Inspired by the holy reputation of Saint Athanius Bishop of Tarsus, Saint Anthusa desired to learn the Christian Faith from him. Saint Basil having appeared to her in a dream while still living, the girl recognized him while on a journey to Cilicia. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, she immediately requested baptism at which point a miraculous spring burst forth from dry land, and it was in these waters that the Holy Bishop baptized Saint Anthusa. Upon coming out of the font-not-made-with-hands, two angels appeared and clothed her with the white robe of the neophyte. After explaining to her mother that she had become a Christian, she was confirmed in her virginity by Saint Athanasius, and blessed to flee to the desert where she spent twenty years in extreme asceticism amongst the wild beasts who gamboled at her pure feet. While Saint Athansisus was put to death during Valerian’s persecution, Saint Anthusa put to death her passions in constant striving against the flesh and the Devil. The Evil One often appeared to her in the guise of a hermit monk asking her to come and pray with Him. But the purity of her nous was such that she could see through his schemes, and she routinely put him to flight with the Name above all Names. As a reward for her contest and her voluntary martyrdom in the desert, an angel appeared to her one day at prayer explaining that she was to receive the martyr’s crown. With that assurance, the athlete of Christ laid down in peace and gave her soul into God’s hands. Her incorrupt body was found in her cave four years later by Christians who were astonished to see that her flesh was still warm as if she were just asleep.
Category: Solitude
Indicates saints for whom their defeat of the demons was related to solitude.
Theodora of Sihla
Married but unable to bear children, Saint Theodora and her husband entered a monastery in Moldavia. Not long after, however, the Turks invaded and she fled into the mountains with her Spiritual Mother. Dwelling in the wilderness, they showed manly courage battling both the conditions and the demons which never ceased to assault them. Emerging victorious over the passions and the adversary, she lived life as a new Mary of Egypt, dedicated to the Jesus Prayer. She spent her nights in prayer and her days in fasting, drinking only rainwater that gathered in the cleft of a rock that miraculously flowed like a spring. The Turkish scourge continued to ravage the region, and she gave up her cell to other nuns that had been driven from their monastery as well. Seeing this as a chance to regain some ground, the demons renewed their attacks, but they proved as powerless as before, unable to even get the attention of the athlete of Christ who treated them with utter disdain. Similar to her Egyptian predecessor, she was discovered by two monks that had been guided to her retreat by a pillar of light. Asking for a cloak to cover her nakedness, she greeted the men and begged for them to send a priest to her with the Holy Gifts. After receiving the Body and Blood of Christ, she departed this life in peace, her body giving off the fragrance of paradise.
Nicanor the Wonderworker of Mount Callistratus
Born to childless parents after a vision of the Great Martyr Means, Saint Nicanor was raised in piety and in the love of Holy Scriptures. His ged parents having departed this life, the Saint quickly gave all of his possessions to the poor and became a monastic. After being made a Deacon, he heard a voice telling him to retire to Mount Callistratus where he would find hesychia. He found a high and inaccessible cave where he gave himself to unceasing prayer and extreme fasting. Hoping to impede his progress, the Devil assailed the Holy Ascetic with endless trials, but he overcame through the Name of Christ and the sign of Cross. The light of Christ shining through him was so bright that it could not be hidden, and he was soon surrounded by disciples who helped him to build a monastery and several dependencies that were renowned for their careful attention to the Typikon of Mar Sabas.
John of Chozeba
A Romanian orphan, Saint John became a monastic at the prompting of the Lord Himself who promised to be with the young boy as he wept at the grave of the grandmother who raised him. The grace of God enlightened his intelligence and he served the Church by translating spiritual books from Greek into his native language for the benefit of his countrymen. After serving as abbot of the Romanian monastery in the Jordan Valley during the Second World War, the Saint was finally allowed to seek hesychia in a cave where Saint Anna, the mother of the Theotokos had prayed. For seven years he devoted himself to ceaseless prayer, the composition of hymns, and spiritual reading. His way of life being a threat to the demons, they attacked him mercilessly with the hope of driving him from his cave, but he easily repulsed them by quoting the services of the Church. Being made aware of the date of his departure in a vision, Saint John peacefully gave his soul into God’s hands in his cave. During his funeral, his body was adorned by a flock of wild birds who lamented his passing with their song. 20 years later, his body was found to be incorrupt. His relics were translated to the Monastery of Chozeba where they are venerated to this day.
Stephen of Mar Sabas
Orphaned at a young age and raised by his uncle who was a monastic, St. Stephen began living the ascetic life near the Monastery of St. Sabas even before he took the veil. As such, when he did become a monk the brethren were so impressed by his obedience and renunciation that they began to treat him with a reverence that threatened his peace. In an attempt to preserve it, he asked to live as a hermit till the celebration of Pascha that year. Receiving a blessing, he withdrew into the wilderness where he engaged in continuous battle through prayer with the demons and his passions until Great and Holy Thursday when he returned to the monastery. Having returned, the monks treated him with an even greater awe, regarding his as an angel sent to them by God. At the same time, the demons suggested that, having advanced so far beyond his fellows, he ought to lessen his ascetic efforts. When he resisted, they attempted to crush him bodily under a large boulder. Hoping to avoid the shifting sands of prelest, he fled back to his hermitage where lived in solitude for 15 years. He continued the battle by standing in prayer for long hours, then making countless prostrations all built on the spiritual foundation of perpetually increasing fasting. By such labors he was given the grace to withstand that fierce assaults of the demons. He would never let himself be idle, always busying himself with the labor necessary for his survival. Eventually, he was discovered by a small group of men whom he allowed to become his disciples. Having been ordained a priest, he was regularly filled and surrounded by the uncreated light as he served. It radiated outwards from him, burning up the demons in the area. Having become a precious vessel of the Holy Spirit purged from all passions, he was given the gift of true prophecy and clear sight which he used to recognize and drive off a demon that had a possessed a young woman. Yet, for all of this, it was his humility and love for his disciples that shown through. When one of them came to confess that he was harboring blasphemous thoughts suggested by a demon, the Saint simply caused the man to place his hand on the back of his next as the High Priest did with the goat for Azazel on the Day of Atonement, and announced that he would answer for that sin on the Day of Judgment. After that, and by Saint Stephen’s prayer, the disciple was completely freed from all such temptation.
Michael Maleinus
A scion of a noble house related to the imperial family, Saint Michael was born after his parents received a vision of the Theotokos. Though he could have had a prosperous life at Court, he chose the monastic life instead. Quenching his parents’ anger with humility and hardening the softness of his heretofore privileged life through obedience, the Saint quickly became admired by his brethren for his zeal for the Faith and love of Christ. Eventually, he received a blessing to live as a hermit during the week and to return on the weekend to celebrate the resurrection with the community. In this way he advanced in the ascetic through prayer, fasting, and manual labor for his bread. After some years, he retired even further into the wilderness on two separate occasions until he found the solitude he desired to do unceasing battle against both the passions and the demons. Unable to hide his light that the Lord had set on a hill, a community gathered around until it became such that the locations was no longer suitable. He, therefore, led the new brotherhood back to place where he first started and laid the foundations of a new lavra dedicated to the Mother of God. As a Spiritual father, he constantly consoled those who came to him for aid, giving all that he owned in alms, but finding that, like the manna in the desert, his stores never ran out. His prayers were like a torrent of fire that burned the demons. Unable to bear this, they instigated an unstable monk to murder him. As he approached Saint Michael’s cell to carry out the deed, the Saint called out to him that he ought to come in and lay down his heavy and secret burden. When the monk entered he saw the engulfed in the flames of the uncreated light. The tormenting demons left him, and he immediately fell down to the ground confessing his sins. He counseled the monk to be watchful as he had been for the 50 years of his monastic life, never relaxing his rule of prayer.
Antony the God-Bearer, Founder of the Lavra of the Kiev Caves and the Father of Russian Monasticism
This first bright light of Russian Monasticism, Saint Antony received his formation at the Athonite Monastery of Esphigmenou, Sent back to his homeland by his Spiritual Father who had received a Divine Revelation about his future, the Saint founded a community around a cave in Kiev that reminded him of the Holy Mountain. The God-Bearer prayed that the blessing of Mount Athos would be given to the location and that it’s spirit would imbue their way of life. As the fame of the brotherhood spread, it wasn’t too long before the cave had to be expanded with additional cells, and a large wooden Church with a monastery be built to house the increasing number of monks. Ever desirous of the life of hesychia that had been delivered to him on Athos, Saint Antony appointed an abbot and withdrew to another nearby cave though he continued to act as their Spiritual Father. Ascending the heights of asceticism in his silence and solitude, God granted him the gifts of clear sight and healing. Poisonous plants were cleansed at his blessing and then used as tinctures that would cure people of their various diseases. He also ministered to spiritual ills, patiently nursing Saint Isaac the Recluse of the Kiev Caves back to health through the medicine of an ordered and obedient communal life after he had been tricked by the demons. Defeated by the faithful and steady hand of Saint Antony, the devil incited the Prince Iziaslav to drive him from his principality in hopes of reclaiming the monk. This plan, however, came to nothing as the Prince recovered his witts and re-called the Saint. That said, Saint Antony did use it as an occasion to redouble his ascetic efforts, his days and nights becoming a continuous struggle against the demons. His decisive victory made firm the foundation of the Lavra of the Kiev Caves he had founded as well as all of Russian Monasticism.
Athanasius the Athonite
The great builder of the Holy Mountain, Saint Athanasius began his life trying to hide himself away for the sake of hesychia. As a child he did not care to join in the rambunctious games of others his age, instead retiring into the forest where he played as abbot. When admiration for his stately and sober bearing led him into the service of an imperial general, he shunned all of the rich trappings of his office instead living like apart like a hermit in a city. Eventually, the holy man entered the monastic life, where he achieved his goal of retreat from the world on Mt. Athos which was at the time populated only by hermits. The devil, seeing in the young monk a future adversary he would not be able to overcome, assaulted him with all of his strength, particularly through the temptation of acedia (idleness, sloth, restlessness, loss of interest in spiritual things, feeling vaguely unwell). His heart as dry as a desert, he thought about leaving, but committed to staying where God had placed for at least a year. On the last day, having experienced no relief and making preparations to return to the world, Saint Athanasius was filled with the uncreated light which departed to him the gifts of joy and tears. Having overcome his trial by the grace of God, the Saint became a scourge of the enemy. By his prayers, he drove away a demon that had physically paralyzed some workmen who were building him a permanent structure on the place where he had received the gift of light. Building works began radiating out from there like the rays of the sun, with the saint overseeing the work and securing financial support for the projects from imperial benefactors, including the Emperor himself. The demons responded to the assault by stirring up dissension among the growing communities, and Saint Athanasius left Athos for a time. Called to Constantinople by the the Emperor John Tzimiskis who had assassinated Nicephoros Phocas (Athanasius’s spiritual child), the Saint so impressed the man that he doubled the support the monasteries on the Holy Mountain received from the crown, and sent a wise monk from the Stoudion Monastery back to Athos with the Saint to quell the unrest. This was accomplished through an imperial edict, the Tragos, which gave the communities there an official organization; it is preserved to this day in Karyes. Thus, the devil was overcome in both the personal life of the Saint and in the community that he helped to build – both literally and spiritually. The rest of his life was attended by countless other miracles, especially among the many lepers who came to him for aid. He lovingly referred to them as the greatest treasure of the Great Lavra.
Hymnography
As we the choirs of the fathers come together, let us acclaim the lover of Christ, the namesake of immortality, the true initiate of the Savior, and the boast and pride and guide of all solitaries, who was sanctified unto the Lord from infancy; for having conceived divine love in himself, he abandoned the delusion of the world, and took Christ’s yoke upon his shoulders. He manfully put to flight the hordes of demons, showing us in his deeds that more excellent way of divine love; for walking therein, he speedily reached the true light of the Trinity, Who is able to do all things. O amazing wonder, and work of divine magnificence! For he, being earthly in nature, became equal to the angelic essences, receiving infinite glory and honor from God; and he is become an intercessor for us, that we may attain to the eternal good things in the day of judgment.
(For the Entreaty, Second Troparion; Vespers)
The all-wondrous achievements of thy life in asceticism amazed the noetic powers and astonished mortals; for in this earthly body, thou didst wrestle with invisible enemies almost as though thou hadst been without flesh. Therefore, all the generations of the pious, and above all, thy venerable flock, the shining monument to thy labors, sing of thee. It is this flock which thou didst show to be a delightful city in the wilderness, which though didst establish as the beautiful dwelling of an army of monks, which is bedecked with thy wonders and thy noble contests as with costly vesture. Through thy prayers and intercessions, O Athanasius, it asketh that it be protected by Christ, Who hath great mercy.
(For the Entreaty, Third Troparion; Vespers)
Let us sound a trumpet of song; for the grace of the Spirit, resounding more clearly than any trumpet, calleth all together to the praise of our God-bearing Father. Ye kings and princes, marvel at the true servant of the King of all, who with the whole armor of the Divine Spirit put to flight the principalities and powers of the ruler of this world. Ye shepherds and teachers, let us acclaim him who is pure in doctrine, courageous in the Faith, or lofty understanding in divine vision; in works, soaring above the clouds; in doctrine, a torrent of delight; the guide of the erring, the support of the shaken, and most compassionate towards all in infirmity. As we extol this great boast of Athos, let us all say: O Athanasius, pinnacle of the Fathers, stand by thy servants in every hour, O our Father, and by thine entreaties , save thy flock.
(For the Entreaty, Doxastikon; Vespers)
Rejoice, thou who becamest the head of the ascetics, and their unconquered champion; for cutting the roots of the passions and bravely bearing the blows of the demons’ onslaughts, thou didst overcome their utter infirmity and their error, which slayeth souls; and thou didst show forth the great strength of the Savior’s Cross, making manifest that its might is invincible. Girding thyself therewith, thou overcamest all that reject Christ God’s divine and most honored appearance unto us in the flesh. O wise Athanasius, intercede with Him to grant His great mercy to our souls.
(For the Aposticha, Second Troparion; Vespers)
Thou wast a shining pillar of light raised up in virtues and a cloud overshadowing all those on the Mount of Athos, for whom thou wentest before, leading seers of God from earth to Heaven’s heights. By parting the passions’ sea with the rod of the Savior’s Cross and overcoming the invisible Amalek, thou didst find a clear passage leading up Heavenwards; there hast thou gained thine everlasting portion, O blest of God, as with the bodiless Angels, thou now dost stand at the throne of Christ in great joy and gladness. Intercede with Him to grant His great mercy to our souls.
(For the Aposticha, Third Troparion; Vespers)
The Angel’s ranks were awed by thy life in the flesh, how, though corporeal, and clad with earthly clay, thou didst set forth with courage to invisible wars and wrestlings and didst boldly smite the hordes of the demons with mortal wounds. Wherefore, Christ rewarded thee with abundant gifts in return. Entreat Him that our souls fund salvation, O most renowned Father Athanasius.
(Apolytikion)
Making thy mind governor over the passions, and having thy footsteps guided by godly deeds, thou didst walk the good road unto the end, piously warding off the ambushes and treacheries and knaveries of the demons, since thou didst wisely choose the better.
(Ode Four, First Troparion; Orthros Canon)
Having marvelously received thy calling from on high, thou didst inherit immortal life. For though in a body, thou didst lead the life of the bodiless on the earth, becoming invincible to passions. Therefore we extol thee, O Father:
Rejoice, bright glory of monastics; rejoice, shinning pillar of chastity.
Rejoice, far-seen token of courage; rejoice, proof of all-wise prudence.
Rejoice, impartial scales of exact justice; rejoice, thou who madest the fervency of thy deeds conformable to reason.
Rejoice, mind enjoying ineffable intellections; rejoice, thou who didst reverently study all creation.
Rejoice, thou by whom demons have been shamed; rejoice, thou by whom every passion is slain.
Rejoice, haven for those in the tempest of life; rejoice, savior of them that faithfully cry to thee:
Rejoice, O Father Athanasius.
(Ikos; Orthros Canon)
Vigorously thrusting back the principalities and powers of darkness, O Athanasius, thou becamest a mighty teacher and saving guide, laying bare their treacheries and ambushes and guile, and preserving thy flock unharmed from all the demons’ villainy.
(Ode Eight, First Troparion; Orthros Canon)
Truly precious in Thy sight, O Christ, hath been the death of Thy Saint; for behold, even after death, how Thy servant wondrously hath gushed forth from his holy foot a spring of blood, which doth ever drive away all kinds of sickness; and it doth put to flight spirits of wickedness, which this blessed man while yet alive on earth fought against with bold resistance even unto blood.
(For the Praises, First Troparion; Orthros)
Christ the Lord hath shown us mortal men thy relics ven’rable shrine as a fountain of miracles and a river filled with gifts, Athanasius supremely wise. For it hath granted their sight unto the blind and hath purged elephantitis away; it cleanseth leprosy; and those vexed with unclean spirits are set free from the demons’ power and they are made sound and whole.
(For the Praises, Second Troparion; Orthros)
Nicodemus of Lake Kozha
Called to be a monastic by an audible voice at his baptism, Saint Nicodemus held off taking up the veil to be in obedience to his parents who shared a well-intentioned concern for his well being. After their death, he forgot his earlier intention and became blacksmith in Moscow. But when he was delivered from the effects of a pernicious poison by the intercessions of Saint Basil the Fool for Christ, he remembered his calling, sold all his possessions, and became a monk. Always longing for a deeper hesychia, the Saint joined a community in the far north of the country that was overseen by Saint Serapion. After a few years, he received a blessing to become a hermit and settled along the Kozhyug River. There he submerged himself in a life of extreme asceticism, fasting to his absolute limit and standing in prayer for long hours without being aware of the passage of time. He was granted the gift of compunction and the constant stream of tears carved deep furrows in his face. Furious by his display and threatened by the grace that God visited on him as a result, the demons hurled themselves at Nicodemus hoping to intimidate him, cause him to despair, and drive him off. But the Saint treated them with disdain and casually drove them away by his prayer. Utterly defeated, the demons thought they would try to turn this to their advantage, tempting him to pride by withdrawing their attacks for a time. Their hope was that their absence would cause him to glory in his ability to banish them. So, when they thought he least expected it, they threw themselves against him again with all their might, but found the Saint as immoveable as before, grounded as he was in humility and watchfulness. As a result, Saint Nicodemus lived out the rest of his days in peace.
Paisius the Great
The Great Shepherd of the Egyptian desert, went out to Nitria to be with Abba Pambo who received into Holy Monasticism. Seeking to establish his new disciple in humility, the old man instructed him to keep his eyes on the ground never looking anyone in the face. This allowed Saint Paisius to keep his mind directed towards God in all places and circumstances despite outward distractions. After the death of his spiritual father, the Saint retreated further into the desert where he devoted himself to intense feats of asceticism in praise of God. It was not long, however, till other monks began to gather around him to learn his way of life. Abba Paisius preemptively warded off attacks by the Devil by making sure that their material needs were met such that they had just enough to survive. God also granted him the grace of discernment such that once when he was offered a great sum of money, he politely refused seeing that the endurance of poverty through trust in Christ Jesus was a great source of grace and blessing to the monks. He used this same gift to help his monks discern between temptations that originated in their passions and those that were enflamed by demonic suggestion. Seeing the intrigues of the enemy for what they were, he rebuked the devil and forced a confession from him that he and his demons did not assail beginners due to their zeal and the initial protection of divine grace they had been given by God. Rather, they waited till the Lord withdrew somewhat in order to test them, and then they attacked through deception causing negligent monks to fall into their traps with ease. With such foresight, Abba Paisius was able to train his monks into experienced spiritual warriors agains the Evil One and his demons.