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Our venerable father '''James the Ascetic''' (also known as Jacob the Ascetic or the Righteous - [[feastday]] [[January 28]]) left all the worldly things and settled to settle for fifteen years in a cave near a large village called Porphyrianos. There he led an [[ascetic]]'s life.

Once there was a prostitutewho, moved by some lecherous men, came to see the [[saint]]. She jumped on him shamelessly and was inciting him to sin. But the saint reminded her of the future punishment of eternal fire and made , making her repent and come to [[Christ]]. But, because no man alone can escape the tricks and traps of the deceitful devil, it happened that he also, being a man, erred and sinned greatly so that from his example those virtuous men who think that they are firm and cannot fall should watch over themselves. Moreover, they should take example so that, even if they sin greatly by some trick of the devil, they should repent and rise again without despairing. So, a certain glorious nobleman who had a daughter who was possessed offered her to the saint to cure her. The saint [[Prayer|prayed]] and he immediately [[Exorcism|freed her from the demon]]. But the lady's father was afraid that the demon would disturb her again. So, he left her together with her young brother in the cave of the saint.

But Another time, a nobleman who had a daughter possessed by demons offered her to the saint for healing. The saint [[Prayer|prayed]] and immediately [[Exorcism|freed]] her from the demon. The girl's father, though, was afraid that the demon would disturb her again, and so he left her and her young brother in the cave of the saint. Unfortunately, the saint was defeated by desire and slept with the maiden. He was then became afraid that his abhorrent sin would be revealed. So, so he killed the woman and her brother and threw their dead bodies in the nearby river. Thus, he despaired completely of his [[salvation]] and made haste to go return to the world. But on his way he met a pious [[monk]]. The saint obeyed his counsel and this monk's advice and : he shut himself in a grave where he suffered every kind of hardship and torment.

Some time later, when that the land suffered from drought and lack of rain, God ordered the [[bishop]] of the city that, unless Jacob James who was shut in the grave prayed, the dry spell would not end. Then the bishop together with all the people went to the saint, begged him and finally convinced him to prayfor them. As soon as he prayed there came a heavy rain. From this sign the saint received good hope about his salvation and added hardship to hardship and tears to tears. In this way he commended his soul to into the hands of God leading a life pleasing to Him.