Abba Phocas, from the cenobium of Abba Theognius the First, of Jerusalem, related this: “When I was living in Scetis, a younger Abba Jacob lived at the Cells. He had the same man as both his natural father and his spiritual father. There are two churches at the Cells: one of the Orthodox, where he received communion, and another of the separatists. Because Abba Jacob was distinguished by humility, everyone loved him, both the churchmen and the separatists. The Orthodox warned him, ‘Be careful, Abba Jacob, lest the separatists deceive you and draw you into their communion.’ In the same way, the separatists said, ‘Know, Abba Jacob, that by receiving communion with the Dyophysites you are losing your soul, for they are Nestorians and falsely accuse the truth.’ Abba Jacob was a simple man, and the things said by both sides brought him into great distress and anxiety, until he was driven to appeal to God. He hid himself in a cell outside the laura in a quiet place and put on his burial clothes as though he were about to die. The Egyptian Fathers have the custom of keeping until death the tunic in which they received the holy habit, together with the hood, so that they may be buried in them; they wear them only on Sundays for holy communion and put them away immediately afterward. Jacob went into that cell, prayed to God, weakened himself by fasting, fell to the ground, and remained lying there. He said that during those days he suffered many things from the demons, especially in his mind. When forty days had passed, he saw a very joyful child enter and say, ‘Abba Jacob, what are you doing here?’ Immediately enlightened and strengthened by the sight of him, Jacob said, ‘Lord, You know what is happening to me. These people say, “Do not leave the Church,” while the others say, “The Dyophysites are deceiving you.” I am confused and do not know what to do, and so I have come to what You see.’ The Lord answered him, ‘Where you are is good.’ Immediately after hearing this, he found himself before the doors of the holy church of the Orthodox who accepted the Synod of Chalcedon.”
Abba Phocas also related: “Once, while Abba Jacob was passing through Scetis, he was violently attacked by the demon of fornication and came close to being destroyed. He came to me, told me what he was suffering, and said, ‘In two days I am going to this cave. I beg you for the Lord’s sake: tell no one, not even my father. Count forty days, and when they are complete, show me love and come to me carrying holy communion. If you find me dead, bury me; but if I am still alive, give me holy communion.’ After I heard this from him, when the forty days were complete I took the holy communion, some clean ordinary bread, and a little wine, and went to him. As soon as I came near the cave, I smelled a terrible odor coming from his mouth and said to myself, “The blessed man has died.” But when I entered, I found him half dead. When he saw me, he moved his right hand a little, as much as he was able, and by the movement of his hand indicated the holy communion. I said, “I have it.” I tried to open his mouth, but found it closed tight. Not knowing what to do, I went out into the desert and found a small piece of wood from a shrub. After much effort I was barely able to open his mouth a little. Then I put the precious Body and Blood into his mouth, breaking it into tiny pieces as much as possible. From receiving the holy communion he recovered some strength. A little later I moistened a few crumbs of ordinary bread and gave them to him, then more as he was able to receive them. And so, by the grace of God, after one day he went away with me and returned to his cell, freed by God’s favor from the destructive passion of fornication.”