A kinswoman of Theodosius the Great, Saint Eupraxia was betrothed at a young age to an eligible young man, the son of a prominent Senator. The young child, however, had no other desire but to consecrate herself to Christ Jesus, trading an earthly bridegroom for a heavenly one. Having set herself to this course, she had her mother take her to a monastery in the Thebaid where, despite warnings about the austerity of their way of life, she could not be persuaded and she was clothed in the monastic veil. She immediately arranged for all her possessions to be given to the poor and zealously launched herself into the ascetic life empowered by devotion to her true spouse and the grace that was poured out on her in return. Thus it was that through fasting, prayer, vigils, and obedience that she overcame a demonic assault of impure thoughts. Seeing that he could not overcome her in that manner, the Devil decided to assault her body. He caused her to fall into a well, but she was carried to safety by invoking the Name of the Lord. He caused her to wound herself in the heel with an axe, but she crushed his head under her foot through remaining always in the presence of the Lord through service to her sisters, even while injured. He caused her to injure her face near her eye, but her vision of the invisible creation remained pure and clear. Finally, she was subjected to calumny by an envious sister, but Saint Eupraxia fell down before her begging for her forgiveness. Later, when the unfortunate nun was cast from the monastery for her lies, the Saint interceded for her to be allowed to return to the sisterhood. The Devil having been utterly defeated by his foe, God granted Saint Eupraxia the power to cast out demons which she did by impassively striking people with the abbess’s staff (even those who were so severely possessed that no one else would approach them).
Category: Forgiveness
Indicates saints for whom forgiveness played a role in their defeat of the demons.
Hypatius, Abbot of the Monastery of the Rufinianes
Escaping his home after a particularly intense beating from his earthly father, Saint Hypatius fled into the arms of his heavenly Father and became a monk. His experience in turning attacks meant for evil into good came became a path to salvation for his monks as the community was continually forced to endure invasions by the Huns and the Goths. Finally turning towards the protection of the Imperial City, he found the Monastery of the Rufinianes in a dilapidated state after being abandoned by its original inhabitants who had returned to Egypt. Moreover, it had become infested by demons who sought to claim for themselves a place that had previously been dedicated to the Lord. Upon his arrival, Saint Hypatius drove away the demons by his prayerful rebuke and settled his monks there. They labored intensely to scratch out a life, but they turned their deprivation into ascesis. Eventually, the Devil saw an opportunity to disrupt the way of life that so scorched him, and he caused a quarrel between the Saint and Timothy, one of his original companions that journeyed with him to Constantinople. In imitation of the Patriarch Abraham in the dispute with his nephew, Lot, Saint Hypatius humbled himself and withdrew to his former monastery. When the elder there became ill, he called the Saint and Timothy to him and exhorted them to be reconciled as the Apostles had done when they quarreled. They exchanged mutual forgiveness, overcoming the Evil One by obedience and love, and Hypatius was elected as abbot of the monastery.