The following remarkable news item was published in Corriere della Sera, the most popular newspaper of Southern Italy:
An old monk named Cormera died in Jerusalem on July 13, 1879. The monk was renowned as a spiritually-elevated man. He left behind some possessions. The governor was able to locate the deceased monk’s surviving relatives, and handed over to them 200,000 francs (equivalent to 119,750 rupees) in coins of various currencies of the world.
Some documents were also found among the monk’s possessions in the cave where he had dwelled for a long time. Those documents were also handed over to his surviving relatives. They were unable to read them, though. Then some experts of the Hebrew language got the chance to examine those documents. Thereupon, they were immediately struck by the antiquity of the Hebrew parlance that had been used in those documents. As the Hebrew language experts studied those documents, they came across the following statement:
Peter, fisherman by profession, is a servant of Jesus, son of Mary, addresses people in the name of God, and in accordance with God’s wishes.
The following statement was also found present in the monk’s documents:
I, Peter, fisherman by profession, have reached the age of 90 years and decided to write down these words—at the location of Bolere’s house, which is near God’s Holy House, three years after the death of my master, Jesus, son of Mary—that are imbued with loving devotion to the name of Jesus.
The Hebrew language experts concluded that that particular document, which was found among the monk’s possessions, dated back to Peter’s time. The London Bible Society concurs with this conclusion. Moreover, having conducted a thorough examination of those documents, the London Bible Society wishes to acquire those documents from the owners for the sum of 400,000 liras (equivalent to 237,500 rupees). Finally, the following words were also found present in the monk’s documents:
I, Peter, send my blessings on my master, Jesus, son of Mary, and on Mary. Jesus said thus:
O God, neither do I find the strength in me to overcome what I consider wicked nor have I achieved the virtue that I had coveted! Others have control over their own rewards, and I do not. But my greatness lies in my work. There is nobody else who is in worse condition than me. O God, You are the Most Exalted, please forgive my sins. O God, please do not allow my life to become a target of censure and reproof for my adversaries! Please don’t allow me to become contemptible in the eyes of my friends; do not cause my piety to become a source of trial for me; don’t allow the world to become the source of my profoundest joy; don’t cause the world to become my chief objective either; and don’t subjugate me to any man who doesn’t take mercy on me. O God, You are most Merciful! Please have mercy on me, and answer this prayer of mine. O God, You are the One Who deals mercifully with all those who implore You for mercy!
Ark of Noah 