One day, while Blessed Martinian was chanting the Psalms of David, the devil assumed the form of a great serpent and, approaching the wall of the saint's cell, began digging vigorously. He wanted to undermine the earth and collapse the cell on the blessed one. But Martinian, without fear or embarrassment, finished singing, peered out the cell window, and said to the serpent:
"Truly, you are fit to crawl on the ground; why do you labor in vain? Your schemes will not frighten me. For my Lord Jesus Christ helps me: He will overcome your schemes and put your strength to shame."
Hearing this, the devil, having changed into a dark whirlwind, ran away in shame, saying:
"Wait, wait; I know how to defeat you. I will make you my slave, I will shatter all your hopes. I will bring upon you such temptation that you cannot bear it; I will tear you from your cell, I will cast you aside like a leaf blown by the wind. Then I will see who will help you."
Having said this, the devil vanished. Martinian, however, was so strong in faith that he remained without any fear or apprehension, as if he had not seen any apparition. He merely praised the Lord, practicing his meditation on God and reading and understanding the Divine Scriptures.
After this, the following happened. Some residents of Caesarea were once discussing Martinian's virtuous life. They marveled greatly at his courage and patience. A certain prostitute overheard this conversation. Under the devil's instigation, she approached the men with these words:
Why are you so amazed by the life of this ascetic? Is he really so steadfast in virtue? If I only wanted, I could shake him, as the wind shakes a leaf on a tree. And what worthy of praise have you found in him? Is it not that he, like a wild beast, retreated into the desert, unable to struggle in the city with the lust of the flesh and worldly temptations? And what wonder if he remains dispassionate, never having seen a single woman? You yourselves well know that hay does not burn without fire; but it would be quite surprising if the hay placed near the fire did not catch fire. That is how one should reason about this man. If I go to him, and he remains just as dispassionate, and is not seduced by my beauty, then he will be great not only before men, but also before God and His Angels.
After these words, she wagered money with the men and went home. There she took off her rich attire, donned thin and tattered garments, covered her head with rags, and girded herself with a rope. All her rich clothing, her rings and earrings, her gold rings, her necklaces, and everything else that captivates the mind and eyes of young men, she placed in a bag and took it with her. That evening, she left Caesarea and by night arrived at the mountain in the desert where the saint lived. The night was rainy and stormy. Approaching Martinian's cell, the woman, feigning a groan, began to beg the saint:
"Have mercy on me, servant of God! Do not abandon me, a wretched one, to be devoured by wild beasts. I am lost in the desert and know not where to go. Have mercy, take pity on me in such trouble, and do not disdain me, a sinner, for I too am God's creation. I beg you, holy father, do not leave me without help."
She said this and much more with tears and wailing. Blessed Martinian opened his window, looked in, and, seeing her in such poor clothing, standing in the heavy rain, thought to himself:
Woe to me, a wretched sinner! Now I face a temptation: either I must fulfill God's commandment to be merciful, or I must break my monastic vows. If I do not accept this woman into my cell, in such a pitiful state, she will be devoured by wild beasts or die of the great cold. Then I will defile my soul and be like a murderer. If I bring her into my cell, I fear temptation will overtake me. Then I will defile both my body and my soul, and I will be an unclean fornicator before my Lord. I do not know what to do.
And raising his hands to heaven, blessed Martinian cried out:
" To You, O Lord, do I lift up my soul" ( Psalm 25:1 ). Do not allow me to fall into temptation and become a slave to the deceitful devil. But preserve me in this hour and protect me from the enemy's slander, for You are blessed forever.
After praying, he opened the doors, brought the woman into the cell and, having lit a fire, offered her to warm herself, then he brought some dates, which he plucked from a tree standing near his cell, gave them to her and said:
- Woman! Eat and warm yourself here by the fire, and in the morning leave my cell in peace.
After this, he left her in the outer half of the cell, while he himself went into the inner, locking the doors behind him. At three o'clock in the morning, according to his established custom, he began to chant psalms and prayers. After this, he lay down on the ground and fell asleep. But Satan troubled him that night with carnal lust. At midnight, the woman arose, took all her jewelry from her sack, and put it on to tempt the saint. Having put her poor clothing in the sack, she waited for Martinian to come out to her. In the morning, the saint emerged from his half, wanting to dismiss the woman from his cell. Seeing her richly dressed and adorned, he did not recognize her. Horrified, he stopped and remained silent for a long time. Finally, he said to her:
- Who are you and where did you come from, and where did you get such demonic robes?
She answered him that she was the same woman whom he himself had let into his cell.
"Why did you change your clothes?" Martinian asked her. "This evening you were in poor rags, but now you are in rich clothes."
Then she said:
"I am from Caesarea in Palestine; I have heard much about you, about your beauty, and my heart is inflamed with love for you. I have traveled such a long way for you. Why do you abstain, why do you afflict your body with such strict fasting? In what books have you found that you must not drink, eat, or marry? Didn't the Apostle Paul say, 'Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled'" ( Hebrews 13:4 )?
Which of the prophets lost the Kingdom of Heaven simply because he had a wife? Was not the great and wondrous Enoch married? Yet he was taken up to heaven and has not tasted death to this day ( Gen. 5:24 ; Heb. 11:5 ). The forefather Abraham had three wives and was even called the friend of God; moreover, he was even deemed worthy to receive God Himself in Three Persons under his shadow ( Gen. 18 ). Isaac, the prototype of Christ, was also married ( Gen. 24:67 ). Jacob had two wives and two concubines, yet he was able to wrestle with the Angel and was deemed worthy to behold God's glory ( Gen. 22 ). Was not the great Moses, the supreme prophet and servant of God, married ( Ex. 2 )? "After all, he conversed with God, freed the Jewish people from the harsh slavery of foreigners, and was deemed worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven. David, other prophets, and holy men also had legal wives and children—and all of them will be established in the Kingdom of Heaven."
Speaking thus, the sinner tried to confuse the saint and shake him; she grabbed his hands and began to drag the saint to destruction.
"But if I make you my wife," said Martinian, "what will I do with you? How will I support you when I have nothing? You see my life; since my youth, I have never sought to acquire any of the perishable goods."
To this the wife replied:
"Sir, just stay with me and let me enjoy your beauty, and don't worry about the rest. I have a house, a lot of property: gold, silver, male and female slaves. You will be the master of all this."
Hearing the words spoken by this woman, or rather, by the devil himself, the ancient murderer, through her lips, Martinian began to hesitate, contemplating committing sin. Finally, he said to his wife:
"Wait a little: some usually come to me for a blessing. I'll go and see if anyone is there, so that we won't be seen. We cannot hide our sin from God; let us at least hide it from people, so that they won't blaspheme or revile us."
Having said this, he left his cell and, standing on a stone located there, began to carefully survey the road. But God, the Lover of Mankind, desires no one's destruction. He did not neglect the labors of Saint Martinian, undertaken since his youth, remembered his prayers, granted him His aid, and changed his evil thoughts into good ones. Descending from the stone, Martinian found some dry brushwood, picked it up, and carried it into his cell. Placing it in the center of the cell, he lit it. When the fire flared up strongly, the saint, removing his sandals and stepping into the flames, stood there until the fire began to scorch his entire body. After this, he emerged from the flames and said, as if reproaching himself:
"So, Martinian, is this temporary fire good? Is this torment pleasant? If you can endure it, then approach this woman. She, or the devil through her, will prepare eternal fire for you. No, it is not she who is to blame, but the devil, who inspired her with this thought—he does this because he wants to drag you into the abyss of destruction. Think, unworthy Martinian, of the torment that lies before you, remember the eternal fire; this temporary fire can be quenched with water. There is light in it. But the fire of hell has no radiance; all the seas and rivers under the sky cannot quench it. If you can endure this unquenchable fire, then approach this woman and fulfill your desire."
Thus he spoke to himself. When his pain began to subside a little, he stepped back into the fire and stood there for a long time, as long as he could. Coming out of the fire, he fell to the ground and, with heartbroken contrition, sighing and weeping, he cried out to the Lord:
"O Lord, my God, be merciful to me, a sinner, forgive the darkness of my mind and my inclination to sin. You, who search the hearts and inner thoughts, know my heart also. You know that I have loved You from my earliest youth and for Your sake have scorched my body with fire. Forgive me, my Master and Lord, for You alone are good and merciful, for blessed art You forever."
Thus prayed the saint, lying face down on the ground: he was unable to stand due to severe burns. After this, he began to sing: "How good is God to Israel, to the pure in heart! But as for me, my feet had almost slipped, my steps had almost slipped" ( Psalm 72:1–2 ) .
Seeing this, the woman was amazed that the saint, for his own salvation, had exposed himself to the fiery flames. She herself remembered her sins and was revived in spirit, as if awakening from a dream. She tore off her clothes and all her jewelry, threw them into the fire, and, dressing herself again in her poor rags, fell at the feet of Saint Martinian and began to say to him with tears:
"Forgive me, a wretched and sinful servant of God; you, lord, know how powerful and varied are the devil's wiles and temptations. He also inspired me with the idea of tempting you. Pray for me, holy father, that through your prayers I, a great sinner, may also receive salvation. Know then, father, that I will no longer return to the city, will not enter my home, will not see my family and friends. No, I have firmly decided to abandon my vile deeds; I will only concern myself with the salvation of my wretched soul. Know also this, my lord: in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I will wage war against the devil in the same way he inspired me to rebel against you. And I hope to shame him: this ancient flatterer, in raising me against you, has raised me against himself." He wanted to overcome you through me, but with the help of our Lord, Who calls even harlots to repentance, he himself will be defeated by me.
She said this, shedding tears. The blessed one answered her:
"May my Lord and God forgive you, wife, for your sin. Go in peace and, as you said, take care of the salvation of your soul. Fight your passions, imposing repentance upon yourself, and thus you will be able to shame the evil one."
In response to this she said to the blessed one:
– I ask and beg you, Father, guide me on the path to salvation; tell me how I can obtain salvation?
He answered:
"Go to Bethlehem and find the holy virgin there, named Paula , who built the holy church there. When you come to her, tell her everything that happened and seek refuge with her."
The wife stood up, bowed to him and said:
– Pray, Father, for me, a sinner!
The saint, overcome by intense pain, could barely rise from the ground. He gave the woman some dates for the journey, led her out of the cell, and, showing her the way to Jerusalem, said:
Go in peace and save your soul, and strive for repentance. Be careful not to turn back: "No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God" ( Luke 9:62 ). Watch yourself, lest you again be mocked by the enemy; remain relentlessly in repentance, for God accepts those who repent.
Hearing this, the wife cried even more loudly and said:
"And I trust in Him in whom the nations trusted and were not put to shame. I firmly believe and hope that from now on the devil will not find a servant in me."
Blessed Martinian, having made the sign of the cross over her, said:
– The Lord my God preserve your soul and keep you until the end.
The woman, having bowed to the saint, departed, and the saint returned to his cell, where he began to pray to the Lord with tears. Meanwhile, the woman continued on, tearfully praying to God to guide her on the path to salvation. Night had already fallen, and she was still walking in the desert. Here she stopped for the night. Rising in the morning, she again continued on her way, praying and shedding tears. Only late the next evening did she arrive in Bethlehem. Entering the monastery built by Blessed Paula, she bowed to her and related all that had happened. Hearing her story, Blessed Paula glorified the Lover of Mankind, joyfully accepted her into her monastery, and each day instructed her and guided her on the path to salvation. This woman began to strive and fast so intensely that Blessed Paula often said to her:
- Spare your flesh, child, so that it does not become exhausted, try to be able to continue to strive in fasting to the end.
But she did not weaken her struggles. Shortly before her death, Blessed Zoe—that was the woman's name—asked the Lord to reveal whether her repentance had been accepted. As a sign of His mercy, the loving God granted her the gift of healing. A woman who suffered greatly from her eyesight came to the monastery, hoping to be healed. Blessed Pavla, desiring to know Zoe's repentance, said to her:
– Pray, child, for this woman: perhaps, through your prayer, the Lord will grant her healing.
A short time later, while Zoya was praying for the sick woman, she was healed. In gratitude for her healing, the woman took monastic vows at the monastery and began to pursue monastic asceticism with greater zeal.
Blessed Zoe spent twelve years asceticizing in fasting and peacefully surrendered her soul to the Lord. Throughout her penitence, she ate no wine, oil, or vegetables, only a little bread and water. She ate only once a day, in the evening, and sometimes every two days, and her bed was the bare earth. Such was the saint's ascetic life, and such was her end.
But let us turn again to the story of blessed Martinian.
Saint Martinian was healed of his burns only after seven months. Afterward, he began to reflect:
"If I don't leave here for some other place, the cunning enemy will not leave me and will not give me peace. And I should live in a place where women have no access at all."
Having thought this, he stood up and prayed to God:
"Lord of heaven and earth and Creator of the sea! Do what will benefit me, do not abandon me, do not let me perish completely, be my helper and protector. Lord of hosts! Show me the path to salvation."
Having made the sign of the cross, the blessed one left his cell and headed toward the sea. Seeing the ascetic leave the place, the devil cried out:
"May my name be glorified, for I have driven you, Martinian, from your cell, scorched your body, made you a fugitive and my captive. So, Martinian, are you fleeing from here? But know that wherever you go, I will follow you. Just as I have driven you from this place, so I will drive you from wherever you may settle. I will not leave you until I have completely overcome you and made you my slave." The blessed one replied:
"Weak and wretched one! Do you, who lack any strength, really think you drove me from this cell, or do you think I abandoned it in despair? No, I left here to better wrestle with you and conquer you. If the two temptations you brought upon me weren't enough, then try to tempt me again. With the help of my God, I destroyed your wicked deceit and suffered not for you, but for the sake of the name of the Lord my God. Even that very woman, to whom you inspired the idea of tempting me, now knows your worthlessness and compares you to smoke: she has trampled upon your wicked and evil machinations, so that you dare not even approach her shadow.
Hearing these words of the saint, the devil vanished. The blessed one began to chant the psalm: "Let God arise, and let His enemies be scattered; and let those who hate Him flee before His face" ( Psalm 68:2 ). Singing this psalm, he headed for the sea. Reaching a certain harbor, he found a God-fearing sailor and said to him:
- Brother! Do you know of any small, uninhabited island out at sea?
The ship's owner answered him:
- Why are you asking about this? Why do you need this?
“I want to withdraw from this vain world and undertake the feat of silence,” answered Martinian, “but I do not know a place suitable for this.
That husband said:
– There is one such place, but it is scary: in the middle of the sea there is a high stone cliff, from where you can’t even see the land.
“Such a place is convenient for me,” answered the blessed one, “I wish to settle there, for there cannot be access there for wives.
"But who will provide you with food?" the sailor asked him.
Martinian said:
"I want to ask you about this. You will bring me food, and I will pray for you. If you bring palm branches, I will do the weaving; when you come, you will take my handicrafts and sell them; and with this money you will buy me bread; also bring me water in a vessel. I ask you to come to me with bread and water two or three times a year.
Hearing this, the sailor realized that a holy man stood before him; he promised to fulfill everything the blessed one would ask. Entering the ship, they set sail for that deserted place. With a favorable wind, they reached that rocky cliff toward evening. Seeing it, the blessed one rejoiced in spirit and praised God. Having blessed the sailor, he climbed onto the cliff and began to sing: "I firmly trusted in the Lord, and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He drew me out of the terrible pit, out of the miry swamp, and set my feet upon a rock and established my steps" ( Psalm 39:2 ). (The pit of passions, according to St. Athanasius, is vice and ignorance. And from the clay of mire, for those caught in sins become mired in mire.)
Having finished the psalm, he prayed and said to the sailor:
- Go in peace, brother, and bring me bread, water and branches so that I can make baskets.
"If you wish," the boatman replied, "I'll bring some trees too. We'll build a small hut for you here."
But the blessed one did not wish this: he remained to live on this rock under the open sky, patiently enduring both the heat of the day and the cold of the night. Two or three times a year, a ship's captain brought him bread and water, as the saint had requested. Living on the rock, Blessed Martinian was very glad that he fled worldly vanity. Day and night, he praised God and ceaselessly occupied himself with theology. But the evil devil did not wish to abandon the saint even here and tried to annoy him in every way. One night, he raised a great storm at sea and raised a huge wave over the head of the blessed one. It rose fifteen cubits above the rock. At this, the devil cried out:
- Now I will drown you, Martinian!
The blessed one answered without embarrassment:
"In vain do you labor, weak and wretched one: your wiles will not frighten me, your plots will not dismay me. I trust in my Lord Jesus Christ, and in His name I will put you to shame."
Having said this, the blessed one began to sing: “Save me, O God, for the waters have reached my soul. I am sunk in a deep swamp, and there is no place to stand; I have entered into the depths of the waters, and their swift current carries me away” ( Ps. 68:2 ).
Having finished this psalm, Martinian began to pray:
"Lord, Jesus Christ," he cried, "Only-begotten Son of the invisible Father, You descended to earth for our salvation. You rule over the sea, commanding the winds. Everything listens to You with fear. Hear me, Master, at this hour and cease this storm, shame the devil who seeks to destroy me. All is possible for You, Lord; all is in Your power." At these words of the saint, the devil disappeared. The storm ceased without causing the saint any harm. After this, the saint remained on that rock for another six years, enduring rain, cold, and heat for his salvation. But the devil did not cease his wiles. He led the saint into another, even more grievous temptation and subjected him to even greater misfortune.
One day, the devil saw a ship floating on the sea, carrying both men and women. He stirred up a storm, and a strong wind drove the ship against a rock and wrecked it. Everyone on board drowned, except for a young girl who managed to grab a plank and float to the rock where Martinian lived. Clutching the rock, the girl began to cry out:
- Have mercy on me, servant of God, give me your hand, save me and do not leave me to perish.
Seeing that no one but him could save the young girl, the blessed one said:
- And this is the wiles of the devil, but now, devil, you cannot defeat me.
Reflecting on this, the blessed one said:
"Woe to me, a sinner, for temptation once again confronts me: what should I do? If I do not give the girl my hand and rescue her from the water, she will drown, and a grave sin will lie upon my soul, for I will then be her murderer. But if I rescue her, I cannot remain here with her. Then there will be a disaster for me, a greater one than the first. Before, while on land, I could flee, but now—where can I flee? After all, there is only one small rock here, surrounded by the sea everywhere.
Then, stretching out his hands to heaven, the blessed one began to pray:
- Lord, do not let me perish, but arrange everything for the good of my soul.
Having said this, he gave the maiden his hand and led her out of the sea onto the rock. Seeing that she was very beautiful, Martinian said:
"Truly, hay and fire cannot coexist; it is impossible for you and I to live here together. Stay here and fear nothing: there is bread and water here; a certain shipmaster delivers them. He will arrive here in two months. Tell him everything that has happened, and he will take you across the sea."
After this, the saint made the sign of the cross over the sea and said:
"Lord Jesus Christ! You rebuked the winds, who listen to You with trembling. Look upon me and have mercy on me, and do not let me perish. In Your name I will cast myself into the sea, for it is better for me to die in the waves than to be consumed by physical passion for a woman."
Then turning to the young woman, Martinian said:
– Save yourself, maiden; God will protect your soul from all enemy attacks and will preserve you to the end!
With these words, he plunged into the sea and swam. By God's providence, two dolphins lifted him onto their backs and carried him away. Seeing this, the maiden gazed at him until he was out of sight. The dolphins carried the blessed one to dry land. Upon reaching dry land, Martinian began to thank the Lord:
"I praise You, Lord my God, for You have wonderfully shown Your mercy on me, Your sinful and unworthy servant. Do not abandon me until the end."
After that he began to think like this:
"I don't know what to do? The enemy doesn't abandon me in the mountains or the desert. He hasn't abandoned me at sea either. But I must always carry the words of the Gospel in my heart: 'When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For truly I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes'" ( Matthew 10:23 ).
Having said this, the blessed one began to move from one place to another, from one city to another and spoke thus:
- Run, Martinian, so that no misfortune befalls you.
Thus, constantly wandering, he spent his life. He carried neither staff, nor sack, nor bread, nor two coats, nor money—in short, nothing that is essential to our life. When he entered a city or a village, he inquired which of the inhabitants was distinguished for his piety, and with that person he stayed and ate. He spent the night wherever night overtook him: in the desert or in the field; and he lay down to rest only for the briefest time. Wandering thus, in two years he visited one hundred and sixty-four cities and finally arrived in Athens in 1372. God deigned to reveal all about blessed Martinian to the bishop of that city . Here, sensing the approach of his end, the saint, already ill, entered the church, lay down on the ground, and said to those around him:
– Call the bishop here quickly!
Those around him thought he was mad. But when Martinian begged them again, they obeyed him, went to the bishop, and told him:
"A certain man lies in the church; we don't know whether he's mad or something else. He asked us to call you to him."
The bishop answered them:
– It is in vain that you call this man crazy: he is much better and taller than me!
Having risen, the bishop went to church. The blessed one, seeing the bishop, was unable to rise. Extending his hands to him, he wished to render due honor to God's hierarch. The bishop also sought to honor him and said:
"God once promised to show me His servant. Now His promise has been fulfilled. When you are deemed worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven, remember me too."
The blessed one answered:
– Bless me, Father, and pray for me to the Lord, that I may appear uncondemned before His righteous judgment.
Having said this, the saint raised his eyes to heaven and said:
– Lord Jesus Christ! Into Your hands I commend my spirit!
And crossing himself, he said to the bishop:
– Bury me, Father, for the Lord’s sake!
At this, the blessed one's face lit up with a smile, and thus he commended his soul to the Lord . Thus Saint Martinian honorably ended his earthly life, preserved the faith, and was deemed worthy to receive the crown prepared for him in the Kingdom of Heaven. The bishop, with great honor, buried his holy body in that church.
Who would not marvel at this ascetic? Who would not bless his memory? He struggled to the end of his days to save his soul. He even voluntarily subjected himself to torture. Christians had not yet been persecuted, but the saint arranged his own martyrdom. He conquered the devil and thwarted all his wiles. He was his own persecutor and voluntarily imposed suffering upon himself. Truly, he should be called a martyr and a good sufferer; through temporal fire, he overcame eternal fire. The devil set his wife against him, and this blessed one converted her to the right and good path.
But let us turn to that girl left by Martinian on the rock, and we will see that the prayer of the blessed one helped her greatly.
Remaining on the rock, Fotinia—for that was the maiden's name—subsisted on bread and water, as the blessed one had instructed her. As was customary, two months later, a sailor headed for the rock, carrying bread and water for the saint. Approaching the rock, he saw the maiden instead of the monk and thought it was a ghost. Terrified, he began to swim away from the rock. Fotinia began to cry out to him:
“Don’t be afraid of anything, I am truly a woman and a Christian; don’t leave me, but come and listen to what I will tell you.”
But the sailor didn't believe her. Then she, conjuring him, began to speak:
“I swear to you by Christ that I am a Christian; come here without fear and listen to my story.
Then the sailor, landing at the rock, said to her:
"Where is the monk who was here? How and where could he have gone from here? Who brought you and left you on this stone?"
Having crossed herself, Photinia began to tell everything that had happened to her. Upon hearing her story, the man was greatly astonished and said to her:
- Go, I will transport you from here to the ground so that you can go to your city.
“No, brother,” she answered him, “I beg you, do not take me away from here, but do me a favor: go to the village, bring me a man’s garment made of hair shirt; bring me bread and water, as you did for the blessed man, and you will receive the blessing of God he promised. For there is no difference between the male and female sex, as the Apostle said: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus” ( Gal. 3:28 ). Do not disdain me, a sinner, for I too want to receive salvation. Perhaps God, desiring to save me, in His wise providence deigned to settle me on this rock. Do not abandon me just because I am a woman; Remember that God created Adam and Eve, and that He Himself was pleased to be born of the Most Holy Virgin Mary. Serve me as you served that righteous man, and bring me everything I asked of you. Bring some wool, too, so that I can do my needlework. Let your wife come here with you: she will dress me in men's clothing, and I will work as she commands. May the Lord and my God be with you throughout your life, and grant you grace, mercy, and forgiveness of sins in this life and the next.
The sailor answered her:
“I will do everything you ask of me, just be strong and courageous, and God will fulfill your wish.
With these words, he sailed home; two days later, he returned with his wife, taking with him everything the maiden had asked for. Disembarking from the ship, his wife climbed the cliff to Blessed Photina. She kissed her and bowed to the ground. Then she brought her clothing and bread from the ship. Asking the sailor to move away a little, Blessed Photina stripped off her women's clothing, laying aside her feminine weakness as well, and donned men's attire, girding herself with wisdom and manly strength. As she did so, she prayed, crying out:
"Lord God! You have heard the prayers of all Your saints from time immemorial. Listen to me, a sinner, and help me live quietly and piously in this place, dressed in men's clothing. Preserve my soul, strengthen my heart, fortify my body, and guide me on the path to salvation. Reward these people who will serve me with due reward. For You are blessed and glorified forever. Amen."
After that she said to her wife:
“My lady, I beg you: provide me with wool along with bread and water, so that I do not eat your bread without compensation, and take these clothes of mine as a remembrance of my humility.
After this, she sent them away peacefully. In the third month, the sailor and his wife returned to Fotinia and brought her some bread.
While on the island, the blessed virgin praised the Lord for her life. Daily, she offered up twelve prayers to God, and each night she intensified this pious act, praying to the Lord twenty-four times. A pound of bread served her for two days. Thus, with God's help, she reached the end of her life. When she settled on this rock, she was twenty-five years old, and she had labored on the rock for six years; therefore, in peace, she commended her pure and holy soul to the Lord. Just two months after her death, when the sailor and his wife arrived at the appointed time, they found blessed Photina deceased; her hands were folded crosswise, her face was radiant, and she appeared as if asleep. Having venerated her holy body and taken it, they placed it on a ship and sailed to the city of Caesarea in Palestine. Here the sailor went to the Bishop of Caesarea and told him all about the virtuous life of Saint Photina. With all his clergy, the bishop honorably buried her body, singing divinely inspired psalms and hymns, giving honor and glory to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and to the ages of ages. Amen.
Source: https://azbyka.ru/otechnik/Dmitrij_Rostovskij/zhitija-svjatykh/152