105

of the Holy Spirit. And Joasaph receives him from the divine font, having been shown forth—this most novel thing—as the begetter of his father, and having become the agent of spiritual rebirth for the one who begot him in the flesh. For he was a son of the heavenly Father and 536 truly a most divine fruit of the divine root, of that root which cries out: “I am the vine, you are the branches.” Thus reborn, King Abenner through water and the Spirit rejoiced with an inexpressible joy; and with him the whole city and the surrounding country were deemed worthy of divine baptism, and those who were formerly in darkness were shown to be sons of light. And every sickness and every demonic attack was driven far from the believers; and all were sound and healthy in their souls and their bodies. And many other wondrous things were accomplished for the confirmation of the faith, and churches were built, and bishops, both those who had been hidden because of fear appeared and received back their own churches, and others from among the priests and the monks were appointed to shepherd the flock of Christ. King Abenner, however, having thus departed from that former wicked way of life and being repentant for what he had done, hands over the entire royal authority to his son; and he himself, keeping quiet by himself, constantly pouring dust on his head, and bringing up heavy groans and washing himself with tears, alone spoke with the One who is alone present everywhere, asking Him for forgiveness for his own failings. And he let himself down into such an abyss of compunction and humility that he refused even to name the name of God with his own lips, and barely dared to do this at the admonition of his son. And so he was changed with the good change and trod the path leading to virtue, so as to overcome by his piety 538 the ignorance of his former lawless deeds. And having lived thus for four years in repentance and tears and every virtue, he fell into a sickness, in which he also died. But when the end drew near, he began to be afraid and distressed, calling to mind the evil deeds he had done. But Joasaph with comforting words lightened the burden that had fallen upon him, saying, “Why are you so sorrowful, O father, and why do you trouble yourself? Hope in God and confess to him, who is the hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off at sea, who has cried out through the prophet, shouting: ‘Wash yourselves, become clean; put away the evil from your souls from before my eyes; learn to do good;’ and, ‘Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; though they be as crimson, I will make them white as wool.’ Do not be afraid, therefore, O father, nor doubt; for the sins of those who turn to God do not overcome His infinite goodness. For these are under measure and number, however many they may be; but that is immeasurable and innumerable. It is not possible, therefore, for that which is subject to measure to overcome the immeasurable.” Soothing his soul with such comforting words, he made him hopeful. Then the father stretched out his hands, giving thanks, and prayed over him, and he blessed the day on which he himself was born, saying, “Sweetest child, child not mine, but of the heavenly Father, what thanks shall I give to you? With what blessings shall I bless you? And what thanksgiving shall I send up to God for you? For I was lost, and through you 540 I was found; I was dead in sin, and I have come to life again; an enemy and apostate of God, and I have been reconciled. What then shall I repay you for all these things? It is God who gives you worthy rewards.” Saying this, he kissed his beloved child frequently. Then having prayed, and saying, “Into your hands, O loving God, I commend my spirit,” in repentance and peace he committed his soul to the Lord. But Joasaph, having honored with tears

105

Ἁγίου Πνεύματος. καὶ Ἰωάσαφ τοῦτον ἐκ τῆς θείας κολυμβήθρας ἀναδέχεται, τοῦτο δὴ τὸ καινότατον γεννήτωρ τοῦ πατρὸς ἀναδειχθείς, καὶ τῷ σαρκικῶς γεννήσαντι τῆς πνευματικῆς ἀναγεννήσεως πρόξενος γενόμενος. υἱὸς γὰρ ἦν τοῦ οὐρανίου Πατρὸς καὶ 536 καρπὸς ὄντως τῆς θείας ῥίζης θειότατος, ῥίζης ἐκείνης τῆς βοώσης· Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα. Οὕτως ἀναγεννηθεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἀβεννὴρ δι' ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος ἔχαιρε χαρᾷ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ· σὺν αὐτῷ δὲ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις καὶ ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ θείου ἠξιοῦτο βαπτίσματος, καὶ φωτὸς υἱοὶ ἀνεδείκνυντο οἱ πρὶν ἐσκοτισμένοι. πᾶσα δὲ νόσος καὶ πᾶσα δαιμονικὴ ἐπιφορὰ πόρρω τῶν πιστευόντων ἠλαύνετο· ἄρτιοι δὲ καὶ ὑγιεῖς πάντες τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ τὰ σώματα ἦσαν. καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερα θαυμάσια εἰς βεβαίωσιν τῆς πίστεως ἐτελοῦντο ἐκκλησίαι τε ἀνῳκοδομοῦντο, καὶ ἐπίσκοποι, οἵ τε κεκρυμμένοι διὰ τὸν φόβον ἐφανεροῦντο καὶ τὰς ἰδίας ἀπελάμβανον ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ἄλλοι ἔκ τε τῶν ἱερέων καὶ τῶν μοναζόντων προεχειρίζοντο εἰς τὸ ποιμαίνειν τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνιον. ὁ μέντοι βασιλεὺς Ἀβεννήρ, οὕτω τῆς προτέρας ἐκείνης μοχθηρᾶς ἀγωγῆς ἀποστὰς καὶ μετάμελος ὢν ἐφ' οἷς ἔπραξε, πᾶσαν μὲν τὴν βασίλειον ἀρχὴν τῷ υἱῷ παραδίδωσιν· αὐτὸς δὲ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἠρεμῶν, κόνιν ἀεὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς καταχέων, βαρεῖς τε ἀναφέρων στεναγμοὺς καὶ λούων τοῖς δάκρυσιν ἑαυτόν, μόνος μόνῳ τῷ πανταχοῦ παρόντι ὡμίλει, συγγνώμην αὐτῷ τῶν οἰκείων πταισμάτων ἐξαιτούμενος. εἰς τοσαύτην δὲ κατανύξεως καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης ἄβυσσον ἑαυτὸν καθῆκεν ὡς παραιτεῖσθαι καὶ τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὄνομα τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ ὀνομάζειν χείλεσι, μόλις δὲ τούτου τῇ τοῦ υἱοῦ νουθεσίᾳ κατατολμῆσαι. οὕτω δὲ τὴν καλὴν ἀλλοίωσιν ἠλλοιώθη καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἀπάγουσαν ὥδευσε τρίβον ὡς ὑπερβῆναι αὐτὸν τῇ εὐσε 538 βείᾳ τῶν προτέρων ἀνομιῶν τὸ ἀγνόημα. ἐπὶ τέσσαρας δὲ χρόνους οὕτω βιοὺς ἐν μετανοίᾳ καὶ δάκρυσι καὶ ἀρετῇ πάσῃ, ἀρρωστίᾳ περιέπεσεν, ἐν ᾗ καὶ τελευτᾷ. ὅτε δὲ τὸ τέλος ἤγγισεν, ἤρξατο φοβεῖσθαι καὶ ἀδημονεῖν, μνείαν ποιούμενος τῶν αὐτῷ πεπραγμένων κακῶν. ὁ δὲ Ἰωάσαφ ῥήμασι παρακλητικοῖς τὸ ἐπιπεσὸν αὐτῷ διεκούφιζεν ἄχθος, Ἱνατί περίλυπος εἶ, λέγων, ὦ πάτερ, καὶ ἱνατί συνταράττεις ἑαυτόν; ἔλπισον ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν καὶ ἐξομολόγει αὐτῷ, ὅς ἐστιν ἐλπὶς πάντων τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς καὶ τῶν ἐν θαλάσσῃ μακράν, ὃς κέκραγε διὰ τοῦ προφήτου βοῶν· Λούσασθε, καθαροὶ γένεσθε· ἀφέλετε τὰς πονηρίας ἀπὸ τῶν ψυχῶν ὑμῶν ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου· μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν· καί, Ἐὰν ὦσιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα λευκανῶ· ἐὰν δὲ ὦσιν ὡς κόκκινον, ὡσεὶ ἔριον λευκανῶ. μὴ φοβοῦ τοίνυν, ὦ πάτερ, μηδὲ δίσταζε· οὐ νικῶσι γὰρ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι τῶν ἐπιστρεφόντων πρὸς Θεὸν τὴν ἄπειρον αὐτοῦ ἀγαθότητα. αὗται γὰρ ὑπὸ μέτρον εἰσὶ καὶ ἀριθμὸν, ὅσαι ἂν ὦσιν· ἐκείνη δὲ ἀμέτρητός ἐστι καὶ ἀναρίθμητος. οὐκ ἐνδέχεται τοίνυν τὸ ὑποκείμενον μέτρῳ τοῦ ἀμετρήτου περιγενέσθαι. Τοιούτοις παρακλητικοῖς ῥήμασι κατεπᾴδων αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχήν, εὔελπιν ἀπειργάσατο. εἶτα ἐκτείνας ὁ πατὴρ τὰς χεῖρας, εὐχαριστῶν αὐτῷ ὑπερηύχετο, καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν εὐλόγει ἐν ᾗ αὐτὸς ἐγγεννήθη, Τέκνον, λέγων, γλυκύτατον, τέκνον οὐκ ἐμόν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ οὐρανίου Πατρός, ποίαν ἀποδώσω σοι χάριν; ποίαις εὐλογήσω σε εὐλογίαις; τίνα δὲ εὐχαριστίαν ἀναπέμψω τῷ Θεῷ περὶ σοῦ; ἀπολωλὼς γὰρ ἤμην, καὶ εὑρέθην διὰ 540 σοῦ· νεκρὸς ἤμην τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ, καὶ ἀνέζησα· ἐχθρὸς καὶ ἀποστάτης Θεοῦ, καὶ κατηλλάγην. τί οὖν ἀνταποδώσω σοι ὑπὲρ τούτων ἁπάντων; Θεός ἐστιν ὁ ἀξίας σοι παρέχων τὰς ἀμοιβάς. οὕτω λέγων, πυκνὰ κατεφίλει τὸν φίλτατον παῖδα. εἶτα εὐξάμενος, καί, Εἰς χεῖράς σου, φιλάνθρωπε Θεέ, παρατίθημι τὸ πνεῦμά μου, εἰπών, ἐν μετανοίᾳ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ εἰρήνῃ παρέθετο τῷ Κυρίῳ. Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάσαφ δάκρυσι τιμήσας