Paphnutius was tired and hungry. As a monk, he was accustomed to limited sleep and food, but on this day, he found himself truly exhausted and in need of rest. After many days of travelling by foot through the remotest parts of Egypt’s deserts, he found the perfect place to recover. He was drawn to the location by the fragrance of fruit trees that reminded him of the gardens he once played in as a boy. He prayed momentarily as he considered the promise of the sweetness of Paradise and hoped that he would soon find the source of the pleasing aroma.

When he returned his gaze to the horizon, he saw the trees clustered together around a mud brick and daub well. He saw the leaves of the date palms swaying gently as they held onto clusters of dates. He could also identify trees bearing citrons, pomegranates, figs, and nectarines. Other trees, whose names Paphnutius had now long forgotten, sat nestled between them, along with grapevines. Sheltered from the sun and the desert heat, the monk sat down and fell into a deep and restful sleep as he was comforted by the shade. He dreamed of the planted trees in the desert.

Paphnutius awoke refreshed. He was slightly surprised when he looked to the horizon and saw four figures emerging as if from nowhere. He knew that the oasis he had found was likely a common gathering place along the desert road for other travellers. As the figures came closer, Paphnutius could see that they radiated beauty, much like the trees surround ing him. They wore sheepskin garments made of the finest skins, very different from the rougher quality skins that he and his fellow monks usually wore. He looked down briefly to see his own garment, slightly torn, bearing marks of his work as a bookbinder, and dirt from his weeks of travel. He looked up again to see the men now in front of him.

He was overjoyed to see them. They were exactly the type of holy individuals he was hoping to meet when he began his journey into the deepest deserts. He thought they were angelic beings; as they came closer, his whole body was filled with joy and a profound sense of calm. The four strangers spoke, “Greetings, Paphnutius, our beloved brother.”