The next night the demons attack him with even greater ferocity than on the previous one. But even now his relatives could not persuade him to leave this place. It is better, he said, to die than to live in sinful impurities. On the third night, the demons beat him so severely that they almost took his life. But not having time to defeat him now, and leaving him breathless, they departed, and as they went away, they cried out: "You have conquered, you have conquered!" After that he no longer experienced such terrible temptations – on the contrary, until his very death he fearlessly lived in a cave by the graves, asceticizing in pure virtue, and was so glorified by God by signs and wonders, that in many he aroused wonder and zeal for good. Even very many of those who gave themselves over to despair began to perform good deeds and feats, and the word of the Scripture came to pass over them: ... whosoever humbles himself shall be exalted (Luke 18:14). And so, children, let us especially strive in humility: it is the foundation of all virtues. Very useful for us for this asceticism is the wilderness, which is more remote from the villages.

Another story of Abba John about the fallen and repentant

There was also another monk who lived in a distant wilderness and for many years asceticized in virtue. Finally, in his old age, he was tempted by demons. The ascetic loved silence and, spending his days in prayers, hymns and contemplation, he had several divine visions both in his waking state and in sleep. He had almost already attained a disembodied life: he did not cultivate the land, did not take care of sustenance, did not seek in plants and herbs food for his body, did not catch birds or other animals, but, filled with hope in God, since he passed from the world to the wilderness, he did not think in the least about how to nourish his body. Forgetting everything voluntarily, he directed all his desire to God in anticipation of the hour when he would be called from this world; but he was nourished most of all by the sweetness of visions and hopes. Meanwhile, his body did not weaken from exertion, and his soul did not lose vigor – such a firm habit he acquired in piety!

However, God, having mercy on him, at a certain time sent him bread for two or three days, which he ate. Every time he felt the need for food, he entered his cave, he found food there. After offering prayer to God, he strengthened himself with food and then delighted in hymns. Prayer and contemplation were his constant occupation. Thus he progressed every day, and, striving in the present, constantly became nearer to the expected future, and was almost certain of his best lot, as if he already had it in his hands, which was the reason why he almost fell from the temptation that befell him afterwards.

When he came to such a certainty, the thought crept imperceptibly into his heart that he was superior to others and that he knew and had more than other people. In such thoughts he began to rely on himself, and from this soon a carelessness was born in him, at first a little, then it grew more and more and became noticeable. He no longer rises from sleep with such vigor to sing, he has become lazier to pray, and his singing has not been so long; the soul wanted to rest, the mind fell down, and thoughts began to wander; Carelessness was already secretly loved, and only the former habit, like a bulwark, somewhat stopped the ascetic in this striving and guarded him for the time being. Even when he entered the cave in the evenings after the usual prayers, he sometimes found bread at the meal, sent to him from God, and ate it, but he did not banish from his mind those worthless thoughts, did not think that inattention destroys labor, and did not try to heal evil. A slight evasion of duties seemed to him unimportant. And so passionate lust, taking possession of his thoughts, drew him into the world. But he still restrained himself, and the next day he spent in his usual asceticism, and after prayer and hymns, entering the cave, he still found the bread prepared for him, though not so carefully prepared and clean as before, but with rubbish. He was surprised and somewhat saddened, but he ate it and strengthened himself. The third night came, and the evil was tripled.

His mind was even more quickly given over to lustful thoughts, and his imagination imagined impure dreams to him as vividly as if they were actually coming true. In spite of this, even on the third day he continued his ascetic labors – he prayed and sang psalms, but no longer with a pure disposition and often turned around and looked around. His good deed was interrupted by various thoughts. In the evening, feeling the need for food, he went up to the cave and, although he found bread at the meal, it was as if eaten by mice or dogs, and outside the cave there were dry remains. Then he begins to groan and weep, but not as much as was necessary to tame the impure lust. However, having tasted not as much as he wanted, he disposed to calm down. Then thoughts in great numbers attack him, conquer his mind and immediately draw the prisoner into the world. He left his wilderness and went to the village by night. The day came, and the village was still far away. The monk, scorched by the heat, became exhausted and began to look around him to see if there was a monastery in which he could rest. There was indeed a monastery nearby.

The pious and faithful brethren received him as their own father, washed his face and feet, and after prayer offered him a meal, asking him to accept with love what had happened. After the meal, the brethren besought him to teach them the word of salvation, how to avoid the snares of the devil and how to overcome impure thoughts. Conversing with them as a father with his children, he taught them to be courageous in their labors and assured them that they would soon turn into great pleasure for them. The elder also spoke to them a great deal of edifying things about asceticism. At the end of the instruction, he involuntarily thought of himself and began to reason about how he, while admonishing others, remained incomprehensible. Then he saw his defeat and immediately returned to the wilderness to mourn his fall. "If the Lord had not helped me," he said, "my soul would have dwelt in hell in a small way" (Ps. 93, 17); I was completely mired in evil, and did not die on earth (Psalm 118:87)." And the Scripture was fulfilled over him: "Brother from brother we help, as a city is strong" (Proverbs 18:19) and as a wall, immovable. From that time he wept all his life and, no longer receiving food from God, by his labors he obtained his sustenance. Shut up in a cave and having spread sackcloth on the floor, he did not rise from the ground until then and did not cease his weeping, until he heard the voice of an angel saying to him in a dream: "God has accepted your repentance and has had mercy on you; Just see that you don't flatter yourself. The brethren whom you have instructed will come to visit you, and they will bring you loaves of bread for blessing – share them with them and always thank God."

I have told you this, children, so that you may exercise humility most of all, even though your feats already seem great to you. It is the first commandment of the Saviour, Who says: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for to them is the Kingdom of Heaven" (Matt. 5:3). Take care that you are not deceived by the demons with any dreams. When someone comes to you – a brother, or a friend, or a wife, or a father, or a mother, or a teacher, or a son, or a servant – first of all, stretch out your hands to prayer, and as soon as all this ghost is gone, it will disappear. If demons or people deceive you in the same way with caresses and praise, then do not heed them and do not be haughty in thought. And I was often deceived by demons with ghosts, so that sometimes they did not allow me to pray or rest all night, and in the morning they bowed down to me and said with mockery: "Forgive us, Abba, that we have troubled you all night." But I answered them: "Depart from me, all you who work iniquity" (Ps. 6:9), do not tempt the servant of the Lord." In the same way, having devoted yourselves to contemplation, always keep silence, so that during prayer to God you may have a pure mind. Good is also that ascetic who, living in the world, always does good deeds, shows brotherly love, love of strangers, gives alms, does good to those who come to him, helps the sick and guards himself from temptations. He is a good, truly good ascetic: he fulfills the commandments in practice, although he is not alien to earthly cares. More perfect and higher than him is he who, having devoted himself to the contemplative life, has ascended from worldly affairs to contemplation, and, leaving others to take care of them, himself, having denied and forgotten himself, occupies himself with heavenly things, who, having renounced everything, stands before God and is not diverted by any other care. Such a one unites with God and lives with God, always praising Him with unceasing songs.

Giving us these and many other instructions in the course of three days, until the ninth hour each day, Blessed John healed our souls. Then, having given us a blessing, he commanded us to go in peace and told us another prophecy that today the news had come to Alexandria about the victory of the pious emperor Theodosius and the defeat of the rebel Eugene, and also that the emperor would die a natural death. And so it happened. When we visited many other fathers, the brethren came to us with the news that Blessed John had died in a miraculous way: he commanded that for three days no one should be allowed to come to him, and, kneeling down to prayer, he died and departed to God, to Whom be glory forever. Amen.

О Пимении

Он же (Иоанн) и рабе Христовой Пимении, которая приходила к нему для свидания, не показался в лице, однако ж открыл нечто сокровенное. Он приказал ей на возвратном пути из Фиваиды не плыть в Александрию, иначе впадет в искушение. Но Пимения или пренебрегла, или забыла предсказание Великого и поплыла в Александрию – может быть, из любопытства, чтобы посмотреть город. На пути, близ Никиополя, суда ее пристали к берегу для отдыха. Слуги, вышедши на берег, из-за какой-то ссоры произвели драку с местными жителями, людьми буйными, которые у одного евнуха отрубили палец, другого убили, а святого епископа Дионисия даже бросили в реку, впрочем по неведению, да и ее саму осыпали ругательствами и напугали угрозами, а прочих слуг всех переранили.

Об авве Аммоне

Видели мы в Фиваиде и другого мужа, по имени Аммона. Он был отцом около трех тысяч монахов, коих называли тавеннисиотами. Они соблюдали великий устав (Пахомиев), носили милоти, пищу принимали с лицом покрытым, опустив глаза вниз, чтобы не видеть, как ест близ сидящий брат, и все хранили такое строгое молчание, что, казалось, находишься в пустыне, потому что каждый исполнял свое правило втайне. За трапезу они садились только для виду, чтобы скрыть друг от друга свое постничество. Одни из них раз или два подносили к устам руку, взявши хлеба, или маслин, или чего-нибудь другого, что было предложено на трапезе, и, вкусив от каждой яствы по одному разу, тем и были довольны. Другие, съевши немного хлеба, ни до чего больше не дотрагивались. А иные довольствовались только ложками тремя кашицы. Всему этому справедливо подивившись, я не преминул и для себя извлечь отсюда пользу.

Об авве Вине