Metrius the Farmer

Blessed Metrius the Farmer of Myra lived as a peasant in Galatia, in Paphlagonia of Asia Minor, and fell asleep in the year 912. The Azbyka page notes that his name is not found in the present calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church.

One day he saw a neighbour preparing his son to go to Constantinople to become an officer and serve at court. Metrius prayed to the Lord: "Merciful Master, show mercy to me, Your servant, and grant me a son to comfort my old age." After his prayer he set out for the fair that was held every year in the Paphlagonian country. On the way back he turned into the forest to a spring to water his animals and found there a purse containing fifteen hundred coins. The purse was sealed and, without breaking the seal, he took it home.

The following year, after the fair, Metrius came again to the same spring and saw a man searching diligently for something. He asked why he was sighing so heavily. The man told him that the year before he had sold well at the fair and earned fifteen hundred coins, and then had lost his purse somewhere in the forest. Metrius took the purse of coins from his cart. The merchant fell on his face, took the purse, made sure that all the coins were in place and begged Metrius to accept five hundred, but he refused. Both thanked the Lord and parted.

Returning home, Metrius went to sleep, and in a dream an angel of God appeared to him and told him that a male child would be born to him, who would be called Constantine and would bring a great blessing to his house. So it came about: after some time his wife bore a son, who grew up, studied at Constantinople and was made a patrician, to the great joy of the family. In this way the Lord rewarded the honesty of Saint Metrius. He is commemorated on 14 June, in the new style.