The Life of the Priest of the Mardardos Estate
Ten miles from the city of Aégaion in Cilicia, there is an estate called Mardardos, which houses an oratory of Saint John the Baptist. There resided an elder who was a priest, an elder of great prestige and virtue.
One day, those who lived on that estate went to complain about him to the Bishop of Aégaion. "Take this elder away from us," they said, "for he is objectionable to us. When Sunday comes around, he holds the service at the ninth hour, and even then, he does not follow the appointed order of service."
The bishop took the elder aside privately and said to him, "Good elder, why do you behave like this? Do you not know the procedure of the holy church?"
The elder replied, "Truth to tell, great sir, it is just as you say, and you have spoken well. But I do not know what to do. After the vigil service of the holy Lord’s Day, I remain close by the holy altar; and until I see the Holy Spirit overshadowing the holy sanctuary, I do not begin the eucharistic service. When I see the coming of the Holy Spirit, then I celebrate the liturgy."
The bishop was amazed at the virtue of the elder. He informed the inhabitants of the estate and dismissed them in peace; they went their way glorifying God.
Abba Julian the Stylite sent greetings to this elder, along with a folded cloth containing three coals of fire. The elder received the greeting and found the three coals still not dead. He sent them back to Abba Julian in the same cloth, having poured water into it and tied it up. They were about twenty miles apart from each other.