The Commemoration of the Venerable Euphrosynus the Cook

The Eleventh Day


of the Month of September

The Commemoration of the


Venerable Euphrosynus the Cook

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

Our holy monastic father Euphrosynus was born of
simple parents although he surpassed even those of noble lineage in
good works. For there are many who are devoid of good works, despite
their noble birth, and so are cast down into Hades while the simple in
their humility are lifted up to paradise by God as was the godly
Euphrosynus. Because of his virtuous life he was translated to
paradise, as we will see, and was shown to be an inhabitant there.

Euphrosynus lived in a monastery where he served the
brethren, laboring in the kitchen and serving them with great humility
and submissiveness as though they were not men but God Himself. He
labored in obedience day and night, but he never left off praying and
fasting. His patience was inexpressible. He bore much abuse and
disparagement and suffered frequent vexations. Scorched by the material
fire of the cookstove, he was warmed by the spiritual fire of the love
of God, and his heart burned with longing for the Lord. While passing
his days preparing food for the brethren, he at the same time prepared
a table for himself in the kingdom of God by his virtuous life, where
he would eat his fill with those of whom it is said, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God. He served the Lord secretly so that he might be rewarded by Him openly, even as it came to pass.

The Lord’s reward to His servant was made manifest in
the following manner. A certain priest who lived in the same monastery
prayed fervently to the Lord that He reveal to him the things which are
prepared for them that love Him. One night he had a vision. It seemed
to him that he was standing in a garden, and as he considered the
unutterable beauty of this garden, he saw Euphrosynus, the monastery’s
cook, walking by. The priest approached him and asked, "Brother
Euphrosynus, what is this place? Can this be paradise?"

"It is paradise, Father," answered Euphrosynus.

Again the priest inquired, "How is that you are here?"

Euphrosynus the cook replied, "This is the dwelling
place of God’s elect, and by God’s great goodness I have made my abode
here as well."

The priest asked, "Do you have authority over all these beautiful things?"

Euphrosynus replied, "As far as I am able, I distribute to others the things you see here."

The priest inquired, "Can you give me some portion of these things?"

"By the grace of my God, take what you desire," Euphrosynus said.

The priest then pointed to some apples and asked for
them. Euphrosynus took three apples, placed them in a kerchief, and
gave them to the priest, saying, "Take what you have requested and
delight therein."

At that moment, the semantron was struck for Matins,
and the priest awoke and came to himself. He thought that he had been
dreaming, but when he stretched out his hand to pick up his
handkerchief, he found in it the three apples that he had received from
Euphrosynus in the vision. They gave off an ineffable fragrance.
Amazed, he arose from his couch, placed the apples on the bed, and went
to church where he found Euphrosynus standing together with the
brethren at the morning service. Approaching Euphrosynus, the priest
implored him to reveal where he had been that night.

Euphrosynus replied, "Forgive me, Father; I have been in that place where we saw one another."

The priest said, "You must reveal God’s greatness, so that the truth is not concealed!"

But the wise Euphrosynus humbly answered, "You,
Father, implored the Lord to reveal to you the reward given to His
chosen. The Lord was pleased to make this known to your godliness
through me, wretched and unworthy as I am, and thus, we found ourselves
together in paradise."

The priest inquired, "What did you give me, Father, in paradise when I spoke with you?"

"I gave you the three fragrant apples which you have
placed on your bed in your cell," answered Euphrosynus. "But forgive
me, Father, for I am a worm and not a man."

When Matins had finished, the priest summoned the
brethren and showed them the three apples from paradise, and he told
them exactly what had occurred. All smelled the ineffable fragrance
emitted by those apples and discerned their spiritual sweetness, and
they marvelled at what they were told by the priest. They hurried to
the kitchen to reverence the servant of God, but they could not find
him. When Euphrosynus left the church, he hid from the glory of men,
and no one knew where he had gone. It is pointless to inquire into his
whereabouts, for if he had access to paradise, where could he not have
hidden himself?

The brethren divided the apples among themselves and
distributed pieces of them as a blessing to many, especially to those
who were in need of healing. Whoever ate of these apples was healed of
his infirmities, and thus, all received great benefit from the holy and
venerable Euphrosynus. The account of the vision was written down not
only on scrolls but also in the hearts of those who were told of it,
and all who heard thereof strove to increase their labors and please
God.

By the prayers of the venerable Euphrosynus, may the Lord deem us also worthy to dwell in paradise. Amen.