The Life and Deeds of Our Holy Father Andrew,

For the sake of the fool-for-Christ

ru ExportToFB21, FictionBook Editor Release 2.6 02.04.2012 OOoFBTools-2012-4-2-15-25-39-1164 1.0

Preamble

I want to set before you, O beloved, the life pleasing to God and the irreproachable deeds of a worthy man. I beseech you, listen to what I am going to say, for this object exudes honey, fragrance and wondrous joy. Therefore, prepare yourselves, O magnanimous ones, to hear this story of mine, so that I myself may begin my work with great desire and set forth before you the spiritual exploits of this man.

During the reign of the Christ-loving Leo the Great, there was in Constantinople a certain man named Theognostus, whom the pious emperor honored with the dignity of protospatharius, and then appointed stratilates in the eastern lands. And this man, although he had previously acquired many slaves, afterwards bought for himself still others, among whom was the one whose name is now glorified by me, unworthy. He was a Scythian by birth, and his lord bought him when he was still a child. The boy was very handsome in appearance, so that even his master admired him and used him for important errands, and sent him to school for the study of the Holy Scriptures. The lad, being intelligent, soon learned the Psalter and counting, so that even the teacher marveled at his giftedness, and no one could think that he was a Scythian, because of his appearance, as well as because of the prudence of his soul, modest behavior and accuracy of notes. Therefore the master appointed him to be his scribe. And he was very much loved by his master and mistress, and all the members of the household became very attached to him. The master gave him generous gifts, giving him many of the clothes in which he himself had previously dressed, for he saw how he of his own free will showed diligence in his house, so that those who observed this said, "The slave is clothed in better clothes than the master." And he loved to read the Holy Scriptures, but even more than the martyrdom of the saints and the lives of the God-bearing fathers, from which his heart burned with faith in them and awoke to imitate their beautiful deeds. And so, starting with himself, he moved along this path.

1. ABOUT THE ATTACK IN THE THEATER.

One night, rising from his bed, he began to pray like one who said: "At midnight I arose to praise Thee for Thy righteous judgments." Then, filled with envy of him, the treacherous devil appeared and began to knock with a terrible crash at the door of the room in which the young man lived. And so, seized with fear, he abandoned his prayer and threw himself on the bed, hiding under his goat's cloak. When Satan saw this, he rejoiced, and said to someone like himself, "Look at that celeb-eater! [1] And he is arming himself against us!" He said this and disappeared. After this, the blessed youth, falling into a deep sleep, saw that he was in a theater, and on one side before him was a multitude of white-clad and other plausible people, and on the other side an innumerable crowd of black Ethiopians. [3] And between the two sides there is a contest of running and wrestling. For there was a dark-skinned man of great magnitude among the Ethiopians, and they wanted the white-clad to flee and fight him, for he was the head of Satan's legion. And while the blessed one was standing there and listening, suddenly a most beautiful youth came down from above, holding in his hand three crowns: and one was adorned with pure gold and precious stones, another with many pearls, and the third woven from all kinds of roses, and lilies, and plants of paradise, so that it did not fade. And such a fragrance emanated from him, which the human mind cannot express. And so, seeing them, the blessed one rejoiced and wished to know how he could receive one of those crowns. And approaching the handsome youth, he said to him: "Tell me, for Christ's sake, for how much do you sell them? Even if I cannot buy them at once, I will run and inform my lord, and you will get from him as much gold as you want." Then the young man, smiling at him, said: -- "Believe me, O dear friend, that if you were to bring me the gold of the whole world, I would not give one of these flowers to you, nor to anyone else, nor to anyone else who is called your master, for they are not of this vain world, as you thought, but of the treasures of heaven, with which those who overcome these Ethiopians are crowned. Therefore, if you want to receive one of these wreaths, go forward and smite this Ethiopian, black as soot, and if you defeat him, not only these, but also others that you will, you will receive from me." Hearing this, Blessed Andrew was inspired and said to him: "My lord, believe that I will fulfill what you have said to me, only tell me about their tricks." And he answered: "The Ethiopians, although impudent, are cowardly and impotent. Therefore do not be afraid of his great appearance, for like a vegetable he is rotten and weak." With these words, anointing him and grappling with him as if in a struggle, he taught him how to stand against the Ethiopian. And he said to him: "When he lifts you up, do not be afraid, but clasp with him in the form of a cross, and you will see the glory of God." Then Andrew came out and shouted loudly: "Here, black man, let's fight with you!" And the Ethiopian approached and, grinning, seized him, but Andrew, grappling with him in the form of a cross, threw him to the ground, so that he lay silently. Then great joy happened among those dressed in white, and they lifted him up in their arms and began to kiss him, anointing him with spiritual incense. And when the crowd of Ethiopians disappeared with great shame, that glorious youth appeared, presented Blessed Andrew with precious wreaths and, kissing him, said: "From now on you are our friend and brother; wherefore flee naked in this beautiful race, become a fool for my sake, and I will make thee a partaker of many good things in my kingdom." Waking up, the blessed one was amazed at what he saw.

And when morning comes, he comes to me, unworthy, and confides his vision to me. When I heard him, I was amazed, for the fragrance from him came invisibly, as if from the most precious world. And when we had thought it over, we decided that he would make a mockery of himself, like a demon-possessed and madman for the sake of him who said, "Become a fool for my sake, and you will taste many good things in my kingdom." Otherwise, he could not leave his earthly master.

2. ON MENTAL DISORDERS.

The next night, rising at midnight, he prayed. At the end of the prayer, he took a knife, went to the well of water, and, taking off his tunic, began to chop it into small pieces, like a sleepwalker, uttering in confusion some words with incoherent sounds, like the insane. The cook, waking up and thinking that it was time for morning, went out to get water, but when he saw what had happened, he released the jug and shouted to those in the house: "Andrew is mad: he is sitting near the well, having completely torn his tunic." Hearing this, his master was greatly saddened. He got up and went out with his wife and all the household. They saw the maddened man and began to weep loudly and bitterly weep over him, accepting as truth everything that he had done. His master, in great sorrow over what had happened to Andrew, sent him to the sacred church of the holy and glorious Martyress Anastasia, which had been built by the pious Leo Makel, and ordered that he be chained, sending a great deal of money to the sacristan for Andrew's treatment.

All day long the righteous man behaved and talked like a real madman, but at night, left alone, he lamented, praying and calling upon the martyress of Christ to appear to him, if she pleased the work he had begun. Looking at the others, they approach Andrew. Then the elder jokingly said to the most brilliant of women: "Lady Anastasia, will you not heal him?" And she answered: "His teacher has already visited him, and he no longer needs any treatment, for he who said to him: 'Become a fool for My sake, and I will commune you with many good things in My kingdom,' has healed him, and he has no need of any other healing, but he will become for the Lord a chosen instrument, holy and beloved in spirit." The Elder said: "I also know, my lady, I know." After saying this and kissing him as a sign of God's love, they went inside the temple to pray. And the saint, amazed at what he had seen, glorified God and the holy Martyress Anastasia, who hastened to his aid.

3. ABOUT THE ATTACK OF THE DEVIL.