FOR AVVA SISOE
1. As a brother was wronged by another brother, he went to avva Sisoe and said to him: I was wronged by so-and-so brother, and I want to do retribution. And the old man was praying him, saying: no, son, but rather leave to God the retribution. And he was saying: I will not stop till I will not do retribution. And the old man said: let us pray, brother! And getting up, the old man said: God, we do not need You anymore, to take care of us, for we are doing our retribution. So, hearing this, the brother fell to the old man’s feet, saying: I will not go to judgement with the brother anymore, forgive me, avvo!
2. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: what will I do, for many times I go to the church, and many time there is a comemoration, and I hold off? The old man said to him: the hardship has work. So, Avraam, his aprentice, asked him: in a trip, being Saturday or Sunday, and some brother will drink three glasses, is it somehow too much? The old man answered: if it is not from the devil, it is not much.
3. Avva Sisoe’s apprentice was saying, towards him: father, you have grown old, and now we go close to the world. The old man said to him: where there is no woman, that is where we are going. The apprentice said to him: where is there a place, to not have woman, except for the desert? So, the old man said to him: to the desert take me!
4. Many times the apprentice was saying to avva Sisoe: avvo, get up, and we eat! And he was saying towards them: but, did we not eat, son? And the apprentice was answering: no, father. And the old man was saying: if we did not eat, bring it to eat it.
5. Avva Sisoe once said with daring: dare, there, thirthy years since I do not pray to God anymore for sin. But I pray like this, saying: Lord, Jesus, protect me from my tongue! And until now, in every day I fall through her, and I sin.
6. A brother said to avva Sisoe: how come the addictions are not leaving me? The old man answered to him: their bowls are within you. Give them their front payment, and they leave.
7. Avva Sisoe was once sitting alone in avva Antonie’s mountain. And as his servant has stopped coming to him, for ten months he did not see a man walking on the mountain, he found a faranite who was hunding wild animals. And the old man said to him: where do you come from, and from how much time are you here? And he said: truly, avvo, I am in this mountain for eleven months, and I did not see a human, except for you. And the old man, pondering this, entering in his cell, was beating himself, saying: there, Sisoe, you reckoned that you did something, and not even as this layman did you not do!
8. A commemoration was done in the avva Antonie’s mountain, and a vase of wine was there. And as one of the elders took a small vase and a glass, he took it to avva Sisoe and gave it to him, and he drank. Likewise, the second one, and he accepted. Then he gave him also a third one and he did not take it, saying: stop, brother, or don’t you know it is from the satan!
9. Someone from the brothers came too avva Sisoe in avva Antonie’s mountain. And as they were speaking, he asked avva Sisoe: did I not reach the measures of avva Antonie, father? And the old man said to him: if I have had one of the thoughts of avva Antonie, I would have become all as fire, yet I know a man who, with hardship, can bear his thought.
10. Once one of the ones Tebeans came to avva Sisoe, wanting to become a monk. And the old man asked him, if he has anyone in the world. And he said: I have a son. And the old man said to him: go, throw him in the river, and then you will become a monk! So, after he went to throw him, the old man sent a brother telling him to stop him. After that, when he lifted him up to throw him, the brother said to him: stop it, what are you doing? And he said: avva said to me to throw him. The brother said to him: he also said not to throw him. And leaving him, he came to the old man, and he became a most skilled monk, for his obedience.
11. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: is it this way that Satan was chasing away the ones from the old? The old man answered to him: now even more, for his time has got close, and he is disturbed.
12. Avraam, avva Sisoe’s apprentice was once tempted by a devil. And the old man saw that he fell. But, getting up, he stretched his hands to the sky, saying: God, you want, you do not want, I will not let You, if you will not heal him. And immediately the apprentice was healed.
13. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: I see myself for God’s remembering dwells with me. The old man said to him: it is not a great thing for your thought to be with God, but great it is to see yourself beneath the whole creation. For this, together with the bodily weariness, advises to the likeness of the humble thinking (+).
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( +) Meaning, ,for the man to be humble.
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14. It was said about avva Sisoe that when he was about to pass away, as the fathers were sitting next to him, his face shined like the sun. And he said to them: there, avva Antonie has come! And after a while he said: there, the cohort of the prophets has come! And again his face shined even more. And he said: there, the cohort of apostoles has come. And his face again became twice as bright. And it seems, as if he would have talked with someone, and the fathers prayed him, saying: who are you speaking with, father? And he said: there, the angels have come to take me, and I pray to be left to repent a little bit. And the elders told him: you do not have need to repent, father. And the old man said to them: truly, I do not know me to have set up beginning. Then they all knew that he was perfect. And again, all of a suddent his face became like the sun, and they all were afraid. He said to them: see, the Lord has come. And the Lord said: bring me the vase of the desert! And immediately he gave up his soul. And he became like a lightning, and the whole house (place) was filled with good fragrance.
15. Avva Adelfie, the bishop of Nilupole came to avva Sisoe in avva Antonie’s mountain. And when he wanted to come out, before they traveled, it came to him to eat for morning (for it was the fasting period). And as he set up the table, there, some brothers knocked at the door. And avva Sisoe said to his apprentice: give them a little bit of athira (boiling) for they are tired. Avva Adelfie said to him: leave them now, so that they do not say that avva Sisoe eats in the morning. And the old man looked at him, and said to the brother: go, give it to them. And as they saw the athira, they said: do you happen to have guests/ And the brother said to them: we do. So, they started to get sad, and they said: may God forgive you, for you have let the old man eat now. Or, don’t you know that he will torment himself many days? And the bishop heard them. Then, he made a prostration to the old man, saying: forgive me, avvo, for I have thought a human thing, but you have done God’s thing. And avva Sisoe said: if God will not praise the man, the praise of the people is nothing.
16. Others came to avva Sisoe, to hear some word from them. And he said nothing to them, but all the time he was saying: forgive me! But seeing hisbaskets, they said to Avraam, his apprentice: what are you doing with these baskets? And he said: we spend them here and there. And as the old man heard, he said: and Sisoe eats up and down. And as they heard, they benefited much, and went away with happiness, building themselves of his humbleness.
17. Avva Amon of Rait asked avva Sisoe: when I read the Holy Scripture, my sould wants to compose a word, to have to ask. The old man said to him: there is no need, but more vigorously gain to youself out of the cleanness of the mind to be without care and to speak.
18. A layman once went to avva sisoe, in avva Antonie’s mountain, also having with him his son. And on the way, it happened that his son died, and he did not get disturned, but brought him with faith to the old man. And he fell with his son, as if he would have prostrated himself to be blessed by the old man, and as the father got up, he left the child at the old man’s feet, and went outside the cell. And the old man, reckoning the he prostrates himself to him, saod to him: get up and go out! (For he did not know that he died.) And immediately the child got up and went out. And as he father saw him, he got frightened, and coming in, he bowed to the old man, and told him the thing. Upon hearing, the old man got sad, for he did not want for this to happen. But he ordered to his apprentice to not tell to anyone, until the end of the old man.
19. Three old men came to avva Sisoe, hearing the ones about him. And the first one said to him: father, how can I save myself from the river of fire? And he did not answer to him. The second one said to him: father, how can I save myself from the ghashing of the teeth, and the sleepless worm? And then the third one: father, what will I do, for the rememberance of the darkness most outside is killing me/ and answering, the old man said to them: I do not remember any of these, for as God is merciful, I hope that he will do mercy with me. And upon hearing this word, the old men went away sad. But, not wanting to let them go sad, returning them, the old man said to them: blessed are you, brothers, for I desire to be like you. For the first one of you says about the river of fire, the second one about the tartar, and the third one about the darkness. So, if this sort of rememberance rules your mind, it is impossible for you to mistake again. But, what will I, the one with a stone heard to, not being free to know, for although it is a torment for people, yet I sin in every hour? And prostrating to him, they said to him: as we heard, so we saw.
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( +) Ps 47, 7.
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20. Some have asked avva Sisoe, saying: should a brother fall, does he not need to repent for one year? And he answered: the word is harsh. Again they asked: but six months? And he again said: it is much. And they said: but up to forty days? And he answered: much it is. Then they said to him: but up to forty days? And he answered: much it is. Then they said to him: so, should the brother fall, and he will right away find out so that a rememberance is done, should he also come in there? The old man said to them: no, but he needs to repent a few days. For I believe to God, if one of these will repent from his whole soul, even in three days God receives him.
21. As avva Sisoe once came to the place called Clisma, some laymen went to him to see him. And as they said many, he did not answer them a word. At the end, one of them said: why do you upset the old man? He does not eat, and because of this he cannot speak. The old man answered: when I need, I eat.
22. Avva Iosif asked avva Sisoe, saying: in how many years must man cut away his addictions? The old man said to him: the years is what you want to know? Avva Iosif said: yes! So the old man said: in any hour an addiction comes, immediately cut it off.
23. A brother asked avva Sisoe of the Rock, about dwelling. And the old man said to him: Daniil said: the bread of desires I have not eaten (+).
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(+) Daniil X, 3.
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24. It was said about avva Sisoe, that sitting in the cell, he was always locking the door.
25. Some followers of Arie once came too avva Sisoe, in avva Antonie’s mountain, and they started to gossip the right believers. And the old man did not answer them anything. And calling his apprentice he said: Avraam, bring me Saint Atansie’s book and read. And as they kept quiet, their heresy was revealed. And he released them with peace.
26. Oance avva Ammun came from Rait to Clisma to meet avva Sisoe. And seeing him sad, as he had left the desert, said to him: why are you saddedning yourself, avvo, for what more could you have done from now on in the desert, after you have grown old like this? And the old man looked harshly to him, saying: what are you telling me, Ammun, for was it not enough for me only the freedom of my thought in the desert?
27. Once avva Sisoe was sitting in his cell. And as his apprentice knocked at the door, the old man shouted to him, saying: run, Avraam, do not come in, for now there is not time for the ones of here!
28. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: how did you leave the Skete, being with avva or, and have come to sit here? And the old man answered to him: when the Skete started to multiply, as I heard that avva Antonie has fallen asleep, I got up and came here in the mountain, and fining the ones here with quietness, I sat for a little while. The brother said to him: how long do you have here? The old man answered to him: seventy two years.
29. Avva Sisoe said: when there will be some person who cares about you, you do not have to order to him.
30. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: if we should walk on the way and the one who guides us gets lost, is there need for us to tell him something? The old man answered to him: no. So, the brother said: but, should we let him get us lost? The old man said to him: but what do you want, to take the staff and beat him? I know brothers who were walking and the ones who were guiding them have got lost in the night; and there where twelve and they all knew they were getting lost. And each of them fought not to say. And after it became day, as the one who was leading them realized he lost the way, he said to them: forgive me, I got lost! And they all said: we also knew, but we kept quiet. And he, hearing, marveled saying that up to death are the brothers holding themselves not to talk, and he glorified God. And the length of the way from which they got lost was twelve miles.
31. The Saracens came once and undressed the old man and his brother. And as they came out in the desert to find something to eat, the old man found camel dung, and digging in them, they found barley grains. So he was eating a grain, and was putting one in his hand, and as the brother came, he found him eating and said to him: is this love, to find food and to eat alone, and not to call me, too? And avva Sisoe said to him: I did not wrong you, brother: there, I kept your part in my hand!
32. It was said about avva Sisoe the Tebean that he stayed at the Calamona of Arsenoit and another old man was sick in the other monastery. And as he heard, he got sat. But, as he was fasting for every two days, and it was the day in which he was not eating, when he heard, he said to himself: what will I do? If I should go, the brothers might force me to eat, and if I should stay till tomorrow, he might die? But I will do this: I will go and I will not eat. And so, he went fating, fulfilling God’s commandment, and he did not break his way of living for God.
33. One of the parents have told about avva Sisoe the Calamotean, that as he once wanted to overcome his sleep, he hanged himself from the Stone’s abyss. And as the angel came, he untied him and ordered him not to do this again, nor should he teach others this thing.
34. One of the parents asked avva Sisoe, saying: if I should stay in the desert and some barbarian will come, wanting to kill me, and if I will be able over him, should I kill him? And the old man said: no, but leave him to God, for whatever temptation will come to man, man should say: it is for my sins that this has happened. And if some good thing will happen, he should say: it is from the mercy of God.
35. A brother asked avva Sisoe the Thebean, saying: tell me some word. And he answered to him: what can I tell you? For it is from the New Testament that I read, and to the Old one that I return to.
36. Also this brother asked avva Sisoe, the one of the Rock, the word which avva Sisoe has said. And the old man said to him: I go to sleep in sin, and I wake up in sin.
37. It was said about avva Sisoe the Thebean that after he was coming out from the church, immediately he was rushing to his cell, stepping quickly and looking like someone who was running. And some of the ones who were seeing him doing this were saying: he has demon. But he, doing the work of God, was not paying attention to the ones who were talking about him.
38. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: what will I do, avvo, for I have fallen? The old man answered to him: get up again. The brother said: I got up and again I have fallen. And the old man said: get up again, and again. So the brother said: until when? The old man said: untill you will be taken either in goodness, or in fallness, for whatever man will be found with, that is also what he will go from this world with.
39. A brother asked an old man, saying: what will I do, for I am saddened for the work of my hands, loving the weaving, but I cannot work it. The old man said: avva Sisoe was saying that we should not work the thing that gives us rest.
40. Avva Sisoe said: search for the Lord, and do not search where He lives.
41. He again said: shame and fearlessness many time bring the sin.
42. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: what will I do? And this one answered to him: the thing that you are looking for is lot of quiteness and humbleness. For it is written: blessed are those who remain in this; this way you can stay.
43. Avva Sisoe said: make yourself defamed, and drop your will, and make yourself without care, and you will have rest.
44. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: what will I do for addictions? And the old man answered to him: each of us is being tempted by his desire (+).
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(+) Jacob 1, 14.
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45. A brother asked avva Sisoe, saying: tell me some word. And he said to him: why do you force me to speak without use. There, what you see, do.
46. Avva Avraam, the apprentice of avva Sisoe, once went to an obedience, and a few days he did not want for someone else to serve him, saying: will I let another man make a habit with me, aside from my brother? And he did not receive anyone until his apprentice came, bearing the tiredness.
47. It was said about avva Sisoe that, as he was sitting, a voice shouted: o, evilness! And his apprentice said too him: what is it, father? The old man said to him: I am looking for a man to talk to, and I do not find.
48. Once avva Sisoe came out of avva Antonie’s mountain, to the outmost mountain of Tebaida, living there. And there were there Meletians, who lived in the Arsenoit Calamona. Some, hearing that he came out to the outmost mountain wanted to see him, but were saying: what will we do, for the Meletians are in the mountain? And we know that the old man is not troubled by them. But us, wanting to meet the old man, will we not fall into the heretics’ temptation? And in order not to meet the heretics, they did not go to see the old man.
49. It was said about avva Sisoe that he became ill. And as the elders were sitting next to him, he spoke to some of them. And they asked him: what do you see, avvo? And he said to them: I see some, that they come to me, and I ask them to let me for a little bit, so that I repent. One of the elders told him: and if they will let you, from now, can you benefit for repentance? The old man said too him: although I cannot do, but I sigh in my soul a little bit, and it suffices me.
50. It was said about avva Sisoe that when he came to Clisma, he got sick. And as he was sitting with his apprentice in the cell, knock was done on the door. As the old man understood, he said to Avraam, his apprentice: tell to the one who knocked: me, Sisoe in the mountain, me, Sisoe on the sack (bedding). And he, hearing, made himself unseen.
51. Avva Sisoe the Tebean said to his apprentice: tell me what you see at me, and I will will tell you what you see at you. The apprentice said to him: you are good in the mind, but a bit harsh. The old man said to him: you are good, but slow in the mind.
52. It was said about avva Sisoe the Tebean, that he wass not eating bread. And at the Easter feast, the brothers bowed to him to eat with them, and answering, he said to them: I will do one: either I will eat bread, or as many dishes you made. And they said to him: only eat bread. And he did so.
FOR AVVA SILUAN
1. Avva Siluan and his apprentice Zaharia once came to a monastery, and they made them taste a little bit before traveling. Then, as they left, his apprentice found water on the way, and desired to dring. And the old man said to him: Zaharia, today is fasting day. And he said: but did we not eat, father?! The old man said: what we ate, was of love; but we have to hold on to our fasting, son!
2. Also this one, as he was once sitting with the brothers, he became amazed, and he fell with the face to the ground. And after a little while, getting up, he was crying. The brothers asked him, saying: what is it, father/ And he was quiet and was crying. And forcing him to telll them, he said: I saw many of our people at the judgement, that they were going to the works, and many of the laymen that were going into the Kingdom. And the old man was crying, and did not want to come out of the cell. And if he was forced to come out of the cell, he was covering his face with the head covering, saying: I do not want to see this trazient light, and which has no use!
3. Another time Zaharia, his apprentice, entered and found him in amazement and his hands stretched to the sky, and closing the door, he went out. Coming at the sixth and at the ninth hour he found him in the same way. And about the tenth hour he knocked at the door. Coming in, he found him quieting down. And he said to him: what is it with you today, father? And he said: I got sick, son. Then the apprentice, grabbing his feet said to him: I will not let you go, unless you will see me what have you seen? And the old man said to him: I was raptured to the sky, and I saw God’s glory, and I stayed there till now, and now I came.
4. As avva Siluan was once sitting in the Sinai mountain, Zaharia his apprentice went for an obedience, and he said to the old man: release water and water the garden. And as he went out, he covered his face with the head dress, and only his feet could be seen. So, a brother came to him in the hour and seeing him from afar, he understood what he did. As the brother entered at him, he said: tell me, avvo, why did you cover your face with the head dress, and so you were watering the garden? And the old man answered to him: son, so that my eyes do not see the trees, and my mind to be pulled from its work through them.
5. A brother came to avva Siluan in the Sinai mountain and, seeing the brothers working, said to the old man: do not work the wasting food (+1), for Maria has chosen the good part (+2). The old man said to his apprentice: Zahario, give to the brother a book, and put him in a cell, which has nothing. When the ninth hour came, the brother was paying attention to the door, whether they will send to call him to eat. And as no one called him, getting up, he came to the old man and said to him: did the brothers not eat today, avvo? The old man answered to him: yes, they ate. And the brother said: why did you not call me? The old man said to him: because you are a spiritual man and do not need this food. And us, being earthly, want to eat, and this is why we work. You have chosen the right part (+2) reading the whole day, and not wanting to eat bodily food. And if he heard this, the brother prostrated himself, saying: forgive me, avvo! The old man said to him: no doubt, Maria also needs Marta, for through Marta is Maria also ogetting praise.
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(+1 ) John VI, 27.
(+2) Luke X, 42.
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6. Some asked avva Siluan once, saying : what sort of living have you done, father, so that you earned this wisdom? And he answered to him : never have I left in my heart a thought which upset God.
7. It was said about avva Siluan that he sat in the cell in hiding, having a little bit of chickpeas, and until he ate only that one, he made work of a hundered strainers. And a man from Egypt came, having a donkey laden with bread, and knocking at his cell, set them. So, as the old man took the strainers and laden the donkey, he released him.
8. It was said about avva Siluan that Zaharia, his apprentice, came without him; and taking the brothers, he moved the garden’s fence, and made it larger. As the old man found out, he took his sheepskin, and came out, saying to the brothers: pray for me! But them, seeing him, fell to his feet and said: tell us, father, what is it, what do you have? But he said to them: I do not come inside, nor does the sheepskin come down from me, untill you will bring the fence to its initial place. And they returned the fence, and made it how it was. Only this way did the old man retrun to his cell.
9. Avva Siluan said: I am slave, and my master told me: work my work, and I feed you! But where I do I take from, don’t you search: either I have, or I steal, or I borrow, don’t you search. Only work, and I feed you. So, if I work, I eat from my payment; and if I do not work, I eat mercy.
10. He also said: woe to that man who has the name greater than the deed!
11. Avva Moise asked avva Siluan, saying: can man set beginning in every day? And the old man answered him: if he is working, he can in every day and in every hour set good beginning.
12. Someone of the parents said that somebody once met avva Siluan and seeing his cheek and body lighting up like that of an angel, fell with the face to the ground. He wa saying also, the other had this gift, too.
FROM EVERGHETINOS
1. A brother asked avva Siluan, saying: what will I do, avvo, how will I gain humbleness? For I am very tempted in lazyness, of sleep and of napping. And when I get up from sleep, I fight a lot for the singining of psalms, and I cannot overcome the napping, nor can I say psalms without voice. And the old man answered to him: son, for you to say psalms with voice, first, it is pride, for it seems to you that you you sing, and the brother does not sing. Secondly, it stones your heart, and does not let you humble youself. So, if you want humbleness, give away the singing. And when you stay doing your prayers, let you mind search the power of the verse, and do consider that you are staying in front of God, the One who tries the hearts and the lungs (+1). And when you get up from sleeping, before all, may your heart praise God, then read the Creed and Our Father. After that, start your canon, slowly, sighing and remembering your sins, and the torment in which you will labor. The brother said: as for me, avvo, since I became a monk, the service of the canon and the hours, I sing them according to the ordinanceof the 8 voices. The old man answered: this is why the humbleness and the crying runs away from you. Set in your mind the great fathers, how they were not church servants, and did not know neiter voices nor troparies, except for a few psalms, they shined in the world as some lights, as were avva Pavel the simple, and avva Pamvo, and avva Apolo, and the other God bearing fathers, who even raised dead ones, and did great powers, and the received the mastering over the demons. Not through singing, troparies and voices, but with the prayer from the broken heart, and through fasing, through which also the fear of God grows ceasesly in the heart and the crying becomes harder, and the sin cleans off completely the man, and makes the mind more white than the snow. Then, the sining, lowered many to the lowest ones of the earth, not only laymen, but also priests, because it inherited them, and in other shameful addictions fell them. So, the singing is the laymen’s. This is what the people is adding up in the churches. Set in front, son, how many hosts are in the Heaven, and it is not written about one of them that they sing with the eight voices; but a host sings ceasesly, Haleluia! Another: Holy, Holy, Holy, the Lord Savaot (+2), another: it is blessed the praise of the Lord from the place and from His house (+3). You, then, son, follow the fathers if you want to gain humbleness in the time of prayer, guarding the mind, as much as you can, not dispersed. Love Christ’s humbleness, and wherever you go, do not show yourself smart and teacher, but as a simple one and an apprentice, and God will give you humbleness!
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(+1 ) Psalm VII, 10.
(+2) Isaia VI, 3.
(+3) Iezechil III, 12.
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FOR AVVA SIMON
1. Once an owner came to see avva Simon. And him, upon hearing, took his waist girdle, and went to a palm tree, to clean it. That one, coming, shouted: old man, where is the hermit? And he said: there is no hermit here. And, hearing, he went away.
2. Another time, again, another owner came to see avva simon and, as the clerics made it before, they said to him: avvo, get prepared, for that one, hearing about you, comes for you to bless him! And he said: yes, I am preparing myself. So, dressing himself with a chentonion (some sort of coat) of his, and taking bread and cheese in his hands, getting up, he sat, eating in the gate. As the owner came with his parade, and seeing him, he did not paid attention to him, saying: is this the hermit of which I have heard? And immediately they returned from there.
FOR AVVA SOSIPATRU
1. Somebody asked avva Sosipatru, saying: give me some commandment, avvo, and I will guard it! And he said: no woman should entere you cell, do not read books which are called apocrypha, meaning hiden, and do not search for God’s image in man. For this is not heresy, but stupidity. For it is not possible for this thing to be understood in the whole creation.
FOR AVVA SARMATA
1. Avva Sarmata said: I prefer better a man who has sinned and knows that he has sinned and he repents, rather than a man who did not sin and believes about himself that he is righteous.
2. It was said about avva Sarmata, that many times he was taking forty days, with avva Pimen’s advice, and like nothing the days were fulfilled in front of him. So, avva Pimen came to him and said: tell me, what did you see, doing so much weariness? And he said to him: nothing more. Avva Pimen said to him: I am not letting you, unless you will tell me. And he answered to him: only one have I found out, that if I will tell go to the sleep, it goes, and if I will tell it come, it does come.
3. A brother asked avva Sarmata, saying: the thoughts tell me: do not work but eat and drink and sleep. The old man said to him: when you are hungry, eat, when you are thirsty, drink, when you are asleep, sleep! Another old man, by chance came to the brother and the brother told him the ones told by avva Sarmata. So, the old man said to him: is this what avva Sarmata said to you? When you are very hungry and you will be thirsty, as if you cannot bear anymore, eat and drink, and when you will stay awake very much and you are slimbering, sleep. This is what the old man told you.
4. Again, the same brother asked avva Sarmata, saying: the thoughts tell me, go ouside, go to the brothers! And the old man said to him: do not listen to them, but say: there, I listened to you once, but now I cannot listen to you anymore.
FOR AVVA SERAPION
1. Once avva Serapion came, passing through a village, and he said to her: did you prepare the bed? She said: yes, avvo! The old man ended: wait for me tonight, for I will come to you, and I will spend this night close to you. And she, answering, said: fine, avvo! And she prepared herself, and she set the bed, and she waited for the old man with those of need. And after evening came, the old man came to her, not bringing anything, and entering into the cell, he said to her: did you prepare the bed? She said: yes, avvo. Closing the door he said to her: wait a bit, for we have the codex, until I will do it! And the old man started the service. And starting with the Psalms, at every psalm he was doing the prayer, praying to God for her that she repents and gets saved. So God listened to him, and the woman was staying trembling, and praying next to othe old man. And as the old man ened the whole Psalms, she fell to the ground. And the old man, starting the Apostle, read a lot from it. And so, he fulfilled the service. So, humbling herself, and understanidng that he came to her not for the sin, but to save her soul, she fell in front of him, saying: have mercy, avvo, and guide me, where can I please God. Then the old man guided her to a nuns’ monastery, and he gave her to the abbess, saying: take this sister, and do not put a yoke or a commandment on her, as to the other sisters, but whatever she wishes, give it to her, and as she wishes, give it to her to behave! And after she did a few days, she said: I am a sinner and I want to eat at every second day. And after a few days she said: I have many sins, and I want to eat at every forth day. After another few days she prayed to the abbess saying: because I have upset God with my transgressions, please, put me in a cell, and cover it up, and through a hole give me a little bit of bread and hand work. And the abbess did so to her. So she was liked by God in the other time of her life.
2. A brother asked avva Serapion, saying: tell me some word! The old man said to him: what can I tell you? That you took what belongs to the widows and to the poor ones, and you put them in this window? For I have seen it full of books.
3. Avva Serapion said that as the emperor’s soldiers cannot (+), staying in front of him, to look to right or to left, just as well man, if he stays in front of God, and pays attention in front of Him with fear in every hour, nothing of the enemy can terrify him.
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(+) In others, do not dare.
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4. A brother came to avva Serapion, and the old man prompted him to do prayer, according to the custom. And he, calling himself sinner and unworthy of the monk’s way, did not give in. He even wanted to wash his feet. And saying these words, he did not suffer it. And he made him taste. The old man also started eating, and was advising him saying: son, if you want to benefit, bear in your cell, and pay attention to yourself, and to your work of hands! For it does not bring you so much benefit to come outside, but to stay inside. And him, upon hearing, got embitter and changed face, so that nothing could be kept secret from the old man. So, avva Serapion said to him: until now you were saying that you are a sinner, and you were shaming yourself, that you are not worthy to live. And because I have mentioned you with love, so much you became wild. So, if you want to be humble, learn to suffer bravely the things that are brought over you by others, and do not keep with yourself empty words. Upon hearing these, the brother made did a prostration to the old man. And having much benefited, he went away.
FOR ANOTHER SERAPION. FROM PALLADIE
1. There was an Egyptian man, namely Serapion, with the nickname Sidonie, because he never wore another coat, except for a sindon, meaning a coat that it is called like this. This one, having proven himself perfect to all the good deed, he overcame almost all with the poverty. Because of this, he could not even quite himself in the cell, in order to not pull out with his mind, or to have anything of himself; but, walking, and getting the daily food from the ones who happened, he was so spending his life, not having anything, except the sindon which he was wearing. This one, through a known hermit, sold himself in a citadel, to a clown who was Helenic, for twenty gold coins, which he also taking them from the hermit, was keeping them with himself. So, he was serving the clown, his wife and to the house, with great endeavor and ability, eating only bread and water, not stoping his mind and many times his mouth from the reading of the holy Scriptures. So, spending with them a long time, and when it was time taking to them about Cristianity, he first humbled the clown, then the woman, then his whole house. And as they got baptized, they got away from playing at the club. After they came to the life which is pleasing to God, they were very pious towards the man. And they were saying to him: come, brother, let us free you, for you have freed us from ugly slavery! Then he said to them: because my God has worked, and you together have worked, and your soul has been saved through me, from now I will uncover the secret to you. I, being a free hermit, of Egyptian origin, having mercy for you who live in much error, I have sold myself to you, so that you, freeing yourselves from great sins, to be saved. So, as God has done what I have desired, I will go, so that I also help to others. Saying that, he gave them the gold. And they did not want to take it. And they were urging him to give the gold to the poor, saying: it was made front payment of our salvation. And he said to them: you give it, for it is yours. For I do not give to the poor money which belong to others. And them, taking the gold, were asking him to stay with them, assuring him that they will have him like a parent from now on, and owner of their soul. And after they have asked him much, and could not convince him, they were asking him that at least he visit them every year. So, saying good day to them, the blessed one went from there to Lacedemonia, and finding out that one of the leaders of the citadel that he is a Manihean in faith, together with his whole house, and in the others he is an improved and pious man, he again sold himself to this one in another way. And for two years, distancing him and his whole house from the heresy, brought them to church. Then, leaving these ones too, was going around the world, doing good to the people, as much as he could.
FOR AVVA SERIN
1. It was said about avva Serin that he was working a lot, and he was always eating two pieces of dried bread. And as avva Iosif, his companion, (for he also was a great ascetic) came to him, he said to him: in the cell I guard my deed, but if I come out, I go with the brothers. Avva Serin told him: this is not a great good deed when you guard your ordinance in your cell, but more so when you come out of your cell.
2. Avva Serin said: I did my time, reaping, mowing, knitting, and in spite of all these, was it not for God’s hand to fill me, I could not have filled myself.
FOR AVVA SPIRIDON
1. It was said about avva Spiridon that he had some much godliness had this shepherd that he proved worthy to become shepherd of men. For this one accepted as responsibility the bishoptry of one Ciprus’ citadels, namely Trimitunda. Because of his great unproudliness, close to the bishopry, he was also grazing the sheep. And in the middle of the night, the thieves were trying stealthy to steal sheep at the sheepfold, but God, Who guards the shepherd and the sheet, was guarding them. So, the thieves, being held by unseen power, they were bound next to the sheepfold. When the morning poured over, the shepherd came to the sheep, and after he found them with their hands bound back, he knew what was done, and praying to God, he unbound the thieves. After he advised them a lot, and thaught, to force themselves better to live from right hardship, and not from wickedness, giving them a ram, he released them, and joking he said: so that you do not show yourselves that your stood awake for nothing.
2. It was also said that he had a virgin daughter, pious like her father, namely Irina. To this one, an aquintance put as pledge a much worthy jewel. And she, for the better preservation, hid it in the ground. And after a littl, she went from life. So, the one who put the pledge came and, not finding the virgin, he took her father, avva Spiridon, sometimes pulling him and other times praying him. But, as the old man was sad for the loss of the one who has put the jewel, coming to his daughter’s tomb, was praying to God that ahead of time to show him the promissed resurection. And, truly he did not mistake in hope, for the virgin showed herself alive to her father and marking the place where the jewel was hidden, she went, passing away. And taking the jewel, the old man gave it to the one to whom it belonged.
FOR AVVA SAIO
1. It was said about avva Saio and about avva Mue, that they have dwelled one with the other. And avva Saio had a lot of obedience but he was very harsh. The old man was saying to him, tempting him: go and steal! And he was going and was stealing from the brothers, for obedience, and thanking God for everything. And the old man was taking the things, and was giving them stealthy. Once, as they were traveling, he go weak, and avva left him broken. And coming, said to the brothers: go and bring Saio, for he is laying broken! And going, they brought him.
FOR MOTHER SARA
1. It was told about Mother Sara that she beared for thirteen years, being harshly fought by the demon of fornication, and she never prayed that the war be removed from her, but even stronger she was saying: God, give me strenght!
2. Once, the same demon of fornication flooded over her, putting in her mind the vanities of the world. And she, weakening of the fear of God and of the ascetic deeds, went up one day into her cell, to pray. And the demon of fornication showed himself with body, and said to her: you overcame me, Saro! And she said: I did not overcome you, but my Lord, Christ!
3. It was said about her that she lived above the river, living for sixty years, and she did not lean to see it.
4. Another time two great ascetics came to her, from the sides of Pilusiu. And when they were going, they were saying among them: let us humble this old woman! And they said to her: be mindful so that mind does not raise itself and to say, there, the ascetics come to me whom I am woman. Mother Sara said to them: truly, I am a woman in nature, but not in mind.
5. Mother Sara said: if I will pray to God so that all men to have news towards me, I will find myself asking for forgiveness at each one’s door; but rather I will pray that my heart be clean with all.
6. She also said: I put my foot on the ladder to get up, and I put death in front of my eyes before getting up on the ladder.
7. She said again: it is good also for men to show mercy; for although it is for the men’s pleasure, it also comes towards God’s pleasure.
8. Some of the ones from the Skete once came to Mother Sara, and she put in front of them a tray with fruits. Them, leaving the good ones, were eating the rotten ones. And she said to them: truly, you are from the Skete!
9. Mother Sara sent to avva Pafnutie, saying: did you do God’s deed by letting your brother be dishonored? And the old man said: as one who does God’s deed, I have naught to do with anyone.
FOR MOTHER SINGLITICHIA
1. Mother Singlitichia said: to the ones who get close to God, at the beginning it is fight and the much weariness, and afterward untold happiness. For as the ones who want to raise a fire, first they fumigate themselves, and they shed tears, and thus they prove the thing that they are looking for. For it was said: our God is a consuming fire (+). So we also have to do with us: to raise the fire with tears and with weariness.
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(+) Jews. XII, 29.
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2. She also said: it is necessary that we, who have chosen this order, to keep the perfect cleanliness. For it also seems at the laymen that the they live in cleanliness, but together with it is also the uncleaness, because with all the other senses they sin: for they see without godliness, and laugh without ordinance.
3. She also said: just as the venom of the poisonous beasts is sent away by the sharpest medicines, in the same way the tainted thought is sent away by prayer with fasting.
4. She also said: do not be deceived by the rejoicing of the rich laymen, as if they would have something useful for the vain sweetness. They honor the craft of making food, and you, with the fasting, through the bad ones, overcome the filling of those ones’ foods. For it is said: when the soul is in rejoicing, it makes mockery of the honey comb (+). Do not imbue yourself with bread, and you will not desire wine.
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(+) Proverbs 27, 7.
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5. The blessed Singlitichia was asked if the complete poverty is a good deed. And she said: perfect to the ones who bear it, for the ones who bear this one, true grief have with the body, but rest with the soul. For just as the thick clothes, as they are stepped on and with force are they washed, in the same way the strong soul, through the willed poverty it becomes even stronger.
6. She also said: if you in the communal life, do not change the place, for you will harm youself much. Just as the bird, getting up from the eggs, leaves them cold and they get spoiled, so the monk, or the virgin, is getting poor and dies in the faith, when going from one place to another.
7. She also said: many are the crafts of the devil. Through poverty, did he not move the soul? The richness he brings as deceipt. Through shaming and defamation, did he not manage? Praise and glory he puts ahead. Through health being overcome, he makes the body sick. With caressing not being able to deceive him, through the hardships without will tries to make the cumbling. For by asking some of the too hard sicknesses from God, and through this weakening, he disturbs the love towards God. But the body is broken with terrible colds, and is suffering from unquenced thirst. If you are a sinner and you suffer these, remember also the future travails, and the everlasting place, and the everlasting punishments, and you will not get weak towards the ones from here. Rejoice that God has scolded you. And that praising word you should have on your tongue: by scolding, God scolded me and did not give me to death (+1). You were iron, but through fire you give up the rust. And even if you are righteous, you get sick from the great ones, into the great ones increase. You are gold, but through fire you become more clear. Were you given an angel of the body (+2)? Rejoice and see, like whom did you make yourself? For you showed yourself worthy of Pavel’s side. Through the heating, are you tempted? Through coldness are you punishing yourself? But the Scripture says: we passed through fire and through water and you have brought us out (+3). Did you gain the first one? Also wait for the second one. Working the good deed, shouts the words of the saint who says: poor and with pain I am (+4). Perfect you will make youself through these two griefs. For it says: I have fulfilled myself through grief (+5). With these habits let us enable our souls, so that we see the enemy in front of eyes.
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( +1 ) Psalm. 117, 18, 19.
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( +2 ) Corint, XII, 7.
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( +3 ) Psalm. 78, 33.
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( +4 ) Pild. 27, 7.
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( +5 ) Psalm. IV, 1.
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8. She also said: if the sickness makes us happy, let us not be sad, as if for sickness and the body’s nurture we cannot sing with voice. Alll of these were done by us, for the upsetting of the desires. For the fasting and the sleeping on the floor were comanded to us for caressing. So, if the sickness distroyed these ones, the word is not needed anymore. For this is the great ascetic deed: to bear into sickness and to raise praise of thanks to God.
9. She also said: when you will be fasting, do not cause sickness. For also the ones who are not fasting, they have fallen in the same sicknesses many times. Did you start the good? Do not stop, hindered by the enemy. For he is undermining us with the patience. Even the ones who start traveling by se, first they happen upon a good wind. After they stretch the sails, again they meet a profitable wind. But the ships that were befallen upon, do not empty the ship, but quieting themselves a little bit or even fighing the storm, they also complete the travel on the sea. So with us, if an oposing wind has fallen onto us, instead of the sail, stretching the cross, finish up the travel without fear.
10. She also said: the ones who gather this richness felt through tiredness and danger of the sea, after they have gained them, most of them they desire and the one that are present they do not value for nothing, and to the ones that are not present they stretch themselves. Yet us, having none of the one that we are looking for, we do not want to gain any of them, for the fear of God.
11. She also said: follow up the tax man, so that you are not sentenced like the pharisee. Chose Moses’ gentleness, so that you transform your heart, which is hard, into springs of water.
12. She also said: it is dangerous for the ones who did not go through the working life to teach. For, as someone would have a rotten house, receiving guests, he will harm them through the fall of the house, in the same way these ones, not building themselves beforehand, they will also distroy the ones who will get close to them. Because they have called them to salvation with the words, but with the evilness of the habit they will wrong the ones who have followed them.
13. She also said: it is good that you to do not get anger. Yet, if it happens, let no part of the day towards towards the passion saying: let not the sun go down (+); but you, wait for all you time to set down. Why do you hate the man who upset you? It is not him who wronged you, but the devil. Hate the sickness, but not the one who is sick!
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(+) Efeseni IV 26.
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14. She also said: the more the ascetics progress, the mightier opponent they meet.
15. She also said: the extended asceticism is also from the enemy. For his apprentices do this. So, how will I differentiate the godly and kingsly asceticism from the tyranical and devilish one? It is shown, that it is from the right measure. All your time must be a rule of the fasting. Do not fast four or five days, and in the other to release a lot of foods. For everywhere, the passing of the measure is a maker of destruction. As you are young and healthy, fast; for the times when you will be old will come, with weakness. So, as long as you can, put the food in the cellar, so that when you will not be able anymore, to find out the peace.
16. She also said: when we are in the communal life, let us chose obedience more than the ascetic deeds. For this one teaches the overlooking, while that one teaches the humble thinking.
17. She also said: it must that we direct our soul with the right reckoning; and when we are in the communal life, let us not search for our own (+), nor should we quaff our own judgements, but obey ourselves to the one who is father according to faith.
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( + ) 1. Corint. X, 24.
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18. She also said: it is written, be wise as the snakes and gentle as the doves (+). For to be wise as the snakes, it said, means not to be hidden from us the beginnings and the crafts of the devil. The one alike from the one alike, it is quickly recognized; while the gentleness of the dove shows the cleanliness of the work.
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( + ) Mat. X, 16.
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