“Called from earth to the Heavenly home, your body remained unharmed in death, O holy Eudokim, for you lived in chastity and purity, blessed one, you dwelt, keeping your flesh undefiled. Therefore, with confidence, pray to Christ God to save us.”
(Troparion, Tone 4)
13 August — the Feast Day of the Righteous Eudokim of Cappadocia.
“A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14), and a pure life speaks of God more powerfully than any words or teachings. So it was with Eudokim, a young man who, twelve centuries ago, lived a life of purity, abstinence, and tireless service to others. By the age of thirty-three, he was ready for eternal life, entering the Kingdom of Heaven after living many years in a short time.
Righteous Eudokim (from the Greek eudokimos — “well reputed”) was the son of devout parents, Basil and Eudocia, from Cappadocia. From his youth until his death, he was known for his upright life. Though not a monk, he lived with great discipline, striving diligently to follow God’s commands.
At that time, Cappadocia thrived as a centre of Orthodox life. Many holy men and women toiled in this “land of churches,” where chapels and monasteries were carved straight into the rock; the soft volcanic tuff made it easy to build holy places. The people of Cappadocia hewed their homes from the soft cliffs that rimmed the plateau. In time, vast underground cities emerged, able to shelter thousands for months during times of danger.
Korama (Turkish: Göreme) is one of Cappadocia’s rock settlements. Its windows and entrances were deliberately cut high above the ground. When trouble threatened, these openings were blocked with heavy stones for protection.
When the iconoclast storms rose, masters of icon-painting found refuge on this plateau. Here, they established the Cappadocian school of iconography. This art form flourished — much like Cappadocian Christianity itself — during the tenth and eleventh centuries. As Arab raids grew frequent, the Byzantines fortified their cities and remote settlements. To hold the frontier, the empire created themes — administrative and military districts manned by akritai, farmer-soldiers akin to Russian Bogatyrs or Cossacks. These guardians of the Empire’s frontiers received imperial lands as payment for their hereditary military service, though they could not sell them. Eudokim, too, took up arms to defend his homeland, serving the emperor with loyalty and honour.
A cave church in Cappadocia
While serving as a soldier, he faced perils and was often caught up in worldly chatter and diversions. Yet he kept the Gospel and the words of the Lord close to his heart: “Whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). These words never left his thoughts. His purity ran so deep that he refused to speak with women or even glance their way. Apart from his mother, whom he deeply respected, he allowed no women into his presence.
Eudokim was known for his kindness and compassion, earning the admiration of those in power. Recognising his righteous way of life, the emperor appointed him governor of the Harsian region. In this role, Eudokim served as a faithful servant of God. He ruled and judged his people with fairness and gentleness, looked after the poor, the orphaned, and the widowed, and stood as a defender of the oppressed. His private Christian struggles, which he fought in secret, remained known to God alone.
Map of Byzantine themes
Yet, as the holy fathers taught, these struggles were not small. As Saint John Cassian the Roman observed, to keep both soul and body pure, "it is not enough merely to abstain from food; other spiritual virtues are also needed. Above all, through obedience, heartfelt sorrow, and bodily toil, one must learn humility. Not only must one have no money, but one must also root out the desire for it, for it is not enough merely to lack it; one must not harbour the wish to take it when offered; anger must be held down, despair beaten back, vanity cast aside, pride crushed underfoot, and the wandering thoughts of the mind held steady by endless remembrance of God."
Alongside his many duties of state, Eudokim quietly strove for the Christian virtues. Through his blameless life, Eudokim found favour with God, and the Lord called him to eternal rest at the age of thirty-three. As he lay on his deathbed, Saint Eudokim instructed that he be buried in the same clothes he wore at the moment of his passing. Before his righteous departure, he prayed that his death would remain hidden from human eyes and that the Lord would keep his life a secret. Yet God’s plan was to glorify His servant, and at Eudokim’s tomb, many suffering from all manner of illness received healing. Word of these miracles spread far and wide.
Eighteen months later, his mother came from Constantinople, where she and the saint’s father lived. She ordered the gravestone to be removed, and the tomb was opened. When they looked upon the saint’s face, it was radiant, as if he were alive, untouched by decay. A sweet fragrance filled the air, and the tomb, along with the relics, was lifted from the earth. The saint was clothed in new garments. Eudocia wished to take her son’s remains to Constantinople, but the people of Harsian refused to let their treasure go. However, some time later, Hieromonk Joseph, who served at the saint’s resting place, transferred the relics of the righteous Eudokim to Constantinople. There, they were placed in a silver shrine in the Church of the Most Holy Theotokos, built by Basil and Eudocia.
Righteous Eudokim of Cappadocia
By the end of the twelfth century, a monastery had been established on the site of the church housing the saint’s relics. A Russian pilgrim named Anthony, who visited Constantinople in 1200, testified, “By the pillar on the side of the Theotokos’ monastery lies the new Eudokim in a silver tomb, as though alive.”
The Life of Righteous Eudokim, translated from the original Greek, was published in Russian in 1893 by K. M. Loparev.
“Adorned with wisdom and enlightened by understanding, enriched by humility of heart, shining by the height of your life, you have entered the heavenly courts, where remember us who honour you, Eudokim.”
(Troparion of the ninth ode of the canon to Righteous Eudokim)
Prepared by the team of obitel-minsk.ru
Photographs from the internet
Sources:
1. Lives of the Saints in Russian, compiled according to the guidance of the Menaion of Saint Dimitry of Rostov, 12 volumes. — Moscow: “Kovcheg,” 2010.
2. Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov: “On Purity” — Spiritual Reading (sobor26.ru).
