monastery of Pakhom. With eyes ever fixed on the man of
God, Theodorus grew day by day in saintliness. He had his
visions and his hours of inward illumination. These, he
described to his spiritual father with the simplicity of a child.
And so great was the love which bound them, that
Theodorus was not only the inseparable disciple, but became
the biographer of Pakhom.
In due time, this devoted disciple succeeded his
teacher and became the Supreme Head of the Pakhomian
monasteries.
- A story about him says that some brethren came to
him, accusing a brother of theft and insisting on dismissing
him from the monastery. Theodorus tempered their anger by
asking them to give him time to pray in quest of God's
guidance. As he did so, he was forewarned by the spirit that
the thief was another brother known for saintliness. This
same brother was soon conscience-stricken; so he went to
Theodorus and pleaded guilty. Theodorus told him, "My
son, since you have confessed your sin, it is remitted. Your
courage in declaring your guilt and the innocence of your
brother intercedes for you. You are absolved". Then
summoning the brother who had been falsely accused,
Theodorus said to him: "My son, you have suffered deeply
because of the false accusation against you. Your brethren
were mistaken, but not God Who permitted such error that
you may be thoroughly purged". Finally, Theodorus called
the denunciators, gave them their stolen possession and said:
Our God desires us to be merciful and to forgive our
brethren seventy times seven. Forget this affair, I pray you,
and remind yourselves that you are all in need of God's
mercy".^32