Our Holy Father Agathon, a great Egyptian ascetic of the 5th century.

Commemorated March 2 in the Orthodox Christian Menaion

From the Prologue

He was a contemporary of St Macarius and a disciple of St Lot. His care was to fulfill all the commandments of God. One of the brethren expressed his liking for a knife with which he had been cutting willow wands for baskets. The saint joyfully offered the knife to the brother as a gift. St Agathon also said: 'I would be content to be able to take on myself the body of a leper, and give him mine.' Is not that perfect love? (In the Greek Calendar, he is commemorated on Jan. 8th).

From The Prologue From Ochrid by Bishop Nikolai Velimirovich
©1985 Lazarica Press, Birmingham UK