E05220: John Moschus, in his Spiritual Meadow, recounts how a soldier who was about to die in battle with the Mauritanians in Africa, invoked God, citing the delivery of *Thekla (the follower of the Apostle Paul, S00092), and was miraculously spared from death. Written in Greek, probably in Rome, in the 620s or 630s.

John Moschus, The Spiritual Meadow, 20

In this chapter Moschus retells the story of the conversion of a soldier that he had heard. This soldier, who was a military standard-bearer, took part in a battle with the Mauritanians in the African provinces. The barbarians defeated his army and slew many of his fellow-soldiers. Then the moment came when his own life was in danger, since one of the barbarians caught up with him and raised his spear to strike him. The soldier began calling on God and said:

Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ φανεὶς τῇ δούλῃ σῇ Θέκλῃ, καὶ ῥυσάμενος αὐτὴν ἐκ τῶν ἀνόμων χειρῶν, ῥῦσαί με ἐκ τῆς ἀνάγκης ταύτης, καὶ σῶσόν με ἀπὸ τοῦ πικροῦ θανάτου τούτου, καὶ ὑπάγω εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ ἡσυχάζω.

'Oh Lord God, who appeared to your servant Thecla and delivered her from impious hands: deliver me from this calamity and save me from this bitter death. Then I will go and lead a life of solitude in the desert.'

When he turned round, the barbarian had disappeared. The soldier went straight to the Lavra of Kopratha and spent thirty years in this cave.

Text: Migne 1865 (PG 87.3). Translation: J. Wortley. Summary: J. Doroszewska.