ON SAINT PAPHNUTIUS OF JERUSALEM AMONG THE GREEKS.
CommentaryPaphnutius of Jerusalem, Hermit or Monk among the Greeks (St.)
By D. P.
Sirletus, in his Menology (which with too little care and no great accuracy he stitched together from the Greek Menaia—whence some errors also flowed down into the Roman Martyrology), referring Paphnutius of Jerusalem to the preceding day, adorned him with the title of Holy Martyr, sufficiently distinct from the Martyr of the preceding day whereas in the Menaia there is nothing else to read but these words: te aute hemera tou hosiou Paphnoutiou tou Hierosolymitou, "On the same day," namely April 20 (not 19, when another, most different from this, a Hiero-Martyr to be venerated with the solemn office of the whole day, is set forth in the title and Canon of that day), "on the same day," I say, "of Saint Paphnutius
of Jerusalem." The title Hosiou denotes a Hermit or holy Monk, according to the usage of the Greek Church; something more is indicated by the title he seems to be the same as the hermit of the following day added, as it seems, to this same one in the Synaxary of the College of Clermont at Paris on April 21: Mneme tou hosiou Patros hemon Paphnoutiou anachoretou, "The memory of our holy Father Paphnutius the Anchorite." For the title "of our holy Father" indicates a certain particular religion of one place, whose Synaxary it is, or a universal religion of the whole monastic Order towards some Saint; yet the nearness of the cult persuades us to believe the same the one who on the former day, with the title of Hierosolymite, is set forth in the Menaia.
[2] and perhaps he is the famous one in the Lives of the Fathers Further, we have no scruple that this is diverse, both from the one whom we have set forth as to be venerated from the Menaia on the 19th of this month, Paphnutius the Hieromartyr, consummated with the punishment of the sword; and from another, who, crucified in Egypt, merited to be venerated chiefly in the month of September. But by as much as we are solicited less on this side, by so much the more are we troubled that in none of the Greek or Latin calendars do we find that famous Paphnutius in the Lives of the Fathers, of whom Palladius in chapter 62 speaks in these words: "We saw, however, the place (Rufinus, book 2 chapter 16, calls it a Monastery) of Paphnutius the Anchorite, a great man and endowed with virtue, who not so long since was consummated, in the region which is around the Heracleotans of the Thebaid." Of whom many have narrated many things, which will generally occur to the one seeking them in the Lives of the Fathers collected and illustrated by Rosweyde. For having acquired some knowledge of the Greek Synaxaries, and taught by them that almost all anchorites or monks of celebrated sanctity, to whom elsewhere no day is assigned who are praised by the said authors, have also an annual commemoration in the sacred offices among the Greeks, we can with difficulty be persuaded that he was passed over in favor of many less memorable ones.
[3] Yet, lest we refer hither, as to his own proper day, what might be said of him, the title "Hierosolymite" which the Menaia prefer prevents us, and from the Menaia Maximus Bishop of Cythera en biois hagion. But today's is surnamed "Hierosolymite" But this one and whoever others are praised in the said Lives of the Fathers, to wit the disciple of Macarius the Alexandrian, and a certain one surnamed Scetiotes, and in others Cephala, as well as that Paphnutius who wrote the life of Saint Onuphrius—one perhaps of those indicated—all seem to have been Egyptians; at least they have nothing in the authors which would persuade us to believe that any of them is here noted.
[4] A Life or its epitome is wanting In the place where an epitome of the life should have been put, there is found only a distich of this sort, applicable to any Saint, especially an anchorite:
Ton Paphnoution taphoi kekrymmenon, Apeikos esti kai sige krypsai taphoi.
Paphnutius hidden in the sepulchre of the earth— It is not fitting to hide him in the sepulchre of silence.
If anyone should find a Life or Epitome of his Life in some manuscript more accurate than the one whence the Menaia are printed, and supply it to us, he will deserve well of the history of the Saints, well of the Saints themselves, and of this one especially, so little known; and yet, on account of his death precious in the sight of the Lord, numbered among others more celebrated.