THE BLESSED THAIS

May 10

From the Prologue

Thais was a wealthy Christian maiden in Egypt. She decided not to enter into marriage and distributed her property to the monks of the desert. When she spent all of her possessions, she began to live a life of debauchery. Learning about this, the hermits begged Abba John Colovos to come to Alexandria and he did and began to weep before Thais. When she heard that the elder was crying because of her sins, she repented in an instant, left home and everything she owned and withdrew into the wilderness with the saint. One night while Thais was sleeping and while John stood at prayer, he saw where angels descended with a great light and took the soul of Thais. John learned that her instantaneous but warm repentance was more pleasing to God than the long years of external repentance of many hermits.

HYMN OF PRAISE

THE VENERABLE PITIRIM

In the desert, the ascetic Pitirim

Prays to God and asks himself:

In the world, is there anyone equal to me?

Then appeared, an angel of God,

Gently reproached Pitirim:

In thoughts, you magnify yourself O Elder

As though, in the world, there is no better!

Come, follow me, O Elder Pitirim,

Come, follow me to see the aged woman,

Isidora makes herself a "fool for Christ,"

To see her and then to be amazed:

She, from God her heart does not separate,

All her thoughts, to God, she binds,

And not like you, who, in the body, are here,

And thoughts, in the ends of the world!

And all of her mortifications that you see

That by shame, of the woman to be ashamed!

And the wisdom of God that you glorify

Which, in the weeds, nurses the roses!