Слово 48. Похвальное о некотором удивительном древнем мученике, имя которого неизвестно

And ancient Susanna received great glory, and Joseph received the laudable crown of chastity. But just as much as the sun, with the brilliance of its immeasurable light, hides both the moon and the stars, so much so a certain holy martyr of Christ received great glory and praise through his desire for chastity. This one, after many torments he had suffered for Christ in the bloom of youth and a beautiful body, was finally brought into a garden filled with fragrant flowers, where a beautiful bed was prepared, on which they laid him and tied his hands and feet to it with thin soft ropes. Then they let a young woman in to see him, who shamelessly began to irritate him with nasty carnal confusion, touching him without any shame. He, kindled in his soul by the divine desire for chastity, clenched his tongue tightly with his teeth, bit it off and spat in the face of the nasty harlot, thus receiving a threefold crown of victory: and he got rid of the lawless mixing with the nasty harlot, having driven away carnal lust with severe pain, and he put the harlot to shame, dousing her with bloody saliva, and glorified Christ the King of all in his members, for whose sake he immediately spat on all the beauties of this life. Oh, what shame the proud serpent suffered then with this glorious victory of yours, martyr! How the heavenly powers sang of Christ the King, Who strengthened you against idols, and against the nasty harlot, and against all satanic wiles, Who crowned you with a bright heavenly crown! Truly, you are blessed in everything: in your deeds, in your glory, and in the grace that you received from above. Pavel of Thebes, a famous disciple of the desert, conveyed this to the founder of the monks, Anthony. You might be interested in: