James the Faster

Saint James the Faster lived seventy-⁠five years in the sixth century. He practised asceticism near the Phoenician city of Porphyrion. After becoming a monk, he spent fifteen years in the desert. According to Christian tradition, he became so perfected in the Christian life that by prayer he healed even the most gravely ill.

Once, his opponents sent a prostitute to him, who urged him to "sin". Seeing that he was about to sin, James, according to church tradition, put his left hand in the fire and held it there until it burned. Seeing this, the woman was frightened, repented and changed her life. Later, according to tradition, some people brought their mad daughter to be healed, and he sinned with her, then, to hide his "sin", killed her and threw her into the river. After that James spent ten years as a penitent, living in a tomb. According to Christian tradition, he learned that God had forgiven him because once, at his prayer, rain fell during a great drought. The Church commemorates him on 4 March by the old calendar (17 March by the new).