Joasaph of India

Holy Venerable Joasaph of India, a king's son, lived in India, which had once received the Christian faith through the preaching of the holy Apostle Thomas. There reigned the king Abenir, an idolater and a fierce persecutor of Christians. For a long time he had no children. At last a son was born to him, named Joasaph. At the prince's birth, the king's wise astrologer foretold that the prince would receive the Christian faith which his father persecuted. The king, wishing to prevent what was foretold, ordered a separate palace built for the prince and gave orders that he should not hear a single word about Christ and His teaching.

Reaching young manhood, the prince asked his father's leave to go out of the palace and saw then that there are suffering, sickness, old age and death. This led the prince to thoughts about the vanity and meaninglessness of life, and he fell into heavy thoughts. In that time a wise hermit, Venerable Barlaam, was struggling in the desert. By divine revelation he learned of the youth who suffered seeking the truth. He came out of the desert, went to India in the guise of a merchant and, arriving in the city where the prince's palace was, announced that he was bringing a precious stone with the wondrous power to heal diseases. Brought to the prince Joasaph, Venerable Barlaam began to set before him the Christian faith in parables, then "from the Holy Gospel and the Holy Apostles". From Barlaam's teachings the youth understood that the precious stone is faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, believed in Him and desired Holy Baptism. After baptizing him, Venerable Barlaam commanded him fasting and prayer and returned to the desert.

Learning that his son had become a Christian, the king was filled with anger and sorrow. On the advice of a nobleman he arranged a debate on faith between Christians and pagans, at which there appeared, in the guise of Barlaam, the magician and sorcerer Nachor, who was to declare himself beaten in the debate and so turn the prince away from Christianity. Through a vision in a dream Saint Joasaph learned of the deceit and threatened Nachor with a cruel death if he should be beaten. Frightened, Nachor not only defeated the pagans but himself believed in Christ, repented, received Holy Baptism and withdrew into the desert. The king tried other means, but the prince overcame all temptations. Then, on the advice of the noblemen, Abenir gave his son half of the kingdom. Saint Joasaph, becoming king, restored Christianity in his country, rebuilt churches and at last turned his father, king Abenir, to the Christian faith. Soon after Baptism Abenir departed to the Lord, and the holy prince Joasaph left the kingdom and went into the desert in search of his teacher, the elder Barlaam.

For two years he wandered in the desert, enduring troubles and temptations, until he found the cave of Venerable Barlaam, who was being saved in silence. The elder and the youth struggled together. When the time of Barlaam's death drew near, he served the Liturgy, received the Holy Mysteries, gave communion to Saint Joasaph also and so departed to the Lord, having spent seventy of his hundred years in the desert. After the burial of the elder, Saint Joasaph stayed in the same cave, following his hermit's labour. He spent thirty-⁠five years in the desert and departed to the Lord at the age of sixty. His successor on the throne, Barachias, following the guidance of a hermit, found in the cave the incorrupt and fragrant relics of the two ascetics, carried them to his country and laid them in the church built by Venerable Prince Joasaph.

The Church commemorates Saint Joasaph on 2 December, in the new style.