Synaxarion of our Venerable Father Thomas Dephourkinos

St. Thomas Dephourkinos (Feast Day - December 10)

Verses

Thomas has shown himself to be an unshakable foundation of God,
Stronger than the machinations of the demons.

He had as his homeland the region lying at the foot of Mount Kyminas; and his parents were simple folk, living in self-sufficiency. Having despised all worldly things while still vigorous and in the prime of life, he aspired to the monastic life. For from childhood he was accustomed to accompany his father to the monasteries, and, being placed with a teacher in one of the holy institutions, he was given over to the training of learning. In a short time he mastered the Psalter, the words of the Apostles, and the rest of the ecclesiastical services. Such, then, were the beginnings of his life, and from this point the first fruits of the life of virtue began to appear.

As the boy grew older, he donned the angelic habit and advanced steadfastly into the struggles against the enemies. Transforming the beauty of his soul by the colors of virtue, he became as a divine image to those who beheld him. At that time a certain illustrious member of the nobility of Byzantium built a monastic residence on the river Sagaris. The man’s name was Galoleiktēs (elsewhere Galocheiktēs). Having consulted the bishop of that place about this matter, he asked him to select worthy monks from the monasteries under his care to serve in the newly established monastery. The bishop immediately recommended the blessed Thomas, as a renowned man and an exact model of self-control, to serve as superior over those gathered by the nobleman. He directed this community with great success for some time; and the more he humbled himself in hiding, the more he became known to all as a dwelling-place of manifold virtue.

But as the crowds pressing upon him made life difficult, he grew distressed. What did he do? Seeing among the brethren one of exceptional merit, he instructed him to act as superior of the others, and then, equipping himself with the prayers of the brethren, he found a mountain slope suited for quiet and withdrew to live there alone. Yet when the sheep sought their shepherd, they did not cease searching the hills and slopes until they reached the very place of his retreat and found the Father sitting in the open. Considering the severity of the winter snows and the scorching heat of summer, they entreated him: “Why do you wear yourself out with harsher conditions, Father, without considering the frailty of our body made from dust, which is easily undone by such extremes?”

Only with difficulty did he yield to their plea, and he instructed the monks to build for him a small dwelling. When this was completed, he entered the church alone on Sunday, knelt and prostrated himself to the ground, and prayed: “Lord, grant that men worthy of Your good pleasure may come to us, who are unworthy.” And forthwith, as if sent from God, certain most devout laymen came to him, beseeching to be tonsured and to live with him in obedience. Seeing that they had come from the Lord, he clothed them in the sacred habit, and named one John and the other Peter, as the first disciples of Christ; and with them he increased his prayers to the Lord.

But the inventor of evil did not long endure to see his cunning and assaults defeated. First he sent against the elder a multitude of gnats, so that they covered him without respite, clinging to him like thorns even when he lay down; and when he rose for prayer, they crawled from his lips into his throat. Even the little food he took out of necessity was full of gnats. He endured all this for three full years, during which he did not groan, but rather gave thanks, seeking from the Lord deliverance from these troubles. After a time, when God arranged that the gnats should cease, large flies rose up against the Father, piercing him like sharpened arrows and consuming the strength he had gained through self-control. After these, ants in great numbers took their turn, boldly assailing the athlete, leaping upon his eyes and nostrils.

But when the tempter saw him unshaken, like an immovable oak, he intensified his assault so that the sufferings of nine years were compressed into a single day. And since the crafty one knew he could not prevail by indirect attacks, he prepared not only for close combat but also gathered all the serpents with him and set them upon the blessed man. The story hastens to relate something difficult for most to believe: there was no form or sight that appeared to the elder that was not shown in the shape of a serpent. Wherever he stood or happened to touch something, a serpent was revealed in that very place. And this did not happen once or twice, but for eleven full years he was tested by serpents. Whenever he sought to lie down on his customary bed, serpents lay down on either side of him. Yet by the providence of God he was kept unharmed.

Once, while he was celebrating the bloodless sacrifice and was already at the end of the liturgy, a terrible serpent crawled from somewhere and coiled itself around the apse of the chapel. When the brother assisting him in the liturgy went out to bring the wine, the serpent fell from the apse and lay beside the threshold, presenting a strange sight like an ox. When the priest had finished the sacred mysteries, he noticed the deacon’s delay in returning with the wine; wishing to look for him, he saw the beast lying by the threshold and the deacon standing terrified. Filled with the Spirit, he said to the brother: “Enter, and do not hesitate,” and he calmly continued the offering. Encouraged by the Father’s exhortation, the brother, like a bird, leapt over the beast and entered.

When the sacred mystagogy was completed, the priest, still in his vestments, went toward the serpent and said calmly: “If your end has come, follow me by the providence of my God, O beast.” The serpent, grasping the end of the priest’s garment, was dragged along. And going some distance, he came to a certain ravine between two hills. There he stood to pray, and added this final petition: “O Lord, who have said that those who believe in You shall tread upon serpents and scorpions, grant that I, the least of Your servants, might stand over the beast at the top of the ravine, according to Your word.” Having said this, the beast was lifted up and thrown into the chasm; and the two hills collapsed upon it, filling the ravine and turning the place into a plain. The elder, thanking God, returned to his cell. Then a wondrous miracle occurred. The serpents dwelling beneath his cell, who had tormented the Saint for so many years, seeing his glorified face, fled at once to the place where the devouring serpent had perished, unable to bear his fiery appearance; and by God’s providence they perished there in countless numbers. For birds came flying, as if sent, equal to the number of serpents, and devoured them.

From that time on the Father was freed from these temptations, received from God the grace of prophecy, and disciplined himself even further with harsher practices. When peace had returned, and as he saw many coming to him, he decided to migrate to the more desolate mountains. Appointing John as abbot of the monastery, he revealed to Peter the gift of clairvoyance. This took place, and the Father’s prophecy proved true. Let one example suffice for the whole tapestry of his prophecies, for those eager to labor.

Once the most devout emperor of the Romans, Leo (the Wise), son of Basil, wrote down what had arisen in his heart, sealed it, and sent it out, seeking an answer. When the Father sensed the imperial messenger at the threshold of his cell, he went to meet him outside, holding in his hand another sealed tablet, and said: “Take this, brother, and return to the one who sent you.” The bearer of the imperial letter, astonished, said: “Father, what shall I tell the emperor in answer to his inquiry, since you have not received what he sent?” But the Father replied: “It is enough, child, it is enough; God will take care of the matter.” Then taking the tablet of the spiritual father, the messenger returned to the emperor. When he showed him what had happened, the emperor was amazed. And when he also saw the fulfillment of what he had written by the prophecy of the elder, he used every means to see the man. But the Father, being unworldly and humble, skillfully evaded him and did not allow this to happen. These few things we learned in later times from his disciples. But let us return to our subject.

The sanctified Thomas, after rightly ordering the affairs of the flock, departed from there and reached a rugged and pathless region. Like a solitary bird, he dwelt there, passing the season of fasting unseen. If any of the brethren happened to fall into spiritual danger, he would visit them after a long time and give them counsel for salvation, and then return to the rugged place for refreshment. Thus he continued for many years, and having grown advanced in age and worn down his body somewhat, he entrusted his soul into the hands of God.

 

Apolytikion. 
Tone 4. Tachy Prokatalave.
You kept the faith with wondrous perseverance, completing your life as a delightful feast, O all-glorious Thomas. Therefore Bithynia, which you made radiant together with its deserts, with primordial beauty, and as a shepherd of monks, you have cast down, divinely wise one, the deep-dwelling dragon.

Kontakion. 
Tone 2. Ta ano ziton.
You destroyed the formidable audacity of Satan, illuminating souls from your dwelling in Galoleiktes; for you appeared as a sacred habitation of Truth, O Thomas, harmoniously joining together the most excellent virtues — the responsibility of a shepherd and the peace of mind.

Oikos
Having perceived the manifold wisdom of God, you regarded temptations as glory and hardships as rest, O all-revered Thomas. Therefore, having descended into the gloom of Hades, you ascended again to a festal celebration, harmoniously joining together the most excellent virtues — the responsibility of a shepherd and the peace of mind.

Megalynarion
Father, you mystically touched the Master’s Side, drawing from it the divine-working grace of endurance and the radiance of theoria, O Thomas, glorious boast of Bithynia.