The Suffering of St. Pachomius

This legend is extracted from a word of praise to the Venerable Martyr Pachomius, placed in a book entitled “The Sacred Trumpet.” The relics of the Saint are now in the holy monastery of John the Theologian, on the island of Patmos. This all-honorable Father was from Little Russia, the son of noble parents. In his early youth he was taken prisoner by the Tatars, who sold him to a Turk as a tanner. The Turk, having taken him, took him to his homeland, to a place called Uzaki, located in the Philadelphia region. There he tried to teach young Pachomius not only his craft, but also his faith. Seeing that he was adopting a craft, but hated and abhorred faith, he punished him with beatings, abuse, threats, and deprivation of food. But the valiant warrior of Christ joyfully endured all this for piety all the time he was a slave, twenty-seven years; and served his master so diligently and faithfully that he was disposed to marry his daughter to him and make him his heir, if only he would renounce Christ. This good young man, a high keeper of chastity, counted both marriage and wealth as skill, repeating in his heart the Apostolic word: “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Is it tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or a sword” (Rom. 8:35)? Finally, the owner, seeing Pachomius’s steadfastness in his thoughts and intentions, gave him freedom, allowing him to go wherever he wanted. Just as the martyr was about to leave his master, he fell into illness. The Hagarians who visited him during his illness invented a lie that he had expressed a desire to renounce Christ and accept the Mohammedan faith; and when he recovered, they forced him to dress in Turkish, but did not force him to undergo circumcision. But the martyr of Christ, abhorring this, leaves from there, comes to Smyrna in the form of a merchant, and there, putting off his Turkish clothes, goes to the holy mountain. Here in the monastery of St. Paul he finds one virtuous and sensible holy monk named Joseph. Having confessed the secrets of his heart to him, he begs the elder to accept him into obedience and tonsure him into monasticism, which was done. He lived with Joseph for twelve years, imitating him in all virtues. After twelve years, having heard about the wonderful life of the Monk Akaki Kavsokalivit, he moved to Kavsokalivi and spent six years there, feeding on his own labors and, like a hardworking bee from flowers, collecting the perfection of virtues from everywhere. Therefore, for all the Fathers there, he became a model and example of monastic life, he was especially distinguished by his meekness, friendliness, and good nature, so that everyone loved him. But Pachomius’s heart was not satisfied with these exploits; he wanted to endure torment for Christ. Pachomius was prompted to this, on the one hand, by divine love, on the other, by fear that during his illness, unconsciously, a word of renunciation had escaped from his lips, according to which the Turks put their clothes on him. Pachomius announced this desire for martyrdom to his elder; but the elder, thinking that this thought was inspired in him by pride, gave him many reprimands and reproaches. Since the desire in Pachomius did not weaken, the elder tested him for a whole year with various labors and instructive actions for him and found him diligent in everything. Then both of them, in fasting and vigil, began to beg God to reveal whether this was His will. Then the intention of Pachomius was reported to the most virtuous of the Fathers of the Holy Mountain: and everyone agreed with his desire. Finally, with the prayers and parting advice of these Fathers, especially the Monk Akaki, Pachomius and Elder Joseph leave the holy mountain and come to Uzaki, the homeland of Pachomius’s master. Joseph remains in the common inn, and Pachomius immediately goes to his master’s house, and then to the marketplace, with the intention of being recognized. And indeed, the Hagarians, seeing him, recognized him, grabbed him, brought him to the judge and said: “This is the slave of such and such; during his illness he renounced Christ, and upon recovery he was dressed in Turkish by us; but now you see how he’s dressed.” The judge asked Pachomius: “Is this true?” The martyr of Christ Pachomius, with a joyful face, boldly proclaims: “I have never denied the Lord Jesus Christ, either in word or in thought, but I confess Christ as a perfect God and a perfect man, and for this confession I am ready to endure thousands of torments, and every kind of death.” The judge listened to this and, seeing the saint’s complacent firmness, made many threats and insults to him, then said: “since you have uttered the word of renunciation once, it is no longer possible for you to remain in this Christian clothing, but you must choose one of two things, either renounce Christ, or experience the most cruel death.” At this, the martyr of Christ exclaimed: “Let it not happen, O Christ the King, that even with one thought I should renounce Your holy name! On the contrary, out of love for You, I am ready to go into the fire and to death.” Hearing this, the judge gave the command, and the martyr was thrown into the darkest prison. There Pachomius, as if in a new paradise, remained without food, without sleep and without any human consolation, feeding on one divine hope. On the third day the sentence to kill the saint followed. The prison guard brings him this longed-for news of death. And the martyr, having heard, rejoiced greatly, glorified the name of the Lord, and spent the whole night in prayer. In the morning they take him out of prison and present him to the judge, who says: “For your stubbornness you will be handed over to death; see that it is not too late for you to repent.” Saint Pachomius answers with the same boldness: “I will never, judge, renounce my Christ, even if I were given over to thousands of the most cruel deaths. Just whatever you want to do, do it quickly.” The judge, having heard this, gave his final sentence. The Hagarians who were present, having tied up the martyr, dragged him to the place of torment, outside the city - to where the sheep were slaughtered. He was followed by many others, Turks and Christians, and some of the Turks mocked the saint, others spat on him, and others urged him to renounce Christ. But the martyr, heeding a single prayer, walked along the longed-for path of martyrdom, and having reached the mentioned place, he knelt. When the executioner was afraid to cut off his head, he even began to incline him to renounce Christ, speaking quietly in the ear of the martyr: then the valiant ascetic of Christ encouraged him and said with complacency: “do what you are commanded, and do not waste time in vain.” And he, taking courage, cut off his holy head. Thus the illustrious sufferer received the crown of martyrdom! The Christians, after three days, took his honest relics and buried him. And the executor of the execution, after this, was overcome by an evil spirit, possessed by a demon, and, running around the city, screamed, emitted foam, and after several days, in torment, he cast out his soul. The elder, the saint’s mentor, who remained hopelessly in the hotel, having learned about the desired death of his disciple, thanked God with joy and tears. Then he came to the place where the body of the martyr lay, and seeing it, he greeted the saint with tears, saying: “You, my Pachomius, have achieved what you have long desired! Pray to the Lord for me and for all those who call on you.” And indeed, after a few days the power of Pachomius’ prayer was revealed. The Monk Joseph was in great fear and dread; and behold, the martyr Pachomius appears to him in a dream, with a cheerful and pleasant face, and says: “Do not be afraid, old man, you will not tolerate any evil.” And immediately with this word fear was removed from the heart of the embarrassed old man. Also: one Christian woman from that country, who had suffered from incurable pain in half her head since her youth, with faith called upon the Venerable Martyr for help, and having anointed her head with his blood, she was completely freed from a long-term illness. In memory of such a benefit and healing, this reverent wife sent to Mount Athos to those Fathers who knew the martyr personally, so that they would paint an icon of him for her. Having received this holy icon, as she wished, she brightly and reverently began to celebrate the feast of the Venerable Martyr Pachomius every year. Through His prayers may we also be worthy of the heavenly kingdom! Amen. You might be interested in: