Saint Athanasius
Coptic Orthodox Church
Abba Pijimi was from Feesha of the diocese of Masil. When he was twelve years old, and while he was shepherding his father's sheep, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the form of a young man and told him, "Let us go and become monks." Abba Pijimi agreed and went with him to the desert of Scete (Wadi Natrun region in Egypt); to a place where three elder monks dwelled, then the angel disappeared. The saint dwelt with them for twenty-fouryears until they departed. Then he left that place and went into the desert, a distance of three days travel. The devils appeared to him in the form of wild beasts, pigs and serpents. They surrounded him to devour him. He was able to discern their intent by the spirit. He prayed and they were scattered. Then he lived in a valley there for three years fasting a week at a time; and at the end of the week, he ate a handful of dates and drank a little water. He prayed the Lord's prayer: "Our Father, who art in heaven...," he recited it day and night. Once he fasted for forty days and another time he fasted for eighty days, to the point that his skin clung to this bones. Then an angel brought him bread to eat adn water to drink. That bread and water remained for many years.
Afterwards, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a vision at night and commanded him to return to his city.; Abba Pijimi went and built a small cell on the outskirts of his city. He dwelt there alone worshiping in ascetism and becoming a good model and a good example for everyone who saw him. The people of his town came to him to be nourished with his spiritual teachings.
One day the angel of the Lord lifted him up and brought him to the land of Euphrates, for its people had gone out of the Orthodox way and he converted them all to the Faith and returned to his place.
Abba Pijimi lived for 70 years, twelve years in the
world and 58 in worship.
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