At this time, the hater of goodness and human salvation, the devil, began to seduce him with worldly delights and kindle his young heart with voluptuousness, which he succeeded in doing. Eleutherius was carried away into the abyss of vice and, having extinguished the holy spark of piety in himself, indulged in all kinds of sinful pleasures with all the fervor of youthful passion.
But since he also needed money to lead a sinful life, he often fell into large debts. The vicious life, however, was not limited to just pleasing the flesh, but demanded a greater sacrifice from him. It was like that.
At that time there were envoys from Turkey in Bucharest to negotiate peace with Russia; Having appeared to them, Eleutherius accosted one of these Turks. Having met the Turkish envoy (reis effendi), he joined his retinue and went with him to Shumen, where he converted to Islam.
But the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, apparently, did not completely abandon him: suffering from the unbearable disease of circumcision, he remembered his fatherly piety, the purity of the Christian faith and, damning himself, with trembling began to call on the name of the sweetest Jesus. He also remembered the mercy of the Heavenly Father, who was ready to again accept his converted dissolute son, and with all the strength of his soul he wanted to call upon His Divine help. But imagining the full depth of his apostasy from God, he was unable to raise either his hands to God or direct his mind to the light of His beginningless Divinity; Therefore, he resorted to the only remedy - tears and, like the second Peter, wept bitterly over his fall. Our merciful Lord Jesus Christ, seeing true tears of repentance, mercifully looked upon the repentant, as He once looked upon the chief of the apostles.
Lamenting his renunciation and feeling in his heart the full weight of his fall, in the circle of his comrades he no longer seemed at all what it was proper for him to appear to be. Therefore, the Reis-effendi people, suspecting his intention to flee, carefully guarded him, not allowing him to leave home; Moreover, they diligently watched all his words and movements.
Reis Effendi, wanting to strengthen the convert in the Muslim faith, adopted Eleutherius. But one day, having freed himself from a pernicious society with fervent prayer, he ran almost with the speed of a bird straight to the patriarchal house, found there a confessor he knew, a native of the Peloponnese, confessed to him everything about himself in detail, and after that began to ask him for Christian clothing. The confessor, perhaps due to the impossibility of finding these clothes quickly or out of fear, did not fulfill Eleutherius’ request and, having told him only a few soul-helping words, sent him away in peace.
Leaving his confessor, Eleutherius hurried to the house of the Russian embassy, and here only he could breathe freely and from the depths of his aching heart cried out loudly: “Glory to Thee, who brought me out of hell and the darkness of death, Christ God!”
Everyone who was in the embassy was amazed to see Eleutherius in Turkish clothes, whereas before they knew him as a Christian. Having learned from him about everything that had happened, the Russians were sick in their souls, took off their Turkish clothes, dressed him in Christian clothes and glorified God for freeing His servant from the mouth of the destructive serpent.
Four days later, a ship was found that was sailing to the Strymon Gulf, but also had to be on the Holy Mountain, on which Eleutherius set off with his companion John. Having reached the Holy Mountain, the travelers landed at the Lavra of St. Afanasia. Here they met the former Most Holy Patriarch Gregory of Constantinople, who was now there in retirement. With deep sorrow, Eleutherius told this saint all the details of his life. The great soul of the patriarch for the apostate Bose also condoled and had compassion. Listening to his story, the patriarch sent thanks to God, who does not want the death of a sinner, for the glorious liberation of Eleutherius from the snares of the devil; He blessed his God-loving companion Elevferiev and, promising him great rewards from Christ God for his love for his brother, sent him away in peace, commanding him not to tell anyone else about this matter. And he kept Eleutherius with him and ordered him to go every day to the reverent and virtuous Lavra confessor Meletius, originally from Crete, to listen to propitiatory prayers - according to the establishment of the Church.
After 40 days, Eleutherius was anointed with holy myrrh, and thus freed from the captivity of the all-destroyer, he again took on the name Christian and, again inscribed in the book of life, became a servant of Christ. Having received the seal of the Holy Spirit, he again became a fellow citizen of the angels, a child of God and a joint heir of Christ.
Strengthened spiritually and filled with immeasurable holy joy, Eleutherius, leaving the monastery, comes to the monastery of St. Anna, appears to the sacred and great man Priest Vasily, who has already presented several apostates from the Orthodox faith as martyrs, being for them a leader and companion in suffering, sometimes even at the risk of his life and at great expense from his own meager funds. Before this spiritual man, Eleutherius, with a contrite heart and humble spirit, confessed his entire past life.
Having stayed there for twenty days, struggling according to his strength in the labors of a hermit, Eleutherius began to ask his mentor to bless him to go to Constantinople and there to give himself over to torture. For a long time the confessor did not agree to this, but later, although against his will, he agreed to his desire and gave him the following commandment: if he is recognized by the Turks themselves, then let him enter into the feat of martyrdom; otherwise, let him not dare to expose himself to danger. Touched by God's mercy towards himself, Eleutherius joyfully accepted this old man's commandment and, taking a blessing and parting prayer from the pious old man, went to Constantinople.
Here, over the course of 8 days, he repeatedly saw the six Reis-effendi slaves he knew, but according to fates known to God alone, he was not recognized by them or any other Muslim. This failure made him sad and with heartfelt sorrow he went to the previously mentioned confessor of the patriarchal house, told him about himself, and also announced the commandment of his elder, which he decided to break and give himself arbitrarily into the hands of Muslims, since he could no longer endure the scorching flame of Christ’s love inside him. But the confessor did not advise him to transgress the elder’s commandment and tried in every possible way to convince him to abandon his intention, but after long resistance on the part of Eleutherius, who wanted to shed his blood for Christ, he blessed him and wished him the successful completion of a high and sacred feat. So, on the next day - it was the Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ - Eleutherius, having received St.
Christ's Mysteries and armed with this weapon, terrible for demons, he went boldly to betray himself into the hands of the Turks, but according to the inscrutable fate of God's Providence, which arranges everything for our benefit, on the way he met the Svyatogorsk Lavra monk Pankratius, a native of the Peloponnese.
In response to his question, Eleutherius sincerely told him, as his acquaintance, about his intention, but the prudent Pancratius advised him to better return to the Holy Mountain, devote himself to ascetic deeds, test himself better and more perfect, and thus become more strengthened in soul and body and become more firm in his intention and desire, and then embark on the high and terrible feat of martyrdom. Pancratius weakened the zeal of Eleutherius, who decided to postpone until time the fulfillment of his intention and, on the sound advice of his well-wisher, decided to return to the Holy Mountain.