he doubted in his mind, how she should cross over the waters of Jordan.
Then indeed he saw that she blessed the waters of Jordan with the sign of the cross of Christ; then the brightness of the moon illuminated all the darkness of the night, as soon as she dipped into the water with the sign of the cross. So she went towards him, walking on the soft waves as if on dry land. Zosimus wondering and endeavouring to bend his knees before her, she began to cry aloud from the waters and to forbid him, and spake thus: ' What art thou doing, abbot? Know that thou art God's priest, and hast with thee the divine mysteries.' He then, obeying her, at once rose up. As soon as she came off the water, she said to him: ' Father, bless me.' Verily, extreme amazement came upon him at so wondrous a miracle, and he thus spake: ' Oh! thou truthful one, good is he who promises for those who early purify themselves to be like Himself; glory be to Thee, O Lord God, who has shewn me, by means of this Thy handmaid, how much, by my own perception, I [fail] in the measure of the perfection of others. Then, she, Mary, begged that she might begin the true prayer of belief, that is to say, credo in deum; and, after that, the Lord's Prayer, the pater-noster. These ended, she gave the old man the kiss of peace, as the custom is, and then received the holy mysteries, Christ's Body and Blood, with extended hands; and, looking up to heaven, and mourning with tears, thus spake: ' Lord, now let thy handmaid depart in peace, according to Thy word; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation.' Again she said to the old man: ' Pity me, abbot, and now fulfil the second request of my prayer; go now straightway to thy minster with God's peace; and come again, in about a year's space, to the bourn where we first spake to each other. I pray thee, for God's sake, not to draw back from this, but to come; and then thou shalt see me, even as God will.' Then said he to her: ' Oh! that it were permitted me to follow thy footsteps, and to enjoy the sight of thine honoured countenance! But I pray thee, mother, to grant me, an old man, a small request, namely, that thou deign to receive from me just a little of that
