We came to the laura of our holy father Sabas, to visit Abba Athanasius. The old man told us this story: When I was in the coenobium of Penthucla, there was a man from Cilicia, Conon by name, a priest in charge of baptising. The fathers had appointed him to perform the baptisms, as he was a worthy monk, and he both anointed and baptised the people who came (to the monastery) for this purpose. But whenever he anointed a woman, he was caused to sin, and for this reason he wanted to leave the coenobium. However, every time he was assailed with the thought of leaving, Saint John (the Baptist) would appear to him and say: “Resist. and I shall relieve you from this struggle”. One day a Persian girl came (to the monastery) to be baptised, and she was so pleasant-looking, nay, absolutely beautiful, that the priest could not bring himself to anoint her body with the hallowed oil. But after he kept her waiting for two days, the archbishop Peter <524-551 AD> heard of it: he was shocked by the fact and wanted to appoint a deaconess to do the anointing; but he did not do it, because this arrangement was not admitted (by the canons). Then the priest Conon took his sheepskin pouch and left, saying: “I will not stay in this place”. But when he had reached the hillocks, Lo and behold! Saint John the Baptist came to meet him, and said to him: “Turn back to your monastery and I shall relieve you of this struggle”. Abba Conon angrily retorted: “Believe me. I will not turn back, for many times you have promised me just that, but you never did it”. Then Saint John seized him and made him sit on one of the hillocks, raised his clothes and marked him with the sign of the cross under the navel, saying to him: “Believe me, priest Conon, I wanted you to get a reward for your struggle, but since you refuse, I have now relieved you of this struggle and you will not be rewarded for this matter”. So priest Conon went back to the coenobium of the baptism, and the next day anointed and baptized the Persian girl, not even perceiving that she was a female by nature. And he spent twelve more years, anointing and baptising, never physically moved, never even perceiving a female to be such, until his death.
(transl. Leah Di Segni)