Patermuthius of Egypt

Saint Patermuthius of Egypt was at first a pagan and the leader of a band of robbers, but he repented, was baptized and withdrew into the desert. All his life after that he devoted to serving the sick and burying the dead, and for his labours and struggles he received from God the gift of working miracles.

His life was told by the presbyter Copres, a witness of his struggles. Copres told it to the presbyter Rufinus, who told it to Palladius, bishop of Helenopolis, and he put the account in his book, the Lausiac History. The presbyter Copres is known also for a miracle. Drawn into a dispute with a Manichaean heretic and thinking he could not withstand him, he proposed lighting a great fire and entering it together, so that God Himself would show whose faith was true. The Manichaean refused to go in first; Copres went in and, standing on the coals, remained unharmed. The people glorified Copres's faith and threw the heretic, who would not enter the fire, into the flames. All burned, the heretic leapt out and tried to flee, but was caught and thrown into the fire again. Then Saint Copres calmed the people and let the Manichaean go.

Saint Patermuthius is commemorated on 22 July, in the new style.