The year was 1612. Polish invaders were running amok in northern Russia, pillaging and looting the towns in their path. One group of local residents had taken refuge among the monks in the Monastery of the Most Holy Mother of God on Blue Jay Lake, which had been founded by the holy monk Euphrosynus.
On March 19, Euphrosynus warned all of the monks at the monastery, as well as all of the villagers who were hiding there, that a band of invaders was rapidly approaching, and those who wished to escape death should flee the monastery at once. Many fled. Euphrosynus himself remained, proclaiming to those present that he had come to the monastery in the first instance “in order to die for Christ.”
One of the monks, who was named Jonah, was fearful of Euphrosynus’ prophecy and wanted to flee with the others. These were Euphrosynus’ words to him:
Brother Jonah, why do you allow faint-hearted fear into your soul? When there is to be a battle, then is the time when one must show manliness. If God is with us, who is against us? And who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature. [Rom. 8:35, 38-39]. None of these things can do this.
Why have you become frightened, brother? There is nothing frightful in that which threatens us. Death? But it is not frightful, since by its means we are departing for the harbor. Robbery? But naked I came, naked I will depart [Job 1:21]. Confinement? But the earth is the Lord’s, and all the fulness thereof [Ps. 23:1]. Should we fear slander? But when men shall say all manner of evil against you … great is your reward in heaven [Mt. 5;11, 12].
I saw a sword, and the heaven covered with lightning; I expected death, and thought on what is mortal; I contemplated the sufferings of earth, and thought of the honors above and the crown on high as the end of labors, and for me this was sufficient consolation and contrition. May the will of God be done! Let us not be afraid of some passing fear, for the sake of Christ’s love. It is for this that we were called and offered our vows to the Lord, in order to die in this place for the sake of His Holy Name. With laymen it is something else; they are not bound by a voew. They must preserve themselves also for their children.
Jonah remained at the monastery with the blessed Euphrosynus. They were both martyred the next day.
Source: The Northern Thebaid, pp. 176-180.
