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THE SECOND
MONTH IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD. AMEN. On
this day died the holy father Abba Pawli of the city of Tamaw. This holy man became a monk and a fighter in his early years,
and he dwelt in Debra ‘Ensena [near Asna] in Upper Egypt, and his
disciple Ezekiel was with him, and this man became a witness to the
excellences of his master, and to his ascetic combats.
This holy man Abba Pawli
contended strenuously because of his love for Christ, and he killed
himself seven times. The
first time he hung himself upon a tree head downwards, and he remained
hanging there for forty days and forty nights until his blood flowed from
his nose, and he yielded up his soul.
And God raised him up from death by His power.
The second time he cast himself into the waves of the sea, thinking
that the large fish and the tiger-fish would assuredly devour him.
Now the tiger-fish would not touch him at all, and he remained
submerged in the water for many years and he died.
And our Lord Jesus Christ raised him up from the dead a second
time. The third time he cast
himself into the sand and died, and our Lord raised him up.
The fourth time he threw himself down from the top of a high hill
and rolled down it, and the side of the hill was covered with stones as
sharp as knives, and they pierced his temples and every part of his body,
and he died straightway; and Ezekiel his disciple wept over him, and our
Lord Jesus Christ came and comforted him.
The fifth time he threw himself from the top of a high tree on to a
large stone, which was as sharp as a sword, and he was split up into two
pieces and died; and the Lord raised him up.
The sixth time he tied his head to his feet and he remained in this
position for forty days and forty nights, and died; and the Lord sent unto
him an angel who raised him up and comforted him.
In this manner this holy man tortured himself six times and died
six times, and each time he died our Lord raised him up.
The seventh time he stretched out his legs over a deep well, and
stood there for forty days and forty nights and died there.
And our Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto him, and raised him up from
the dead, and strengthened him, and said unto him, “O my beloved Pawli, hast thou not toiled enough and killed thyself often
enough?” And Pawli said unto Him, “Leave me, O my Lord, to toil for Thy
holy name’s sake, even as Thou Thyself hast toiled for the race of the
children of men. Thou art
God, and the Son of God, and Thou didst die for our sins; as for us we are
not worthy that Thou shouldst toil for us”; and our Lord comforted him,
and strengthened him, and went up into heaven.
When the holy father Abba Besoy went to Debra ‘Ensena, he met
Abba Pawli. And our
Lord Jesus Christ appeared unto Pawli and said unto him, “Thy body shall
be with the body of Abba Besoy”; and when Saint Abba Pawli died, they placed his body with that of Abba Besoy, even
as our Lord Jesus Christ had told him.
When they wanted to carry the body of Saint Abba Besoy to Debra
Scete, that is to say Debra Abba Mararius, they took the body and laid it
in a ship, and left behind the body of Abba Pawli.
And the ship stood still and would not move, but when they took the
body of Abba Pawli and laid it with that of Abba Besoy in the ship.
straightway the ship moved and brought them to Debra Scete, where the body
of Saint Pawli and the body of Abba Besoy remain until this day in the
Church of Abba Besoy. And
on this day also Minas, and Hasina [and Cyprian, and Justina] became
martyrs. Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen.
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