Apa Psoi from Mt. Psoou[1]

Little is known of Apa Psoi[2] of Mount Psoou, and he must be distinguished from the much more famous Psoi who was one of the early settlers in Scetis and the great friend of Paul of Tamwah. Crum, following the Synaxarium, relates his life as follows: 'A native of Achmim, his life in youth was evil, till, falling ill, he had a vision of hell, where he beheld thieves... cut in four by angels. In tenor he vows to repent and, if God heal him, never again to behold a woman. Recovering, he goes to the monastery of Banwaft, is received by the monks, and there for many years fights the spiritual fight, till his fame is spread abroad and he is made head 'over many saints'. He composed many admonitions and instructions for monks and laity, and, after thirty-five years of rigorous asceticism, died' (W. E Crum, 'A Study in the History of Egyptian Monasticism' in Journal of Theological Studies OS 5 [1904 132). According to tradition, he was the founder of the Red Monastery on Mount Psoou, which lies about four miles from the White Monastery of Pjol and about a dozen miles from the monastery at Banwait mentioned in the entry in the Synaxarium. Psoi is commemorated on 5th Meshir \ 30th January.   

This was written in the Life of apa Shenoute the archimandrite:

A few days after this, when they were dwelling together, the holy apa Pjol and the young man Shenoute went out walking together, and with them also went apa  a[a Psoi from Mt. Psoou. He too was a holy man who walked after godly things. When these three-apa Pjol and apa Shenoute and apa Psoi-were walking together, there came to them a voice from heaven saying: 'Today Shenoute was appointed archimandrite of the whole world'. Apa Pjol said to apa Psoi: 'My brother Psoi, did you too hear this voice which just now came from heaven?' Apa Psoi said to apa Pjol: 'Indeed I did'. And when they had agreed between them as to what they had heard, apa Pjol said to apa Psoi: 'Let us ask the young boy Shenoute as well'. And they asked him: 'Did you hear this voice which just now came from heaven?' 'Indeed I did', he said. Apa Pjol said to him: 'What was it you heard?' Apa Shenoute, without the least guile, said to apa Pjol: 'I heard, "Today Shenoute was appointed archimandrite of the whole world".' Apa Pjol and apa Psoi were greatly astonished and glorified God, saying: 'Truly, he will be wholly perfect!'