June 24, 2024 - Paona 17, 1740

Departure of St.Latsoun El-Bahnasawy

Departure of St.Latsoun El-Bahnasawy
On this day also, the great saint Anba Latsoun of El-Bahnesa, departed. One day, he went to the church and heard the words of the Lord Christ in the Holy Gospel saying: For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what advantage is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? (Luke 9:24-25) These words kindled his heart, so he left the world and went to the wilderness of Scetis (Sheahat). There he fought a great fight with ceaseless fasting and prayers. The angel of the Lord appeared to him and commanded him to go to St. Isidore, to clothe him with the holy Eskeem. He went to him, and after forty days St. Isidore clothed him with it. He increased in his asceticism, then he lived a solitary life in the wilderness. There, he was visited by St.Balamon (Palaemon). Satan had appeared to him disguised as a woman. Satan tried to persuade him to marry her by mentioning some of the Old Testament men that were married but yet were righteous. St. Balamon realized that he was the devil. He crossed himself with the sign of the cross, and prayed to the Lord to save him. The devil became like smoke and disappeared. St. Balamon went to St. Latsoun to take his advice on devil warfare. He instructed him on how to overcome the devil and his deception. St. Balamon then went back to his abode. As of St. Latsoun, he increased in his asceticism until he departed in peace.
May his prayers be with us and Glory be to God forever. Amen.