The Appearance of St. John the Theologian to St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ

Detail of the icon of St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ with the hagiography: "Appearance of St. Apostle John the Theologian," iconographer Dionisije, 15th century, Russia.

Excerpt from the Life of St. Andrew the Fool-for-Christ, Oct. 2 / Oct. 15.

And when it was about midnight, and the Saint was praying fervently to the Lord, the devil with a multitude of demons appeared openly before him: some of them held axes in their hands, some swords, some clubs, sticks, some scimitars and stones, some ropes. The demon with whom Andrew had been struggling also appeared, roaring against him from a distance, and rushed towards him with an axe in his hands to mutilate him. The other demons followed him. And the blessed Andrew, raising his hands, cried out with tears to the Lord, saying: "Lord, do not deliver the soul that glorifies Thee to the beasts!"

Then he cried out again: "Holy Apostle and Evangelist John the Theologian, help me!" - And immediately thunder roared, and behold, a gentle old man appeared, his face shining like the sun, and with him a great multitude of people. Making the sign of the cross in the air, the old man said to his people: "Close the doors, so that none of these may escape!" - The doors were immediately closed, and all the demons were captured. And the demons cried out among themselves: "Cursed be the hour in which we stumbled! For John is dangerous and will torment us terribly." - But the Holy John ordered his people to remove the chains from the blessed Andrew. Then he stood at the exit door and said: "Bring me the demons one by one." - They brought the first demon and the Holy Apostle tripled the chains and gave the demon a hundred blows with his hands. And the demon groaned like a man: "Have mercy on me! Have mercy on me! Have mercy on me!" After this, they brought another demon, and he also received a hundred blows in the same way; and so all the demons were punished in turn. Watching the beating of the demons and their groaning, the blessed Andrew smiled, feeling with all his being that all this was truly real. All the beatings that the Lord subjected the demons to were real for their nature, not illusory. After driving out all the demons in this way, the Holy Apostle John said to them: "Go and show your father, Satan, the wounds inflicted on you - he will be pleased!"

After the demons disappeared, the gentle old man, the Holy Apostle John the Theologian, approached the servant of God Andrew, put chains on him, and said to him: "You see how I hastened to help you: for I care greatly for you, as God has appointed me to think about your salvation, caring for what is beneficial for you. Therefore, endure: you will soon be released, and you will be able to move freely as you wish, wherever your eyes desire." - "And who are you, sir?" Andrew asked him. - "I am the one who lay on the life-giving breast of the Lord and God and our Savior Jesus Christ." - Saying this, he became like lightning, and disappeared from his sight. And the blessed Andrew glorified God for sending his beloved disciple to help him, thus freeing him from the evil and dark demons.