remaining daughter, and having heard that many of the
saintly Egyptian desert fathers were endowed with the gift
of spiritual healing, Emperor Zeno decided to send her to
them with a plea that they try and heal her. She was
accompanied by guards and servants carrying all that she
may need as well as many gifts to the monasteries.
As was their wont when anybody sought their
prayers and intercessions, the desert fathers started a
continuous vigil of prayer for the princess. After a few
days, they called in the monk Hilarion and asked him to
add his prayers to theirs for the healing of the Emperor’s
daughter. Hilarion, immediately recognising his sister,
took her to his own cave, put her on his bed and prayed
for her with all the compassionate faith within his soul.
Then anointing her with oil and kissing her gently he bade
her sleep restfully. On waking up, the princess had a
feeling of well-being and cheerfully declared that.
Hilarion took her to his brethren and tole them that their
prayers had effected her healing.
When the princess returned to Constantinople in a
state of restored health, and told her parents what had
happened, Emperor Zeno was overjoyed, and sent to the
monasteries requesting that Hilarion the monk be allowed
to visit him in his palace. The Emperor’s request was
granted. When Hilarion arrived at the palace, he asked
the Emperor and Empress (his parents) to give him a
solemn pledge to leave him return to the Egyptian desert
after he disclosed to them a person secret. When they did
that, he told them of his true identity and that in reality he
was their daughter disguised in a monk’s garb. Zeno and
his wife were overwhelmed with joy because they found
out their daughter was till alive, and because of the degree
of saintliness that ‘Hilarion’ (alias Princess Hilaria) had
reached. After days of festivities at the imperial palace,
elle
(Elle)
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