Saint Theophanes was born to pagan parents. As he grew older, he came to know Christianity and believed in the true God. After the death of his wife, he was baptized and withdrew to a hut, where he taught people to keep God’s commandments and to live virtuous lives.
When he learned of a prostitute named Pansemne, the saint decided to come out of his seclusion. He dressed in fine clothing and asked her father to marry her. Rejoicing, the father offered him many gold coins to arrange the wedding. In this way, the saint drew the woman close to him and persuaded her to change her way of life. She was baptized and lived virtuously. Saint Theophanes provided her with a hut next to his own and distributed the gold he had received to the poor.
The two of them lived a God-pleasing life until the day of their repose.
