Venerable Mark the Gravedigger and Theophilus the Weeper

Life

Mark and Theophilus were monks of the Kiev Caves. Saint Mark had such grace that Mark commanded the dead and they obeyed him. "Wait, brother, until tomorrow for your grave is not yet ready," Mark sent word to be told to a certain dead monk who had already been bathed and shrouded. And the monk opened his eyes and was alive until the next day. Theophilus wept unceasingly for his sins. Theophilus poured out his tears over a certain vessel. Before his death an angel appeared to Theophilus and showed Theophilus a larger vessel filled with tears. These were the tears of Theophilus which had fallen to the earth or had been wiped away by hand or had dried on his face. Thus in heaven are known and kept all our tears, as well as all our torments, labors and sighs for salvation. These holy servants of God reposed in the eleventh century and passed into the Kingdom of Christ.