On March 14 the Russian Orthodox Church honors the memory (the repose) of Nun Martyr Eudokia (Eudoxia) of Heliopolis, head of a community of women ascetics.1
St. Eudokia of Heliopolis
St. Eudokia was born in the Phoenician city of Heliopolis (now Baalbek in Lebanon). She was a Samaritan by birth and was famous for her amazing beauty, which played a cruel trick on her. For some time the future saint lived in prostitution, seducing many with the beauty of her face and figure and thus gaining her wealth. But the Lord did not forsake her and brought St. Eudokia to salvation in the following way.
On the other side of the wall in the house where St. Eudokia lived in Heliopolis, a Christian had taken up residence, and once a certain ascetic named Herman once stayed overnight there. Through the thin partition between the rooms, St. Eudokia once heard them read the Holy Scriptures at night, and some of the verses immediately touched her heart. She heard about the eternal bliss that awaits those who live righteously on earth, and about the retribution that awaits sinners.
She was particularly struck by these Gospel words: Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell (Matt. 5:27–29).
St. Eudokia’s heart almost stopped beating in her breast. She realized that these verses were addressed specifically to her. She burst out crying and through her tears continued to listen to the ascetic’s reading: And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth… Then shall He say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels (Mt. 25:30, 41).
The verses of the Holy Gospel about the On the Last JudgmentThe Gospel calls to purity and a pious life us who await the “day of the Lord”.
“>Last Judgment of the Lord that awaits every human being horrified the future saint Eudokia. The grace of God touched her heart, and the young woman clearly understood the terrible sin she had been living in. She continued weeping, as she clearly saw that the Lord would judge her, a sinner. St. Eudokia realized that if she did not change her life, she would be sent to eternal torment.
St. Eudokia couldn’t sleep at all that night. She shed tears until the first rays of the sun.
Early in the morning St. Eudokia knocked timidly on the next door.
“Come in,” a cheerful voice invited her.
With fear the woman entered the humbly furnished room with a table, a bench, and a small shelf for dishes in it. An elderly man was standing in the middle of the room. Judging by a prayer rope in his hand, he was still praying.
When the ascetic saw the woman, he asked her kindly:
“What brought you to me, my child?”
St. Eudokia bowed to the elder and said in a low, breaking voice:
“Elder, help me—give me advice on how to go on living.”
Herman realized that the young woman really needed his help. He went to St. Eudokia’s room right away.
When they sat down on a bench by the window, the elder, seeing that St. Eudokia could not gather her thoughts and had been shaken by something, began to tell her about his pilgrimage to holy places. Then he asked her again:
“What is bothering you?”
St. Eudokia asked him the question that had been tormenting her all that night:
“Father, teach me how to avoid On The Sufferings in Hell and the Kingdom of GodThe kingdom of God is within you (Lk. 17:21), said the Lord; that is, in the heart. Therefore, it is necessary to seek it out in the heart, cleansing it of the passions and assaults of the enemy, judging and reproaching no one…—St. Macarius of Optina
“>suffering in hell for my sinful life.”
Elder Herman started speaking. St. Eudokia listened to him attentively for a long time. The ascetic spoke about the Lord Jesus Christ, His commandments, and eternal life. And St. Eudokia’s soul was coming alive and straightening up, as if cleansed of its sins. The young woman was being filled with indescribable joy and love for Jesus Christ.
Herman gave St. Eudokia advice:
“My child, if my words have touched your heart, you need to be baptized, become a true Christian and start living according to the commandments of God. Give away the wealth acquired by your dissolute life, and then, if your heart is so inclined, join a community of women ascetics. Now, I advise you to spend time in repentance, fasting and prayer.”
St. Eudokia thanked the elder warmly, and then asked him:
“Father, you have taught me much, and my heart has found the solace I have been looking for for a long time. Come back here in a few days.”
When some time later Fr. Herman came to St. Eudokia again, she welcomed him with joy and immediately asked him:
“Father, I thought a long time about your advice, wept over my past sinful life, prayed to God to forgive me, and fasted. And now I want to be baptized.”
Fr. Herman invited a priest. Theodotus, Bishop of Heliopolis, baptized St. Eudokia after a trial period and catechumenate. Thus a former harlot became a Christian.
The first thing she did was to distribute her wealth among the poor and the destitute. And then, on the advice of Fr. Herman, she became a member of a community of unmarried women ascetics, where she devoted all her energies and time to labors, repentance and the feats of ascetic life. Her feats of penance were especially austere: She spent days and nights incessantly imploring the Lord to forgive her past depraved life.
The Lord endowed the repentant St. Eudokia with spiritual gifts. Soon she became the head of a community of women ascetics. One day a young pagan named Philostrates came to her community. He donned the garb of an ascetic, went into St. Eudokia’s cell and said to her:
“I remember you well, because, like you, I come from the city of Heliopolis. I am here to persuade you to return to your native city. You are still young and beautiful, so all the men you knew will be happy to welcome you. You will become rich and independent again.”
St. Eudokia answered him angrily:
“May the God of retribution forbid you! This will never happen!”
And at the same moment the deceiver suddenly dropped dead.
St. Eudokia called all the women of her community to her cell and begged them to pray for Philostrates. Earnest prayers to the Lord were offered up in all the cells of her community, and St. Eudokia herself, kneeling down, prayed for a long time and fervently asked God to reveal His will to her concerning this pseudo-ascetic. And the Lord appeared to St. Eudokia and said:
“Rise, Eudokia, kneel down and pray, and your tempter will come back to life.”
St. Eudokia thanked the Lord warmly and intensified her prayer for Philostrates. And a miracle occurred! Philostrates rose from the dead. He opened his eyes, saw St. Eudokia standing by his side and said:
“Forgive me, Mother. I didn’t know what I had done.”
Soon Philostrates was baptized in this community, then went to Heliopolis, and after offering repentance he set out on the right path. He always remembered the grace of the Lord Who had given him time to repent and mend his ways.
But after a while, St. Eudokia faced a new trial: the Governor Aurelian was misinformed that after converting to Christianity St. Eudokia had allegedly hidden her wealth in the community. Aurelian sent soldiers to seize non-existent jewels and gold. The soldiers approached the community.
And then a miracle occurred again. For three whole days the soldiers unsuccessfully tried to come close to the walls of the community, but some invisible force would throw them back each time.
Aurelian was told about the miraculous defense of the community and its protection by the power of God. The enraged ruler did not heed Divine Providence. He called his son and said to him:
“My son, you will lead the vanguard of soldiers. Go with it to the community where you will find money and treasures, and bring them back from there.”
However, Aurelian was again met with failure, or rather, a tragedy: on the very first day of the journey his son injured his leg and died. Distraught with grief, the father no longer thought about some mythical “wealth”, weeping over the body of his young dead son. Philostrates, who happened to be nearby, advised Aurelian:
“I see your great bereavement. St. Eudokia, the head of the community that your soldiers attempted to take by force, can help you. Ask her to bring your son back to life by prayer.”
Aurelian instantly sent a messenger to the community. Surprisingly, this time the messenger was able to ride up to the walls of the community and enter the courtyard unhindered. He conveyed Aurelian’s request to St. Eudokia. She began to pray to the Lord Jesus Christ at once, and He raised the young man from the dead. Seeing this miracle, Aurelian and all those around him—his family and the city residents—came to believe in the Savior and were baptized.
St. Eudokia converted many pagans to Christ.
When the persecution of Christians intensified, St. Eudokia was seized and taken to the Governor Diogenes. His military commander Diodorus began to torture her. At that moment, a man from his house ran up to Diodorus and said:
“Lord, I am here to tell you that your wife Firmina has died suddenly.”
Diodorus, instantly forgetting about his duties as St. Eudokia’s executioner, fell at the saint’s feet and exclaimed in despair:
“Holy Eudokia, forgive me and help me! Bring my young wife back to life, for she has just died.”
St. Eudokia had ardent faith in the Lord and sincerely loved people. She turned to God with fervent prayer and besought Him to bring the dead woman back to life. After a while the messenger came running from Diodorus’ house again. He shouted from afar: “My lord! Great joy! Firmina has come back to life! She is safe and sound!”
Having experienced such a miracle, the power and mercy of the Lord, the Governor of Heliopolis Diogenes and his commander Diodorus were converted to Christ and soon received Holy Baptism together with their households, servants, and soldiers. And St. Eudokia stayed in Diodorus’ house for some time to tell the newly converted Christians about the life and commandments of Jesus Christ.
Soon Diodorus had the opportunity to perform a miracle himself through prayer, showing the glory of God.
One day, when the only son of a Christian widow was working in the garden, he was bitten by a snake and died. His mother was crying bitterly. Having learned about this, St. Eudokia told Diodorus:
“The time has come for you to show your faith in the Almighty God Who answers the prayers of repentant sinners, and by His mercy, fulfills their petitions. Resurrect the son of the inconsolable widow by your prayer.”
“I am unworthy to perform this miracle. I have no such boldness before the Lord,” Diodorus lamented.
“Offer up your sincere prayer to the Lord, and He will hearken to it,” St. Eudokia replied.
Relying on St. Eudokia’s instructions, Diodorus began to pray fervently, invoking the Lord. Then he pronounced:
“In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, young man, rise!”
In front of the astonished people the widow’s son opened his eyes and slowly rose from the ground. The overjoyed mother rushed to hug her resurrected son, whom she had not expected to see alive.
After that, St. Eudokia returned to her community in the city of Heliopolis, where she struggled for fifty-six long years.
After Diogenes’ death, the new governor of Heliopolis was Vincent. He began his reign with the brutal persecution of Christians. St. Eudokia was also seized. She bravely confessed the Christian faith, refused to worship pagan idols and called on her persecutors to embrace the true faith. The Governor Vincent ordered that St. Eudokia be beheaded by a sword. On March 1/14, around 160–170 A.D., St. Eudokia was slain and received the crown of martyrdom.
