Orthodox Parables and Stories: The Patriarch

Near the entrance of St. Anne's skete on Mt. Athos there is a hut called "Patriarch's". This is because there once was a patriarch named Cyril, who had left the Patriarchal throne to live out the rest of his life as a monk. The fathers of the skete used to carry things on their backs. But for the Patriarch, because he was old and inexperienced, took a donkey to go up and down with it.

One day, as the Patriarch ascended on the animal and the other fathers were walking with food on their backs, they sat down for a while to rest. Suddenly the Patriarch sees our Lady with Angels. Our Lady had a pot and watered the fathers with water, while the Angels had handkerchiefs and wiped their sweat.

Surprisingly, he was not wiped, but they wiped off his donkey instead.
He says to the angels: "Wipe me too, please!"
And the Angels answered him: "But you father have no sweat. We will wipe the donkey that does."
Then he was greatly distressed, deprived of such a blessing and said to the fathers:
"Take the donkey, because I am so hurt by it. Our Lady and the Angels wiped the donkey, but they refused to wipe me too."

From that day on, the Patriarch also carried the food on his back to his hut, just like the rest of the fathers.

Source: Zoophilia
translated by Orthodox Parables and Stories