Venerable Benjamin

(13/26 October)

St Benjamin was a wealthy merchant by origin. Once he listened carefully to the Divine Service and heard the words of the Psalm that God will destroy those who speak lies (Ps. 5, 6). He related these words to himself directly and thought, ‘Which merchant can say that he never told a falsehood? If God destroys those who speak lies then false merchants will also be ruined.’ Later, he heard words from the Gospel that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven (Mt. 19,23). Thinking about these words of the Lord, he resolved to give away all his possessions to the poor and join the fathers of the holy Cave Monastery. Being poor in spirit, he became a true monk and lived a God-pleasing life of struggle.