Paradise of the Holy Fathers

tr. Budge, 1907

The Paradise of Palladius, Book II, I. The Triumph of the Blessed Man Mark the Mourner

Here beginneth the Second Book of the [Histories of] the Fathers [and] Monks which were also compiled by Palladius

Macarius the priest told us the following story: — “At the time when I was administering the Holy Offering I took good heed unto Mark the mourner, and I never gave it to him, but an angel did so from the altar; I saw, however, the palm of the hand of the angel who gave it unto him.” Now this Mark was a young man, and he could repeat by heart the New and the Old Testaments; he was meek beyond measure, and both in body and in thought he was purer than many.