One day Saint Savvas went to the Jordan River, accompanied by one of his youthful disciples. On the way, they met a group of lay folk that had in their company a most beautiful damsel. The Saint attempted to test his student, so he looked at the maiden and said to him: “It appears to me that the young maiden is blind, is that so?” And he answered: “No, Father, both her eyes are sound.”
The Saint again said to him; “You are mistaken, my lad, for I see that one of her eyes is missing!” The youth, not realizing that the Saint was testing him, insisted: “I looked at her very carefully and saw that she has two bright and beautiful eyes!” Then the all-wise one, after ensnaring him, said: “See how you do not remember the command of the Scriptures which says: ‘Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes’ [Prov. 6:25], henceforth, you shall not come to my cell until you learn to bridle your senses, and especially your eyesight!” After he said this, he sent the youth to Kastellion where he remained until he was corrected, and then Savvas happily received him again into the synodia.
