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THE SECOND
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On
this day died the holy father, Abba Agathon, the thirty-ninth Archbishop
of the city of Alexandria. And
they chose this father to be archbishop, and they took him and bound him,
and they appointed him Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, when Abba
Benjamin, the archbishop who preceded him, died.
And great tribulation came because of the Orthodox Faith. In his days there was a certain man whose name was
Theodosius, a Melchite, and he went and came to the city of Damascus, to
King Yazed, and he gave him presents and much money, and Yazed appointed
him governor of Alexandria, and the North, and Mareotis.
When he came to the city of Alexandria he afflicted our father
Archbishop Agathon, and he levied tax upon him, and he took from [each of]
his disciple's thirty-six gold dinars.
And he compelled Agathon to give him money for the service of the
emperor’s ships each year, and the archbishop gave seven hundred gold
dinars each year. Now because
of the evil of this man Theodosius, his fellow Melchite did not associate
with him, for he hated him because of the evil, which he did to the
Archbishop Abba Agathon. And
our father the archbishop was not able to go out of his cell until God had
destroyed that evil man. And
in the days of this father the building of the holy church of the blessed
Abba Macarius was completed. One
night the angel of the Lord appeared unto this father, and he made known
to him that in the country of the Fayyum there was a certain righteous
monk whose name was John, and he belonged to the church of Saint Abba
Macarius. And the angel
commanded him to send and bring him to him so that he might help him in
admonishing the people and in teaching them; and the angel said also unto
him, “He shall be archbishop after thee.”
And straightway Abba Agathon sent and brought the monk, and he
delivered to him the work of the churches, and the ordering and teaching
and admonishing of the people. And
this Father Agathon died through overwork, and he held his office for
fully nineteen years and he died in peace.
Salutation to Abba Agathon. And
on this day also are commemorated Saint Abba Macrobius, and Saint Abba
‘Eblo (or Apollo), and Saint Abba Peter the disciple of Abba Isaiah the
anchorite. Salutation to
Macrobius, ‘Eblo, and Peter. And
on this day also are commemorated Paracu, and the five and forty righteous
men of El-Derke, and Aaron the fighter, and Karbu, and ‘Analyu, and Abba
Pawli, and Mark, and Gadel. Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen.
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