A Wonder After Saint Mar Okeen Returned to His Monastery

Saint Mar Okeen took leave of Saint Mar Jacob and the people to return to his monastery. Paul (Qadroun) said to him, “Our father, will you allow us to come up to you and to the holy men with you in the monastery, to receive your blessing?” The saint answered, “No one forbids you. Whenever you wish to come, we will welcome you.”

Saint Okeen encouraged the people, taught them and urged them to stand firm in the true faith. He blessed them, then left them and went to his monastery.

The Boy Dies on the Way

Ten days later Paul prepared to go up to the monastery with his whole household. In that hour his son Yani was struck with a pain in his heart. Paul said, “Load everything you have prepared onto the animals and go up to the monastery; the boy and I will follow you.” His servants did as he commanded, and he stayed behind, hoping the child would rest. But the pain grew worse and more severe, and Paul began to wonder what the cause could be: was it something he had eaten, or the work of the devil, to keep him from receiving the blessing of the holy men in the monastery?

At that moment he ordered that the boy be carried, and set out with his wife Mary and ten of his servants to go up to the monastery, saying, “My son, I will go to the monastery like this; whether you live or die, you belong to our Lord Jesus Christ.” He ordered the servants to drive the animals quickly. The boy asked for water to drink, and in that same hour he died.

When the servants saw that the child had died, they said, “The followers of Marcion have killed the child with their sorcery.” Others said, “It was from too much food, or something poisonous.” They asked his father Paul to return to the city to bury the boy. But he answered, “I cannot bury him before I see Saint Okeen and the holy disciples who are with him.”

He and his wife got down from the animals and walked to the monastery weeping in great sorrow. When they reached the monastery, they laid the child before Saint Mar Okeen, and his parents fell to the ground at the saint’s feet, weeping and saying, “We were not worthy to come up to you with our son and rejoice in him among you. Here we leave him with you, and we know that whatever you ask of God, you receive.”

Saint Mar Okeen did not answer them a single word, but his heart ached and he grieved deeply, saying within himself, “Now doubt will enter the souls of his parents, and the followers of Marcion and the Jews will rejoice and say: the sorcery of the Christians has failed; after ten days the child has died.”

The Saint Raises the Boy

The governor, Paul’s brother, heard of the death of his nephew Yani and came quickly to the monastery with the leaders of the city to bury the boy. But Saint Mar Okeen ordered the bell to be rung so that all the elders of the monastery and the brothers would gather. When all the fathers of the monastery had gathered, he asked them to entreat God and ask Him for the boy’s life.

Saint Mar Okeen carried the boy and laid him before the door of the sanctuary, and entreated God, saying: “O our Master Jesus Christ, the merciful Physician and Healer, who commanded Lazarus to rise from the dead after four days, who heard Elijah the prophet in raising the son of the widow of Zarephath of Sidon, and heard Elisha in raising the son of the Shunammite woman: You, my Lord Jesus Christ, broke the sting of death, rose from the dead and raised us up. You heard the supplication of Your saint Peter and raised Tabitha and gave her life. Now hear our voices and accept our supplication, and raise this child; not for us sinners, but that glory may be given to Your holy name, that Your Church may be exalted, that Your Cross may be magnified among all peoples and nations, that Your people may be strengthened, and that all may know that You alone are God, the true God, who has authority to put to death and to make alive; and that all who call on Your holy name may glory in You. To You be glory and honor unto the ages of ages. Amen.”

When the saint had finished his prayer, his tears ran down to the ground, and he continued weeping before the holy altar. At that moment the boy moved his hands. The saint took the boy’s hand and said, “Yani, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, arise.” The boy opened his eyes and looked at the saint and at the whole crowd, and the saint took him and sat him up.

The crowd was struck with awe and said, “This man is none other than an angel of God in our midst.” The whole crowd cried out, “Holy, holy, holy, O mighty God; heaven and earth are full of Your holy glory.” No one could look at the saint’s face, for grace had come upon him and his face shone like an angel of the Lord.

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Sources

• The Life of Saint Mar Okeen, by His Grace Anba Matthaeus, Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary (El-Sourian)