<In AD 509 John the Hesychast became a recluse.>
(25) The place where this holy Elder was enclosed had a lofty cliff on the western side, taking the place of wall, against which the roof of the cell is supported. The rock of the cliff is so very dry and arid, that it produces absolutely no moisture in the cell. Now, one day this holy elder took a seed of a dried fig and said to his disciples Theodore and John: “Listen to me, my children. If God’s love for humanity will grant to this seed a special grace and to this rock the power of giving fruit, know that He in His grace grants me the gift of the Kingdom of Heaven”. And with these words he plastered the fig on that unbroken wall. And God, who made Aaron’s rod “put forth buds and produced blossoms” <Num. 17:8>, though it was dry, He ordered this unbroken and dry rock to sprout, in order to show the later generations what favour His servant enjoyed. And the old man, seeing the shoot, thanked God with tears. This shoot grew higher and higher until it reached the roof and covered it: in short, finally it bore fruit and behold! (it brought forth) three figs. The old man took them and kissed them with tears, and, thanking the Lord who had given him full assurance (of his future salvation), he ate the figs, giving a little also to his disciples. And behold! the tree loudly testifies to the old man’s virtue.
(26) But, from the moment he ate the figs, this God-inspired Elder started to make ready for his departure; and since by now he had reached a very old age, his disciples opened his cell, in order to be able to assist him. Then I went in to visit (the old man) and, seeing the awesome sight of the shoot, I began a careful examination, how it had struck root and if by any chance the rock had a crack, but I could not find any, and in my astonishment I said: ‘O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgements and how inscrutable his ways!’ <Rom. 11:33>. For those who have a longtime experience of the laura of blessed Sabas know that not even in the open air, in a garden, does a fig-tree - or any other tree - grow, because of the hotness and dryness of the climate in the Laura …
(transl. Leah Di Segni)