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The Monk Martinian Commemorated on February 13 The Monk Martinian
at age 18 settled into the wilderness, somewhat off from the city of
Palestinian Caesarea, where he dwelt in ascetic deeds and silence for 25 years,
and he was granted a graced gift of healing illness. But the enemy of the race
of man would not stop bothering the hermit with various temptations. One time a
profligate woman got into a wager with some dissolute people, as to whether she
could seduce Saint Martinian, the fame of whose virtuous life had spread
throughout all the city. She came to him at night-time under the guise of a
wandering suppliant asking night lodging. The saint let her enter, since the
weather outside was inclement. But here the wicked guest changed over into her
good clothes and began to tempt the ascetic. The saint thereupon rushed out of
the cell, set alight a fire and put his bare feet upon the burning coals. He
said such as this to himself: "It is hard enough for thee, Martinian, to
suffer this temporal fire, now then wilt thou instead suffer the eternal fire,
prepared for thee by the devil?" The woman, shaken by the spectacle,
became repentant and besought the saint to guide her onto the way of
repentance. At his directing she set off to Bethlehem, to a monastery of
Saint Paula, where she dwelt for 12 years in strict ascetic deeds until
her blessed end. The name of this woman was Zoa. © 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos. |
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