The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): JanuaryBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Religion
The Lives of the Saints, Volume 01 (of 16): January
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Christian saints
However, the monk persisted, and by Satan's craft, he stood unhurt on
the red-hot cinders. Then he retired to his own cell, puffed up with
self-confidence. But pride goes before a fall, and shortly after he fell
into fleshly lust; then, filled with shame, he crept back to the cave of
Palaemon, and falling at his feet, with bitter tears, confessed his sin.
When S. Pachomius was inspired to found a monastery at Tabenna, he
announced his intention to S. Palaemon. The old man accompanied his
pupil, and took up his abode at Tabenna, for he loved Pachomius as his
own son, and he could not bear to be separated from him. Therefore he
said, "Let us make a compact together, that we part not the one from the
other, till God break our union." And to this Pachomius gladly agreed.
So they lived much together, till the old man died, and then his
disciple buried him at Tabenna.
S. THEODOSIUS, THE COENOBIARCH, H.
(A.D. 529.)
[Greek Menaea and Roman Martyrology. The life of S. Theodosius,
written by a contemporary anonymous author, supposed by Baronius,
but without sufficient grounds, to be Cyril, the author of the
lives of SS. Euthemius, Saba, and John the Silent. But Cave says
that the life of S. Theodosius was written by Theodore, Bishop of
Pera.]
Theodosius was born in the little town of Marissa, in Cappadocia, in
423. He was ordained reader, but some time after, being moved by
Abraham's example, to quit his country and friends, he resolved to visit
the holy places. He accordingly set out for Jerusalem, and visited the
famous S. Simeon Stylites, near Antioch, on his way. S. Simeon accosted
him by name, and bade him ascend his pillar, when he embraced him, and
foretold several circumstances of his life, giving him advice how to act
under them. Having satisfied his devotion in visiting the holy places in
Jerusalem, he betook himself to the cell of Longinus, a holy man, who
dwelt near the tower of David, and to him he became dear, on account of
his singular virtue. A lady, named Icelia, having built a church to the
honour of the Virgin Mother of God, on the high road to Bethlehem,
Longinus appointed his disciple, Theodosius, to the charge of this
church. But he did not retain this charge long; loving solitude, he
retired to the mountains, and took up his abode in the cave, where the
Wise Men were traditionally held to have reposed on their way to
Bethlehem. Here he passed his time in labouring with his hands, in
fasting, and in prayer. His food was coarse pulse and herbs; for thirty
years he did not taste bread. Many desired to serve God under his
direction: he at first determined to admit six or seven, but was soon
obliged to receive a greater number, and at length came to a resolution
never to reject any that presented themselves with dispositions that
seemed sincere. The first lesson he taught his monks was, that the
continual remembrance of death is the foundation of religious
perfection.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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