Saint Philaretos the Almsgiver

This Life, translated from the Greek, is dedicated by the monks of Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Boston, with devotion and respect, to His Eminence METROPOLITAN PHILARET, Chief Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad, whose patron Saint Philaretos is. May those who read it remember in their prayers this servant of God in his difficult path of service to the Church of Christ.

OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS Philaretos lived during the years of the Emperor Constantine and the Empress Irene, in the eighth century. He was from the town of Amneia in Paphlagonia, which is under the Metropoly of Gangra. This blessed one was truly phi laretos – "a lover of virtue" – for he was godly and virtuous in his acts, as well as very wealthy in body and soul. He owned many beasts, twelve thousand sheep, six hundred cattle, horses, many fields, vineyards, and the like, as well as slaves and servants. He also had a God-fearing wife of noble lineage named Theosevo, a son named John, and two daughters Hypatia and Evanthia who were both very beautiful, more so than all the other women of that region. Moreover, Philaretos was very charitable, a friend of the poor and of strangers, and each day he would abundantly give of his wealth to those in want. He fed the hungry, clothed the naked, looked after widows and orphans, took in strangers, and, in brief, had compassion on all who were in need, giving them whatever they required. And he gave generously not only to those nearby, but to all, and he was recognized as being in truth another Abraham, by reason of his hospitality and the sympathy he had for his neighbor.

His fame in imitating the mercies of Christ was heard throughout the whole of Anatolia, and all the poor and needy would come and receive either money from him, or cattle, or whatever else they lacked. The house of Philaretos was an unfailing fountain for those who were parched with the thirst of poverty, and as much as he would give with a cheerful and virtue-loving countenance, by so much the more did the bountiful Lord multiply his possessions. But that hater of good, the cunning demon, had malice against the virtue of this man and sought power from God to tempt him, as he had once done also with the ever-to-be-remembered Job, saying thus: "It is not marvellous that out of the many things he has received this man should give alms to the poor, but let him also come unto poverty, and then I will know his true goodness." Therefore God granted the demon's wish that he might make Philaretos poor; for of himself the demon has no authority whatever to do evil to anyone. Because, according to the Scripture, "the Lord maketh poor, and maketh rich; He bringeth low, and lifteth up (I Kings 2:7)."

Since the Saint was giving alms according to his custom, and distributing his beasts and other possessions each day, when a part was stolen by thieves and robbers, and as a result of certain other misfortunes, he was reduced to utter poverty, and at last nothing remained to him except for a yoke of oxen, one ass, a cow with her calf, and some beehives. The farmers and neighbors brazenly seized his fields; for when they saw that he had become poor and was unable to till his lands, they took them some by force and others by entreaty – and left him nothing but the house in which he lived. In all these things that he suffered he was not grieved, neither did he ever speak an improper word. But just as when a man suddenly becomes rich, he rejoices whole-heartedly, even so did Philaretos take pleasure in his poverty, bringing to mind the saying of Christ, "A rich man will hardly enter into the kingdom of God" (Matt. 19: 23).

One day Philaretos took his yoke of oxen and went to a field that he still had, and as he worked he thanked the Lord that he was able to earn his food by his own work with the sweat of his brow, according to the curse on our forefather Adam, and he entreated the Lord to give him patience to the end. Another poor farmer was there, and while he was working with his yoke of oxen in a nearby field, one of his oxen fell to the ground dead. At this he was exceedingly grieved, because he was very poor and much in debt. Therefore he went to Philaretos to tell of his misfortune, so that Philaretos might at least comfort him with a good word, since, as the farmer knew, he could give him no help on account of his poverty. But that merciful and Christian man, when he saw his neighbor weeping, felt compassion for him; and immediately he unyoked one of his own oxen and freely gave it to him. The farmer marvelled at the good intent of the Saint, and said unto him: "My Lord, I know that you have no other ox; how then will you till your field?" But he answered: "I have another better one at home, so take it to do your work before my wife and children learn of it and become embittered." The farmer therefore took the ox, and went away glorifying God and blessing the Saint who had been so merciful to him.


ST. PHILARETOS THE ALMSGIVER

Commemorated December 1

Icon painted at the Russian Convent on the Mount of Olives by Sister Taisia and presented to Metropolitan Philaret in 1965.


The Saint took the yoke and plow on his shoulders and returned to his house with the single ox. When he was asked by his wife what had happened to the other ox, he said that he had fallen asleep a little at noonday, leaving it to graze, and it had gone off. But his son went out in search of it, and finding the farmer who had yoked it up, he was angry and said to him: "How did you dare, O man, to yoke another man's beast? Is it because we wretches are become poor that you despise us so much, and take our things by force?" But he replied: "My child, I beseech you, do not be angry with me without a cause, for your father has given it to me."

When the youth heard this, he departed griefstricken and announced it to his mother, who cast the covering from her head, and weeping spoke these things to her husband: "O heartless and idle, it were better that I had never known you. But though you feel no sorrow for me, at least have compassion on your children. How will they live? You are made of stone, a senseless lout; and you grew tired of working and gave your beast away not for the Lord's sake, but because you wanted to sleep." But the blessed Philaretos endured these reproaches with meekness and did not answer at all, so that he might not lose the reward of almsgiving. But he only told her: "Do not be grieved, my sister, because God is rich, and can repay us a hundredfold. He Who nourishes the birds of the heavens, will He leave us to hunger? Take no care for tomorrow, but hope on Him, that He may give you whatever you need, and eternal life."

After five days, again while the other ox of the farmer was grazing, it ate some kind of poisonous plant and died. Hence the farmer took the ox that Philaretos had given him and returned it to his house, saying, "Because of the sin which I committed, because I did injustice to your children by taking your ox, God would not tolerate my lack of discretion, and brought death to the other one for me." But Philaretos gave him his remaining ox also, saying: "Take this one too, and go to work; because I have it in mind to move to a distant place, and do not need it." Taking the ox, therefore, the farmer went away home rejoicing, and marvelling at the liberality and generosity of the Saint, for he had been reduced to such poverty and yet again would not cease from giving alms. But at Philaretos' house his children began weeping with their mother, and said to one another: "Woe unto us that we know this man, this foolish old man who does not think of us at all. Because even though we are stricken with poverty, at least we had the yoke of oxen as a comfort, that we wretches might not perish from hunger." But the holy old man consoled them, saying: "Do not grieve; I have hidden away money in a certain place, so much that if you lived a hundred years without working, it would be enough for you to feed and clothe yourselves, for I foresaw this poverty that was to come upon us, and I used to sell some of the animals and would keep the money." He told them these things with assurance, because he foresaw as a prophet, by the grace of the All-Holy Spirit, what was about to happen, even as it came to pass.

In those days there came an Imperial decree that the soldiers should go to war against the Hagarenes. One soldier, Mousoulios by name was utterly destitute, and had nothing but his horse and a spear; and it happened, where all were running in the haste of military manoeuvres, that this poor soldier's horse was kicked and afterwards died. The soldier was therefore in great distress, for he had no money to buy another horse; and he went to the holy Philaretos and besought him to lend him his until the manoeuvres were over, so that his commander should not maltreat him. When the Saint heard of his distress he gave it to him freely, saying to him: "Take it in place of yours, and keep it as long as it lives; and may God keep you unharmed." Mousoulios therefore took it, and departed glorifying the Lord.

And there came a certain other poor man to the Saint and asked him for a calf so that he could start up a herd, because the Saint's gifts brought good, and to whomever he gave alms, there his gift would multiply, and the recipient would become enriched. Philaretos immediately separated the calf from its mother and gave it to him, but the cow missed her young one and bellowed. Then his wife said to him, "You have no pity on us, you merciless creature, but do you not at least feel or the cow, seeing that you have parted her from her young one?" And he answered, "May you be blessed by God, wife, for you have spoken justly, and it is not right that I should separate them." Saying these things, he called the poor man to whom he had given the calf, and said to him, "My wife has told me that I committed a sin in separating these two. Therefore, take the calf's mother also, and may God bless them in your house, and multiply them just as He also once multiplied my herd." And so it came to pass, and the poor man acquired so many head of cattle from that blessing that he became rich. But the Saint's wife reproached herself, saying, "Justly have I suffered this; for if I had not spoken, the cow would have remained in our house."

In that year there was a famine in that region. Not having anything with which to feed his wife and children, Philaretos took the ass and went to another place, to a certain acquaintance of his, and borrowed six bushels of wheat. When he had reached his own house again, and was unloading it, a poor man came up to him and asked him for a little. He told his wife to give the man a bushel. But she said to him: "First you give a share of one bushel to each of us, then give the rest to whomever you choose." But Philaretos said: "And do I not get a share?" She said to him: "You are an angel, and do not eat; because if you had need of bread, you would not have given the wheat away which you borrowed and carried for so many miles." Then the blessed Philaretos rebuked her, saying: "May God forgive you." Then he measured out two bushels and gave them to the poor man. And she said to him: "Give him half of the load, so you can share it." Immediately, then, Philaretos measured out the third bushel also and gave it to him. Since the poor man had no bag to put it in, Theosevo said mockingly to her husband: "Why don't you give him the bag too, to put it in?" And the Saint gave the bag to him. And again she said to him: "Just to spite me, give him all the wheat." And he gave it to him. But the poor man, not being able to lift the six bushels of wheat all at once, said to the new Job: "Let it remain here, my Lord, until I transfer it to my house." And Theosevo said to her husband: "Give him the ass too, so the man won't go to so much trouble." The Saint blessed her, and loading up all the wheat gave it to the poor man together with the beast, and he departed rejoicing. And Philaretos said: "A poor man has no worries. Naked came I forth from my mother's womb, and naked shall I depart."

Then his wife and her children wept, for they were hungry; and having nothing to eat, she borrowed a loaf of bread from a neighbor and boiled some weeds, and they ate. But Philaretos went to another neighbor's and supped there, thanking God. Then a great ruler, one of Philaretos' friends, the governor of the city, hearing about the destitution of his once-munificent friend, sent him forty bushels of wheat. When the Saint saw it, he thanked God, Who takes thought for His servants. His wife, however, divided it up, and each one took five bushels. The Saint took his share and distributed it to the poor until the third day, when he had no more left. But when his wife was eating together with the others, he also would go and they would give him something, grumbling and saying to him: "How long are you going to keep that treasure hidden? Why don't you bring it out so that you can buy and eat, instead of coming and taking back what you have given us?" Nothing else was left to him, except for the beehives. And whenever a poor man came to him, since he had nothing else to give him, he would take him to one of the beehives and feed him honey; and this he would do every day, until at last there remained only one basket, which his children would secretly go and gather. Finally, when another poor man came, the Saint took him to the beehives, and finding no honey there at all, he took off his garment and gave it to the man, so as not to send him away emptyhanded. When he was asked by his children about it, he said that he had mislaid it, and not bearing to see him in this state, his wife cut up one of her dresses for him and made it into a man's tunic, and he wore that.

At that time there reigned the Christ-loving Irene and Constantine, her son, who sent soldiers to every city and region to find a beautiful and virtuous daughter for the Emperor to wed. Travelling, therefore, to all cities and lands, they came to Amneia also; and when the men of the court saw that the house of Philaretos was beautiful and large, they surmised that he was some great prince, and ordered the servants to go and make things ready for them to remain there that night. And the God-loving Philaretos took his staff and met them with great joy, blessing and thanking them because they deigned to spend the night in his poor and humble house. Afterwards he ordered his wife to prepare a meal with great care, so that they could offer them hospitality. But she said: "You haven't left a hen in this house, you wretch, and what are we going to give them for hospitality? Or am I supposed to cook with weeds?" The Saint said: "Light the fire, garnish the big banquetinghall, and polish the ivory table; and God will now send us all the food we want."

So his wife then made everything ready, and behold! the foremost people of the region brought in from the servants' entrance mutton, young lamb, fowl and squabs, fine old wine, and whatever else was necessary, and Theosevo cooked them artfully with herbs and spices; and they got the table ready up in the great banqueting-hall. Now this table was a most beautiful thing, round, and so large that 36 men could sit at it. When the men of the court saw such great splendor, and that the food which was brought in for them was worthy of great princes, and that the old man was reverend and venerable (for he was like Abraham in all things, not only in hospitality, but also in appearance), they were pleased beyond measure, and while they were eating, John came in, the old man's son, resembling his father in appearance and stature, as manly as Samson and as handsome as Joseph. The rest of the grandchildren also entered, carrying food to the table; and the soldiers marvelled at their beauty, manners, and behavior, and said to the old man: "Do you have a wife?" And he said: "Yea, my lords; and these children are my children and grandchildren." And they said to him: "Let your wife also come in to bless us." When she came, and they saw that she was so fair, even though she was an old woman, they marvelled at her beauty and comeliness, and asked her if she had daughters, and she said: "My first daughter has two young girls." And they said: "Let them come so that we may see them according to the command of our most divine Rulers." But the old man said: "Let us eat what God has provided for us to rejoice with; and since your honorable selves are tired from the journey, rest, and tomorrow may the will of God be done."

The next day the girls apparelled themselves, and they came out, presenting themselves properly and bowing to the soldiers in admirable fashion. When the soldiers saw their beauty, their apparel, the way they carried themselves, their propriety, and their other admirable qualities, they were ecstatic and most full of joy, and when they measured them, they found the first to be just what they were searching for in height and equally correct in the measurement of her foot, according to the Emperor's command; and she was also similar to the picture which they carried. Then they took them all with great joy – the old man Philaretos; his wife Theosevo; his first son John; his first daughter Hypatia, a widow with two daughters, Maria and Maranthia; and all his relatives, thirty souls in all – and departed for the Palace. They also chose another ten girls from other places.

When they arrived in Constantinople, they first brought the beautiful bnt vain daughter of a certain rich man, Gerontianos, to Stavrakios, the Emperor's tutor and administrator of the Palace, who on seeing her said, "She is fair and beautiful, but she is not suitable for the Emperor." He then gave her many gifts and sent her back home. When they had also brought the others, and the Emperor, his mother, and Stavrakios saw the exceeding beauty of the grandchildren of Philaretos, they marvelled at the way they bore themselves and their good breeding. Immediately the Emperor was espoused to the first, Maria; and the second was espoused to a certain great prince who was a patrician in rank. And the daughter of Evanthia, the other daughter of the Saint, they sent to Argouses, the King of the Langobards, who had asked at that time that they send him a maiden from Constantinople to take as his wife. The weddings, then, were celebrated joyfully. And the Emperor called all of the relations of Philaretos and gave them all, from the greatest to the least, many lands to oversee, much riches, possessions, clothing, gold, precious stones, pearls, and large houses to live in close to the Palace. Then all of them remembered the prophecy of the old man, who had told them that he had much hidden wealth, and they called him blessed, and blessed him because his good intent had brought them to such happiness. As for the venerable and holy old man who had received so many gifts from the Emperor, he did not forget the gifts of God, neither did he abandon his former custom, but gave thanks with both words and deeds, ever and always.

One day he told his wife and relatives: "Let us also give a rich banquet, and invite the Emperor and all the princes." When they had adorned and prepared all as he commanded them, and had made the place fragrant with perfumes to receive the Emperor, the blessed one went out in the morning into the streets and by-ways of the city, and all the lepers, the maimed, and the old men that he found two hundred in number – he took to his house, and said to his relatives: "The Emperor is coming with all his friends." They then made a great commotion and much preparation to welcome such exalted persons. While they were thus making ready, they saw the poor men entering, and all those who were strong enough sat at the table, and the rest sat on the floor. Afterwards the host also sat down with them. His relatives said to one another secretly: "Truly the old man has not abandoned his former habits, but at least now we are not afraid of becoming poor." The old man then ordered his son John, whom the Emperor had made First Sword-Bearer, to serve at the table; similarly his grandchildren also stood by attentively.

When they had cleared the table, the blessed Philaretos said these things to his relatives: "Behold, what I promised you the merciful God has given to us; now do I owe you anything more?" Then they remembered the words of the holy old man, and they wept, saying, "Truly, you foreknew all these things, being a just man, and you gave alms most wisely. But we, like ignorant fools, saddened your holiness. But forgive us, because we have erred before God and before you." Saying these things, they fell at his feet. But he raised them up, saying, "Behold, my Lord has given us what He promised with His holy mouth in the sacred Gospel, that is, that He would give a hundredfold to those who love Him and give alms to the poor. And if you would inherit life everlasting, let each one of you give up ten silver pieces, that we might give them to our invited brethren." They did his bidding with all eagerness, and having received his blessing, the poor men departed, thanking the Lord and blessing their benefactors. After this, on a certain day, he said again to those of his household: "If you want to buy up my part of the things that the Emperor has given me, let each of you give me the price of whatever it is he wishes to have; but if you do not wish to do this, then I bestow them on my poor brethren, and it will be enough for me merely to be called father of the Emperor." And they gave the price of each and every thing, and the amount came to sixty pounds of silver and gold. When the Emperor and the nobles heard of these things, they praised his generous disposition and his sympathy for the poor.

The blessed Philaretos also had the custom of never giving only one siver piece, or one pholla. Instead, he used to fill up three purses which were similar in appearance and equal in size. In one he would put gold bezants, in another silver pieces, and in the other copper pieces; and they would be carried by one of his slaves, whom he had for this purpose. Then, when a poor man would come to beg, he would tell his slave to bring one of the purses, whichever one the Providence of God would ordain, since He knew the need of those who approached him. The Saint would mentally pray to God to enlighten him, that he might give to each one according to his need; and thus he would put his hand into whichever purse was brought to him, and would give as much as was God's will. And he would say this also with assurance: "Many times I would see a person who wore good clothing, and I put my hand out to give him a few coins, and without my wanting it my hand would take many; and again I would see another man with old clothing, and I would put out my hand to take many coins, and it would bring out only a few." Thus he would give alms according as God would dispense.

While living in the Palace, the righteous Philaretos never wished to wear a silken garment or a golden belt, nor did he ever desire to receive any Imperial rank. Only after much entreaty on the part of the Emperor and Empress was he forced to accept the rank of Consul, and he would say, "It is enough for me that they call me the grandfather of the Empress, I who was a poor man of the soil and a pauper of dung." So humble was he that he did not want anyone to call him by any other name but his first name, Philaretos of Amneia, that is, the name of his poor country. But when the Lord revealed to him the end of his life, he took that servant who kept his purses of almsgiving, and going secretly to one of the city's convents which was called "The Judgement," where there were nuns, he entreated the Abbess to give him a newly-dug grave. And the Saint told her, "After ten days I shall depart from this life and go to another Kingdom, and I want to bury my miserable body in this tomb." He ordered his servant not to reveal the matter to anyone. After he had gone home, he fell into bed ill.

On the ninth day of his illness, he called all his relatives and said to them: "My children, the Emperor has called me and I go to Him today." They, thinking that he was speaking of his son-in-law, said to him: "How can you go, Father, since you are weakened from illness?" But he answered: "They who wish to carry me away with a golden throne stand here at my right hand with much glory, but you do not see them." Then they understood his words aud made great lamentation, as once the children of Jacob had done. But the Saint motioned with his hand for them to keep silent, and admonishing them he said: "You know my way of life very well, my most beloved children – how I gave alms from my own labor, and not from cheating and robbery. You remember the riches I had at first, and the poverty which came to me from God, and again you see this final wealth which the Lord has sent me. Have you ever perchance seen me proud when I was in good fortune, or grumbling in my poverty, or committing injustice against any man? Therefore do you also likewise, if you desire your salvation. De not grieve over corruptible riches, but give all things to the poor. Send it to me in that world, so that you will find it there when you come. Do not leave it here so that others may rejoice over it, and you suffer torments eternally, but distribute it to the widows and orphans, to the prisoners and the poor, even as you saw me do also; so that the abundantly-giving King may reward you, and that you may rejoice in His heavenly Kingdom forever.

After the blessed one had blessed his wife and all his relatives, his countenance shone like the sun, and he chanted with joy, "Mercy and judgement shall I sing unto Thee, O Lord." And after he had finished the whole Psalm, so much fragrance poured forth throughout the whole house, that it was as though someone had spilled precious myrrh, and had burned incenses of many perfumes. Then again he said the Symbol of the Faith, that is, the "I believe in One God," and the "Our Father." And while he was saying "Thy will be done," he gave up his holy soul into the hands of God, being by now an old man and full of days; and neither his teeth nor the color of his countenance had been altered by old age, but he was ruddy and handsome.

Then the Emperor and all the Senate came, and all his relatives, and they buried his venerable relics in the grave which he himself had prepared. On that day also they gave many alms to the poor, who all followed the holy relics and cried out with tears to God, saying: "Why, O Lord, hast Thou deprived us of our provider and benefactor? Who will clothe our naked bodies? Who will pay our debts? Who else will ever be found to have so much compassion towards us, the abject?" Thus they all lamented, and one of them who had had a demon from his birth, who would often go while the Saint was living and would receive alms from him, and was also following the relics, cried out in an unruly manner and clutched at the bier to overturn it. When they reached the grave, the demon cast the man to the ground and shook him, and then it left him, and the man was made well through the intercessions of St. Philaretos. They that were present glorified God, Who had given so much grace to his slave. Then they buried him in the sepulchre which he had purchased at the Convent of the Judgement, hymning the Lord.

This was the way of life that was led by the Christ-imitating and compassion-loving Philaretos, who was well-pleasing to God, and was glorified by Him in this world, and in the future world was deemed worthy of eternal blessedness. Therefore let us also be diligent, brethren, to imitate him, each according to his strength. Let us protect the poor and strangers, let us look after the imprisoned, let us care for the sick, let us tend to the churches, and in short let us also do all the things this Saint did, so that we also may pass our time here in peace and concord and in all manner of good. And if again temptation should come unto us, let us hope in the Lord without doubting, and He will surely reward us a hundredfold, and we shall inherit life everlasting, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to Whom be glory and dominion unto the ages. Amen.