Palaemon

ON ST. PALAEMON THE ANCHORITE.

Fourth century.

Palaemon, Abbot in the Thebaid (S.)

The Roman Martyrology records the feast of Palaemon the Abbot on this day, in these words: "In the Thebaid, of St. Palaemon the Abbot, master of St. Pachomius." The writer of the life of St. Pachomius, who below in no. 8 attests that he learned what he writes from holy men of God The feast of St. Palaemon. who had dwelt together with Pachomius for ^a long time, commemorates certain things about him. Dionysius Exiguus translated that life into Latin at the beginning of the sixth century; our Rosweyde accurately edited it among the Lives of the Fathers; after Rosweyde's death we collated it with several other manuscripts. His deeds. We shall present it on the 14th of May; here we shall excerpt only those passages that pertain to Palaemon. The same life was published by Lipomanus and Surius with ^a different translator; in it the name Palamon is consistently used instead of Palaemon.

LIFE

From the history of the life of St. Pachomius.

Palaemon, Abbot in the Thebaid (S.)

From the life of St. Pachomius.

CHAPTER I.

St. Palaemon consecrates St. Pachomius as ^a monk.

[1] The Emperor Constantine, by the piety and faith with which he believed in Christ, having obtained victory over his enemies, ordered the recruits to be discharged. Thus Pachomius, having been granted the liberty he desired, immediately returned to the further parts of the Thebaid. Entering the church in the village called Chinoboscium, he at once became ^a catechumen, Pachomius is baptized; he is stirred to the pursuit of piety. and after ^a short time received the grace of the life-giving font. On the very night on which he was initiated into the sacred mysteries, he saw in ^a dream as it were ^a dew falling from heaven that filled his right hand and grew into the richness of honey. He also heard ^a voice saying to him: "Consider, Pachomius, what is happening. For this is ^a sign of the grace that has been bestowed upon you by Christ." Thus inflamed by divine affection and wounded with ^a salutary wound by the dart of love, he subjected himself entirely to divine teachings and instructions.

[2] He heard of ^a certain anchorite named Palaemon who was serving the Lord in the remote parts of the desert. He went immediately to him, desiring to dwell with him, He goes to St. Palaemon and asks to become ^a monk. and knocking at the door of his cell, he begged for admittance. The old man, opening the door slightly, said: "What do you want? Or whom do you seek?" For he was of ^a severe appearance, because for ^a long time he had led ^a life of strict observance as ^a solitary. Pachomius answered and said: "God has sent me to you, that I may become ^a monk." The elder said: "You cannot become ^a monk here; for the matter at hand is no small thing, if the chaste manner of life of ^a true monk is properly considered. For many coming here before have been overcome by weariness and have not held to the virtue of perseverance." And Pachomius said: "Not everyone's character is the same; therefore I beg you to deign to receive me, and in the course of time you will more fully approve both my will and my ability." And the elder said: "I have already told you that you can in no way become ^a monk here. Go rather to some other monastery, and when you have applied yourself to self-discipline there for ^a time, then return to me, and I will receive you without delay."

[3] "Nevertheless, take heed of what I say. I live here, my son, in quite frugal fashion. Palaemon's abstinence, vigils, and prayers. For I chastise myself with an extremely arduous and most harsh way of life, using no food but bread and salt alone; from oil and wine I abstain entirely and absolutely. I stay awake for half the night, spending that time either in solemn prayer or in meditation on the divine readings; and sometimes I pass the whole night in vigil." When Pachomius heard these things, he trembled, as children are wont to fear the presence of their teachers. But strengthened by the grace of the Lord, he resolved to endure all this labor, and answered the elder: "I trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, who will grant me strength and patience, so that, aided by your prayers, I may be found worthy to persevere in holy conversation through all the course of my life."

[4] Then St. Palaemon, beholding with spiritual eyes the faith of Pachomius, at last opened the door He consecrates Pachomius in the monastic habit. and, receiving him, consecrated him with the monastic habit. They therefore lived together, devoting themselves to abstinence and prayers. They also wove haircloth and worked with their hands, according to the blessed Apostle, not only for their own sustenance and rest, but so that they might have something to give to those in need. Eph. 4:28. In their vigils also, when they celebrated the nocturnal prayers, whenever the elder saw Pachomius weighed down by sleep, he would lead him outside He drives away his drowsiness. and order him to carry sand from one place to another. By this exercise he would relieve his mind, heavy with the weight of sleep, instructing and forming him to be diligent in prayers, saying to him: "Labor, Pachomius, and keep vigil, lest (God forbid) the one who tempts should ever turn you from this purpose you have now undertaken, and our labor should become vain." All these things Pachomius received obediently and diligently, and growing day by day in the progress of holy self-discipline, he rendered the venerable elder exceedingly cheerful and joyful, so that he always gave thanks to Christ for his manner of life.

CHAPTER II.

The celebration of Easter. A monk's arrogance and incontinence punished.

[5] About this time the most sacred day of Easter arrived, and the elder said to Pachomius: "Since this is ^a universal festival of all Christians, prepare for us also what is suitable for our use." Then he, prompt to obey, fulfilled what had been commanded. For he took ^a little oil beyond what was customary and mixed it with ground salt. For they were accustomed to eat lapsana -- that is, wild herbs -- and other greens without oil. When he had prepared this, he said to the elder: "I have done what your fatherhood commanded." And when after prayers the blessed Palaemon came to the table He abstains from richer foods even at Easter, on account of Christ's Passion. and saw the preparation of oil with salt, rubbing his forehead with his hands and shedding tears in abundance, he said: "My Lord was crucified, and shall I now eat oil?" And when Pachomius urged him to take just ^a little of it, he would by no means consent. Then salt and bread were brought as usual, and they sat down together to eat. The elder blessed these with the sign of the Cross of Christ, as was his custom, and both partook of the food, giving humble thanks to the Lord, as was fitting.

[6] On ^a certain day, while Palaemon and Pachomius were keeping vigil together and lighting ^a fire, ^a certain Brother came and wished to stay with them. When he had been received, in the course of conversation (as happens) he burst out and said: "If any of you is faithful, let him stand upon these burning coals and slowly and deliberately recite the Lord's Prayer." The blessed Palaemon, understanding that he was deceived by the swelling of pride, He reproves the arrogant monk's deed. admonished him, saying: "Cease, Brother, from this madness, and do not say anything like this again." But the reproof of the elder not only did not improve him, but rather, puffed up all the more with elation of mind, he boldly began to stand upon the fire, with no one at all commanding him. And it was possible to see how, with the enemy of the human race cooperating and the Lord permitting, he was by no means burned by the touch of the fire. But this very fact, that he performed the deed without harm, advanced the growth of his madness, according to what is written: "To the wicked the Lord sends wicked ways." Prov. 28; Eccl. 2. After this had happened, on the next day the same Brother departed early, and as if reproaching them, he said: "Where is your faith?"

[7] But not long afterward, the devil, seeing him completely enslaved to himself and easily driven to whatever crimes he wished, transformed himself into ^a beautiful woman, He is foully deluded by ^a demon and consents to lust. adorned with splendid garments, and began to pound violently on the door of his cell. When he opened it, the devil, changed into the form of ^a woman, said: "I beg you, because I am greatly pressed by creditors and I fear that some danger may overtake me, receive me into your cell, since I cannot pay my debt, so that being saved through you, I may give thanks. For God has directed me to you." He, utterly blinded by the darkness of his mind and unable to discern who it was that spoke such things to him, wretchedly received the devil to his own destruction. Then the enemy of our nature, seeing him headlong toward every crime, cast upon him ^a foul desire. He immediately yielded to the suggestions of the enemy and sought the embraces of that apparent woman. But the unclean spirit, seizing him, dashed him fiercely; and rolling upon the pavement, he remained for ^a long time as if dead.

[8] After some days, at last coming to himself and belatedly repenting of his own madness, he came to St. Palaemon and with great weeping explained what had happened to him, He implores the prayers of St. Palaemon. crying out and saying: "I know, Father, I know that I am the cause of my own perdition. For you deigned to warn me well, but I, wretched man, despised your counsel. Therefore I beseech you to deign to help me with your holy prayers, lest the enemy tear apart and destroy me while I am placed in such great peril." And while he pursued these words with laments and tears, and St. Palaemon and the blessed Pachomius shed tears for him out of compassionate sympathy, suddenly, seized by the unclean spirit, he leaped away from their sight He perishes wretchedly. and, running through the deserts, was driven about without restraint. He came, moreover, to ^a city called Panos, and then, casting himself in his madness into the furnace of ^a bathhouse, he immediately perished in the fire.

CHAPTER III.

The virtues and revelations of Pachomius made known to Palaemon. The death of Palaemon.

[9] Hearing and seeing these things, Pachomius devoted himself all the more to keeping the measure of abstinence, Pachomius's pursuit of perfection. and to maintaining ^a vigilant mind in all things, but especially in prayers, according to what is written: "Keep your heart with all diligence" Prov. 4:23 -- to such ^a degree that the elder marveled at him in amazement, because he not only carried out the customary rule of abstinence with outward cheerfulness, but also inwardly strove to present his conscience in the purest state according to the pattern of heavenly things, as the blessed Apostle says: "Our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience" -- certain that from this he was storing up for himself ^a great reward in heaven. 2 Cor. 1:12. For when he read the divine Scriptures and committed them to memory, Attentiveness in reading. he did not do so casually or negligently, but carefully examining each precept and treating it with ^a pious mind, he strove daily to accomplish in deed what he retained in memory. His other virtues. He especially strove to excel beyond many others in the gift of humility and patience and in the purest love toward God and neighbor. These and many other things about him we learned from holy men of God who dwelt with him for ^a long time, to whom he had also imparted examples of the spiritual life, carefully expounding after the reading of the divine law those things that pertained to the edification of souls. Because these things are many and exceed the powers of our insignificance, we have not written them all down in this present work. For we are not capable of setting forth the merits of so great ^a man with equal eloquence.

[10] Now near the place on the mountain where the Saints dwelt, ^a wilderness full of thorns lay adjacent. Patience. To this place Pachomius often came to gather wood, walking barefoot over the thorns; and when many thorns pierced him, he rejoiced, bearing it patiently and bravely, recalling that our Lord on the cross had deigned to be fixed with nails. He loved the anchoretic life exceedingly, Love of solitude. frequently seeking out solitude; and persisting there long in prayer, he besought the Lord to mercifully deliver both himself and all men from all the deceits of the enemy.

[11] At ^a certain time it happened that Pachomius, having gone far from his cell, came to ^a certain village called Tabennese, in which at that time no inhabitant at all existed. He is divinely commanded to build ^a monastery. There, as he persisted in prayers for ^a long time according to his custom, ^a voice from heaven came to him, saying: "Stay here, O Pachomius, and build ^a monastery. For very many will come to you, desiring to advance under your instruction; to whom you shall provide guidance according to the Rule which I shall show you." And immediately an Angel of the Lord appeared, bringing him ^a tablet He receives ^a Rule from an Angel. on which the entire form of the instruction was inscribed, by which all those who came to his school of teaching were to be trained. The Tabennesiots preserve this Rule to this day, always using the same food and clothing and also carefully maintaining the discipline itself with diligent care. For the monks who dwell there differ from the rest not only in their customs but also in the strength of their bodies and the situation of their places; and it is necessary for them to keep ^a different rule as well.

[12] Pachomius therefore, discerning this voice with sincerity of mind -- which divine grace and the merits of his life had bestowed upon him -- recognized that it had been sent to him from heaven and approved the Rules as truly marvelous. Then returning to the venerable elder Palaemon, he reported how he had been admonished by ^a divine voice, beseeching him to come with him to the place where they might fulfill the Lord's commands. He goes to Tabennese with Palaemon. Palaemon, not wishing to sadden him in any way, as ^a most dear son, immediately complied with his prayers and came with him to the aforesaid village, and constructing ^a small cell there, they rejoiced in the Lord, awaiting the benefits of his promises. After some time, however, Palaemon said to Pachomius: "Since I see that grace has been bestowed upon you by God, and you intend to remain here henceforth, They visit one another thereafter. come, let us establish ^a pact between us, that we will not be separated from one another, but as long as we live in this world, let us console ourselves with constant visits." This pact pleased both of them, and the blessed elder as well as the blessed Pachomius most diligently fulfilled it for the entire time of their lives.

[13] In the meanwhile, the same venerable Palaemon began to suffer grievously from ^a disease of the spleen, Palaemon falls ill. which had come upon him from excessive abstinence, being afflicted throughout his entire body with ^a grave illness. For he would take food while abstaining from drink more often; and likewise he would only drink, He maintains his former abstinence in illness. taking no food. When some Brothers who had come to visit him urged him not to utterly break his weakened body, but to allow ^a little comfort to be provided, he at length yielded to their entreaties, so that he might restore his wasted limbs with suitable nourishment. But he did not endure this for long. For experiencing pains of the spleen more severe than usual, he abandoned the unaccustomed diet and returned without delay to his former way of eating, saying: "If the Martyrs of Christ -- some torn limb from limb, some beheaded, some even burned with fire -- nevertheless endured bravely to the end for the faith, why should I, yielding to small pains, impatiently cast away the rewards of patience, and out of desire for the present life, vainly shrink from momentary afflictions? Indeed, I consented to the persuasion of those urging me to eat unaccustomed foods, which increased my pains rather than providing any relief. I shall therefore return to my former remedies and not abandon the aids of self-discipline, in which is (as I am certain) all rest after God, and true joy. For I did not take up these arms on account of men, but out of love for Christ I resolved to fight with them."

[14] Thus acting manfully, within ^a month of days he was consumed by ^a violent illness. He dies. Pachomius came to him and tended him as ^a father, kissing his feet and embracing him, and as if bidding farewell, he seemed thus to address him. The venerable elder, filled with every grace of virtue and full of days, as it is written, rested in peace. He is buried by Pachomius. Then holy Pachomius buried his body, whose soul, received by the choirs of Angels, was carried up to heaven. After this was done, Pachomius returned to his own dwelling.