A prostitute from Antioch, the ironically named Saint Pansemne (“very chaste”) especially targeted Christians with her charms for 12 years. Hearing of her reputation, Saint Theophanes, who lived nearby in solitude, feigned interest, but surprised her with a marriage proposal that included a large quanitity of gold. His only condition was that she become a Christian. When she learned about the Last Judgment during her catechesis, her conscience was pricked, and she gave herself to the ascetic life, shutting herself up in a cell like that of her husband. Her name ultimately proved prophetic, and, having done all diligence, God granted her petitions of healing and delivering those tormented by demons.
Category: Silence
Indicates saints for whom their defeat of the demons was related to silence.
Hilarion, Abbot of the Monastery of Dalmatus
As a young monk in the Monastery of Dalmatus, Hilarion was giving the obedience of keeping and tilling the garden like our first father, Adam. While working the earth by the sweat of his brow, Saint Hilarion also tended the garden of his soul through holy hesychia. According to his faithfulness, he was given the grace to cast out a demon from a child by his prayer. Thus, his way of life and his boldness before the Lord signaled to all his future as the abbot of the famous monastery.
Hymnography
Passing through the gulf of the passions and escaping dry through the surging billows of the demons, O righteous Father, though didst cast anchor in the haven of dispassion.
(Ode One, Third Troparion; Orthros Canon)
Armed with abstinence as weapon and prayer as breastplate, thou didst put to flight the ranks of invisible enemies.
(Ode Three, Second Troparion; Orthros Canon)
Thou didst set the steps of thy heart upon the rock of faith and didst remain unshaken, unafraid of the assaults of the demons.
(Ode Four, Third Troparion; Orthros Canon)
In thy weaponless grappling with the spiritual Goliath, who was lifted up in wickedness, thou didst fell him with faith as with a sling; and wresting from him the weapons of his defeat, thou didst behead him as a boaster.
(Ode Six, First Troparion; Orthros Canon)
With the sweat of asceticism thou didst wholly quench the burning coals of the enemy’s darts; and having kindled the fire of faith, thou burntest up the vaunting of heretical belief.
(Ode Six, Third Troparion; Orthros Canon)
Peter of Korisha
Putting aside childish things for the things of God as a young boy, Saint Peter sought to embrace the eremitic life as soon as he was able. Delayed from doing so after the death of his parents by the responsibility of caring for his younger sister, he achieved his aim when she agreed to enter the monastic life as well. Searching for hesychia, he journeyed to a deserted place where he lived in alone in a cave for many years in fasting and prayer. His only companions were the wild animals who dwelt with him as in an outpost of Paradise. While there, he was continuously assailed by demons who sought to sow despair, but the saint confidently drove them off by chanting psalms and hymns. Seeking yet again to wound the heal of man, the Saint was set upon by a snake, but the Holy Archangel Michael appeared and repulsed the snake with his sword. In thankfulness for this protection, Saint Peter increased his ascetic efforts. This resulted in such a deeply Christ-like transformation that he was able to discern the pits the demons continuously dug for him, avoiding them with prayer and humility. He continuously reminded himself that he had been created from the dust of the earth and that he could do nothing without God’s help. The prince of the power of the air, however, would not relent, attacking him with a flock of crows that tried to bend him by pecking out his eyes. This time, the Saint again put him to flight by prayer, specifically the recitation of the Creed. In the end, his victory was proclaimed by the Lord Himself, the uncreated light filling his cave for a number of days. This abundant grace led to his discovery by other monks. He handed down to them his teaching on the ascetic life before falling asleep in peace, having recapitulated the life of mankind in salvation as a co-worker with Christ.
Jeremiah the Anchorite
As soon as he was able Jeremiah devoted himself to the eremitic life, living in silence and solitude in the high deserts of Syria. Like the man who found the pearl of great price, he sold all the pleasures and conveniences of this world, to buy the field in which he found it. In that field he endured all the deprivations of the ascetic life, counting them nothing compared to the treasures he received directly from the Lord’s hand, especially patience and endurance. He mounted up into the heavens using these two virtues as wings, and became a friend of God. Miracles and the power to cast out demons flowed from his continuous nearness to Christ, his only hope and consolation.
Therapontus of the White Lake
A disciple of the great light of Russian monasticism, Saint Sergius of Radonezh, Saint Therapontus set out for the White Lake with his friend, Saint Cyril, after receiving a revelation from the Lord. After arriving they both devoted themselves to the hesychastic life is separate cells. The area was inhospitable, both physically and spiritually, but the Saint was able to tame it on both levels. By his prayers local thieves accepted the Faith, wild animals were made gentle, and the demons were driven out. A community eventually formed around him, but he refused to be made their abbot. Instead, he simply provided them with a consistent example of monastic perfection – exceedingly merciful with the brethren but demanding of himself.
Euphrosynos (Eleazar) of Pskov
An ascetic from childhood, Saint Euphrosynius put away childish things for spiritual reading, especially that of the Holy Scriptures, and frequent attendance at the Divine Services. Fleeing the world, he became a monastic at a monastery near Pskov and shined forth with the evangelic virtues. When this caused his fame to spread, he retreated once again, with the blessing of his Abbot, into holy hesychia living the life of a hermit. There in the wilderness he put the invisible enemy of mankind to flight through intense fasting, vigils, and prayer. As others began to join him in his ascetic efforts, he established a monastery building a church in honor of the Three Holy Hierarchs. At the end of his life, he one again withdrew into seclusion. Sometime after his death, the monastery was renamed in honor of Saint Euphrosynius.
Arsenius the Great
Born of a noble family and renowned for his learning, even after devoting himself to obtaining spiritual knowledge above all, Saint Arsenius found himself at the heart of society as the tutor for Emperor of the East, Theodosius the Great’s, children. Resisting the temptations afforded by such a privileged position, one night Arsenius heard a voice from heaving telling him to flee the company of men in order to be saved. He immediately left for the Egyptian desert where he joined the anchorite community at Scetis and began living in solitude some 30 miles from the church. After begging God for more guidance, he heard yet another voice telling him to flee conversation and remain in silence in order to be saved. From this he understood that, while possible for some, it was not possible for him to live with both God and men and keep his nous focused on the Lord. In his silence and solitude, he was assailed by the demons who incessantly brought to mind thoughts of his past life. The holy hermit, however, thwarted their attacks by always asking God for the grace to begin anew and by prolonged perseverance in the life to which God had called him.
Hymnography
O Righteous Father Arsenius, into all the earth hath the sound of thine achievements gone forth; wherefore thou hast found in the Heavens the reward of thy labors. Thou didst destroy the ranks of demons; thou didst attain to the orders of the Angels, whose life thou didst emulate without blame. Since thou hast boldness with Christ God, pray that peace be granted unto our souls.
(First Troparion of Saint Arsenius; The Entreaty at Great Vespers)
Receiving succor from God because of thy contrite heart, O Father Arsenius, thou didst dash down the attacks of hostile and unclean spirits and didst bear away the trophy through thy humility.
(Ode Three, Second Troparion of the Righteous One; Orthros Canon)
Knowing well the enemy’s cunning, O Father, in thy godliness thou didst reject him that mediated the first transgression of first-formed Adam. Therefore, while dancing for joy in the immaculate meadow of delight, make entreaty unto Christ the Master.
(Ode Five, First Troparion of the Righteous One; Orthros Canon)
Theodosius, Abbot of the Lavra of the Kiev Caves
The founder of the coenobitic life in Russia, each Great Lent Saint Theodosius withdrew to the cave in which he began the ascetic life at the feet of Saint Antony (July 10th). There he prepared for the Feast of Feasts through fasting and prayer, by which he also overcame the repeated assaults of the demons. The holy abbot primarily taught the Faith through prayer, placing a special emphasis on caring for the poor. For his perseverance in prayer and charity, the Lord granted him the ability to cast out unclean spirits, heal the sick, and to know the hearts of those who came to him for help.
Peter the Wonderworker, Bishop of Argos
From a pious family zealous for the Faith, Saint Peter was brought up in the monastic life by his brother, Paul, who instilled in him a love for hesychia. Abandoning himself completely to the ascetic life, he quickly surpassed his brother and was eventually granted the grace of working miracles. Although he tried to avoid it out of humility, he was eventually made Bishop of Argos after the people of city prevailed upon him with tears. The holy bishop immediately became a source of consolation, and no one who came to him left without receiving his help — both physically and spiritually. His charity was so immense before the God, that, by his prayers, the Lord delivered from bondage those who had been possessed by demons. Saint Peter remains the patron and protector of the city of Argos to this day.
Joannicius of Devich
A lover of prayer and solitude, Saint Joannicius led the ascetic life in a cave on the Ibar River in eastern Serbia. Later, having established a monastery for the faithful who had gathered around him, he fled deeper into the wilderness of Devich in Kosovo where he lived in complete solitude for many years. There he held off the assaults of the demons who tried in vain to interrupt his ceaseless prayer of the heart. Word eventually came to the Despot of Serbia, George Brankovich (Saint Maksim), who brought his daughter who was mentally ill and possessed by a demon to the hermit, seeking his aide. Saint Joannicius delivered her by his prayer, and her grateful father had a church and monastery built there to thank God for his benefactions through his servant. After his death, the saint’s relics continued to work healings, especially for those tormented by the demons and mental illness.