(43) It is now the time to relate how the laura of great Euthymius was transformed into a coenobium … <Historical background from 474 to Anastasius’ death and Martyrius’ succession to the patriarchate of Jerusalem in 478. In late 478 Martyrius sent the deacon Fidus to Constantinople with a letter for the Emperor Zenon, asking his support against the local antichalcedonian opposition. During the voyage Fidus say; a vision of Euthymius, who ordered him to go back and carry out the saint’s plan by demolishing the cells and building a coenobium in their place.> (Fidus) went to the archbishop and told him everything in order. (Martyrius) answered in wonder: “Truly the great Euthymius is a prophet of the Lord, for this is what he, predicted in front of us when he was near his end in Christ. “Go then, build the coenobium and you will have my support in everything”. So Fidus took an engineer, a multitude of craftsmen and much building material, descended to the laura and built the coenobium, surrounded it with a wall and fortified it. Also (Fidus) transformed the old church into a refectory and built the new church above it; and he also erected a tower inside the coenobium, very strong and very graceful, and co-ordinated the works so that the funeral chapel would stand in the middle of the coenobium. I shall try to depict by word of mouth the location of the coenobium, for it is beautiful to see, on account of the excellent evenness of the terrain, and suitable for monks to practise asceticism because of its mild and temperate climate. Now, there is a very small hillock bordered to the east and to the west by two fine valleys <Festugière’s intepretation: “two little valleys”> which converge to the south and unite together. On the northern side there is a very pleasant plain, which stretches for about three stadia, and to the north of this plain there is a ravine descending from just about the eastern slope of the venerable hill of the holy Ascension of our Lord Christ. In this same plain rises the tower and stands out the gatehouse of the coenobium. And the place is all cultivated and wonderful, as it enjoys a temperate climate, as I said. For it is warmer than the coolest spots (in the region), but cooler than the hot places; moreover, it is drier than the too humid areas, but more humid than those which are quite dry.
(44) The building and furnishing of the coenobium was completed in only three years, thanks to the multitude of workers and their zeal. The fathers wished to consecrate the church and the coenobium on the anniversary of the translation of our holy father’s venerable remains and their deposition in the new funeral chapel. But they were in distress, for they had no water. The rain having been scarce in that (part of the) desert, no cistern had received water, and since the month of May had come, no rain was reasonably to be expected, for that desert is scarcely blessed with rain in the winter season, as those who have a long time experience of it well know. Therefore, being in great difficulty, the hegumen Elias and the deacon Fidus sent word to Abba Longinus of the lower monastery and to Abba Paul, hegumen of Martyrius’ monastery, to send the beasts of burden of both monasteries, in order to bring water from Pharan, together with the beasts of our own coenobium; and they were ready to go out at night, after the striking (of the nocturnal signal). <During the night Elias saw a vision of Euthymius, who promised to provide rain, on condition that they would send away the beasts and pray to God.> ... So (Elias) rose and related the vision to the blessed Fidus and to all the others, and sent back the beasts to their respective places. When the sun appeared, a cloud rose in the sky and plentiful rain poured out of it all around the monastery and nowhere else; and before the third hour the two great reservoirs were brimming, and then the storm suddenly ceased. The archbishop Martyrius, informed of the miracle, came with great pomp for the consecration of the monastery. The vigil was celebrated with a bright illumination, and during the mass the relics of the holy and victorious martyrs Tarachus, Probus and Andronicus were deposited under the altar, on May 7 of the tenth year after great Euthymius’ death <AD 482>.
(transl. Leah Di Segni)