The Holy Monastic Martyress Eudocia
Commemorated on March 1
The Holy Monastic
Martyress Eudocia was a Samaritan, a native of the city of Iliopolis in
Phoenician Lebanon. Her pagan impiety took her off the good path, and for a
long time she led a sinful life. Her soul was deadened and her heart hardened.
One time at midnight
Eudocia awoke and heard from beyond the wall in the other half of the house,
where there lived a Christian, the singing of a molieben and reading of Holy
Scripture, in which it spoke about the eternal bliss prepared for the
righteous, and about the punishment awaiting sinners. The grace of God touched
the heart of Eudocia, and she realised, that these results of her sin lay
grievously upon her soul.
In the morning
Eudocia hastened to call on the man, whose rule of prayer she heard by night.
This was the elder named Germanos, returning from pilgrimage along the holy
places to his own monastery. Eudocia listened for a long time to the guidance
of the elder, and her soul as it were came alive and she was filled with joy
and love for Christ. She besought the elder Germanos to come to her after
several days, during which she secluded herself within the house and gave
herself over in repentance to fasting and prayer.
The elder Germanos
summoned a presbyter, and after the testing of being a catechumen Eudocia
received holy Baptism from the bishop of Iliopolis, Theodotos. Having given
away all her wealth to the poor, she withdrew into a monastery and took upon
herself very strict acts of penitence. The Lord granted forgiveness to the
penitent sinner and endowed her with graced spiritual gifts.
One time, when she
was already head of the monastery, the young pagan Philostrates appeared at the
monastery. Aflame with impious passion, he under the guise of a monk came into
the monastery and began to urge the Nun Eudocia to return to Iliopolis, and begin
anew her former life. "May God in revenge stop thee", – angrily
answered Eudocia, and the impostor-monk fell down dead. Fearing that in this
she had served as an accomplice to murder, the sisters intensified their prayer
and besought the Lord to reveal to them His will.
The Lord Himself
appeared to Saint Eudocia in a dream vision and said: "Rise up, Eudocia,
and get down on the knees and pray, and thy tempter wilt arise". And
through the prayer of Eudocia, Philostrates revived. Having been restored to
life, the pagan besought the nun to forgive him. And having accepted holy
Baptism, he withdrew into Iliopolis. And from that time he never forgot the
mercy of God shown him, and he started onto the way of repentance.
A certain while
passed, when another situation occurred. Inhabitants of Iliopolis reported to
the governor named Aurelian, that in accepting Christianity Eudocia allegedly
had concealed her wealth at the monastery. Aurelian sent a detachment of
soldiers to confiscate these supposed treasures. But over the course of three
days the soldiers tired in vain to get close to the walls of the monastery: an
invisible power of God guarded it. Aurelian again sent soldiers to the
monastery, this time under the lead of his own son. But on the very first day
of the journey the son of Aurelian badly injured his leg and soon died. Then
Philostrates counseled Aurelian to write to the Nun Eudocia, imploring her to
revive the youth. And the Lord, by His infinite mercy, and through the prayers
of Saint Eudocia, restored the youth to life. Having witnessed this great
miracle, Aurelian and his close associates believed in Christ and were
baptised.
When persecutions
against Christians intensified, they arrested the Nun Eudocia and brought her
for torture to the governor Diogenes. The military-commander Diodoros torturing
her received news about the sudden death of his wife Firminia. In despair he rushed
to Saint Eudocia with a plea to pray for his departed wife. The
monastic-martyress, filled with great faith, turned to God with prayer and
besought of Him the return of Firminia to life. Becoming convinced as eye-witnesses
to the power and grace of the Lord, Diodoros and Diogenes believed in Christ
and after a certain while were baptised together with their families. The Nun
Eudocia lived for awhile at the house of Diodoros and enlightened the
newly-illumined Christians.
One time the only son
of a certain widow, working in the garden, was bitten by a snake and died. The
mother bitterly bewailed her dead son. Having learned of her grief, Saint
Eudocia said to Diodoros: "The time is at hand for thee to show faith in the
Almighty God, Who heareth the prayers of penitent sinners and by His mercy doth
grant them forgiveness".
Diodoros was
distressed, not considering himself worthy of such boldness before the Lord,
but he obeyed Saint Eudocia. He prayed and by the Name of Christ he commanded
the dead one to rise, and before the eyes of everyone present the youth
revived.
The Nun Eudocia
returned to her monastery, in which she pursued asceticism for 56 years.
After the death of
Diogenes the new governor was Vicentius, a fierce persecutor of Christians.
Having learned of the fearless confessor of the Christian faith, he gave orders
to execute her. The holy nun-martyress was beheaded on 1 March (c. 160-170).
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
