The Commemoration of the Most Glorious Miracle of the Holy Chief

The Sixth Day


of the Month of September

The Commemoration of the Most Glorious Miracle of the


Holy Chief Commander Michael the Archangel,


Which Took Place at Chonae

From The Great Collection of the Lives of the Saints, Volume 1: September,


compiled by St. Demetrius of Rostov

Translated into English and published by Chrysostom Press www.chrysostompress.org

In Colossae of Phrygia, near Hierapolis, there was a
church dedicated to the holy Chief Commander Michael the Archangel.
This church was built over a spring of miracle-working water, and the
infirm who entered it received healing with greater frequency than
those who formerly drank from the pool of Bethesda. An angel went down
to the pool of Bethesda once a year and troubled the water; however, at
this church the grace of the chief of the angelic hosts worked healings
at all times. At the pool of Bethesda, the first person to step into
the pool after the troubling of the water was cured, but at the Church
of Saint Michael, all who drew near with faith, the first and the last
alike, received healing. At Bethesda it was necessary for the infirm to
remain waiting on the porches because of the infrequency with which
healing was granted, so much so that one man who was ill remained at
the pool waiting to be healed for thirty-eight years, yet at this
church’s spring all the ailing were made whole in a single day or at
times even in a single hour.

The following is related concerning the origin of this
spring. When the entire world was benighted by the darkness of godless
polytheism and the people worshipped created things rather than the
Creator, the ungodly pagans in the entire country surrounding
Hierapolis, blinded by demonic deceit, worshipped a great and fearsome
viper. These impious people kept the serpent caged in a temple that had
been erected in its honor and would offer it all manner of sacrifices,
thus feeding this most venomous viper, which did harm to many. However,
the true God, desirpus to enlighten the world with the light of divine
knowledge and to guide the people who had gone astray from the way of
truth, sent His holy disciples and apostles throughout all the earth to
preach the Gospel to every creature. Saint John the Theologian was sent
to Ephesus, and Saint Philip was sent to Hierapolis, where they labored
in the preaching of the Gospel of Christ.

There was at that time a temple in Ephesus dedicated
to the extremely wondrous and beautiful idol of the renowned pagan
goddess Artemis. The divine Theologian engaged in spiritual combat with
her servants and worshippers, smiting them with the sword of the Word
of God and emerging as victor. When the temple collapsed and the idol
was shattered into dust by the power of Christ, the entire city was led
to the holy faith which is in Christ. After destroying the temple of
Artemis, Saint John came to Hierapolis from Ephesus to assist his
fellow-laborer, the holy Apostle Philip. The holy Apostle Bartholomew
was also present there, as was Philip’s sister Mariamne. They began,
together with Saint John, to labor for the salvation of the people.

The saints armed themselves first against the viper,
to which the mindless people offered sacrifices as though it were a
god, and they destroyed it with prayer. They then spoke to the people
of the one true God, Who made heaven and earth. Standing at a place
called Cheretopus, they prophesied that the grace of God would shine
forth there and that the holy Chief Commander Michael, the leader of
the heavenly powers, would visit that place, working miracles there.
This soon came to pass. After Saint Phillip had suffered at the hands
of the impious and Bartholomew and Mariamne had departed to other
lands, a spring of miracle-working water sprang forth in the place
indicated by the holy apostles in their prophecy, even as it is written
in the Scriptures: In the wilderness shall
waters break out and a torrent in a thirsting land, and the parched
ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty land springs of water: in
the habitations where serpents lay shall grow grass with rushes; and
there shall be there a pure way, and it shall be called the way of
holiness. Many began to come to this spring, not only the
faithful but unbelievers as well, and many wonders took place there,
summoning all to it like a trumpet. All who drank from this spring and
washed in it were healed of their infirmities, and having received
healing, they were baptized into the Holy Trinity in great numbers.

There was a certain man from Laodicea who had an only
daughter who was dumb from birth. As a result, her father was
exceedingly grieved and greatly desired that her tongue be loosed. He
suffered all the more because every cure used on the girl failed. One
night, as he slept on his bed, he saw a vision in which an angel of God
stood before him, radiant as the sun. Although as a pagan he was
unworthy of beholding the angel, he was granted this vision in order
that he might come to the knowledge of the truth and bring others to
God as well. He was terrified by the sight of the angel, whom he heard
say to him, "If you desire that your daughter’s tongue be loosed, take
her to my spring at Cheretopus near Hierapolis and give her to drink of
the water that wells up there. You shall then behold the glory of God."

Arising from sleep, the man marvelled at what he had
seen, and believing the words that had been spoken to him, he
immediately took his daughter and went quickly to the wonder-working
water. When he arrived, he found a large crowd of people drinking the
water, bathing in it, and receiving healing of their sicknesses. He
asked them, "Whose name do you call upon as you wash in this water?"

The people replied, "We call upon the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and we ask the aid of the
holy Chief Commander Michael."

The man then lifted up his eyes, raised his hands, and
said, "0 Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, God of the Christians, have
mercy on me! 0 Saint Michael, servant of the Lord, help and heal my
daughter!" Then with faith he drew some water and poured it into his
daughter’s mouth. Immediately her tongue, until then bound by dumbness,
was loosed to the glorification of God, and she exclaimed clearly, "0
God of the Christians, have mercy on me! Saint Michael, help me!"

Those who were present marvelled at the power of God
and glorified the Holy Trinity, magnifying the help given by the holy
Chief Commander Michael. The pagan greatly rejoiced, seeing that his
daughter had been healed, and he did not delay being baptized, together
with his daughter and those of his household who had accompanied him.
The man built a beautiful church over the spring dedicated to the holy
Chief Commander Michael, the leader of the heavenly hosts, embellishing
it with every adornment as an indication of his gratitude. He then
returned to his home after having prayed in the church for a
considerable time.

Ninety years after the erection of the church, a
ten-year old child, who had been born to Christian parents and reared
in piety, came from Hierapolis and took up residence in the Church of
the Holy Chief Commander Michael, fulfilling the duties of precentor.
The manner of life that he established for himself was as follows. From
the time that he began to live in the church and labor for God, he did
not eat the food and drink that the laity are accustomed to eat. He ate
neither bread nor meat nor drank wine, but instead partook only of wild
herbs which he would gather and boil without salt once a week. His
drink was likewise modest in measure. Thus did he mortify his flesh
through abstinence. He led his life virtuously from his youth and lived
in righteousness even to his old age, entirely united with God, living
like a bodiless angel while still in the body. His clothing was of
little value and consisted of but two strips of sackcloth, only one of
which he wore on his body at any time. The other he used to cover his
bed so that the sharp stones strewn on it would not be seen by those
who entered his cell. As a pillow he used a piece of sackcloth filled
with thorns. Such was the bed of this blessed ascetic and such was his
repose! When greatly wearied from labor and compelled by nature to
sleep, he would lay down upon these stones and sharp thorns and endure
a sleep that was more a vigil than rest, more torment than refreshment.
For how could one’s body be refreshed by laying on rough stones? And
what sort of sleep could one’s head enjoy while resting upon sharp
thorns? He changed his clothes once every year, covering his bed with
the sackcloth he had worn on his body and clothing himself with the
sackcloth that was on his bed. He gave no rest to his body day and
night, thereby mortifying it and preserving his soul from the snares of
the enemy. As he travelled along the narrow way of sorrow, he prayed to
God, saying, "Do not allow me, 0 Lord, to rejoice in the vain joys of
the world, neither cause the good things of this world to pass before
mine eyes, nor permit me to be gladdened by anything transitory in this
life. Rather, 0 Lord, fill mine eyes with spiritual tears and humble my
heart. Direct my paths and grant me utterly to mortify myself and to
subjugate my flesh to the spirit. For what profit to me is this flesh,
formed of clay, which now is but will soon cease to exist, which
blossometh like a flower in the morning and withereth in the evening?
Wherefore, grant me, 0 Lord, to strive for that which profiteth the
soul and furthereth eternal salvation."

Thus spoke the blessed Archippus as he conversed with
God. He lived a heavenly life on earth like an angel of God. Taking
care not only for his own salvation but also for that of many others as
well, he converted to Christ numerous unbelievers who then received
Baptism. Moved to envy, the godless Greeks could not bear to see the
most glorious miracles worked by the holy water. They frequently fell
upon Archippus out of hate, tearing out his hair and beard, casting him
to the ground with vituperation, and trampling him underfoot. Having
tormented him in various ways, they then drove him away from the
church. However, the blessed Archippus, whose soul was as unyielding as
adamant, bravely bore all this abuse from the idolaters and did not
abandon the holy church. Instead, he continued to serve God in
righteousness with a guileless heart, laboring over the salvation of
men’s souls.

Once, the impious pagans gathered together and took
counsel, saying, "If we do not cover over that spring with earth and
murder him who is clad in sackcloth, all of our gods shall be
altogether brought low because of the healings which occur there." They
then went together in a great multitude to cover the wonder-working
spring with earth and to slay that innocent man, the blessed Archippus.
When they arrived at the holy place, they divided into two groups. One
group turned toward the church and the spring while the other proceeded
toward the dwelling of the servant of God in order to kill him.
However, the Lord, Who will not permit the rod of sinners to be upon the lot of the righteous, preserved
His servant from those murderers by causing the pagans’ hands to become
lifeless so that they could not raise them against the venerable one. A
strange marvel also occurred by the water of the spring when the
impious ones approached it. A fiery flame came out from the water and
turned upon them, driving them far away. Thus the iniquitous were
dispersed in shame and driven away from the miracle-working spring and
from the venerable Archippus, having accomplished nothing.
Nevertheless, gnashing their teeth all the while, they continued to
boast that they would destroy the spring and the church, along with the
church’s servitor.

There was a river named Chrisos that ran to the left
of the church. The pagans wished to divert the river to the holy place,
hoping that the water from the spring would lose its power to work
miracles if it were mixed with the water from the river. When they
began to translate their evil intention into deed, directing the
river’s course towards the spring in order to submerge it, the river
immediately swerved off in another direction, flowing to the right of
the church by the command of God. Once again, the pagans returned to
their homes utterly shamed.

Likewise, there were two other rivers flowing from the
east, one the Lycocaperus River, and the other, the Kufos. Their
courses came within a third of a mile of the holy place. These rivers
join together, swerve off to the right, and flow into the land of Lycia
after having run alongside a great mountain. The wicked devil placed in
the hearts of those evil men the notion of diverting both these rivers
to the place where the aforementioned wonders occurred in order to
destroy the Church of the Holy Chief Commander Michael, to cover up the
holy spring with water, and to drown the venerable Archippus. The
waters of these rivers could easily be deflected for this purpose
because the church was located in a depression. This being so, the
impious pagans resolved to undertake their evil plan. Coming in crowds
from all the cities of that country, they gathered together in Laodicea
and then went on to the church.

Near the church’s altar was a rock, measureless in
breadth and height, which extended to an endless depth into the ground.
The pagans expended a great deal of energy digging a deep, wide trench
that extended from this rock to the mountain where the rivers unite.
When they had prepared the channel through which the waters were to be
released upon the church, they dammed the rivers so that the waters
would build up. They labored at this project for ten days, although in
vain. Beholding their undertaking, the venerable Archippus fell upon
the floor of the church and prayed to God with tears. Calling as well
upon the aid of the fervent intercessor, the holy Chief Commander
Michael, Archippus begged Saint Michael to preserve the place dedicated
to his name from the flood waters so that the adversaries of the Lord
might not rejoice. Archippus said, "I will not flee from this holy
place, neither will I leave the church; rather, I shall die here if the
Lord allows this place to be flooded!"

When ten days had passed and the waters had risen
exceedingly, the impious pagans dug out the spot through which it was
necessary for the waters to flow in order to enter the passage that had
been prepared. The rivers were then released upon the holy temple of
the angel at the first hour of the night. The course of the waters
descended from high above on the left side, and it appeared that the
holy place would be flooded. The waters roared like thunder, coming
down with great force. The venerable Archippus, who had remained in
church in prayer, cried out fervently to God and to the holy Chief
Commander Michael upon hearing the thundering of the waters. He begged
mercy of God and His archangel, beseeching that the holy place not be
inundated and that the adversaries not have cause for rejoicing. He
entreated God to put the impious to shame, that the name of the Lord be
glorified and that the archangel’s power and intercession be magnified.
Archippus then chanted a psalm of David, saying, The
rivers have lifted up, 0 Lord, the rivers have lifted up their voices.
The rivers will lift up their waves, at the voices of many waters.
Wonderful are the surgings of the sea, wonderful on high is the Lord.
Holiness becometh Thy house, 0 Lord, unto length of days.

When the blessed Archippus had said this, he heard a
voice commanding him to go out of the church. As he went outside, the
saint beheld the guardian of the race of Christians and its fervent
intercessor, the holy Chief Commander Michael, exceedingly glorious and
most radiant, in human form as he had once appeared to the prophet
Daniel. Archippus fell to the ground, unable to gaze upon him. However,
the archangel said to him, "Take courage and do not fear. Arise and
draw close to me, and you will behold the glory of God made manifest in
these waters." The blessed Archippus arose and approached the commander
of the heavenly powers with fear; he stood on Saint Michael’s left side
as he had been commanded and beheld a pillar of fire reaching from
earth to heaven.

When the waters had drawn close, the archangel raised
his right hand and signed them with the Cross, saying, "Halt here!" The
waters immediately turned back in accordance with the words of the
prophet: The waters saw Thee and were afraid. The
waters of the rivers stood in place like a stone and were lifted up on
high like a lofty mountain. The Chief Commander then turned toward the
great rock that was near the altar and struck it with the staff he held
in his hand, inscribing the sign of the Cross on it. Immediately, great
thunder was heard and the earth was shaken; the rock was rent in two,
and a great chasm was formed in the rock. Saint Michael then said, "May
every adverse power be cast out from here! May deliverance from every
ill be granted to all who draw near with faith."

Having said this, Saint Michael commanded the blessed
Archippus to move over to his right side, and then he said to the
waters with a mighty voice, "Enter into this crevice!" The water at
once flowed noisily into the cleft of the rock, and the rivers streamed
along this course into the rock from that day forth. Archippus’
enemies, who stood to the left side, hoping to see the church
inundated, became frozen with terror. Then, the holy Chief Commander
Michael, who had preserved his temple and the venerable Archippus from
harm, ascended into heaven. As for the blessed Archippus, he sent up
thanksgiving to God for this most glorious miracle and magnified the
intercession of his great guardian. All the adversaries were filled
with shame, and there was great rejoicing among the faithful who
flocked to the archangel Michael’s temple and the miraculous spring.
Together with the venerable Archippus, they gave glory to God. It was
decreed at the same time that a feast be celebrated on the day that the
archangel had appeared and worked this glorious wonder. The godly
Archippus continued living at that place, laboring for God even more
fervently for many years and peacefully reposing in the Lord at the age
of seventy. He was buried by the faithful in this same holy place,
which was named Chonae, which means submersion, because of the marvel that took place there, for there the waters flowed down into the rock.

It is fitting that we should celebrate other miracles
performed by the holy Chief Commander Michael on this day as well,
through which he has shown himself to be a benefactor of the Christian
race.

The city of Sipontus lies between the Adriatic Sea and
the mountain named Garganus; it is located twelve thousand paces from
the mountain. Living in this city was a wealthy man whose herds were
tended on the slopes of the mountain. Once, a bull from one of his
herds was lost. After a lengthy search the lord and his servants found
the bull standing before the entrance of a cave on the summit of the
mountain. Enraged by the labor that he had expended in the search, the
rich man took a bow and a poisoned arrow and shot at his bull, hoping
to kill him. However, the arrow suddenly reversed its course and
wounded the shooter. Those who had accompanied him were frightened at
seeing this occurrence and did not dare to approach the cave; rather,
they returned to the city and informed the people of what had happened.

When the Bishop of the city heard the story, he
entreated God to reveal to him the meaning of this mystery. The holy
Chief Commander Michael appeared to the Bishop in a vision, telling the
Bishop that he had chosen that place for himself. He explained that he
guarded it, desired to visit the place frequently, and gave succor to
those who prayerfully resorted there.

The Bishop announced his vision to the people, and
after a three-day fast which had been ordained for all the inhabitants
of the city, he went with his clergy and all the people to the
mountain. Ascending it, they found in some rocks a cave with a narrow
entrance. Not daring to enter, they instead offered up supplication
before the entrance. Since that time the people have frequented that
place, praying to God and the holy Chief Commander Michael.

Once, the unbelieving Neapolitans gathered together
and fell upon the city of Sipontus without warning, hoping to take and
destroy it. They struck great fear into the hearts of the citizens of
Sipontus. The Bishop of the latter city ordered that the people fast
for three days, eating nothing, and that they pray fervently to be
delivered from the foes who were besieging them. Saint Michael appeared
to the Bishop in a vision the day before the enemy planned to assault
the city with all their forces, saying, "Tomorrow morning at the fourth
hour of the day, instruct the citizens of your city to take up arms and
sally against the enemy, and I shall come to your aid."

The Bishop awoke from sleep and revealed his vision to
the people, who rejoiced exceedingly over the promised victory over
their foes and were strengthened by this good hope. When the fourth
hour of the day arrived, they heard great thunder. Lifting up their
eyes, they beheld a great cloud descending upon Mount Garganus. There
fire, smoke, and lightning appeared as once on Sinai. The thunder was
so loud that it caused the entire mountain, which was covered by the
cloud, to shake. The enemy, being extremely frightened at what they
saw, began to flee. The citizens thus perceived that their good
guardian and swift intercessor had come with his heavenly hosts to
their aid, and they opened the city gates and pursued their enemies,
cutting them down like grass. The holy Chief Commander Michael struck
them from above with thunder and lightning as the people put them to
the sword from behind. Six hundred men were killed by thunder and
lightning. Having pursued them all the way to Naples, with the help of
the heavenly powers they utterly defeated their foes, returning in
triumph to their own city. The Neapolitans acknowledged the power of
the mighty hand of the all-powerful God from that time forward and
received the holy faith. As for the citizens of Sipontus, they gathered
together with the Bishop and clergy and went to the mountain upon which
the dread manifestation took place, wishing to render thanksgiving
there to God and to their helper, the Chief Commander Michael, and to
all the heavenly powers. When they had come close to the entrance of
the cave, they found footprints in the marble, seemingly human, and
clearly outlined as though in miry ground. They said to one another,
"Lo, the holy Chief Commander Michael left here an indication of his
visitation, for he was present here himself and delivered us from our
enemies." Bowing down, they kissed those footprints and sang a service
of thanksgiving to God, rejoicing in their guardian and intercessor.
They resolved to erect there a church dedicated to the holy Chief
Commander Michael. However, when they were ready to build the church,
Saint Michael appeared to the Bishop once again and said, "It is not
necessary for you to trouble yourselves with building a church; I will
prepare a temple there for myself without your assistance. Only go
there tomorrow, serve the Holy Liturgy inside, and administer the
divine Mysteries to the people."

After seeing this vision, the Bishop instructed all
the people to prepare themselves to receive the Communion of the Holy
Mysteries, and he went with them, singing a hymn of supplication. When
they arrived at the holy place where the sacred footprints were
outlined in the marble, they found a small church hollowed out of the
rock. It was not made in the usual manner by the hands of men; rather,
it was fashioned in the form of a cave with uneven walls. The height of
the ceiling varied; in one place one’s head might touch the ceiling,
and in another place the ceiling could not be touched with the hand.
Clearly this church was arranged in such a fashion for the instruction
of men, for God desires pure hearts, not elaborate stonework. The holy
table was covered with a scarlet cloth, and on it the Bishop served the
Holy Liturgy, distributing the most pure Mysteries to the people. There
was in the altar on the north side a trickle of pure water that was
sweet, exceeding clear, and miraculous, and those who drank this water
received health. The people also drank of this water after communing of
the Holy Mysteries. Countless miracles were worked in that church, and
every infirmity was healed through the prayers of the holy Chief
Commander Michael. The Bishop erected cells alongside the church,
arranging for the priests, deacons, cantors, and readers to fulfill the
daily order of church services to the glory of God and in honor of the
holy Chief Commander Michael.

We will also mention the following miracle which took
place on Mount Athos. In the days of the pious Bulgarian tsars, there
lived a man named Dochiarus, who was wealthy and glorious and who
served in the Tsar’s palace. It happened that the fear of God came upon
this man, and he wished to become a monk. He went to the Holy Mountain,
taking a great amount of gold with him, in order to visit the
monasteries and to find a place that was suitable to spend his
remaining days. Having made a circuit of the monasteries and having
distributed much alms, he went from the Lavra of the blessed Athanasius
to the seashore facing Salonica and found a very beautiful uninhabited
spot where there was fresh water and an abundance of greenery. He loved
the place and wished to settle and found a monastery there. He hurried
to carry out his plan and soon brought it to pass. He first built a
beautiful church dedicated to the holy hierarch Nicholas and then
surrounded the monastery with stone walls. Having put all things in
order, he was clothed in the monastic habit. However, since he had
expended all his wealth on the construction of the monastery, he lacked
sufficient gold to adorn the church with due splendor. Nevertheless, he
set his hope in God and said, "if God desires to glorify this place, it
is possible for Him to do so, for He knows how to provide for the
adornment of the church. May it be according to His will!"

There is an island that lies opposite the Holy
Mountain called Lemnos, which is a day’s sail away. Shepherds live
there with their flocks, for the place is covered with grass and
provides good pasture for beasts. There was a stone column on this
island that was exceedingly high, standing in a lonely place. On top of
this pillar there stood an idol that bore the inscription, "He who
smites me from above shall find much gold." Many people tried to
discover whether this saying were true and struck the idol on the head,
but they found nothing.

At that time there was a certain youth who pastured
his herd near this column. He was clever and was able to read books.
Having read the words inscribed on the column, he struck the idol on
the head, like the others, hoping to find gold, but he found nothing.
He then considered that perhaps the treasure was hidden in the earth,
and so when the sun was setting, he watched where the shadow of the
pillar fell. He dug into the earth where the shadow of the top of the
idol’s head fell, but again he found nothing. Likewise, when the sun
rose, he again observed where the pillar’s shadow fell and began to dig
in the spot. He heard a sound at the spot as he was digging and
understood that the treasure was located there. He began to dig more
eagerly and found a great millstone that he was unable to displace.
Reaching with his hand through the opening in the stone, he found a
large amount of gold. Being in doubt as to what he should do, he said
to himself, "Should I tell someone that I have found this treasure? I
fear lest I be murdered for the sake of this gold!"

God, Who had heard the prayers of the previously
mentioned elder and had taken thought for the adornment of the church,
put into the mind of the youth the idea of going to one of the
monasteries of the Holy Mountain and telling the abbot of the
treasure-trove. In doing so, he took some of the gold along to confirm
his find. Coming to a village that lay by the sea, the boy hired a man
to convey him to the Holy Mountain.

They landed by God’s providence at the dock of the
previously mentioned monastery that had recently been built, being
named after its founder, Dochiarus. The man who had transported the
youth returned to his village, and the youth entered the monastery.
Upon meeting the abbot, the boy told him in detail everything
concerning the treasure-trove. The abbot, perceiving that this matter
had been revealed to him by God, called three monks into his presence
and told them what the youth had revealed to him. He dispatched them
together with the youth to bring to the monastery the gold which had
been discovered. They departed quickly, taking a ship and sailing to
the island, and they went to the pillar where the treasure was to be
found. They found a kettle full of gold after heaving away the
millstone, and they rejoiced greatly.

But the enemy, who hates good, sowed evil thoughts in
the heart of one of the monks. The monk said to one of the other monks,
"Brother, why should we take the gold that we found to the abbot? God
has sent it to us so that we might establish a dwelling place for
ourselves and erect a monastery."

The other monk asked, "How can we conceal the gold?"

The first monk replied, "We should cast the youth into the sea, for no one will be present to witness the deed."

Having resolved to commit this crime, they told the
third monk of their intention. He, however, possessing the fear of God,
said to them, "No, brothers. Do not dare to do this! Do not drown the
youth together with your own souls for the gold’s sake!"

They did not listen to him; instead, they urged him
insistently to consent to their plan. Finally, they said to him, "If
you will not acquiesce to our intent, we shall slay you together with
the youth."

The brother who did not want to participate in the
murder, seeing that they were unyielding in their evil intention,
feared that he might actually be killed by them. Therefore, he said to
them, "If you have resolved to do this, then do what you will. I shall
swear to you in God’s name that I will speak to no one concerning this
matter; neither will I ask gold of you." Thus, he vowed with an oath to
keep silence.

The monks took into their boat the gold and the stone
which had covered it, and together with the youth they began to sail
toward the monastery. When they were out at sea, they fell upon the
youth and began to fasten the stone to his neck. He understood what
they wished to do to him and begged them with tears and cries not to
slay him. Nevertheless, he did not succeed in dissuading them from
their intention, for those wretched monks, whose hearts were hardened
and whose souls were avaricious, did not fear God. They were not moved
to show mercy when they saw the youth’s tears, neither did they listen
to his fervent pleadings. Instead, they cast him into the sea fastened
to the stone, and he sank immediately into the deep.

It was nighttime when those godless men committed
their evil deed. However, the merciful God, Who looked down on the
bitter cries of the youth from above and beheld how he had been plunged
in his innocence into the abyss, sent the guardian of the human race,
the holy Chief Commander Michael, to deliver the youth who had been
cast into the sea. The archangel brought him to the church of the
monastery alive, and he was found there near the holy table with the
stone still fastened around his neck. When the hour for Matins arrived,
the ecclesiarch entered the church in order to light the candles and to
summon the brethren by ringing the bell to announce the time for the
morning prayers. But he heard a moaning voice coming from the altar and
was greatly frightened. He went and told the abbot what he had heard;
however, the abbot called him fearful and cowardly and sent him back to
the church. When the ecclesiarch returned to the church, he heard the
same voice again. Again he went to the abbot. The abbot then went with
him to the church, and upon hearing the youth’s voice, entered the
altar. There he beheld the youth lying near the holy table with the
stone fastened to his neck and sea water dripping from his clothes. The
abbot recognized the boy and inquired of him, "What has happened to
you, child? How did you arrive here?"

The youth, as though awakening from sleep, said,
"Those wicked monks whom you sent with me to fetch the gold that I
found tied this stone around my neck and cast me into the sea. I was
sinking into the depths of the abyss when I beheld two men, radiant as
the sun, and heard them conversing with one another. The first said to
the second, ’Archangel Michael, take this youth to the monastery which
is called Dochiariou.’ When I heard this, I immediately lost
consciousness, and I do not know how I arrived here."

Hearing what the youth said, the abbot was amazed and
glorified God, Who works great and most glorious marvels. He then said
to the youth, "Remain, child, in this place until morning when this
wickedness shall be made manifest." He departed, locked the church, and
forbade the ecclesiarch to tell anyone about this matter. He ordered
that Matins be sung in the narthex, saying to the ecclesiarch, "If
anyone should ask, ’What is this innovation that we should sing Matins
in the narthex rather than in the church?’ tell him that the abbot
orders that it should be so." Moreover, the abbot ordered the
ecclesiarch to go up into the tower above the gate and to watch for the
approach of those vile murderers.

At dawn the murderers arrived at the monastery;
however, they had hidden the gold in another place. The abbot went out
with the brethren to meet them, and when he saw them, he asked, "Why
did four of you depart yesterday, but only three have returned? Where
is the fourth?"

They pretended to be angry and said, "Father, that
youth deceived both you and us by saying that he had found a treasure.
He showed us nothing, for there is no treasure. Having duped us, he hid
himself. Even though we searched for him, we could not find him and
have returned to you without him."

The abbot said, "May it be according to the will of
God," and they returned to the monastery. The abbot led those murderous
monks into the church where the youth, the water still dripping from
his garment, showed himself to them, and the abbot said, "Who is this?"

They were terrified and stood there as though in a
stupor, unable to say anything in reply for a long time. Finally,
however, they confessed their evil deed, although unwillingly. They
told the abbot where they had hidden the gold that had been found, and
the abbot sent the most trustworthy of the brethren to bring it to the
monastery. This most glorious miracle became known throughout the
entire Holy Mountain, and all the monks from every monastery came to
Dochiariou to see the evidence of this marvel. A feast was ordained,
and the name of the church was changed. It was dedicated to the name of
the holy Chief Commander Michael while another church was erected that
was dedicated to the holy wonder-worker Nicholas. The two wicked
murderers were condemned, their faces branded, and they were expelled
from the monastery. However, the third monk, who did not consent to the
drowning of the youth and shunned that evil undertaking, was found to
be innocent. The youth who had been delivered from the sea was clothed
in the monastic habit and became a great ascetic and an experienced
monk. The abbot was able to complete the church in a magnificent
fashion with the gold which had been found, and erecting a second
narthex from the ground up, he embedded into the wall for all to see
the stone with which the youth had been cast into the sea. When the
abbot reposed, he who had been delivered from the sea was appointed
abbot. Having lived in a manner pleasing to God, the new abbot was in
his turn presented to God, borne in the hands of the holy archangel,
who had once conveyed him from the sea into the church. For all these
things, let us glorify the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and
let us magnify the holy Chief Commander Michael unto the ages. Amen.