Venerable Auxentius

Life

Auxentius was a very distinguished nobleman in Constantinople among the nobility and courtiers of Emperor Theodosius the Younger. Warmed by Christ's love, Auxentius became a monk and remained for a short time in Constantinople. When people began to speak praises about him, he fled from human praises and settled on a certain mountain near Chalcedon, which was later called Auxentius's Mountain. His wish to remain there forever hidden from people was not fulfilled, for shepherds found him and made him known. And people began to bring the sick to him for healing. And he healed many. To the blind he restored sight, lepers he cleansed by anointing them with oil, and the paralyzed he raised up, and many demoniacs he freed from demons. All this is admirable, but his humility is even more admirable. Whenever they begged him to heal someone, he defended himself with the words: I too am a sinful man! But compelled by many entreaties he would approach healing in the following ways: either he would invite all present to pray together with him to God for the sick person; or he would first strengthen faith in people, then tell them that God would give to them according to their faith; or he would speak over the sick person's head: the Lord Jesus Christ heals you! He did all this only so that the wonderworking would not be attributed to him but to Almighty God. He participated in the Fourth Ecumenical Council in Chalcedon and powerfully defended Orthodoxy from the heresies of Eutyches and Nestorius. In his old age, the Lord took his youthful soul to Himself in the year 470, while the old body remained on earth, from which it was also formed.

From the Hymn of Praise

Auxentius, ornament of Orthodoxy,One night in mute silencePrayed to God with tears,And in spirit ascended to heaven