ON ST. ROMANUS THE WONDERWORKER, MONK, AT ANTIOCH IN SYRIA.
5th CENTURY.
PrefaceRomanus the Wonderworker, monk at Antioch in Syria (St.)
By I. B.
[1] Our Matthaeus Rader, in his manuscript Notes on the Greek Menaea, considered St. Romanus the Cilician and St. Romanus the Wonderworker to be different persons, The feast of St. Romanus, February 9, November 27, and the latter to be a native of the Scythian people of the Russians. But there is only one, although his commemoration is made twice in the Menaea — on February 9 and November 27 — and there the surname of Cilician is given to him from his homeland, and here that of Wonderworker from his miracles. In both places, however, the same things are told about him, taken from Theodoret's Philotheos. The ancient manuscript Martyrology of the monastery of St. Martin at Tournai, bearing the names of Eusebius, Jerome, and Bede as titles, March 31, mentions him thus on March 31: At Antioch, the birthday of St. Romanus the monk, and of St. Cornelia the Virgin. But we shall say elsewhere that St. Cornelia belongs to another occasion. On the same day the Martyrology of the Church of St. Gudula at Brussels, written two or three centuries ago, has: And Romanus the monk.
[2] his homeland, Rhosus, a city of Cilicia, What his homeland was, Theodoret explains: The divine Romanus was both born at Rhosus and first raised there. Where Rhosus is situated, the same Philotheos relates in chapter 10, in the Life of St. Theodosius of Antioch, which we published on January 11 in the translation of Gentian Hervet: Rhosus is a city of the Cilicians, on the right hand of those entering the Cilician Gulf. From there, therefore, Romanus came. The Menaea for February 9 agree: This holy Romanus, being a Cilician by race, from the city of Rhosus. And on November 27: Born in the city of the Rhossians, he passed his early years there. This variation in spelling gave Rader the occasion to comment thus on the passage: not Russia, the Scythian region, This St. Romanus, who came from among the Rossi, or Roxolani, or Ruthenians, is unknown to the Latins, although others of this name are celebrated and venerated among the Romans and Greeks. Below, however, he writes that Nicephorus seems to have mentioned him in book 11, chapter 41, where he treats of the holy monks of Antioch. And there Nicephorus treats of the same person that Theodoret treats of, and it is clear that the latter is treating of the Cilician, as is evident from the very epitome of his life that the Menaea present in both places. Therefore one should not understand the Rossi, or Russi, whom the Greeks call tous Rhos and some more recent Latin writers call Ruthenians, but Rhossees or Rhosees, or Rhoseis, or Rhosioi — peoples of Cilicia. For thus Stephanus of Byzantium writes in his work On Cities: Rhosus; the ethnic name is Rhosios, but also Rhoseus, as Tarseus from Tarsus. And the possessive form is Rhosikos: the Rhosic crag. We have treated of this crag on January 11, in the Life of St. Theodosius of Antioch, who founded a monastery on that crag. Maximus of Cythera in his Lives of the Saints seems to subscribe to Rader's conjecture, for on November 27 he has: Born in Rhusia. The same, on February 9: From the region called Rhosus.
[3] The Life of St. Romanus was written by Theodoret, his contemporary, in chapter 11 of the Philotheos by whom was the Life written? or Religious History, which is the ninth book of the Lives of the Fathers. He mentions the same person in book 4 of his Ecclesiastical History, chapter 25 (which in other editions is chapter 26), where, treating of holy men who flourished in Syria, he writes among other things: dwelling on the mountain, Indeed, the mountain adjacent to the great city gleamed like a meadow. For upon it shone Peter the Galatian, and another Peter of the same name, an Egyptian, and Romanus, and Severus, and Zeno, and Moses and Malchus, and many others, unknown indeed to the world but known to God. Nicephorus Callistus has the same in book 11 of the Ecclesiastical History, chapter 41. But what Theodoret writes — "The mountain adjacent to the great city gleamed like a meadow" — Nicephorus expresses thus: On the mountain adjacent to the city, which was pleasant with many meadows. Although this may be understood of spiritual meadows, that is, the dwellings of ascetics.
[4] The age of St. Romanus can be inferred from the age of Theodoret, about which we have spoken on February 10, in the Life of St. Zeno, and elsewhere. age. It seems possible that Romanus accompanied St. Theodosius when he returned from the crag of Rhosus to Antioch, or followed shortly after. We judged on January 11 that Theodosius died around the year 412, having lived for some time near Antioch after his return.
LIFE
by Theodoret the Bishop.
Romanus the Wonderworker, monk at Antioch in Syria (St.)
[1] The divine Romanus, both born at Rhosus and first raised there, undertook the contests of virtue at Antioch, the homeland and dwelling of St. Romanus, taking up his seat outside the city walls, indeed on the side of the mountain, and living perpetually in another man's cell, and a narrow one at that. He lived to old age, using neither fire nor admitting the light of a lamp. His food was bread with salt, his diet, and his drink water from a spring; his hair was like that of the great Theodosius, and his clothing and iron chains likewise.
[2] He excelled in simplicity of character and modesty of soul, clothing, simplicity, and for this reason he shone with the rays of divine grace. For to whom, says the Lord, shall I look, except to the meek, the quiet, and to him who trembles at my words? Isaiah 66:2 And to his disciples he said again: Learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Matthew 11:29 and 5:4 And again: Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth. And this was the mark of Moses the Lawgiver's illustrious deeds: For Moses, it says, was a very meek man, above all men who lived on the earth. Numbers 12:3 The Holy Spirit testified the same about the Prophet David: Remember, Lord, David and all his meekness. Psalm 131:1 And we have learned of the Patriarch Jacob that he was a simple man, dwelling at home. Genesis 25:27 Having gathered these virtues like a bee from those divine meadows, he produced the honey of true philosophy.
[3] But he did not enjoy the fruit of his labors alone. His sweetest streams flowed also to others; admonitions, and to those who came to see him, in a gentle and sweet voice, he offered many admonitions about brotherly love, many about concord, many about peace. He also made many lovers of divine things by his very appearance alone. For who would not marvel, beholding an old man worn out in body, voluntarily burdened with much iron, clad in a garment of hair, and living on food that merely kept death at bay? Moreover, beyond the greatness and abundance of his labors, the grace that flourished in him persuaded all to admiration and honor.
[4] miracles, He often also dispelled the grievous diseases of many, and obtained children for many barren women. And having received such great power from the Divine Spirit, he called himself a poor beggar. humility, All who frequented him, therefore, he never ceased to shower with benefits both by his appearance and his words, as long as he lived; beneficence, and after he departed hence and was translated into the company of the Angels, he left a memory not buried together with his body, but one that flourishes and thrives and remains perpetually unextinguished, and can bring aid to those who wish it. Therefore, I too, beseeching his blessing, will set forth as best I can the deeds of other athletes as well.
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