Saint Niphon the Wonderworker

Life

Niphon was born in Paphlagonia, raised in Constantinople at the court of a certain general. Having fallen into bad company, young Niphon became corrupted and gave himself over to many sins and vices. Because of sin Niphon could not even pray to God. By the mercy of the Holy Theotokos Niphon was returned to the path of righteousness, and became a monk. Niphon had countless visions of the heavenly world. For four years Niphon waged a difficult struggle with a demon who unceasingly whispered to him: There is no God! There is no God! But when the Lord Jesus Himself appeared to Niphon as living on an icon, Niphon gained great power over evil spirits, and was freed from difficult temptations. Niphon was so clairvoyant that Niphon saw angels and demons around people just as he saw people, and Niphon knew people's thoughts. With angels Niphon conversed often, and with demons Niphon disputed. Niphon built a church to the Most Holy Theotokos in Constantinople, gathered monks and saved many. Archbishop Alexander of Alexandria by revelation from heaven consecrated Niphon as bishop of the city of Constantia in Cyprus. At that time Saint Niphon was already old, and having governed the Church of God well for a short time, Niphon passed into the eternal Kingdom of Christ. Before his death Saint Athanasius the Great, archdeacon of the Church of Alexandria, visited Niphon, and after Niphon's death saw his face illumined as the sun.