St. Spiridon

St. Spiridon was a poor shoemaker who worked from dawn to dusk. He took rests only to chew on a piece of stale bread and look at the beauty of the world through his little window.

He cherished all seasons. The sound of raindrops, the smell of lilac, the color of apple blossom inspired him to strive for purity, and his only dream was to purge his soul so that it bloomed like a tree and its fragrance fed virtue the way apple blossom fed the honey-bees.

However, the beauty of his face attracted young women who flocked to his shop. To avoid desire, which could disrupt his pious bliss, he kept his eyes off the shadow of temptation and his hands away from bodies born for lust. At his doorstep he had placed a wooden box full of ashes. He asked girls to leave their footprints there, so he could measure their feet without touching them.

One day a beautiful lady stepped out of a golden carriage and in a firm but tender voice ordered a new pair of shoes. When aksed to step on the ashes, she laughed so sweetly that the young man felt as if thousands of blossoms were thrown into his shop. He humbly repeated his request shading his eyes with his hand. The woman's heart sank, and she was silent for a while, and then she said: "No. I would like you to measure my foot."

She lifted a bit her silk dress to step on a little stool. Trying not to look at it, St. Spiridon started measuring her foot. However, in a flash of a second, he saw the exquisite silk stockinged foot. Something crumbled in his soul, but his faith was firm, so he took an awl and stabbed his eye ... then the other one.

The blind man could not work anymore, so he closed his shop and went into the woods. Groping around, he cut off twigs to weave baskets, which he traded for bread.

He found joy and peace listening to the sound of the river. When he walked, he asked God to guide him, so that he doesnn't step on an ant. In this blissful silence his purified thoughts reached and contemplated God.

However, there were sounds that troubled his soul - the love songs of the birds. He tried to chase away the birds, but he could still hear their calls. He grew restless and realized that he had never felt this way when he saw the world through his bodily eyes.

Once he remembered the tempting sight which made him stab his eyes - the beautiful woman, lifting her dress, the exquisite stockinged foot. He tried to get rid of the vision, but it lingered - so clear and tempting. He turned his blind face to all directions, but it wouldn't go away, and he could hear her laughter. His body had never felt such desire. He tried to pray, but only words of love came out of his lips.

"Why do you torture me, God? I stabbed my eyes to reach you, but I am so far away from you. Teach me how to reach you. Give me a sign, God!"

St. Spiridon prostrated himseld on the ground. When he stood up and turned his face to heaven, on his young face shone again his clear blue eyes.

( I have just retold Elin Pelin's story)