After that, Svyatopolk Izyaslavich, Prince of Kiev, began an internecine battle with David Igorevich, Prince of Vladimir, for blinding Prince Vasilko Rostislavich at Trebovlya, who was ordered to be blinded by Svyatopolk, seduced by David Igorevich; also with Volodar Rostislavich, Vasilko's brother, Prince of Przemyshl, and with Vasilko himself for the region of his father Izyaslav, which was captured by the Rostislavichs. And Svyatopolk himself returned from the campaign to Kiev, driving David to the Poles and placing his son Mstislav in his city of Vladimir, but he did not defeat Volodar and Vasilko and sent his other son Yaroslav against them with the Ugrians. At that time, with great disorder and lawless robberies, merchants from Galich and Przemysl were not allowed to reach Kiev, and there was no salt in the entire Russian land, and then the people were in great sorrow.

Blessed Prochorus, seeing this poverty, gathered into his cell a multitude of ashes from all the cells and, having prayed to the Lord, began to distribute to all those in need of salt the ashes from which pure salt was formed for all by the prayers of the blessed.

And the more he distributed it, the more it multiplied, so that it was enough not only for the monastery, but also lay people, coming to him, sorted it out in great numbers for the needs of their households. The saint did not take anything for this, but distributed it freely to all who demanded. And you could see how the bazaar was emptying, and the monastery was full of people coming to get salt.

Then the enemy aroused great envy in the merchants who sold salt at the market, deprived of the suddenly expected profits. For in those days they expected to buy the wealth of the whole world for salt, but they were greatly mistaken in this, because before they sold too dearly, then no one bought cheap. Gathering together, all the salt merchants came to Prince Svyatopolk with a complaint about the blessed: "Prokhor, the black-robed monk of the Pechersk monastery, has taken a lot of money from us: he has relentlessly attracted everyone to him for salt, and we, who pay taxes to you, cannot sell our salt and have gone bankrupt through him." The prince, having listened to them, planned two things: to stop their complaints, and to make money for himself. And he and his advisers decided to raise the price of salt, and, taking it away from Prokhor, to be its seller himself through his people. And he promised those seditious people: "For your sake I will rob the monk." And he concealed the thought of his gain, wishing to please them, and chiefly prepared to lead them into greater losses out of envy, because envy cannot reconcile itself to that which is useful to others. Svyatopolk sent to take all the salt from Prokhor. When it was transported, he came to see it himself with those seditious people who complained about the blessed one, and everyone saw that there were ashes before their eyes. The prince ordered some to taste, and there were ashes in their mouths as well. They were much amazed at this change and were perplexed. Wanting to know more surely how it would all end, the prince ordered the ashes to be preserved for up to three days. And according to custom, a multitude of people came to the blessed one to receive salt, but when they learned about its plundering, they returned empty-handed, cursing the one who had done it. The blessed one said to them: "When the salt is poured out from the prince, then go and gather it for yourselves." The prince, having kept it for up to three days and received nothing but ashes, ordered it to be poured out at night. And the ashes that were poured out turned into salt again. Upon learning of this, the citizens began to flock and happily collected it. When this wondrous miracle took place, the prince was horrified, allowing himself violence. And since he could not conceal this deed, for it had been done before the whole city, he began to inquire into what it was. Then they told him all that Blessed Prochorus had done: not only about the salt that was made of the ashes, but also about the loaves of quinoa, with which he had impregnated a multitude of people, and how they turned out to be sweet when someone received them from his hands with a blessing, and bitter when someone took them secretly.

Learning of this, Prince Svyatopolk was ashamed of his deed, went to the Pechersk monastery and was reconciled with the hegumen John. And before that he had enmity with the hegumen for denouncing him of insatiable greed and of insulting the people, so that he even imprisoned him in Turov; but, fearing to incur the enmity of the pious prince Vladimir Monomakh, he soon returned him with honor to the Pechersk monastery.

Because of these miracles, Svyatopolk began from that time to have a great love for the Most Holy Mother of God and the Venerable Fathers Anthony and Theodosius of the Caves. And he greatly revered and pleased Blessed Prokhor, knowing that he was a true servant of God. Before him he made a promise to God not to commit violence against anyone else, and he strengthened this word, saying to the blessed one: "If I, by the will of God, depart from this world before you, you put me in the grave with your own hands, in order to show me your kindness. But if you depart before me, I will take you on my shoulders and carry you into the cave, so that the Lord may grant me forgiveness of my grievous sin before you."

After this conversation, Blessed Prokhor lived many years pleasing to God in a blameless and cruel life, and then fell ill. Prince Svyatopolk was on a campaign against the Polovtsians. Then the blessed one sent to him with the news: "The hour of my departure from the body has already approached; if you want to fulfill your promise and receive from God the forgiveness of sins, come to receive permission and put me in the tomb with your own hands. I await your coming. But if you tarry, and I depart without you, it will not be my fault, and the campaign will not end as if you had come to me." Having received this news, Svyatopolk left the army and soon came to the sick Prokhor. The monk taught the prince much about almsgiving, about future judgment, about eternal life and about endless torments, gave him forgiveness and blessing and took leave of all those around the prince. Then, raising his hands to heaven, he gave up his spirit into the hands of God.

The prince with the black-robed people, taking the body of the monk, carried it to the cave and with his own hands placed it in the coffin. Then he set out on a campaign and gained a great victory over the godless Hagarites, captured all the Polovtsian regions and brought the captives to his land. This victory, granted by God to the Russian land, was won according to the prediction of the merciful blessed Prokhor. And from that time Prince Svyatopolk, going on a campaign or hunting, always came to the Pechersk monastery for a blessing and with great zeal and gratitude bowed down in the God-created church before the miraculous icon of the MostHoly Theotokos and before the grave of the Monk Theodosius, also in the cave before the grave of the Monks Anthony and Prokhor and all the other monks, and only then did he set off. And happily proceeded his reign, which after many punishments received God's blessing through the Monk Prokhor, and the Christ-loving prince Svyatopolk Izyaslavich himself, being himself a witness, clearly confessed to everyone the miracles and signs of this saint of God.

Through His holy prayers, even now, in the midst of a constant struggle, may the Russian people not be deprived of the will of God, especially the eternal and earthly creation of God's will, and the heavenly nourishment of the soul, when His glory appears. And may we enjoy this holy brush with the Monk Prokhor; no longer by eating quinoa leaves and ashes, but by seeing the nature of God blossoming before the ages and human nature taken from the earth, which are united in Christ God and man. To Him, with His Father without beginning, and with His most holy, good, and life-giving Spirit, is due all glory, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

The Life of Our Venerable Father Mark the Cave Dweller,

whose commands the dead obeyed,

and with him the Monk Theophilus,

to whom the dead John gave the highest place, and with whose tears two vessels were filled.

(December 29)