St. Paisios the Great, 4th century

St. Isaac of Syria, 7th century

Upon arriving in the city at evening from the countryside, a violent rainstorm forced [Gregory] into the temple. This place was renowned because one of the demons revered there was accustomed to manifest himself to the temple’s custodians, and a certain prophet was empowered to utter oracles. Once [Gregory] entered the temple with several companions, one of the demons was petrified at the invocation of Christ’s name. Having purified the air with the figure of the Cross which had been defiled, he spent the entire night in prayer and singing hymns according to his usual custom. In this way [Gregory] transformed the place into a temple of prayer which had been profaned by unclean sacrifices and images [cf. Is 56.7, Mk 11.17]. After completing night prayer, he resumed at daybreak, but when the temple’s custodian began to perform his rites to the demons at sunrise, he claimed that he could not approach the temple because [Gregory] blocked the way. The custodian then attempted to invite demons into the temple using sacrifices of purification and sacred rituals. However, his endeavors were ineffectual because the demons were not accustomed to respond to this enticement. Overcome with a furious rage, the custodian seized that great man and threatened him with various intimidations and to bring him to the leaders. He wanted to lay hands upon him and reveal his audacity to the king because a Christian who was hostile to the gods had the effrontery to enter the temple. His admission to temple for performing services was refused, and he could no longer visit places where oracles were made to demons. The custodian’s harsh anger was enkindled at [Gregory’s] splendid resolve, and he hurled all kinds of threats against the blessing offered by the true God. He alleged to have more fortitude than his opponent and had the privilege of entering those places anytime he wished as well as being able to prove this. The temple keeper was so struck with admiration at [Gregory’s] ability to perform wonders that he again invoked the demons to enter the temple. Having learned about this, the great man suddenly snatched a piece of the book and gave it to the temple keeper while angrily commanding the demons. The words of this epitaph read as follows: GREGORY TO SATAN: ENTER. 

When the temple keeper received this little book to place on the altar according to custom, he offered burnt sacrifices and various types of unclean rites and again beheld what he had seen before the demons were ejected from the temple which contained the idols. Having accomplished this, he realized that Gregory was endowed with divine power which made him stronger than the demons. Before leaving the city, he promptly grasped Gregory in order to learn about his secret and about God who had vanquished the demons. When the great man gave a brief account about the mystery of piety, a certain temple guardian approached him who was in all likelihood uninitiated into divine matters. He was inclined to believe that it was too inconsequential for God to appear to men in the flesh. But when Gregory said that these miracles are possible not by reason but by faith, the temple keeper begged to see a miracle which would strengthen him in the faith. Right then and there it is said to everyone’s surprise that Gregory performed a great miracle. After the temple guardian found a huge stone which in his eyes seemed unmovable by human means but only through the power of faith, Gregory ordered it transferred to another place. That great man at once charged the large stone which seemed endowed with life to move to that place designated by the temple’s keeper. Once this was accomplished, the man immediately believed and forsook his entire family, household, wife, children, friends, the priesthood and possessions. In their place he requested to participate in [Gregory’s] greatness, accomplishments, divine philosophy and teaching.

Thus that great man [Gregory] prevailed against the demons’ strength and paraded the temple guardian as a victory trophy, a sight which filled the people with awe. With faith and courage he triumphantly entered the city not with chariots, horses, asses and boasting in the number of supporters but attended by the full array of virtues. The town’s entire populace gathered to learn about this the novel wonder, and everyone desired to see that man called Gregory. They considered him a god who exercised authority and did whatever he wished against the demons in order to subject them. Having vanquished their patron to his authority and despising the honor which was formerly theirs, he changed their way of life and everything which pertained to it.

From the Life of St. Gregory Thaumatourgos (the Wonderworker),
3rd century (commemorated 17 November)
By St. Gregory of Nyssa

His exhortation, however, availed nothing. Youth was on fire and burnt in their hearts and was swollen with hopes of gain. Each one got ready an army of his people, a bloodthirsty multitude of servants governed by wrath and youth. The day of conflict was set. But on the day before the battle was to begin from both sides, man of God, abiding on the banks of the lake, enduring the night through in sleeplessness, wrought a miracle like Moses’ upon the waters. Not by a blow of his staff did he divide the deep in two; rather by prayer did he dry up the whole of it at once, and at dawn revealed the lake as dry land, parched and without moisture, having not even in its cavities any remnant of water, where before the prayer there had been a sea. And thus, giving judgment through God’s power, he returned again to his home, while between the young men the decision that emerged from the events ended the strife. 

from St. Gregory of Nyssa, Life of St. Gregory Thaumaturgos (the Wonderworker),
commemorated 17 November

St. John Chrysostom