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Commemorated on July 19
The Monk Dios
was born in the city of Syrian Antioch towards the end of the IV Century
into a pious Christian family. From the years of his youth he was noted for his
temperance, he took food in small quantity and not each day, his flesh was
humbled by vigil and incessant prayer. For these deeds the Lord granted Saint
Dios dispassion and the gift of wonderworking.
The Lord in a vision
ordered Saint Dios to go to Constantinople and there to serve both Him and the
people. Saint Dios settled beyond the city in a solitary place, where people
feared to live. The Monk Dios bravely contended with the evil spirits which
tried to expel him from this place. The Lord heard the prayer of His saint: his
staff took root, began to grow and with time was transformed into an immense
oak, which stood for a long time even after the death of Saint Dios.
The surrounding
inhabitants began to come to the saint for advice and guidance, and they
besought healing from ills of body and soul. Saint Dios by prayer doctored the
infirm, and whatever was offered him he distributed to the poor, the homeless
and the sick.
Accounts about Saint
Dios reached even the emperor Theodosius the Younger. He came to Saint Dios for
a blessing together with the Constantinople Patriarch Atticus (406‑425).
The emperor wanted that on the place of Saint Dios' efforts there be built a
monastery, and he provided the means for its construction. The patriarch
ordained the monk into the priestly dignity and made him the hegumen. Soon
numerous monastic brethren gathered to Saint Dios. The monastery was in need of
a well. They dug at it for a long time without success. Through the prayer of
the monk the Lord brought forth a spring of pure water, which soon filled up
the entire well. One time through his prayer the monk raised up a drowned man.
And many another miracle the Lord worked through His saint.
In extreme old age
the Monk Dios became grievously ill. He took his leave from the brethren,
communed the Holy Mysteries and lay upon his cot, like one dead. At the
monastery for making the funeral service His Holiness Patriarch Atticus (Comm.
on Cheesefare Saturday) and also the Alexandria Patriarch Alexander, who was
then at Constantinople. The holy elder unexpectedly rose up from his death bed
and said: "The Lord hath given me yet fifteen years of life". Great
was the joy of the brethren.
Saint Dios actually
did live another 15 years, helping all with guidance and counsel, healing the
sick, and being concerned for the poor and homeless. Shortly before death a
radiant man in priestly garb appeared to him in the altar of the church and
forespoke to him about the impending day of death. Having given thanks to the
Lord for this news, Saint Dios quietly died and was buried in his monastery
(about the year 430).
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.
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