E03333: Palladius of Helenopolis in his Lausiac History mentions an anonymous female ascetic in Antinoopolis (Middle Egypt), who had a vision of *Kollouthos (physician and martyr of Antinoopolis, S00641), inviting her to have dinner in his shrine in anticipation of her death. Written in Greek at Aspuna or Ankyra (both Galatia, central Asia Minor), 419/420.

Palladius of Helenopolis, Lausiac History (BHG 1435-1438v; CPG 6036), 60

60. Περὶ παρθένου τινὸς καὶ Κολλούθου τοῦ μάρτυρος

(1.) Ἄλλη τις γειτνιῶσά μοι, ἧς τὴν ὄψιν οὐχ ἑώρακα, προῆλθε γὰρ οὐδέποτε, ὡς λέγουσιν, ἀρ’ οὗ καὶ ἀπετάξατο· πληρώσασα δὲ ἑξήκοντα ἔτη ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς τῆς ἰδίας, ἐς ὕστερον ἔμελλε μεταβαίνειν τὸν βίον. Καὶ παραστὰς αὐτῇ ὁ μάρτυς ὁ ἐν τῷ τόπῳ, Κόλλουθος ὀνόματι, λέγει αὐτῇ· «Σήμερον μέλλεις ὁδεύειν πρὸς τὸν δεσπότην καὶ ὁρᾶν πάντας τοὺς ἁγίους· ἐλθοῦσα οὖν ἀρίστησον μεθ’ ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ». Ἀναστᾶσα οὖν ὄρθρου καὶ ἐνδυσαμένη καὶ λαβοῦσα ἐν τῇ σπυρίδι τῇ ἑαυτῆς ἄρτον καὶ ἐλαίας καὶ λεπτολάχανα, μετὰ τοσαῦτα ἔτη ἐξελθοῦσα καὶ ἀπελθοῦσα εἰς τὸ μαρτύριον ηὔξατο. (2.) Καὶ καιρὸν ἐπιτηρήσασα τῆς πάσης ἡμέρας ἐν ᾧ οὐδεὶς ἦν ἔνδον, καθεσθεῖσα προσκαλεῖται τὸν μάρτυρα λέγουσα· «Εὐλόγησόν μου τὰ βρώματα, ἅγιε Κόλλουθε, καὶ συνόδευσόν μοι ταῖς προσευχαῖς σου». Φαγοῦσα οὖν καὶ πάλιν προσευξαμένη ἦλθε περὶ ἡλίου δυσμὰς ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ. Καὶ δοῦσα τῇ μητρὶ τῇ ἑαυτῆς σύγγραμμα Κλήμεντος τοῦ Στρωματέως εἰς τὸν προφήτην Ἀμώς, εἶπε· «Δὸς αὐτὸ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ τῷ ἐξωρισμένῳ, καὶ εἰπὲ αὐτῷ· “Εὖξαι περὶ ἐμοῦ· ὁδεύω γάρ”». Καὶ ἐτελεύτησεν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ νυκτὶ μὴ πυρέξασα μὴ κεφαλαλγήσασα, ἀλλ’ ἑαυτὴν ἐνταφιάσασα.

‘About a virgin and Kollouthos the martyr.

There was another woman living near me, but I did not see her face, for she had never come out, as they say, since she had renounced the world. Having spent sixty years in ascetic discipline together with her mother, she was eventually about to depart this life. The martyr of that region, Kollouthos by name, appeared to her and said to her: "Today you are going to depart for the Master and see all the saints. Come then and share a meal with us at the shrine (martyrion)." So she got up early, dressed herself, and, taking in her basket bread and olives and vegetable leaves, she came out after all those years, went to the shrine, and prayed. She waited the whole day for an opportunity when no one was inside, sat down and called on the martyr, saying: "Bless my food, holy Kollouthos, and accompany me in your prayers." Thus, having eaten and prayed again, she went home about sunset. She gave her mother a book by Clement, the author of the Stromateis, on the prophet Amos, and said: "Give this to the exiled bishop and say to him: Pray for me, for I am departing." And she died that very night, with no fever or headache, but having prepared herself for burial.’

Text: Bartelink et al. 1974. Translation: E. Rizos.