XXXIII.
FEBRUARY 11. ST. EUFRASIA (OR EUPHROSYNE), VIRGIN.
There was a certain man in the province of Alexandria named Paphnutius, who was beloved and honoured of all men, diligently keeping God's commandments; and he then took him a spouse of birth equal to his own rank; she was filled with all honourable virtues, but she was barren. Then was her husband exceedingly afflicted, because there was no child between them who should succeed to his possessions after his death; and she therefore daily distributed her wealth among the poor, and frequently sought churches, and with supplications besought God that He would give them a child, especially because she saw her husband's sorrow. And he himself likewise travelled through many places, (to see) if perchance he might find some man of God who might assist his desires. Then at last he came to a minster; the father of this minster was very powerful before God. So he paid in a great sum of money, and made much friendship with the abbot and with the brothers; and then after a good while he told his desire to the abbot. So the abbot compassionated him, and prayed God earnestly that He would give the nobleman the fruit of a child. Then God heard the prayer of them both, and gave them a daughter. When Paphnutius had seen the abbot's great service, he seldom left the minster; likewise he brought his wife into the minster, to the intent that she might receive the abbot's blessing, and that of the brethren. When the child was seven years old, then they had her baptized, and named her Euphrosyne; then her parents rejoiced exceedingly on her account, because she was acceptable to God, and fair in countenance; and when she was twelve years old, then her mother died. Then the father instructed the maiden in holy writings and godly readings, and in all worldly wisdom; and she so deeply received the lore that her father greatly wondered thereat. Then sprang her fame and wisdom and learning throughout all the town, because she was adorned with virtues, and many were attracted so that they desired her in honourable marriage, and spake of it to her father; but he always answered, 'God's will be done.' Then at last came to him a noble who was wealthier and worthier than all the others, and desired her for himself. Then the father received his pledge, and promised her to him. Then after a great while, when she was eighteen years old, her father took her with him to the place where he usually went, and paid in there a great sum of money, and said to the abbot; ' I have brought hither the fruit of thy prayers, my daughter, that thou mayest give her thy blessing, because I wish to give her to a husband.' Then the abbot bade take her to the parlour, and spake a long while with her, and taught her purity and patience, and to have the fear of God; and she abode there seven days, and devoutly listened to the brothers' canticles, and beheld their conversation; and greatly wondering at all this said, 'Blessed are these men who in this world are like unto the angels, and by such means shall obtain everlasting life.' And she became observant of this. Then on the third day said Paphnutius to the abbot, 'Come, father, that thy handmaid may salute thee, and receive thy blessing; because we desire to go home.' When the abbot came, she fell at his feet, and said, ' father, pray for me, that God may beget my soul unto Himself.' Then the abbot extended his hand and blessed her, and said; 'Lord God, Thou who knewest Adam ere he was created, vouchsafe to have care of this Thine handmaid, and that she may be a partaker of the heavenly kingdom.' So after these words they returned home. It was Paphnutius' custom that, as often as any monk came to him, he brought him into his house, and prayed that he would bless his daughter. Then it befell, in about the course of a year, that it was the abbot's ordination-day. Then he sent a brother to Paphnutius, and invited him to the solemnity. When the monk came to his hall, he did not find him at home; but when Euphrosyne knew the monk was there, she called him to her and said; ' tell me, brother, for true charity, how many are there of you in the minster? ' Then said he; 'three hundred monks and two and fifty.' Then again she asked and said,' If any one desire to turn in thither, will your abbot receive him?' ' Yea,' quoth he, ' but with all (joy will he receive him), the rather for the Lord's voice who thus said; "him that cometh to Me, I will not drive him from Me." ' ' Sing ye all,' said she, 'in one church, and fast ye all alike?' The brother said, 'we all sing in common together but each of us fasteth according as he hath leisure, so that none of us be contrary to holy living, but do willingly that which he doeth.' When she had enquired about all their manner of living, then said she (to the brother), ' I would turn to such a life, but I fear to be disobedient to my father, who for his vain (and transitory) riches desireth to join me to a husband.' The brother said (to her), ' O sister! suffer thou not that any man defile thy body, neither give thou thy beauty to any shame; but wed thyself to Christ, who for these transitory things can give thee the heavenly kingdom. But go now to a minster secretly, and lay aside thy worldly garments and clothe thyself with the monastic habit; thus mayest thou most easily escape. Then this speech pleased her, and she thereupon said (to him): 'but who may shear me? (Verily), I would not that any one should (do it who) hath not faith in God.' (The brother said to her): ' look now, thy father is going with me to the minster, and will be there three days or four; then send thou meanwhile after one of our brothers; any one will blithely come to thee.' In the midst of this came home Paphnutius, and as soon as he saw the monk, he asked him why he had come. Then he told him that it was the abbot's ordination-day, and that he was to come to him with him to receive his benediction. Then Paphnutius was greatly rejoiced, and (at once) went with him (the brother) to the minster.
Meanwhile Euphrosyne sent a servant (one whom she knew to be very faithful, and said to him, ' go to Theodosius' minster, and go into the church, and) whatsoever monk (thou shalt find) in the church, bring him to me.' Then (it happened), by God's mercy, (that) he met one of the monks outside the minster; and then the servant prayed him to come with him to Euphrosyne; and when he came to her, she saluted him, and said; 'pray for me.' Then he prayed for her and blessed her, and sat beside her. Then she said to him, 'Sir, I have a Christian father who is a true servant of God, and (he) hath great possessions; and his consort my mother is departed from this life; now desireth my father, for his vain riches, to give me to a husband; but I would not (ever) defile myself thereby. And I dare not be disobedient to my father, and I know not what to do as to this; verily all this night I continued alone, praying God that He would show His mercy to my miserable soul; and so, this dawning day, it liked me to get one of you to come to me, that I might hear God's word from him. Now pray I thee, for the sake of the reward of thy soul, that thou instruct me in those things which pertain to God.' Then said the brother, ' the Lord said in His gospel, " Whosoever will not forsake father and mother and all his kindred, and moreover his own soul, he cannot be My disciple." I know not what I can say to thee more; nevertheless, if thou canst withstand the temptations of thy flesh, then abandon thou all that thou ownest and depart hence; thy father's riches will find heirs enough.' The maiden said to him: ' I trust in God's assistance and in thine, that I shall attain to my soul's salvation.' Then said the brother, ' thou must not let such desires grow slack, verily thou knowest that it is now the time of repentance.' Then said she, ' therefore I summoned thee hither for that I desired that thou shouldest bless me, and afterward cut off my hair.' Then the brother invested her with the monastic habit, and blessed her and thus said: 'the Lord, who hath delivered His saints, preserve thee from all evil.' He then after this joyfully went home, glorifying God. Then Euphrosyne thought thus, saying; ' if I go now to a women's convent, then my father will seek me there, and will find me there; and then he will take me thence by force for my bridegroom's sake; but I will go to a man's minster where no man will suspect me.' Then she put off her womanly garb from her, and clothed herself with a man's; and in the eventide departed from her ha^ll, and took, with her fifty mancuses, and that night she hid herself in a secret place. Then afterward in the morning came Paplmutius to the city, and then, according to God's will, he went into the church. Meanwhile Euphrosyne arrived at the minster which her father visited; then the porter went to the abbot and said to him: ' father, here is come a eunuch from the king's household who desireth speech with thee.' So the abbot went out; and she immediately fell at his feet, and when she had received his blessing, they sat together. Then quoth the abbot: 'child, for what cause camest thou hither?' Then said she, ' I was in the king's household and I am a eunuch; and I ever desired to turn to the monastic life, but such a life is not customary in our city; now I have heard of your illustrious conduct, and my will is that I may dwell with you, if that be your will. I have manifold possessions; and if God will grant me rest here, I will cause them to come hither.' Then quoth the abbot, 'Welcome be thou, my child; behold, this is our minster; abide here with us if it please thee.' Then asked he him what his name was. Then said he, ' I am called Smaragdus.' The abbot said to him: ' thou art young; thou canst not dwell alone, but thou needest to have one who can teach thee monastic life and the holy rule.' Then quoth he, ' I will do, my father, according to thy words.' Then he drew forth the fifty mancuses, and gave them to the abbot, and said, ' Take, father, this money on account, and if I continue here the remainder shall come here.' Then the abbot called a brother to him who was named Agapitus, a man of holy life and honourable in manners; and delivered to him the aforesaid Smaragdus, and said to him: ' henceforth this shall be thy son and thy disciple.' Then Agapitus took him into his cell. Then, because the same Smaragdus was beautiful in countenance, as often as the brothers came to church, the accursed spirit sent manifold thoughts into their minds, and they were exceedingly tempted by his fairness; and at last they were all stirred up against the abbot because he had brought so beautiful a man into their minster; and he thereupon called Smaragdus to him, and said: ' my child, thy countenance is beautiful, and to the brothers Cometh great ruin on account of their frailty. Now I will that thou sit by thyself in thy cell, and sing there thy hours, and eat therein; but I desire not that thou go anywhere else.' And he then bade Agapitus to prepare an empty cell and bring Smaragdus in thither. So Agapitus fulfilled that which his abbot commanded him, and brought Smaragdus into the deserted cell, where he occupied himself in fastings and vigils day and night, serving God in purity of heart; so that his master greatly wondered thereat, and related to his brethren his way of life. But Paphnutius her father, when he came home, went very quickly into the bower wherein his daughter was wont to be; and when that he found her not there he became very uneasy, and began to question of all, both slaves and free-men, (what) had been done with his daughter Euphrosyne? Then said they: ' at night we saw her, but we knew not in the morning where she had gone to; but we supposed that her bridegroom who was betrothed to her had taken her there.' Then he sent to the bridegroom and enquired for her there, but she was not there. When her bridegroom heard that she was lost, he became greatly troubled and came to Paphnutius, and found him, on account of his sadness, lying on the earth. Then said some, ' Perchance some one hath deceived her and taken her away.' Then he sent riding men through all the land of Alexandria and Egypt, and they sought amongst travellers in ships, and in women's convents, and in deserts and in caves, and at the houses of all their intimate friends and neighbours; and when they nowhere found her, they bewept her as if she were dead. The father-in-law bemoaned his daughter-in-law, and the bridegroom his bride. The father bewept his daughter, and said: ' woe is me! my sweetest bairn, woe is me! the light of mine eyes and the comfort of my life! Who hath bereaved me of my treasures or scattered my goods 1 Who hath cut away my vineyard, or who hath quenched my lamp 1 Who hath deprived me of my hope, or who hath polluted the beauty of my daughter? What wolf hath seized my lamb, or what place on sea or on land hath hid so royal a countenance 1 She was the consoler of the mourning and the rest of the wearied. Oh thou earth! swallow thou never my blood ere I see what hath been done with Euphrosyne my daughter! ' Hearing these words, they all began to weep, and great lamenting was throughout all the city. When Paphnutius could have no patience, nor receive any comfort, then went he to the abbot and fell at his feet, and said, ' I pray thee that thou wilt not cease to entreat for me that I may find the toil of thy prayer; verily I know not whither my daughter is gone.' When the abbot heard this, he became very sorrowful, and bade then all the brothers assemble before him, and said: ' show now true charity to our friend, and pray we God in common that He would vouchsafe to show him what has been done with his daughter.' Then all the week they fasted and continued in their prayers, but no revelation came to them such as was customary to them when they prayed for anything. Truly, the holy woman Euphrosyne's prayer to God was, both day and night, that she might never during her life be discovered. So when no revelation came to the abbot or the brethren, then he consoled him and said: 'son, weary thou not of the Lord's discipline, because He correcteth every son whom He loveth; and know thou that, without God's will, not one sparrow falleth on the earth. How much more can anything happen to thy daughter without God's ordinance? I know that she hath chosen for herself some good counsel, and therefore was nothing revealed to us concerning her; and if it were the case — and far be it from it — that thy daughter had slidden into any harm, God would not despise the labour of these brethen; but I trust in God that He will yet in this life reveal her.' Then was he heartened by these words, and went home praising God, and busied himself in good works and alms. Then one day came he again to the abbot, and said: ' pray for me, because my sorrow about my daughter waxeth more and more in me with anguish.' Then the abbot, compassionating him, said: 'wouldest thou speak with a brother who came from king Theodosius' household? ' For he knew not that she was his daughter. Then said he, that he gladly would do so. Then the abbot bade Agapitus to take him to brother Smaragdus. Then, when she looked on her father, she became all suffused with tears; and he thought that it had been from devotion, and recognised her not, because she was much thinned by reason of the severe and austere life; and she covered her head with her cowl, that he should not know her; and when they had ended their prayers, they sat together. Then began she to speak to him of the heavenly kingdom's blessedness, and how the entrance to it is to be won by almsdeeds and other unnumbered good works; and. that a man should not love father and mother and other worldly things before God; and told him the apostolic saying that ' tribulation worketh patience,' and he shall thus be tried. And she said yet again, 'believe me, God will not despise thee; and if thy daughter were fallen into any loss, then would God show it thee, that she should not be lost. But trust in God that she hath chosen for herself some good counsel. Lay aside thy great torment; Agapitus my master hath related to me concerning thee, how sorely thou art afflicted about thy daughter, and how thou hast besought the aid of the abbot and his brothers. Now will I myself also, though I be weak and sinful, pray God that He will give thee endurance and patience, and grant thee that which is best for thee and fittest for her. Frequently have I desired to see thee that thou mightest find some comfort by means of me, humble as I am '; and she then said to him: 'go now, my lord.' Then Paphnutius was much strengthened by her exhortation, and departed from her, and went to the abbot, and said to him; ' my mind is strengthened by help of this brother; I am as blithe as if I had found my daughter.' And he commended himself to the abbot and to the brothers for their prayers, and went home praising God. Then Smaragdus fulfilled, in that unknown state, eight and thirty years, and fell into a sickness, and therein likewise died. Then came Paphnutius again to the minster, and after speech with the abbot and the brothers, he prayed that he might go to Smaragdus; then the abbot bade them conduct him thither. So Paphnutius sat beside him being thus sick; and, weeping, said to him: ' Woe is me! where are now thy promises which thou didst promise me, that I might yet see my daughter? Lo now! we had some comfort by thy means, and thou wilt leave us! Woe is me! who shall now comfort my old age; to whom shall I go that will succour me? My sorrow is doubled. Now is it for eight and thirty years that my daughter hath been lost to me; and no revelation hath come to me, though I have earnestly yearned for it; unendurable sorrow holdeth me; in what may I henceforth hope, or what comfort can I receive? Mourning thus on every account, I shall go down to hell.' Then Smaragdus, seeing that he would receive no comfort, said to him: 'Wherefore art thou thus grievously troubled and wilt kill thyself? Sayest thou that the Lord's hand is weak, or that anything is hard for Him 1 Put an end to thy affliction, and remember how God revealed to Jacob the patriarch his son Joseph, whom he likewise bewept as if he were dead. But I pray thee that thou leave me not for three days.' So Paphnutius [remained] for the space of three days, thus saying: 'perchance God hath revealed to him something concerning me.' And then, on the third day, said he to him, ' I have waited, brother, these three days.' When Smaragdus, who before was hight Euphrosyne, perceived that the day of her departure had come, then said she to him; ' God Almighty hath well ordered my poor life and fulfilled my desire, that I might manfully end the course of my life. It was not by my own might, but through the assistance of Him who preserved me from the snares of the fiend; and now, my course being ended, the glorious crown of righteousness is kept for me. Be no longer careful about thy daughter Euphrosyne. Verily I, miserable one, am she herself; and thou art Paphnutius my father. Lo! now thou hast seen me, and thy desire is fulfilled; but let not anyone know this, neither suffer thou that any man wash and prepare my body, save thyself. Moreover, I told the abbot that I had great possessions, and I promised him that I [would] bring them in hither if I continued here; now perform thou that which I promised; for this place is worthy; and pray for me.' This said, she gave up her spirit. When Paphnutius heard these words, and saw that she was departed, then all his limbs trembled, so that he fell on the earth as if he were dead. Then ran Agapitus thither, and saw Smaragdus dying, and Paphnutius half alive lying on the earth. Then he threw water on him, and lifted him up and said: ' What is come to thee, my lord? ' Then said he, ' Let me here die; verily I have seen God's miracle to-day.' And he therewith arose, and fell upon her, weeping and thus saying; ' Woe is me, my sweetest child! wherefore wouldest thou not make thyself known to me, that I might of my own will have lived here with thee? Woe is me! that thou hast so long concealed thyself! How hast thou passed through the old enemy's snares; and now hast entered into the eternal life! ' Then Agapitus, hearing this, began to be much amazed, and went hastily to the abbot, and showed him all; and he thereupon came thither, and fell upon the holy corpse, and said: ' Euphrosyne, bride of Christ, and offspring of holy parents! be not thou forgetful of thy fellow-servants and of this minster; but pray to the Lord for us, that He may make us come manfully to the harbour of safety, and make us partakers with Him and His saints.' Then he bade that the brethren should assemble, and reverently commit the holy corpse to the grave. Then when they found that she was a woman, they gloried in God, Who in the womanly and tender nature worketh such wonders. There came thither a certain brother who was one-eyed, and he then, with weeping, kissed the holy corpse, and touched her; and his eye was given to him again, and they all glorified God, of Whom are all such things as are good; and they then buried her in the sepulchre of her fathers. Then her father paid into the minster and into God's Church a great part of his possessions, and entered the minster with the most part of his riches, and dwelt ten years in the cell wherein his daughter had before lived, and exercised himself in leading a good life; and then departed to the Lord. Then the abbot and his company buried him beside his daughter; and the day of their departure is honoured in the minster unto this present day; to the glory of God the Father and His only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, together with the Holy Ghost; to Whom be glory and worship for ever and ever. Amen.