Vita sancti Cononis Bidanae

Martyrdom and Miracles of Saint Conon in Isauria In the times of the holy apostles, when the divinity of the Word and the incarnate economy were being announced to men through them, then the herald and apostle of the world, traveling through the nations, arrived in certain parts of Isauria, as the places of prayer also indicate his presence. And learning that all their cities and the surrounding regions were more furiously devoted than all nations to the deception of idols and to their abominable sacrifices, he hastened to go up to the eastern parts. But he was prevented by the Spirit because of their great unbelief and inhumanity; knowing that they would not accept the proclamation, because of the saying of the Lord, "Do not cast your pearls before swine," he turned away from them, considering it necessary first to preach the word unhindered to others who were awaiting it, according to a revelation of the Spirit. Since, therefore, the whole adjacent Taurus was thickly settled with the great population of villages lying on wooded mountains, where they were tyrants and autonomous (for, having acquired a harsher character from the places, they were not easily persuaded to come to the mystery of piety), the preaching of the gospel to them was postponed at that time. For their lawless and demonic idolatry prevailed for a long time.

After a very long time, a certain Nestor, found to be a good root in those places, having a wife named Nadan, and dwelling in a village called Bidana, which is about eighteen stadia from the city of the Isaurians, produced a fruit of piety, whom they named Conon. When this Conon reached full age, his parents betrothed to him a maiden named Anna. When the time of the marriage arrived, the archangel Michael appeared to Conon in bright attire and, conversing with him, instructed him in the truths of the mystery. Conon, being pricked in heart and immediately giving over his heart, sought baptism; he besought the archangel as a man, thinking him to be a human being. The archangel, knowing that Conon was pricked in heart and had eagerly received the word and was seeking baptism, led him to some water and, immersing him, baptized him with the holy and blessed threefold name, and giving him a pearl, sealed and sanctified him, and then ceased to be seen; but he remained invisibly with him as one sanctified and filled with the Holy Spirit.

His parents, however, not knowing of this marriage contract, continued; and having taken the betrothed woman, he lived with her. But instead of the expected marriage bed, taking a lit lamp at the outset, he places it under a bushel measure and says to his wife, who was a virgin: "Which is sweeter, light or darkness?" When she agreed that light is sweeter, he, drawing upon words of admonition from the divine grace given him by the Holy Spirit, changed the girl's mind, and remaining undefiled, they practiced asceticism strictly in all chastity, keeping their own bodies incorrupt. The mother of the righteous man, learning of this, agreed with praise to their purpose, and she endured their way of life. Not long after, having also converted his own father through the grace of the archangel, he made him well-pleasing to God; and he completed the martyrdom of Christ, as his oratory in the middle of the village of Bidana proclaims in the region. When the wife of Saint Conon died, still a virgin, and also his mother, he laid them in a single tomb. He remained alone by himself, daily increasing in all endurance, courage, and asceticism, guarding the treasure given him from the grace of the Holy Spirit, keeping it hidden until the time of his revelation.

When the birthday festival of Apollo was being held in a certain most terrifying cave named Kaklimi, which was very deep and dark, where according to their custom the inhabitants of Isauropolis and the surrounding country were accustomed to celebrate the festival, in which many tens of thousands of Isaurian men and women used to gather together (the place lies in wild and impassable mountains, about four miles distant from the city), on that day, when the crowds were assembling and were about to set out from the city, suddenly the holy Conon appeared to them, already advanced in age, and seeing them armed and ready to rush to the impiety before them, he cried out in their own dialect, saying: "Men, stop, and I will ask you a question." And they stopped. He said to them: "What is the meaning of this formation of battle array, and why are you in such haste? Does some necessity of war call you?" They said: "No, but we are performing a sacrifice to the god Apollo today.

The holy man said to them: "And who is this Apollo? I wish to learn who he is, what his power is, or what his activity is." They said to him: "He himself arms us and gives us strength in wars, as he did for our fathers; for they handed down this custom to us." They said this because they were very brave allies of the Romans, as the account that follows later shows more fully, from the letters inscribed in the city. The holy Conon asked them, mocking: "Have you then heard a voice from him, or that he gave utterance to anyone?" They said: "No, but the custom of our fathers assures us." He said to them: "But your fathers, like irrational animals, were in error, not being in knowledge of the true God; for if they had known him, they would not have shown such zeal for a deaf and motionless stone. Give me authority over this thing, and I will show you what you worship and call your god: I will smear it with soot, if it could wash itself; or give me an iron hammer and I will smash it, if it could be reshaped into form; I will offer it food, if it would stretch out a hand and take it and eat.

How long will you be foolish, not understanding these things? But now listen to me, for I too am of your tribe, yet a stranger to your deeds. Abstain from these things, and I will teach you what god you must revere and worship: the God who sits in the highest places, being strong, invisible, yet seeing all things, the creator of heaven and earth and sea and of all that is in them. He is a mighty and powerful king, saving his own in wars, warring against enemies and idolaters. And those who say there are carved or molten gods, these he wars against as rebels. And to those who sacrifice to demons and not to God, to such he is a harsh enemy. He himself does not seek blood sacrifices, but wishes to be known and believed without error by those who approach him. One must believe in him simply and without guile, that he is the true God and father of a only-begotten son, who is true God, our Lord Jesus Christ, who is inseparable from the Father, through whom he also made the ages. The Holy Spirit is a partaker of the divinity and the kingdom and of the Son, which proceeds from the Father, beneficent and life-giving, which is over all his works. This three-named appellation, then, is one divinity, one God.

He is a zealot and a fire that consumes his enemies, those who worship idols as gods and sacrifice at the altars of demons, defending himself and burning them up in them on a day of wrath and vengeance. He is exceedingly benevolent to all who call upon him and to those who believe in him, especially when they turn from impiety to him. He loves those who love him and glorifies those who glorify him; he rejoices in peace and in mutual love; he delights again in purity and self-control, in dignity of life and humility. Therefore, if you do not love him who hates evil and rejoices in good, it is evident that you are base and rebellious, and you will not be able to endure him when he is angry. But listen and do not harden your necks against him, for, as I said, you will not be able to endure the anger of his wrath; for against such persons he is severely angry. Now cease from what you do in service of the devil who deceives you, abandon and abstain from these things, and turn to our Lord Jesus Christ, and he will fill you with all his good things.

As he urged them to desist from such folly and to turn to salvation—if one must call them barbarians, being altogether irrational—they thought they were hearing strange speech from the holy man and remained disobedient to him, so that they were even turned to anger against him, as if their customary festival were being hindered by him, or rather, as if it were being overturned by him. When a disturbance arose among them, some rushed to kill him, while others restrained their impulse and prevented them, as they had gladly listened to him for a short time and wished to change, but did not yet possess perfection. When those who had attempted the attack had with difficulty ceased, those who seemed inclined to change began to say to the righteous man: "How can you persuade us that there is a god greater than the one we worship?" After he had discoursed with them and admonished them at length, they were not at all moved, but rather disbelieved all the more, so that they eventually came to demand that he provide proof through miracles and said to him: "What can the god whom you worship do, so that we may believe in him? Show us at least one sign, and we will believe in him and in you.

The holy Conon, seeing their great disbelief and that they were demanding a sign from him, said to them: "Wait a little, and let us do this: Are there not among you some in the prime of youth and strong-limbed, others beyond their prime, and still others on horseback? Let us all run together to the place you consider the site of the festival. You go ahead, and I, as an old man, will follow behind, and let us give an account to one another: if someone going ahead reaches the place first, let him take the vote of victory as if his god were powerful; and let the one who arrives last undergo punishment for his defeat, as if his god were not a god." But they, as if there were no comparison in the proposal of the matter, laughed at him, agreeing confidently because of the speed of their horses and the nimbleness of their feet. For they said to one another that he could not reach the place even after four days, for how could he have the strength for such a journey, especially since it was difficult to traverse? And the holy man of God, Conon, understanding that they had despaired of him as being unable to fulfill this condition, became more eager, and praying privately he said: "Master Lord, God Father Almighty, and Lord Jesus Christ, through whom the world was made, mighty God, give me the power of your Holy Spirit, and strengthen me, and bind together this whole multitude, so that they may learn that they are mistaken in what they worship, and trip them up, so that they may know that you are God and that besides you there is no other.

And the holy archangel Michael, who brought me to the knowledge of you and revealed to me your mystery from my youth, also helped me. And immediately the holy Michael appeared, and having strengthened the holy man, he transported him effortlessly to the place, while he enclosed the barbarians in blindness as they began their journey; and they wandered and were turned about in the mountains, falling into ravines, spending that entire day and night, so that they had no strength nor a sound body or bone, and they could not pass from one place to another. But the holy Conon, having gone ahead, waited for them according to the agreement; when he saw them delaying, he arose at dawn the next day and returned, and found them in the place where he had left them. When they saw him suddenly, they were astonished; and approaching them, he brought charges against them, saying: "Why have you done this, leaving me to wait for you until now, so that I was compelled to return to you again?" And they, crushed and scarcely alive, related to him what had happened and begged him to set them on the road. When he was persuaded and had prayed, he removed their blindness through the archangel, and then, coming to themselves, they followed him.

When they arrived at the place, the saint said to them: "You have been convinced, therefore do according to our proposal and agreement; for behold, you and your god have been defeated. So give him to me, and I will punish your god." But they persisted, shameless in their disbelief, and said: "You will not ascribe the cause to our god; for we are the ones who erred on the road, and he was not defeated." And they constrained him by force, not fulfilling what they had agreed. Again he said to them: "What then do you wish—to believe in my god or in the one worshipped by you?" They replied: "We must believe in the one worshipped by us." And he said to them: "Will you obey whatever the falsely-named god says?" And they all cried out in assent. Having secured their agreement on this, the saint, kindled in spirit, ran to the wooden image. As the image stood on a high place, he spoke sternly to it: "I speak to you; Jesus Christ, my god, commands you to come down." Shaken with fear at the command, the idol fell from its place and, rolling, came near the saint and stood upright. All shuddered with fear, astonished at the miracle, crying out loudly.

He shook his hand at them and said to them: "Have you been convinced now or not yet?" For he saw some were indignant. And some agreed, but others disobeyed, as if the miracle were not great. But he did not give in to them, but continued exhorting them and saying: "Oh, such is your folly! How long will you persist in your madness? The God who is does not wish those who are his and worship him to be such, but to have hearts such as he himself is. For being true, he wishes his own to be true; being good, he wishes his own to be good; being just, he wishes his own to be like him. And in a word, he wishes his own to be such as he himself is. Such then is my God. But yours, being made of stone, has turned your hearts to stone; and being a deceiver and a devil, he wishes to deceive you; and being faithless, he makes you faithless. Do not therefore persist in these things, but listen to me and abstain from their idolatry and error, for they are not gods, but there is a God, the one proclaimed to you by me. Do you wish to hear from this stone, which you worship, that you are in error? Come near to me and listen.

Those who drew near paid close attention to him, hoping to see something more of the wonders performed by him. But the holy Conon, with great menace, thundered at the standing idol and said: "Tell me, you, who is God? You or the one proclaimed by me?" Then, with great fear, their stone god stretched his hands toward the sky and spoke in a human voice, saying: "There is one God, there is one Christ, the one proclaimed by you." When this miracle occurred, the entire crowd of those myriads shouted with a loud voice, saying: "One God, the God of Conon! The God of Conon has conquered." These cries, to this day, are raised when they gather on the glorious day of the memory of Saint Conon, all of Isauria and its surrounding region, coming out of their houses from evening with lamps, going to his house of prayer for the vigil in Bidana, the so-called village. As they persisted in their shouts over the extraordinary miracle, shaking his hand at them, he barely stopped them, saying: "Do you now at least confess the defeat of your god? Then give him to me, and I will punish him." Many of the crowds, having believed, rushed forward, shattered the wooden image, and were baptized.

But the rest were still disobedient through the activity of the devil, and, distressed at the shattering of their statue, they devised something else: to put forward the power of some evil demon against the holy man. This demon, which seemed to them to be a fearsome and hostile and destructive being in an inaccessible cave, they also tended with sacrifices, not so that it might help, but so that it might not harm. For this purpose, even some of the believers urged him to consent and drive away that evil spirit, which had injured many, and to stand with them in that place. Some were testing him, as if he would not dare nor overcome the evil. But the holy Conon, persuaded by them, eagerly went with them to the place. The whole crowd came, and having lit torches, they descended into that rocky chasm with great fear, looking about warily. Seeing them in such a state, he cried out, saying: "Do not be afraid; for now you will see its end." And standing at the bottom of the hollow, he rebuked that unclean spirit to show itself visibly to all. From within, it cried out, uttering suppliant voices, begging him not to expose its shameful form. But when he thundered at it with great menace, it came out from some hole, rolling along the ground, and appeared to all like an old woman, her body withered from corruption. And the whole crowd cried out, shouting the former words: "One is the God of Conon! The God of Conon has conquered!" And having threatened that evil spirit, he commanded it to appear nowhere and to harm no one.

Then the holy Conon groaned against them, saying and showing them: "Who among you has authority? See, what are your objects of veneration? Soulless, voiceless, and motionless, but set in motion by those destructive and unclean spirits for the deception leading to your ruin, not only of your bodies but also of your souls. Until when, then, will you persist in thus hardening your souls? Awake, therefore, from the deception of idols and turn to the living God, to the true God, the only-begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Consider only this: how great is his goodness, that he has been patient with you; though he ought to have destroyed you for your great faithlessness, he did not do so, sparing you. And he performed these wonders so that, persuaded that his name can do all things, you might turn to him and be saved. Let the past time of ignorance be sufficient for you; therefore, now that you have recognized him, worship him, and he will forgive your former transgressions.

And most of the crowds, having believed, worshipped God and, recognizing him, were persuaded to be baptized, rejoicing at the mystery of Christ. And as they were returning, the holy one led them, singing, and they, responding, sang in reply, and thus they went up to the city, following him and glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ. And after this, for a long time attending to him, they were catechized by him, being strengthened by the Holy Spirit. From that time until the present day, all of Isauropolis and its surrounding region have remained believing in the Lord, increasing and multiplying each day through the saving baptism. Many other healings and miracles are also performed by the holy Conon, and they rejoiced in him and in the miracles performed by him. After this, it happened that some of the prominent and distinguished men of the city suffered a robbery of their goods, of much wealth, gold and silver and other possessions. And many people, having been seized on suspicion from the city and imprisoned and about to be in danger unjustly, and being at a loss for a plan to refute the theft, fled to the supplication of the blessed Conon, reporting to him what had happened. Moreover, the relatives of those who had been brought to this on suspicion, and those connected to them, fell at the feet of the holy one, beseeching him.

He, seeing the distress of those who had suffered the plunder and of those who had been detained without cause, ran up to the city with them and, standing in the middle of the city before all, stretched his hands toward the heaven and earnestly called upon his own master Jesus Christ to reveal to him concerning this matter on account of the danger to the many. And it was revealed to him through the grace of the Holy Spirit where the plundered goods were; and having given thanks to God, he said to them: Follow me; and they followed him. And as they went a long way, the place was shown to him through the archangel Michael in one of the mountains, where under a rock all the sought-after items were lying, and having taken them up, they brought them into the city and, placing them in the middle, they cried out, being astonished and showing the plundered goods to all. The crowds of the city, having seen this, were likewise astonished at the great miracle that had occurred and sought to learn from the holy Conon who had committed the plunder. But he did not tell them who they were, but said: Let those who have lost their goods take them, and let it suffice for them that they have recovered them without danger, and release those who have been detained without cause for the sake of God. And so it happened; for those who had lost their goods recovered them without penalty, and those who had been arrested without cause were released without insult, and he did not expose those who had committed the plunder, caring for their salvation.

Since, therefore, the holy man's miracles were flourishing among all, a great multitude of the Isaurian nation was turning to our Lord Jesus Christ and, making confession, were being baptized through Saint Conon, having taken the beginning of their knowledge of Christ. He diligently admonished them to be generous toward one another and to refrain from greed, which indeed came to pass. And such grace was given to the faithful through the teaching of the blessed one that the possessions of their households increased, while those of the unbelievers diminished, so that as a result more were added to our Lord Jesus Christ. After a long time, when he wished to return to his own oratory, which was near his village of Bidana, the inhabitants of Mount Ligrammon, which was a haunt of brigands, perceiving his authority—being men from nearby, filled with recklessness and full of ignorance of God—took counsel among themselves and said, "His renowned name signifies that he possesses great wealth of money; let us delay nothing but hasten to him, and we shall obtain much riches." As they thought this, they gathered together and rushed upon him, having with them a chief brigand named Kottis, who was not persuaded to go with them but advised them to desist from such an undertaking against the righteous man (for he had been present at the miracles performed by him, when they were about to celebrate the abominable festival of the idols, having witnessed their destruction and the expulsion of the unclean spirits), and he said to them, "Cease and do not attack the righteous man.

But those who were raging were not persuaded, but persisted in compelling him and, with much violence, led him away. When they came near the oratory, about a stadium away, at a place called Madness Spring, they were considering by what means they might attack the saint. He, keeping quiet, looked intently and saw some of the demons watching him and cowering from fear, and at his command they came to him and stood before him. He asked them, "Why have you come?" They said, "What do you command us to do?" And he, with authority, ordered them to trouble no human being, nor to harm, nor to suggest evil or shameful things. And they said, "We have been accustomed to these things and take pleasure in them, so as to plot against human beings from the beginning; we have nothing else to do. If, then, you wish us to desist from these, if anything else seems good to you, command us, and we will do it. Only do not drive us away in anger to go into deserts or into waterless and unknown places.

To this he said to them: "Devote yourselves to farming; behold, those fields opposite remain unplowed; go, dig, cultivate them." And they, having heard, went away with great fear to do what was commanded. The bandits, however, were not unaware of the plan, as if by their own action they were suggesting banditry to them. And they themselves became betrayers of the punishment that was to come to them. Now, when the bandits had been lingering in the place for a long time and were urging their leader Kottis to join them in the assault, they were unable to persuade him, and leaving him behind, they rushed toward their objective. But Kottis, grieved at such a plan of theirs, having withdrawn by himself near the spring, fixed his spears in the ground there and threw down his sword, sat down, and placing his head on his knees, he mourned for them, expecting that nothing good would befall them. When they approached the dwelling of the saint, they knocked at the door. And the holy Konon, thinking that they were some of those in need or those in sickness coming as usual, opened the door for them, and seeing them armed, he supposed that they had come from a journey for rest. And each of them, probing his neighbor, inquired what sort of place this might be, where they thought his money was. And while the bandits were occupied with the search for the money, the holy Konon hastened to refresh them, preparing a table, bringing wine, and urging them, he entreated them, saying: "Come, children, taste from your labor.

When they could not achieve their aim, they turned to anger and, seizing him, bared their swords, and raising their hands against him, they forced him to bring them the valuables, threatening to kill him. Since the disturbance and madness were great, and the bandits were ready to slay the righteous man, suddenly a multitude of demons, who had themselves contrived this very thing by their own activity, appeared in haste through the venerable martyr Conon, being subject to him. And some of them lit the furnace that was in the monastery, while others rushed against the gathering of the most savage bandits; because they held their swords raised for the slaying of the righteous man, they pressed and terrified them so that they became as if dead and let their swords fall; and thus, forming them one by one and two by two, they dragged them away to the fire of the furnace, and placing their heads against it, they scorched them and made them half-dead. But the holy Conon, having compassion on them, ordered the demons to stop, and they stopped. Seeing them failing, he prayed for them, and they revived. Coming to themselves, they rose and fell at his feet, repenting of their audacity, and wept, suffering from the pain of the scorching, and lying at his feet they begged to be relieved from the great pain. He, having prayed over them, made them free from pain and dismissed them unharmed.

But they, having been released in this way, ran fleeing as if pursued again from fire, until they came to the well of the spring, where they also found Kottis, their own leader, in which place they had left him. Gazing and seeing them, he was astonished that they were still alive, and becoming overjoyed, he rose and greeted them at the paradoxical sight. When they had related the power that had followed, he reproached them for having disobeyed his command from the beginning. Rising up, they went to their own people and related to all everything that had befallen them, so that great fear fell upon all who heard these things. But even until now the fear of Saint Konon persists throughout that entire region, and if anyone despises his name, they will not long receive punishment. So venerable is his name from the grace given to him by the Holy Spirit, that once two most wicked Isaurians, lurking in the mountains, having fearsome appearances and wild hair, despising his name and disregarding the fear, immediately and at once the demons came upon them as transgressors of the commands, seizing them by the hair, dragged them, and brought them howling, bound, to the feet of the servant of God, wishing to demonstrate more surely the sanctity concerning him to the neighbors, and further to increase his fear against the unclean spirits, so that they might attend to the cultivation of all kinds of plants and seeds at his command.

Among these they had one field sown with chickpeas by his order. And when they were ripening for eating, a certain traveler passing by and not knowing the cause, seeing the field so flourishing and the crop abundant and rich, was seized with desire and nodded and took some in moderation. But seeing the field unguarded, he stooped down and cut more unsuspectingly, and as he persisted in gathering handfuls, he heard a voice saying, "Enough for you, and pass on." But he, looking up and glancing around, sees no one and proceeded to pluck more greedily, as if intending to load his beast. And the voice persisted, crying out, "Be content, do not be insatiable." But he, again looking up because of the one crying out, sees no one, yet persisted in his greed. When he had finally had his fill, he bound the chickpeas, making a load, intending to place it on his beast. With difficulty, after much effort, he lifted it onto his shoulders. As he was carrying it and about to place it on the pack, immediately the demon who was calling out to him mounted the load, so that he could not throw it off; and weighing it down and striking him, it settled upon his shoulders and drove him, bringing him, crushed and sweating from the weight and the blows of the lashes, to the feet of Saint Konon. And having brought him bound to Saint Konon with the chickpeas he had stolen, he accused him, saying, "Behold, servant of God, that we are not so much to blame as the wicked and disobedient among men.

And now indeed we have done as you commanded: we dug the land and sowed chickpeas, and when they had ripened, as you see, this glutton passing by on the road, despising your fear with his insatiable heart, plucked them by handfuls, grasping at them. And though I shouted at him vehemently and said many times, "Enough for you, man; what are you doing?" he did not stop, but even despised me, persisting in his greed, and he ruined our crops, stealing so much alone. And what do you command? But the servant of Christ, seeing the man constrained and crushed by the evils that had befallen him, felt compassion for him, and first ordering the unclean spirit to depart and attend to the works, he drove it away. And it went off sullenly, because it had not avenged itself on the thief. Then, reproaching the thief for his boundless greed and admonishing him no longer to attempt such thefts nor to be maddened by greed, but to be content with what is at hand, he dismissed him.

Such a practice is preserved in the region to this day, so that if anyone dares to take from his proper enclosures and vineyards not only fruit of trees but also leaves or any of the sown crops by any means whatsoever for the sake of theft, it is impossible for him not immediately to experience lashes, and then only after much prayer and confession, having made restitution equivalent to what was taken in gold or silver, might such a person perhaps be released from the experience of the torment. In the same way also with the birds and the cattle that are brought to the most holy martyrion, which are countless and offered from the annual holy and glorious commemoration of him, herds of various oxen and mares, goats, sheep, many tens of thousands of various kinds grazing in the fields and mountains of Taurus, so to speak, are guarded without guards by fear, so that no one dares to attempt to steal or even to touch them dangerously. For if the malefactors see only this, the name of his ownership or sign, which is a title hung around the neck, they immediately recognize and keep away. Not only that, but also their pack animals bear the same sign so that no one is ignorant of them, and all the possessions belonging to the most holy martyrion, being many, remain entirely unharmed through the venerable name of Saint Conon. Thus God honored his way of life, so that even after death, having witnessed for him in these matters, he made him more glorious.

Furthermore, in addition to the preceding miracles: there was a certain poor widow’s only son, still nursing, whom the mother carried in her arms as she begged. At the time of the harvest, she went into a thicket to gather ears of grain for sustenance, and she set her son down on the ground. As she approached the harvesters and was occupied with collecting the ears of grain, suddenly a very large wolf came upon them, found the child lying there with no one attending to him, seized him, and carried him off. The harvesters, hearing the infant’s wailing, and the mother, perceiving it, turned back; and realizing the calamity that had befallen her, she cried out loudly, along with all the others, even more vehemently. And the workers: some shouted, others ran in pursuit of the beast, but not overtaking it, they turned back. The mother, however, not resting, with leaping steps and outstretched hands, went running and wailing all the way to the holy man, to report the disaster to him, along with others who had gathered with her. And when they reached the monastery, the child’s mother cried out loudly, saying: “Holy Conon, give me my son!” He, hearing the voice of lamentation, rushed out to the door, as was his custom. She, seeing him, fell at his feet, and clutching him, wept bitterly. He raised her up and inquired what the cause was.

When she was unable to speak from weakness and could not tell him, those who had come with her reported it to him, and learning what had happened, he grieved with the mother of the child. Standing before all, he raised his eyes and hands upward, prayed, and invoking the name of the Holy Trinity, he commanded the demons to depart and to make the beast return with the child safe. Summoned and unseen, they went off diligently and overtook the wolf, which still had the infant in its mouth, from a great distance. Some seized it by the ears and pulled, others pushed from behind, and still others struck it; and thus they led the wolf to the feet of Saint Conon. It fell down and set down the child before everyone, so that all cried out and leaped with a voice of exultation, and weeping from great joy, they glorified God for such power as had been granted to him. And lifting the child from the mouth of the evil beast, he gave it back to its mother, and after praying, he dismissed everyone together with the wolf.

The multitude of unclean spirits, driven out by the smoke of the idols, was ravaging the land with a pestilential disease. But he, with the power granted him by the Holy Spirit, banished some from all the borders of the country, and those that were preying to the harm of men he rebuked and, thundering against the spirit, he brought it to a standstill and bound it in the name of Jesus Christ, taking it in thirty earthenware vessels, and securing and binding them, he sealed them with lead, burying them in his own house, as the outcomes of the event informed us. These things, from among his many miracles and healings, by which his name was magnified and the report of his achievements in his lifetime resounded, we have recalled, few from among many. But when a great rumor about him was being spread abroad, a certain Magnus, a governor holding authority from an imperial rescript and decrees filled exceedingly with threat and death against Christians—that unless they renounce the name of Christ, they were to be put to death—and filled with rage, arrived in the city of the Iconians. Coming and raging, he began to say: "If you know any in the city or in the other cities who are or are called Christians, inform on them.

Those who saw that he was breathing fury taught him with fear, saying: "We hear that there is someone in the upper regions of Taurus named Conon, who is of the same religion, concerning whom they say great wonders are performed by him, which astonish us all." He said: "Let it be said where he dwells, in a city or a village, and the name of that place, and how many miles it is distant." They said: "The estate is called Bidana, lying about forty miles away; and we hear of another of the same religion named Nisius in Sorobus, a village on the same road about twenty miles away." Having learned these things, he gave orders and set out for the place and arrived at Sorobus, and staying there he immediately seized Saint Nisius and, ordering him to be guarded from that moment, he sent quietly to summon Saint Conon from Bidana on some other pretext, so that no disturbance might arise because of him in those places; for he feared those places, having learned that the people there are bolder and more warlike. On the next day, Magnus took his seat and ordered Saint Nisius to be brought in haste, having reasoned thus: either to persuade him to deny the name of the Lord or to punish him before Saint Conon was brought.

When the holy Nisius was brought before him, he began to ask what his name was and what his fortune was, as is customary for rulers, and all the rest accordingly. And after this, learning everything from him, when he confirmed, "I am a Christian," he ordered him to be beaten, and as he beat him he gnashed his teeth; yielding, he flattered him so that he would deny Christ and consent to his impiety. But the holy Nisius persisted in affirming the good confession of Christ; for being gentle and guileless, as a native and unskilled in speech, he employed no elegance of words; for he did not know it, but he was noble in faith and endurance, and gave him no other answer but only, "I am a Christian." But Magnus, raging all the more as if contending to conquer him, ordered more bitter tortures to be applied to him so that he would die in them before reaching the holy Conon. And those who were beating him beat him relentlessly, and the one being beaten, remaining speechless for many hours in the same torments, gave up his soul. And thus the holy Nisius, beautifully and piously, completed his confession concerning Christ in Sorobus, his own village.

But the governor Magnus had striven for no other purpose in coming to this office than the destruction of the Christians. Therefore, having sent to Bidana to summon the holy Conon by deceit, he remained in Sorobus for no other reason than to kill the holy Nisius, which he did. Then, having prepared horses and riders, he hastened swiftly to Bidana, where the holy Conon was staying. Overtaking on the road those who had been sent ahead, he entered the village with them that same night before daybreak, and having seized him secretly, without even pausing from the journey, he immediately sat upon the tribunal and ordered him to be brought in. When all had gathered at the presence of the ruler, they saw the holy Conon being handled by the ruler’s attendants and were distressed, weeping and daring to say nothing; for they saw his white hair like wool, his stature large and well-proportioned, his fierce eyes, his face in old age full of grace, lacking nothing in beauty worthy of an elder. When he was brought before the governor, there was great lamentation among those present on his account. The governor, wishing to intimidate him, ordered the instruments of torture to be set before him and began to speak to him with flattering and deceptive words: “I, seeing that you are an old man adorned with such white hair, think that you would think worthily of what is seen.

Therefore, also in your old age, show your intelligence and renounce the name of Christ, which I know not whence it was devised among you as a name of deceit and folly; renounce it, and you will be a friend through me of the Augustus and of all those in power. From them all the finest things would be provided to you, and everything that is dear and pleasing to you will be yours, and, what surpasses all, the priesthood of the greatest gods will be given to you, as befitting no other than your beautiful and wondrous old age. And I myself know that you will love me as the one who will procure for you not only all these things, but also others. Therefore, if my words and promises have pleased you, nod in assent and consent without shame, and casting off your nakedness, clothe yourself in dignity, and do not wish to contend with me obstinately like Nisius, since you see what lies before you and will fare in regard to these things as the one before you. But the servant of Christ, though he was a layman and unskilled in the Greek language, by the grace of the Holy Spirit flowing into him, answered with clarity of words in the Isaurian dialect, saying: You have come running to this end, having worn out yourself and those who served you, so that having seized me, you might strip me of my garment and with promises of words and threats and deceptions overwhelm me, and whatever you could, either deceive or terrify me into denying Christ, not knowing that no one can separate us from the love of Christ—neither flattery, nor threat of death, nor fire, nor sword, what am I saying, these things which you have set before me?

But you also promise to exchange the things of Christ for those of the demons. You thought you were greatly mocking me, but you yourself have been greatly mocked. At this, Magnus became angry and ordered him to be tortured for many hours, and having given the order, he cried out in fury, saying: "Do you speak to me with such boldness and promise to philosophize through the verbosity of your words, thinking that by such words you will escape the punishment hanging over you? Will you now cease from the foolish and untimely boldness of the Christians, and will you agree with me or not? Speak briefly." The saint answered and began to speak to the shame of Magnus: "O godless one, more savage than any beast! How long will you despise the patience of God and resist God by setting up falsely named gods, which are the works of human hands made of stones and wood, having no motion, and do you set these against Christ, the maker of all things, O rebel against Christ and enemy of truth? Like a wolf coming against his servants, you hasten to slaughter, as you also tortured and killed the holy Nisius, and you are eager to dispatch me with the same torments. What wrong have we done that you have punished us thus and continue to torture and compel us to abandon the living God, promising the friendship of the emperor, protection, the giving of money, and a polluted priesthood? Do you promise to exchange these for the gifts of God? But this promise of yours will be useless to you, and even if you have stripped off this covering of mine, yet you will never be able to strip off Christ, whom I have put on.

For we have Christ and we know one God, who is able to deliver us, his servants, from your hands and from the contrivances of your godlessness. So, do what you wish to do. When the governor heard this, he became very angry and ordered him to be dragged down, stretched out with ropes, and beaten; again he considered what more terrible tortures he might devise and in them destroy him. While he was pondering and the other was being beaten, the people of the metropolis of the Isaurians, hearing that the governor was torturing Saint Conon in Bidana, gathered in haste, many armed crowds, and ran down to him. The governor, perceiving the disturbance of the multitude and that they had come to the aid of Saint Conon—for he had foreseen that this would happen, and had prepared saddled horses, which finding ready, he mounted and took to flight, and reached Iconium and was saved there. Some of the Isaurians pursued the governor to seize and kill him, but not overtaking him, they returned. The majority of the crowd, entering the building where the governor was examining the servant of Christ, found the saint alone, stretched out on the ground, because all the officials had scattered in flight, and the crowds of the city, having untied him, saw his blood gushing in streams and raised a cry, weeping and lamenting and pressing against one another.

From the outflow of the righteous man’s blood, each one receiving and wiping it onto his own body, anointed himself, believing that he was sanctified through it, and having carried him, they brought him to his own monastery and had great struggle to offer him every care and treatment for his wounds. And having restored him to health through their care and faith, each one of them, taking leave, kissed the knees of the righteous man, and thus rejoicing, they departed to their own homes. After this struggle and the martyric faith for Christ which he displayed, having lived two years in a good and glorious old age, he fulfilled the end of his life. Those present sent word throughout that entire region, announcing the holy man’s repose; and learning this, they flocked together as for a great calamity. The multitude of those who assembled was exceedingly vast, and all were weeping and mourning bitterly as they carried him forth, for he had become a luminary of piety and their teacher. They laid him in a coffin, where were deposited both his blessed mother and his blessed betrothed, who had become a perpetual virgin.

After his holy and glorious death, when his dwelling had been consecrated as a church and the excavation of the foundations was taking place at the time when the bishop of blessed memory was in office, those who were digging came upon the earthenware vessels. And seeing them bound with great security and having lead seals, thirty in number, they were astonished, wondering what these might be. Wishing to lift them, they were unable, for they were very heavy and immovable. Becoming overjoyed at the weight of the earthenware, they were deceived and thought them to be filled with gold and other things. And breaking one of them, they suddenly saw two most terrible whirlwinds leap out from that vessel. And they threw all those standing around to the ground, and made the air murky and dark, so that the scaffolding of the buildings and all the ropes were torn away from every side, and the very frame of the machine was shattered on the ground, and the building itself was destroyed. Showing themselves in the air to all, they cried out, announcing their own names. One said, "I am Diomedes"; the other, "I am Cuttionius." As a result of this, great fear and cowardice fell upon the village, and no one dared thereafter to be found outside his house after sunset, nor was a door opened. They threw some into the river at the bridge itself and drowned them, and they prevented those wishing to cross, so that the bridge became impassable. The other earthenware vessels were deposited in that same place, and they remain immovable to this day.

But someone will say: why did the demons violate his boundaries? Because the men also transgressed his injunctions, which he continually exhorted to all, not to be insatiable nor avaricious, knowing that all evil spirits are the causes of these evils. For he had shut them up in the vessels, and they remained in submission to Saint Conon, as long as the men remained faithful to his injunctions. But when the men transgressed the injunctions, the demons also transgressed their submission. And when these things had happened thus, the monks and Christians from the surrounding area gathered together and, persevering at that bridge with fasts and prayers for some days, barely restrained the madness of the demons that had escaped. These things we have recalled, few from many. But the healings that occurred during his life and those performed after his death no one will be able to recount fully, since our Lord Jesus Christ bears witness to him that these things happen for his glory. For glory befits Christ our God, together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Of Saint Conon