One day, when the brethren were sitting beside him, he said to them, ‘Look, the barbarians are coming to Scetis today; get up and flee.’ They said to him, Abba, won’t you flee too?’ He said to them, As for me, I have been waiting for this day for many years, that the Word of the Lord Christ may be fulfilled which says, “All who take the sword will perish by the sword.”‘ (Matt. 26:52) They said to him, ‘We will not flee either, but we will die with you.’ He said to them: ‘That is nothing to do with me; let everyone decide for himself whether he stops or not.’ Now there were seven brothers there and he said to them, ‘Look, the barbarians are drawing near to the door.’ Then they came in and slew them. But one fled and hid under the cover of a pile of rope and he saw seven Crowns descending and crowning them.

+


“The Monk must die to everything before leaving the body, in order not to harm anyone.”

+