Saint Athanasius renounced the world for the life of a wandering monk. Like the bee of Saint Basil the Great, the saint went from place to place collecting the honey of God-pleasing teachings and virtues of holy men who he then began to imitate. Eventually, he settled in a monastery in Bithynia revitalizing the communal life and discipline by his faithful example as a common monk. He showed perfect obedience to his abbot to whom he revealed all the inner workings of his heart and mind so that he was not carried away by any stray thought. Thus, he was able to resist all the assaults and temptations of the demons.
Category: Temptation
Indicates saints who were attacked by the demons in the form of demonic temptation.
Martyr Constantine, the Muslim Convert
Born of Muslim parents, Saint Constantine was blinded as a youth by a malicious magician who, prompted by a demon, gave him a poison potion to drink. Bedridden for three years as a result, his desperate mother heeded the suggestion of a Christian woman to have him submerged in a miraculous pool. Like a foreshadowing of his eventual baptism, the holy Martyr was healed and a seed of salvation was planted in his heart which was watered each time he heard someone teaching about the Christian Faith. This eventually led him to the Holy Mountain he converted and began to responsibly cultivate a desire to give his life as a thank offering to Christ in imitation of the holy martyrs. Put off from this purpose for a time by his spiritual father, Saint Constantine traveled to Magnesia to affect the conversion of his sister. During this trip he was recognized by a Turk and was arrested as an apostate from Islam. This circumstance fanned the flame of his desire which had been as a smoldering coal, and the holy Martyr was given the courage to endure. Again at the prompting of a demon, his torturer devised a metal helmet meant to both retain heat and place a crushing pressure on the sides of his head. This helmet was heated in the fire and placed on Saint Constantine’s head. Meant for evil, the device became for him the helmet of salvation in the armor of God. When they began to cut and beat him, a golden cross appeared on his chest which became impervious to their assaults. Seeing they could do nothing else to the Martyr, he was bung upside down for the night where he suffered demonic attacks in the form of various temptations and apparitions. Saint Constantine, however, had been purified by the refiners fire, and easily repulsed the assault on his soul. He was further strengthened by a vision of the Mother of God who told him that he would survive to bear witness of her Son in Constantinople, but would eventually carry off the martyr’s crown . There a kindly priest offered to have him released, but the Saint declined. Appearing before the judge, he suggested that the judge be converted. The enraged man instead ordered that he be beaten and hung. Thus, the prophecy of the Theotokos came to pass, and Saint Constantine proved himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord to the end.
Nicephorus, Bishop of Milet
A member of the imperial staff and, later, of the clergy, Saint Nicephorus distinguished himself by his endless capacity for almsgiving. Through his practice of that spiritual discipline, he was able to quench the fire of the aggressive power of the soul (thymos) turning it to the dewy breeze of dispassion. Adding to that prayer, fasting, and meditation on Holy Scripture, he further conquered the desiring power of the soul, eliminating distraction and providing him clear vision of the visible and invisible creation. Initially, he faithfully put his right-ordered soul in the service of the Church as the Bishop of Milet, but he eventually resigned his position for the life of a simple hermit monk. In his retreat, he continued increasing his almsgiving in secret, thus rendering himself impenetrable to demonic temptation.
Martyr Maura
After her husband had been put to the torture and imprisoned by Diocletian’s Prefect of Thebes, Arian, the tyrant hoped that he could get Saint Maura to convince her husband to renounce the faith order to save his life. Much to the contrary, after speaking with her husband, she too boldly confessed Christ and proclaimed that she was ready to die for Christ. After being subjected to multiple tortures to which she responded with disdain and ridicule at their impotence, Maura and her husband, Timothy, were crucified side-by-side having been tied to their crosses. Her patient and uncomplaining endurance proved to be a scourge to the demons, and, in order to end his humiliation, the Devil appeared to her as a man offering the saint milk and honey to pull down her vision from the creator to the created as he did with our first Mother. Maura, however, easily defeated this temptation through prayer. The Devil then redoubled his efforts at temptation by transporting her to an illusory land flowing with milk and honey. Filled with righteous anger at this further deception, the holy martyr rebuked the enemy of mankind saying the she preferred rather the draught of eternal life. Having been routed, the demon fled from the saint and, like when Christ was tempted in the wilderness, and angel came to minister to her. The next day, the 10th day of their crucifixion, Saints Maura and Timothy both carried off the martyrs crown.
Hymnography
August Martyr Maura blest of God, with thy brightly flashing visage and the light of thy grace, thou didst benight and dim the eyes of the evil tyrant; when thy foes tore out thy hair, though didst openly speak unto God; and with the water heated up in the seething cauldron, thou didst burn the unjust head of deceitful Belial.
(Second Troparion of the Saints, Lord, I have cried)
Clad with the breastplate of the Divine Spirit, O venerable Maura, thou joyfully wentest forth to wrestle with the adversary, and didst defeat him and didst receive the crowns of victory, O Martyr.
(Ode Five, Second Troparion, Orthros Canon)
In keeping the law of the Ruler of all, ye did not bow down to the rule of the transgressors; ye did not offer worship to the wicked demons, O noble Martyrs, heirs of the Lord.
(Ode Eight, First Troparion, Orthros Canon)