saint Euphrosyne

Saint Euphrosyne
A virgin in Alexandria


Translated from "Les Saints d'Egypte"
by R. F. Paul Cheneau
Jerusalem, 1923.



In the days of Theodosius [Theodosius II (408-430)], the son of Arcadius, there lived in Alexandria an eminent true godly rich man called Paphnutius. He was married to a young noble and very virtuous person who was deserving of him, but they had no children. That made them sorrowful. Seeing that there would be no heir of his name and riches, he did not cease to make the heavens interested to his desires, by helping the poor, going to churches by day and night, and striving to touch the heart of God by his prayers and his numerous fasts. However Heaven remained deaf toward his wishes. The test continued to be so painful and depressing that some day Paphnutius suddenly decided to go to the abbot of a near monastery to disclose his sorrow to him.
The latter had a well-deserved reputation of holiness. He attentively received the secret of his visitor, and sympathised with his delicate sorrow. He prayed, and made others pray, so much and so well, that he forced the heavens. An exquisite little girl came to fill with joy the home of Paphnutius who was extremely gladdened. On that day, a ray of happiness crossed his life.
At the age of seven, the miraculous child was baptized. She was called Euphrosyne (which in Greek means joy or happiness). She was truly according to the significance of the expression, the joy of God and of her noble parents, by the virtues of her soul and the beauty of her features.
She was twelve years of age, when a cruel sickness took her mother away from her. In order to beguile her loneliness, Paphnutius then gave himself entirely to the education of his child. He made himself her instructor, and taught her literature and worldly sciences. There is no need to say that his young student became his solace and his pride, through her docility and her progress. She soon became well-known, appreciated, and admired by all the inhabitants of the town who were amazed by her knowledge and her humility. Effectively Euphrosyne did not look at all for appreciation; she was the enemy of pretension and conceit; and although she naturally had many qualities of heart and various exterior advantages, she neglected enough the excessive cares of adornment, and she despised embellishment and jewelry. She secretly fasted, and sometimes she wore coarse clothes under her fine silk garments. However she was breathtaking in the saloons of that era where his father took her, and many were ambitious of having a brilliant alliance with her.
A son of a family, whose parents were very rich and well considered in society, had the chance to please her. He was happy enough to obtain the acquiescence of Paphnutius and the hand of his lovely young daughter: the betrothal was celebrated and previous payments were given: she was just beginning her eighteenth year.
Soon after that, her father took her for a visit to the monastery which he preferred. Since the birth of his daughter, he had remained in close relation with the abbot who had obtained her for him from Heaven; and his sweetest pleasure was to sponsor the needs of the monks with great alms. He presented Euphrosyne to the abbot saying: "my father, here is the fruit of your prayers; I have brought her so that she herself may express her gratefulness to you, and entrust her future to you, because she has to conclude a brilliant marriage." The abbot took both of them to the lodging place, and he commended the youg girl to live always in humility, chastity and the fear of the Lord. The visitors remained for three days in the monastery admiring the heavenly life which the brothers lived before them. At the moment of separation, Euphrosyne bowed down to the feet of the abbot and said: "My father, I beg you, ask God to gain my soul altogether".
Soon there was the anniversary of the consecration of the monastery. Paphnutius, being a distinguished benefactor of the house, was invited. A brother was especially sent to Alexandria to invite him. Euphrosyne received him while her father was absent. She seized the opportunity to question him as she wished.
"How many brothers are you in your community?"
"Now, we must be three hundred and fifty two."
"Do they willingly accept the individuals who present themselves in order to become converted?"
"Certainly, and with great joy; did not the Lord say not to send away those who come to Him?"
"Do they all pariticipate in the songs of the mass? do they all fast in the same manner?"
"As a general rule, everybody sing the praise of God in the church, but each one fasts according to his inspiration and his strength."
Thus Euphrosyne satisfied her godly curiosity and obtained all the information for which she cared, from the good brother without suspicion. To close this conversation she said:
"I also I would like to leave the world and live your admirable life; but I am afraid to act contrarily to the will of my father who is absolutely decided to see me in the holy state of marriage."
"O my sister, give yourself rather to God, if this is your fervent desire. You can disguise your departure. Your father will undoubtedly accept the invitation which I come to transmit; take the opportunity of his absence, get yourself religious clothes, and go to a monastery of virgins, and there you will be received with open arms."

Remark: [The means to follow her vocation which that monk indicated to the young girl who was already betrothed, is a shock to our present customs. That was not so at the time of our narration. Moreover there are many examples of strength of spirit which are given by the saints, that are not always imitable in all their details.]

When Paphnutius returned, he promised to honor the feast to which he had been so graciously invited. He quickly made some preparations, and went down the Nile until the door of the monastery, accompanied by the brother. Euphrosyne who was well decided to execute her devout project, waited for nothing but the departure of her father. She accompanied him till the harbor, said farewell to him in a long embrace in which she poured all her filial love that was in her heart; then after the boat had gone far away, she returned home, and called the most faithfull of her servants and sent him to the monastery of S. Theodosius, to ask for a monk to come and fetch her. A few hours later, the servant was back bringing with him a dignified old man whom he had met, and who had come to the town to sell the product of the work of his brothers. Euphrosyne, with the tears of joy in her eyes, knelt down and asked him for his blessing, saying:
"Father, I want to be all to God; consecrate me to Him. My mother is no more. My father who is very christian and very rich, adores me; and wants by all means to see me married. As for me, I cannot bear this idea. I have spent all the night sleepless, praying to God to help me; and this morning I have sent my servant to bring a brother to me. Fulfill my desires, O venerable father; consecrate me to God and cut my hair."
The old man stood up, made a long prayer for her, dressed her in a monastic garment, then blessed her saying:
"My daughter, may God, who has delivered his saints from all their difficulties, protect you against every evil!"
After having accomplished this function, the old man went to sell his mats and his baskets, and returned very happily to his monastery.
As for Euphrosyne, she was absorbed in her meditations. She had just done the first step, she must now get herself secure for the future. To enter a nunnery would be an easy matter; but just after she is back home, her father who is looking for her would find her and throw her without mercy in the arms of her betrothed man. There was a unique possible solution to which she ceaselessly thought again and again: that was to imitate some courageous women whose story she had known: she would abandon the clothes of her sex, take a man's wear and go out from her abode by night. She stopped at this scheme. After having put in order her little matters, she took with her five hundred pieces of gold, organised her departure in order to escape her people, and when everybody in the house were asleep, she cautiously went out to some deserted burying ground where she spent the night. Paphnutius returned the next day, while Euphrosyne who was disguised in man's clothes, daringly knocked the door of the monastery which her father had left the night before.
The abbot said to the visitor who had knelt down while he approached:
"Who are you, my son? What did you come here to look for?" Euphrosyne said in a decided tone:
"I have been an eunuch of the palace, and I have always been ardently willing to become a monk. It is not possible to lead such a life in town. I know the zeal of your community, and with your permission, I shall be very happy if a very isolated cell would be assigned to me in the places which are dependant of the monastery. Thanks to God, I possess considerable riches, and if I find rest here, I shall absolutely not be a burden to you."
"You are welcome, my son, your desires will be fully satisfied. But what is your name?"
"My name is Smaragde".
"You are still young, my son; therefore I cannot leave you to follow solely your inspirations; you need a master who will teach you the principles of the rule and who will lead you in your new life. I shall entrust you to one of the most dignified, the oldest, and holiest brothers."
"Thank you, my father; I shall do according to your wishes."
Then the abbot sent for brother Agapit and entrusted him with Smaragde saying:
"From now on, here is your son and your disciple; I confide him to you, so that one day he will exceed his master." The pseudo Smaragde replied while taking his leave from the abbot:
"God willing, it shall be so!"
Agapit lead his freshman to a cell which was very far from the others, according to his desire, and gave him the order to pray there, to take his simple meal there, and never to go out of it. Euphrosyne was all joyfull in her soul. She gave herself to prayer, fasted every day, kept awake for a long time by night, and served God in such a simplicity of heart that she was the subject of the admiration of all the monks who praised God for the perseverance of that hermit who lives such a rigorous life.
During the edifying beginnings of brother Smaragde, mourning and desolation took place in her wealthy abode. When Paphnutius had returned, he customarily run to his daughter's room. It was deserted; but there was nothing which betrayed the heroic resolution of the escaped girl. Every object had kept its usual place; perfect order reigned in all the house; the servants who were questioned, had nothing seen nor heard; besides, had they not the last evening done their service to their young mistress?
A thousand conjectures then invaded the mind of the poor father. Had she been kidnapped? but is that possible from the part of the bethrothed who is such a virtuous and well-educated young man? They called him, and his arrival made a scene of indescribable grief and despair.
Has she been murdered? but where and why? No door nor window was broken. Moreover, the police had been searching all places in the city, had made an inquiry in the places of bad fame, had explored the obscure surrounding lands, and had visited even the bottom of the ships that were anchored in the harbour, or which were leaving.
Has she run away to the monastery? They had questionned the communities of women in the town and in the surrounding places, and the results of this enquiry, as of all other inquiries, were completely negative. Besides, the worldly exterior of Euphrosyne's life, fighted this unlikely idea; was she not bethrothed and at the eve of such a well assorted union? Briefly speaking, the disappeared girl seemed to have been dead as a victim of an accident.
In his terrible sorrow, nothing remained to Paphnutius but the very brittle hope to appeal to the prayers of his saint friend the abbot, in order to learn through revelation, what was the hidden mystery of his daughter's disappearance.
When they heard these news, the assembled monks kept praying for a whole week, the monastery fasted to this purpose. Contrary to the custom, Heaven was mute to the fervent supplications of those saints. It must be said that the prayers of Euphrosyne counterbalanced near to God, all the devout entreaties of His servants: she asked nothing but a single grace, which was rigorously not to be recognized.
Nevertheless, the abbot generously gave his most efficient solaces to the unlucky father saying:
"Let not this appalling test take you away from the love of God; He tests only those souls whom He loves; the humble small bird does not die without His permission. I am, as regards myself, convinced that nothing could have happened to your daughter without His holy will. Since He has willed to inform us of nothing about her destiny, be confident that no misadventure had happened to her; if it were not so, He would not have left the prayers of all our people without response. As for me, I have the intimate conviction that you will see her in this life."
While the abbot was speaking, Paphnutius felt an inexpressible quietness pervading him; he came to thanking God for the hard test to which He submitted him, and swore to give himself more than ever to the deeds of charity and devoutness.
The visits of Paphnutius to the friendly monastery became more and more frequent; it was there only that he found some mellowing of his extensive agony. While he was in the presence of the abbot and his religious persons, an ineffable solace invaded his soul. One day, this latter had a sudden insipiration. He said to him:
"Lord, we have here a true saint, who lives here as a hermit, and who had come to us from the palace of the emperor; perhaps you will find much relief in visiting him? Would you like me to introduce you to him?" The poor Paphnuce did not refuse; he thankfully accepted the offer. Agapit was charged to lead him to brother Smaragde and to introduce to him the distinguished benefactor of the monastery. When Euphrosyne saw her father, she could not hide her emotion, tears filled her eyes; she burst into tears.
Her affected visitors attributed that embarrassment to his compunction and were greatly edified. In fact, Paphnutius had no suspicion; the face of his daughter was so emaciated through the long fasts, the night watches, and the other exercises of repentance, that he did not recognize her; besides Euphrosyne had by simulating decency, covered her face with her cap in order to hide her sight partly . After having made some prayers together, according to the custom, they sat down all the three of them.
Then brother Smaragde began the conversation. He spoke with much sweeping eloquence about the eternal glory and about the means to attain it. He praised humility and chastity, and glorified the powerful virtue of alms and charity. Then he spoke of the little attention which should be done about the world, and about the wrong part of those who loved their children more than God. He had the Holy Bible in his hands, and he demonstrated that God sends trials in order to train our patience, and that this last virtue alone soothes the painful soul. He said to him, while taking care not to reveal his secret:
"Believe me, your great affliction will pass away; God will end it. If the safety or the life of your daughter was in any danger, He would already have manifested it to you. As for me, lord, I have full confidence in God, and I can assure you that you will see again your daughter in this world. Do not leave yourself to excessive grief; why would you haste your death? Thank God who protects your child, and regain hope."
To end this poignant visit, Smaragde deeply saluted his noble visitor and went again to pray in the corner of his cell. This latter who was deeply touched in his heart, had a word of profound thankfulness and rendered the venerable hermit who had given him such a sweet hope in the heart to his perpetual silence.
It had been already sometime since Euphrosyne's health inspired serious fears; she sometimes vomitted blood; her features were altogether distorted; her face was pale as death; she was dying from a cancer in the stomach, probably because of the bad treatment which she enforced on it. By this time, Paphnutius came back to the monastery with his usual grief and asked as a special favour, to see again the saint brother Smaragde who had done so much good to him. Agapit lead him again to the poor cell. The dying person was resting on his mat, having lost much of his blood. The visitor was moved with compassion, and knelt down and started kissing him while weeping and saying to him:
"Brother, where are your beautiful promises? when will be the realisation of your comforting words? You assured me that my eyes will see my beloved daughter, and not only this joy was not given me, but here you who are my last and supreme consolation, are going to leave me. Alas! Who now will maintain my hope? Where shall I go? Where shall I find relief? Thirty-eight years have now passed since I have lost my beloved child! I had never had any news about her, and I weep and I pray day and night! where is a similar pain to mine? how unfortunate I am, brother!"
Smaragde replied with a voice which was more weakened by his vivid emotion:
"Why this trouble and this desperation? Has the arm of the Highest lost his power? Remember how God lead Jacob to his son Joseph that he believed to be dead? Listen to me, please. You will stay here near me these three days."
Paphnutius accepted this offer with an eagerness full of gratefulness, thinking that the devout brother had received some revelation from Heaven. He did not leave him, and prayed with him while he admired his resignation to the will of God, his patience in supporting his horrible sufferings and his sereneness in front of death which was quickly coming closer to him. On the third day, at evening, Paphnuce who found himself alone with the dying person, knelt down near him saying:
"Brother, according to your order, I did not leave you during these three days; have you some comforting words to leave for me before returning to God?"
"Yes, lord. The Allmighty has had compassion of your misery and is going to fulfill your desire. As regards me, I have been able to reach the end of my wishes in spite of many impediments, not through my own strength, but through His triumphant help; nothing remains but to get the eternal crown of the elect. You must not worry so much about your daughter Euphrosyne: I am this unhappy person, and you are my father Paphnutius. Now you can say that you have seen her before her death and go back satisfied. However, beloved father, let nobody except you, know my secret; be the only one to bury my corpse. In my remembrance, do some alms to this monastery which have me so happy and pray for me all the days of your life."
The sobs choked her last words. The father and the daughter, who were united again, were in the arms of one another, and during the holy expression of their joy, the poor brother Smaragde rendered his last, at evening, on January 394.
Paphnutius remained prostrated for a long time before this motionless body whose soul had quitted while he was in his hands, against his heart. Agapit came back to the cell at his customary time, and before this unintelligible sorrow, he thought it good to question the generous host of the monastery who, in his emotion, could not retain his secret. The mystery was manifested and all the brothers were admiring how God had accomplished such marvels of life in a sex that is so week and so delicate. They rendered to Euphrosyne-Smaragde the funeral honours which were due to her sanctity and to her old situation in the world.
Before burying her, the abbot who was incited by a heavenly inspiration, brought near the coffin, one of his religious men who was blind from long ago. The latter bent down on the corpse and kissed her on the front; at the same moment he completely recovered his sight.
Paphnutius, with a comforted heart, went back to Alexandria, sold all his property to the benefit of the poor and the monasteries, and came to spend the remaining time of his life inside the cell which his daughter had consecrated. He lived there during ten years and he was buried beside her........and many churches celebrate on the same day the birth in heaven of both father and daughter.

Authors to be consulted:
Many manuscripts which were published by the "BOLLANDISTS"
"Vie de 122 saints" by Simon Metaphraste.