There were two brothers in Christ
– deacon Evagrius and priest Titus. They loved each other purely and sincerely,
and all the other brothers were amazed by their unanimity and limitless love.
But the devil, who is constantly looking for a victim, just like a wild lion,
managed to break their friendship and make them hate each other. Their hatred
was so strong, that they could not even look at each other. The brethren asked
them to make peace many times, but Titus and Evagrius did not want to listen to
them. And so they lived in that sinful darkness for a long time, and partook of
the Holy Mysteries – Titus without asking for forgiveness, and Evagrius being
furious.
Once, Titus was near death because
of a serious sickness. He began to lament about his sin and sent one of the
brothers for Evagrius to ask for forgiveness, “For heaven’s sake, forgive me,
brother, for my senseless hatred to you”. However, Evagrius did not honor his request
and cursed him even more. When the monks understood that Titus was dying, they
decided to bring Evagrius to him by force. When the sick priest saw his friend,
he fell down to his feet and said: “Father, bless me and forgive me!” Cold-hearted
Evagrius answered: “I will never forgive him, neither in this life nor in the
future one”. And suddenly Evagrius wrested out of the monks’ hands and fell on
the floor. They wanted to help him to stand up, but he was already dead. And
they could not lay his hands and close his mouth and eyes, as if his body was dead
for a long time. At the same time Titus stood up, as if he had not been sick at
all. Everyone present stood in fear:
when one of them died, the other one became cured. With great sorrow, they
buried Evagrius: his mouth and mouth remained open and his hands were stretched
out.
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| Example of an ancient pateriсon in Old Church Slavonic. |
Then they asked Titus: “How
could that happen?” And he told them everything: “I saw the crying angels, who
stepped back from me, and I saw the demons, which were happy to see my anger.
And then I began to pray, as I wanted my brother to forgive me. When you
brought him to me, I saw another angel – he was taking a fire spear in his
arms. When Evagrius said he would not ever forgive me, that angel hit him with
the spear, so that Evagrius fell down dead.” When they heard that, the fear of
God engulfed them, Who said once: “Forgive, and then you will be forgiven”. As
the Lord said: “Each person, who is angry with his own brother for nothing,
will be tried”.
If Evagrius will not find joy
in his future life, then woe betide him, who was defeated by such a passion!
You be careful as well,
brother, and do not let the demon of anger corrupt you. One, who listens to him
at least once, will be enslaved by him. You have to bow to the one, who
quarrels with you, in order not to be defeated by the ungracious angel. May the
Lord preserve you from anger. One of His apostles said: “Be ye angry, and sin
not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath”.
Source: Translated from
http://www.drevne.ru/lib/kppaterik_s.htm
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