The righteous Filaret the Merciful, the son of George and Anna, raised in piety and the fear of God, lived in the 8th century in the village of Amnii in the Paphlagonian region (Asia Minor). His wife, Theozva, was from a rich and noble family, and they had children: a son, John, and daughters, Hypatia and Evanthia.
Filaret was a rich and noble nobleman, but his wealth did not please him. Knowing how many people suffer from poverty, he recalled the words of the Savior about the Last Judgment and about "these little ones" (Matthew 25:40), the words of the apostle that a person dying does not take anything away from the world (1 Tim.6:7), King David's lines about the reward of the righteous (Ps. 36:25). And Filaret became famous for his love of poverty.
One day, the Ishmaelites (Arabs) attacked Paphlagonia, devastated the country and looted Filaret's property. He still has 2 oxen, a cow, several beehives and a house. But he gradually distributed this last one to the poor. Steadfastly and meekly he bore the reproaches of his wife and the ridicule of his children. "I mean in secret places unknown to you, such wealth and treasures," he replied to his family, "which you will get, even if you live a hundred years without labor and without caring about anything."
And the Lord rewarded Filaret for his mercy: when the last measure of wheat was given, his old friend sent him forty measures, and after giving the beggar warm clothes, his wealth returned.
At that time, the Byzantine Empress Irina (797-802) was looking for a bride for her son, Constantine VI, and for this she sent envoys throughout the empire. The ambassadors did not get past the Amnesty either. When Filaret and Feozva found out that the highest guests were to visit their house, Filaret was very happy, and Feozva was saddened: there was no food in the house at all, and there was nothing to think about proper food. But Filaret ordered his wife to clean the house thoroughly. The neighbors, having learned that the royal envoys were expected, brought everything in abundance for a rich feast. The ambassadors selected Filaret's granddaughter Maria for the royal viewing along with 10 beautiful girls. Maria surpassed her rivals with kindness and modesty and became a queen, and Konstantin Porphyrogenitus generously endowed Filaret. That's how Filaret's fame and fortune returned. But, as before, the holy mendicant generously distributed alms and arranged meals for the poor, and he himself served them during these meals. Everyone was surprised at Filaret's humility and said: "Truly, this man is all of God, a true disciple of Christ."
He ordered a servant to make three boxes and fill them separately with gold, silver and copper coins: from the first, the very poor received alms, from the second – those who had lost their means, and from the third – those who hypocritically extorted money.
Thus, ignoring honors, the blessed elder reached the age of 90 in humility and love of poverty. Anticipating his demise, he went to the Rodolfia monastery in Constantinople, where he distributed everything he had with him for monastic needs and to the poor. Summoning his relatives, he instructed them in the love of poverty and non-possessiveness and peacefully reposed to God. He died in 792 and was buried in the monastery of the Court of Rodolphe in Constantinople.
The sainthood of the righteous Filaret was confirmed by a miracle performed after his death. When the saint's body was being carried to the burial place, one man possessed by a demon grabbed the coffin and followed the funeral procession. A demoniac was cured in the cemetery: the demon knocked the man to the ground, and he came out of it. Many other miracles and healings were performed at the tomb of the saint.
After the death of the righteous Filaret, his wife Theozva worked to restore monasteries and temples in Paphlagonia, destroyed during foreign invasions.