Syrian Anchorites John

ON THE HOLY SYRIAN ANCHORITES JOHN, MOSES, ANTIOCHUS, AND ANTONINUS OR ANTHONY.

FIFTH CENTURY

John, Anchorite in Syria (St.) Moses, Anchorite in Syria (St.) Antiochus, Anchorite in Syria (St.) Antoninus or Anthony, Anchorite in Syria (St.)

J. B.

These athletes too were produced by the region of Cyristica. Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrus, while they were still alive, celebrated them in his writings, in chapter 23 of the Philotheus. John Their annual commemoration is reported to have been the disciple of St. Limnaeus, whom we treated on February 22. This Moses is different from that disciple of St. Polychronius whom we mentioned above. For this one was ^a "siderophoros," wearing iron, as were the other three, but not that other Moses. He who is called Anthony in Rosweyde's Lives of the Fathers names and in Cytheraeus is called Antoninus in the Greek text of Theodoret in Sirmond and in the Menaea. In the latter, the memory of this "quadruple company," as they call it, is thus consecrated: "On the same day, the commemoration of our holy Fathers John, Moses, Antiochus, and Antoninus." On the same day (February 23), the commemoration of the holy Fathers, our own, John, Moses, Antiochus, and Antoninus. Then they compress the Life into ^a brief epitome, drawn mainly from Theodoret; Life the same exists in the Lives of Saints by Maximus, Bishop of Cythera.

LIFE FROM THE MENAEA.

John, Anchorite in Syria (St.) Moses, Anchorite in Syria (St.) Antiochus, Anchorite in Syria (St.) Antoninus or Anthony, Anchorite in Syria (St.)

[1] Of these, John was ^a familiar companion and disciple of Limnaeus, who dwelt on ^a mountain near the village of Targala and there applied himself diligently to the exercise of virtues. St. John on ^a harsh rock John, for his part, having come to ^a certain harsh rock, cold and exposed to the north winds, stayed there for ninety-five days and then departed; but afterward, returning, he spent twenty-five years in the open air. His food was bread with salt, his clothing ^a hair-shirt. He encumbered his whole body with iron implements of great weight. Burdened by these, he lives austerely and scorched by the rays of the sun, he never allowed his spirit to breathe with any relaxation of labors. A certain friend of his had planted an almond tree near his grassy bed; rejecting all recreation which in the course of time had become ^a tree and provided him shade; but he ordered it to be cut down, lest he derive any solace from it.

[2] Exercised by these labors, he departed to the Lord. The most praiseworthy Moses, following in his footsteps, on ^a certain lofty summit overlooking the village of Rama, himself also cultivated the ascetic life. The great Antiochus, already an old man, built for himself an enclosure in ^a solitary place. his imitators: St. Moses, St. Antiochus The most blessed Antoninus, in his aged body, undertook labors equal to those of young men. The clothing was the same for all, the food the same, their standing, their prayers constant day and night; St. Antoninus, even in old age, mortifies himself and neither length of time, nor old age, nor weakness of nature enfeebled their endurance; but they always nourished in themselves ^a vigorous and, as it were, ever-blossoming ardor for labor. Conspicuous, therefore, for such ^a holy old age, they surrendered their souls to God in peace. Such great benefit they received from the companionship and training of the divine John.