Euphrosyne of Thessalonica

Saint Euphrosyne of Thessalonica was the shepherdess who showed Saints Symeon and Theodore the icon of the Mother of God painted by the Holy Apostle Luke, in the cave that was to become the Mega Spilaion Monastery, the Great Cave. She lived in the fourth century, in Achaia.

Symeon and Theodore were born at the beginning of the fourth century at Thessalonica, of devout and educated parents, and studied theology, philosophy, rhetoric and poetry. Inspired by the example of the desert ascetics, they began the monastic life: first on Mount Olympus, then on Ossa and Pelion; they visited ascetics on the Athos peninsula and went to the Holy Land and Sinai. On returning to Jerusalem, they received ordination from Bishop Maximus.

There both had the same dream: the Mother of God, accompanied by the Holy Apostles Paul, Andrew and Luke, commanded them to go to Achaia and find her icon, painted by Saint Luke. With the bishop's blessing they set out for the north-⁠eastern coast of the Peloponnese, where three apostles had preached: Paul at Corinth, Andrew at Patras, Luke in the outlying parts of Achaia.

Arriving in Achaia, they prayed to God to show them the way. The same night, in a dream, the Lord commanded them to go to the river Buras, two hours' walk from Achaia, and find there a pious shepherdess named Euphrosyne, who would lead them to the icon. The next morning, arriving at the place shown, they saw the shepherdess waiting for them. She bowed to them and addressed them by name.

Disturbed by her foresight, they did not dare approach. Euphrosyne noticed and, calling on the Most Holy Theotokos for help, struck with her staff the rock on which she sat, and at once a spring of pure water burst from the rock, which bears her name to this day.

She told them that she lived in the neighbouring village of Galata and often pastured her father's flock near a high rock. Twice she had seen a goat of the flock climb the rock to the entrance of a cave and, when it returned, its muzzle was wet and dripping. Euphrosyne guessed that there was a spring there and climbed up to see. Passing through thick undergrowth and arriving at the entrance of a huge cave, she suddenly heard someone calling her by name.

She looked around and saw on the upper wall of the cave an icon of the Mother of God. The voice coming from the icon told her to wait for the coming of Father Symeon and Father Theodore. The monks climbed into the cave, where everything was just as the shepherdess had said. They took the icon with reverence, carried it out of the cave and returned to clean the cave and put it in order.

They set fire to the brush and the rubbish gathered in the cave and stayed at the entrance, waiting for it to burn out. Suddenly out of the cave flew, as on wings, a giant serpent, disturbed by fire and smoke. The brothers and Euphrosyne leapt back in fear, but from the icon a lightning flash burst and pinned the serpent to the ground. They entered the cave.

Word of the new icon spread over the whole peninsula. Christians came to venerate the holy icon, through which the Lord worked many miracles. Monastics began to gather around Symeon and Theodore, and they themselves began to travel through the Peloponnese preaching the Gospel. In the time of the Emperor Julian the Apostate the brothers were driven for a short time from those places, but after his death they returned. Both died at Mega Spilaion. Euphrosyne built herself a small cell near the cave and lived in it as a hermit to the end of her days.

The Greeks commemorate her on 31 October. Her name is not included in the present calendar of the Russian Church.