Saint Cosmas, Hermit of Zographou, was a Bulgarian. In his
youth he avoided entering into marriage, and secretly left his parents’
home for Mount Athos. Then as he was on his way to the Holy Mountain,
the devil tried to shake the yearning of the youth, vexing him with a
vision of the infinite abyss of the sea surrounding the Holy Mountain.
The fervent prayer of the youth dispelled the demonic temptation.
On
Athos, Saint Cosmas was accepted in the Zographou monastery. There he
was a novice for a long time, and then he was tonsured, and was
appointed ecclesiarch. Saint Cosmas received a special mercy to see the
heavenly abbess of Mount Athos Herself, Who on the Feast of the
Annunciation at the Vatopedi monastery deigned to reveal to him a
glimpse of Her care for Her earthly appanage. He saw a Woman of royal
majesty and grandeur, Who attended to both in church for services, and
in the trapeza. All the monks served and obeyed Her.
Soon the
saint was ordained as deacon, and then as presbyter, which inspired him
to new exploits. Zealous for salvation, the saint through fervent prayer
to the Most Holy Theotokos was granted a particular sign of Her special
favor. He heard the voice of the Mother of God issuing from Her holy
icon and asking Her Son, “How will Cosmas be saved?” The Lord answered,
“Let him withdraw from the monastery into silence.” After obtaining the
blessing of the Superior, Saint Cosmas withdrew into the wilderness, and
there in a cave cut into a cliff, and began his new deed of silent
seclusion. God did not forsake the faithful man of prayer, for the saint
was granted the gift of clairvoyance.
Just as at the start of his
ascetic life, the Enemy of the race of mankind again tried to dissuade
the saint from his intended path, and so the final days before the
righteous one’s death were also a grievous trial for him.
Not
long before the death of God’s chosen one, he was granted a vision of
Christ Himself, Who informed the saint that before his soul would depart
to the heavenly Kingdom, Satan himself with his hosts would beat and
gnash at him. Prepared for the suffering by this divine solace, the
saint bravely underwent the terrible demonic assaults, and on the third
day after furious beatings, he received the All-Pure Mysteries. With
words of praise on his lips, he peacefully departed to the Lord.
God,
“Who glorifies those who glorify Him,” also glorified Saint Cosmas
miraculously at his death. At the time of the saint’s burial a multitude
of beasts and birds flocked to his cave, as though sensing the common
loss of the Holy Mountain. When they placed his body in the grave and
began to cover it with ground, each of the speechless creatures let out a
mournful cry, bestowing final respect to the saint of God.
Forty
days later, when the brethren opened the saint’s tomb after the
all-night Vigil (as was customary), in order to transfer them to the
monastery with honor, they were not to be found. The Lord hid them in a
miraculous manner. This occurred in the year 1323.
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