Paul the Obedient

Venerable Paul the Obedient lived at an unknown time; only a short Life has come down, saying that he was the son of wealthy parents and left the world at maturity. The epithet Obedient was given to the monk for his deep humility and complete renunciation of his own will. Once the monk stirred boiling tar with his hand and was not burned at all. Some of the brethren regarded him as a God-⁠bearing ascetic, while others were suspicious of him.

After fervent prayer the monks received a remarkable vision proving that their brother was a true ascetic: at night they were all carried to Paradise and conversed with Paul, who permitted them to take a flower or twig as a remembrance. Awakening, they found in their hands the flowers and twigs from Paradise. After this Paul went to Jerusalem and then to Cyprus, where he lived alone on a mountain for some years, until the crowds who came to him made him move to Constantinople. There, at God's command, he went up Mount Paregoros (Mount Solace) and after a short time fell asleep in the Lord. He is commemorated on 7 December (new style).