Archelaus and the Virgin Polycratia

Archelaus too, the count, once found him on the outer mountain and asked him simply to pray for Polycratia of Laodicea, an excellent and Christian young woman. She suffered terribly in her stomach and side from too much discipline, and was altogether weak in body. So Antony prayed, and the count noted the day on which the prayer was made. When he had gone back to Laodicea he found the young woman well. He asked when, and on what day, she had been relieved of her illness, and then brought out the paper on which he had written the time of the prayer; he read it and at once showed them the writing on the paper. All were amazed when they learned that the Lord had relieved her of pain at the very time when Antony was praying and calling on the goodness of the Savior for her. [a]

Concerning those who came to him, he often foretold some days, or sometimes a month, beforehand what the reason for their coming was. For some came only for the sake of seeing him, others because of sickness, and others because they suffered from evil spirits. And all of them thought the labor of the journey neither trouble nor loss, for each one went home aware that he had been helped. But though he said such things and saw such sights, he used to ask that no one should marvel at him for this, but should rather marvel at the Lord for allowing us human beings to know him as far as our powers reach.