Ammonathas

Once a governor came to Pelusium and wanted to exact a poll tax from the monks just as from laypeople. All the brothers gathered around Abba Ammonathas about this, and they decided that some of the Fathers should go up to the emperor. Abba Ammonathas said to them, “There is no need for this trouble. Rather, practice stillness in your cells and fast for two weeks, and by the grace of Christ I alone will take care of the matter.” The brothers went back to their cells, and the elder practiced stillness in his own cell. When fourteen days had passed, the brothers were upset with the elder because they had never seen him make any move, and they said, “The elder has let our matter fail.” On the fifteenth day the brothers gathered as they had agreed, and the elder came to them carrying an imperial decree sealed by the emperor. When the brothers saw it, they were astonished and said, “When did you bring this, Abba?” The elder said, “Believe me, brothers: this very night I went to the emperor, and he wrote this decree. Then I went to Alexandria and had it countersigned by the officials, and so I have come to you.” When they heard this, they were afraid and made a prostration in repentance before him. Their matter was settled, and the governor troubled them no more.