Be Not Quick to Condemn

Two monks arrived in the city of Tyre to perform some errand. As one of them was passing by a certain place, a harlot named Porphyria followed him, crying: “Honorable Father, save me, as Jesus Christ saved the harlot.” Without regard to people’s suspicions, he took her by the hand, in full view of many, and departed with her through the middle of the city. A rumor was immediately spread abroad that the monk in question had taken Porphyria as his wife. As Porphyria passed through cities and villages with him, she happened to come across an abandoned infant, which she lovingly took up and carried with her in order to rear it.

A little later on, some Tyrians came to the place where the monk and the erstwhile prostitute were dwelling. When they saw that Porphyria had a child in her arms, they began to laugh and jeer at that courageous man, saying to Porphyria: “You truly succeeded in your purpose; you have borne a beautiful child by this monk!” Upon returning to Tyre, they put a rumor out everywhere that Porphyria had given birth to a child by the monk, to whom it bore an amazing resemblance.

People are always ready to give credence to suspicions, especially when such people are corrupt and wicked, and can find grounds within themselves for believing such suspicions. They assume without further ado that other people are just like themselves and readily slander other individuals, both because they take pleasure in such suspicions and slanders and, as well, because they wish to have others as accomplices in evil, so eager are they to evade the reproaches of their own consciences.

That honorable monk tonsured Porphyria a nun and clothed her in the monastic schema, changing her name to “Pelagia” and entrusting her to a convent, so that she might lead the monastic life. However, after some time, having foreknowledge of the day of his death, he took her along with him and they returned to Tyre, accompanied by the child, who was now about seven years old.

It was immediately bandied around that Porphyria and her “husband,” the monk, had returned to the city. When the monk subsequently fell ill and was at the point of death, a great many of the inhabitants came to visit him. Under the eyes of all he ordered a censer full of lighted coals to be brought to him. Taking the censer, he poured the coals onto his chest, saying, within the hearing of all: “Blessed be the Lord, Who of old preserved the bush unconsumed; may He be my witness that just as the caustic power of this fire is not burning my clothes, so also I have never touched a woman in all my life.”

When they heard this, they were all astounded and glorified God Who, through such miracles, is wont to glorify openly those who serve Him secretly.

After doing and saying these things, the monk commended his soul into the hands of God. “For this reason, my spiritual children, I urge you all, as I said before, not to be quick to condemn, but to guard yourselves as much as possible from this sin.”

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This story, told by Patriarch John the Merciful of Alexandria, was sent to me by Bishop Auxentios of St Gregory Palamas Monastery / Center for Traditionalist Orthodox Studies, Etna, California. Glory to God for all things!