6.44.1
XLIV. Τῷ δ’ αὐτῷ τούτῳ Φαβίῳ, ὑποκατακλινομένῳ πως τῷ σχίσματι, καὶ Διονύσιος ὁ κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ἐπιστείλας πολλά τε καὶ ἄλλα περὶ μετανοίας ἐν τοῖς πρὸς αὐτὸν γράμμασιν διελθὼν τῶν τε κατ’ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ἔναγχος τότε μαρτυρησάντων τοὺς ἀγῶνας διιών, μετὰ τῆς ἄλλης ἱστορίας πρᾶγμά τι μεστὸν θαύματος διηγεῖται, ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ ἀναγκαῖον τῇδε παραδοῦναι τῆ γραφῇ, οὕτως ἔχον· “ ἓν δέ ἀοῖ τοῦτο παράδειγμα παρ’ ἡμῖν συμβεβηκὸς ἐκθήσομαι. Σεραπίων τις ἢν παρ’ ἡμῖν, πιστὸς γέρων, ἀμέμπτως μὲν τὸν πολὺν διαβιώσας χρόνον, ἐν δὲ τῷ πειρασμῷ πεσών. οὗτος πολλάκις ἐδεῖτο, καὶ οὐδεὶς προσεῖχεν αὐτῷ· καὶ γὰρ ἐτεθύκει. ἐν νόσῳ δὲ γενόμενος, τριῶν ἑξῆς ἡμερῶν ἄφωνος καὶ ἀναίσθητος διετέλεσεν, βραχὺ δὲ ἀνασφήλας τῇ τετάρτῃ προσεκαλέσατο τὸν θυγατριδοῦν, καὶ ἴ’ μέχρι με τίνος ’ φησίν ὧ τέκνον, κατέχετε; δέομαι, σπεύσατε, καὶ με θᾶττον ἀπολύσατε, τῶν πρεσβυτέρων μοί τινα κάλεσον.’ καὶ ταῦτα εἰπών, πάλιν ἢν ἄφωνος. ἔδραμεν ὁ παῖς ἐπὶ τὸν πρεσβύτερον· νὺξ δὲ ἢν, κἀκεῖνος ἠσθένει. ἀφικέσθαι μὲν οὐκ ἐδυνήθη, ἐντολῆς δὲ ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ δεδομένης τοὺς ἀπαλλαττομένους τοῦ βίου, εἰ δέοιντο, καὶ μάλιστα εἰ καὶ πρότερον ἱκετεύσαντες τύχοιεν, ἀφίεσθαι, ἵν’ εὐέλπιδες ἀπαλλάττωνται, βραχὺ τῆς εὐχαριστίας ἔδωκεν τῷ παιδαρίῳ, ἀποβρέξαι κελεύσας καὶ τῷ πρεσβύτῃ κατὰ τοῦ στόματος ἐπιστάξαι. ἐπανῆκεν ὁ παῖς φέρων, ἐγγύς τε γενομένου, πρὶν εἰσελθεῖν, ἀνενέγκας πάλιν ὁ Σεραπίων ἴ’ ‘ ἧκες ’ ἔφη ‘τέκνον; καὶ ὁ μὲν πρεσβύτερος ἐλθεῖν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη, σὺ δὲ ποίησον ταχέως τὸ προσταχθὲν καὶ ἀπάλλαττέ με. ἀπέβρεξεν ὁ παῖς καὶ ἅμα τε ἐνέχεεν τῷ στόματι καὶ μικρὸν ἐκεῖνος καταβροχθίσας εὐθέως ἀπέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα. ἆρ’ οὐκ ἐναργῶς διετηρήθη καὶ παρέμεινεν, ἕως λυθῇ καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐξαλειφθείσης ἐπὶ πολλοῖς οἷς ἔπραξεν καλοῖς ὁμολογηθῆναι δυνηθῇ; ’’
XLIV. But to this same Fabius, when he was inclining somewhat towards the schism, Dionysius also, he of Alexandria, wrote, making many other remarks with reference to repentance in his letter to him and describing the conflicts of those lately martyred at Alexandria. In the course of his narrative he tells a certain astonishing tale, which must needs be handed down in this work. It is as follows: “But this one example that happened amongst us I shall set forth for thee. There was a certain Serapion amongst us, an old man and a believer, who lived blamelessly for a long time, but in the trial fell. This man oftentimes besought [absolution], and no one paid him heed. For indeed he had sacrificed. And, falling sick, he continued for three successive days speechless and unconscious; but on the fourth he rallied a little, and calling his grandson to him, he said: ‘How long, my child, do ye hold me back? Haste ye, I pray, and grant me a speedy release; do thou summon me one of the presbyters.’ Having said this he again became speechless. The boy ran for the presbyter. But it was night, and he was unwell and could not come. Yet since I had given an order that those who were departing this life, if they besought it, and especially if they had made supplication before, should be absolved, that they might depart in hope, he gave the little boy a small portion of the eucharist, bidding him soak it and let it fall in drops down into the old man’s mouth. Back came the boy with it, and when he was near, before he entered, Serapion revived again and said, ‘Hast thou come, child? The presbyter could not come, but do thou quickly what he bade thee, and let me depart.’ The boy soaked it and at the same time poured it into his mouth, and when he had swallowed a little he straightway gave up the ghost. Was it not plain that he was preserved and remained until he obtained release, that, with his sin blotted out, he might be acknowledged for all the good deeds he had done?’’