Chapter 35

And king Abenner, pierced to the heart by this God-taught wisdom, confessed Christ the Saviour with a loud voice and a most fervent soul, departing from all his superstitious error.

He bowed down before the sign of the life-giving cross in the sight of all, and in the hearing of all proclaimed our Lord Jesus Christ to be the true God; and going through his former impiety, and convicting his own cruelty and bloodshed against the Christians, he became a great help to the cause of true religion; so that hence the saying of Paul was known in deed: that where there was the abundance of impiety, there also came the overflowing of grace. So when the most wise Josaphat had discoursed much about God and true religion toward him to the generals and satraps and all the people who had then come together, and, as it were with a fiery tongue, was warbling something beautiful and full of song, the grace of the Holy Spirit, coming upon them, moved all to the glorifying of God, so that all the crowds cried out as with one voice: "Great is the God of the Christians; there is no other god but our Lord Jesus Christ, glorified together with the Father and the Holy Spirit." And being filled full of divine zeal, king Abenner leaps boldly upon the idols that were in his palace, made of gold and silver, and drags them down to the ground. Then, dividing them into small pieces, he distributes them to the poor, thus making useful the useless things;

so indeed, with his son, going round the temples and altars of the idols, they razed them down to their very foundations; and in their stead they built holy precincts to God. And not only in the city, but throughout all the country, they did these things with zeal. And the wicked spirits that dwelt in the altars were driven out howling, and cried aloud, trembling at the unconquerable power of our God. And all the surrounding country, and most of the neighbouring nations, were led by the hand to the faith of true religion. Then indeed, when the most divine bishop mentioned above had come, king Abenner is instructed and made perfect by divine baptism in the name of the Father,

the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And Josaphat received him up out of the divine font, being shown—a most novel thing—the begetter of his own father, and becoming for the one who had begotten him in the flesh the agent of his spiritual rebirth. For he was a son of the heavenly Father and truly a most divine fruit of the divine root—that root which cries out: "I am the vine, you are the branches." Thus reborn through water and the Spirit, king Abenner rejoiced with unspeakable joy; and with him the whole city and the surrounding country were counted worthy of divine baptism, and those who before were darkened were shown to be sons of light. And every disease and every demonic assault was driven far from the believers; and all were whole and healthy in their souls and bodies. And many other wonders were worked for the confirmation of the faith. And churches were built up, and the bishops who had been hidden through fear were made manifest and received back their own churches,

and others from among the priests and the monks were appointed to shepherd the flock of Christ. King Abenner, however, having thus departed from that former wretched manner of life and being repentant for what he had done, handed over all the royal power to his son; while he himself, living in quiet by himself, ever pouring dust upon his head, heaving heavy groans and washing himself with tears, conversed, alone with the one who is everywhere present, begging from him forgiveness for his own offences. And he let himself down into so great an abyss of contrition and humility that he refused even to name the name of God with his own lips, and only with difficulty, at his son's urging, dared to do so. And he was so changed with the good change, and walked the path that leads to virtue, that in true religion he surpassed the ignorance of his former lawless deeds. And having lived thus for four years in repentance and tears and all virtue, he fell into an illness, in which he also died. And when the end drew near, he began to fear and be in anguish, calling to mind the evils he had done. But Josaphat lightened the burden that had fallen upon him with words of comfort, saying, "Why are you very sorrowful, father, and why do you trouble yourself? Hope in God and confess to him, who is the hope of all the ends of the earth and of those far off on the sea; who

cried out through the prophet, saying: 'Wash yourselves, become clean; take away the wickedness from your souls before my eyes; learn to do good'; and, 'Though your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as snow; and though they be as crimson, I will make them white as wool.' Do not fear, then, father, nor doubt; for the sins of those who turn to God do not overcome his boundless goodness. For they are under measure and number, however many they be; but his goodness is measureless and numberless. It cannot be, then, that what is subject to measure should prevail over the measureless." Charming his soul with such words of comfort, he made him full of good hope. Then the father, stretching out his hands, gave thanks and prayed for him beyond measure, and blessed the day in which his son had been born to him, saying: "Sweetest child—child not mine, but the heavenly Father's—what thanks shall I give you? With what blessings shall I bless you? What thanksgiving shall I send up to God concerning you? For I was lost, and was found through you; I was dead in sin, and have come to life again; an enemy and apostate of God, and have been reconciled. What, then, shall I repay you for all these things?

God is the one who will grant you worthy recompense." So saying, he kissed his dearest son repeatedly. Then, having prayed, and saying, "Into your hands, O God who love mankind, I commit my spirit," he gave up his soul to the Lord in repentance and peace. And Josaphat, having honoured his dead father with tears, and tended his remains with honour, laid him in the tomb of pious men, not clothing him, however, in royal raiment, but adorning him with the garments of repentance. And standing at the tomb, lifting his hands to heaven, and letting tears fall like a river from his eyes, he cried out to God, saying: "I give you thanks, O God, King of glory, alone mighty and immortal, that you did not overlook my prayer nor pass over my tears in silence, but were pleased to turn this your servant and my father back from the road of lawlessness and to draw him to yourself, the Saviour of all, removing him from the deceit of the idols and counting him worthy to know you, the true God who loves mankind. And now, my Lord and God, who have the unsearchable sea of goodness, appoint him in a verdant place, in a place of rest,

where the light of your face shines; and remember not his ancient lawless deeds, but according to your great mercy blot out the record of his offences, and tear up the bonds of his debts, and reconcile to him your saints whom he slew with fire and sword; command them not to be angry with him. For all things are possible to you, the Master of all, except this one thing only: not to show mercy to those who do not turn to you; this is impossible. For your mercy is poured out upon all, and you save those who call upon you, Lord Jesus Christ; for to you belongs glory unto the ages. Amen." Such prayers and supplications he offered to God for seven whole days, never departing from the tomb, taking no thought at all of food or drink, nor partaking of the rest of sleep; but he wet the ground with tears, and continued praying with unceasing groans. And on the eighth day, returning to the palace, he distributed all the wealth and the moneys to the poor, so that not one of those in need was left out"