessor, seeing him in Turkish clothes, was surprised at such a strange transformation.
“Of course, father, you are surprised to see me in Turkish, and not in monastic clothes?” But that is why I came to you, so that you would wash away from me that stain with which I, the unfortunate one, being seduced by the devil, desecrated myself, and at the same time would clothe me in my first garment. – Next, Procopius began to tell how he left the Holy Mountain and how he renounced Christ, adding that in order to restore himself from his fall, he wanted to accept a martyr’s death for confessing the name of Jesus Christ.
The confessor, seeing Procopius’s good thought, rejoiced at his conversion, but at the same time remarked to him: “Have you properly thought through what you are deciding on? You know that the enemies of the faith of Christ will cruelly torment you, and therefore, instead of becoming a winner, you will not become defeated a second time and, instead of receiving a crown, you will not appear worthy of tears! If you really came to consult with me as a confessor, then I tell you, as a friend and father, that God’s mercy towards us sinners is limitless and that there is no sin that conquers God’s love for mankind, and therefore I advise you to return again to Holy Mount Athos and there, in repentance and tears, mourn your sin, and I am sure that the Lord, seeing your repentance, will forgive you your deep fall, just as He forgave the Apostle Peter, who denied Him before the servants of the high priest of the Jews.”
But the repentant outcast answered him: “I also know, Father, that I will have to endure much torment from the enemies of the Cross, but I believe that God, who strengthened all the holy martyrs in suffering, is omnipotent and will strengthen me to confess His name.”