CONCERNING S. PALLADIUS THE ANCHORITE IN SYRIA.
Toward the end of the fourth century.
PrefacePalladius, Hermit in Syria (S.)
[1] Theodoret, bk. 4 of his Ecclesiastical History, ch. 26, enumerates various monks who flourished in Syria under Valens; and among other things writes as follows: In the wilderness of Antioch also there were at this time men very celebrated for the monastic discipline of life: Marianus, Eusebius, Ammianus, Palladius, S. Palladius the anchorite, the Simeons, the Abraameses, and others besides; who preserved intact the image of God, in whose likeness they had been created; whose life we have recorded in writing, namely in the history which he himself calls the Philotheos in the preceding chapter. Nicephorus, bk. 11, ch. 41, transcribed the same from this source. S. Eusebius is venerated on the 24th of January, where in his Life we also treated of Marianus (erroneously called Marcianus in the version of Gentianus) and Ammianus, from ch. 4 of the Philotheos; from ch. 6 we gave the Life of S. Simeon Priscus on the 26th of January. Here we give the Life of S. Palladius from ch. 7, in which Abraham is also treated.
[2] In the Menaea of the Greeks, and by Maximus of Cythera, an epitome of the life of Palladius from the Philotheos is reported, with this couplet. On the same day, the 28th of January, of our Holy Father Palladius. His feast day.
Having risen above the carnal revelries, Palladius exults in heaven itself.
He adds at the end: He migrated to God in peace, having left to the Church worthy monuments of his intellect, composed for the benefit of those present. Whether he was distinguished for his writings: But it is remarkable that this is not indicated by Theodoret. Did the author of the Menaea confuse him with that other Palladius, the writer of the Lausiac History? He is not the author of the Lausiac History. Perhaps he was misled by Socrates, bk. 4, ch. 18, who calls this man a monk without any mention of the episcopate; S. John Damascene, in his book On Those Who Have Fallen Asleep in the Faith, and Nicephorus, bk. 11, ch. 44, also omit the title of that dignity where they mention his book. Yet Palladius himself, in his Preface to Lausus, confesses that the history was composed by him in the twentieth year of his episcopate, around the year of Christ 420, as will be discussed more fully in the Life of S. John Chrysostom.
LIFE FROM THEODORET, ch. 7.
Palladius, Hermit in Syria (S.)
From Theodoret.
[1] Palladius, who was celebrated in the discourse of many, was both a contemporary of Simeon Priscus and similar to him in character, The familiarity of S. Palladius with S. Simeon, and known to him and intimate. For they visited one another frequently, as they say, and derived benefit from each other, mutually provoking and inciting one another to zeal for God. He had enclosed himself in a small dwelling which was near a very large village of a very great population: his dwelling, abstinence, prayer, and its name is Imme. As for the man's extraordinary abstinence from food, or fasting, and starvation, wakefulness, and perpetual prayer, I consider it superfluous to speak. For in these matters he bore the same yoke as the Blessed Simeon. But the miracle which is celebrated even to this very day, and which was performed by his voice and hand, I thought would be worthwhile to narrate.
[2] In the aforesaid village a most famous market is held, which draws merchants from everywhere and a multitude greater than can be numbered. In it a certain merchant, having sold his wares and collected his gold, wished to depart by night. But a certain murderer, who had observed the gold collected there, driven by a kind of frenzy and fury, banished sleep from his eyes and watched for the moment when the man would set out. After cock-crow, the one departed in security; but the other, going ahead and having occupied a certain place suited for an ambush, suddenly attacked, both struck him and committed murder. He repels the charge of homicide imputed to himself. To his execrable crime he then added another impious deed; for having seized the gold, he cast the dead body at the door of Palladius. When day came and the report spread, and the whole assembly of men was everywhere talking about what had happened, all rushed together and, having broken down the door, sought to exact the penalty for the murder from the divine Palladius: and one of those who were doing this was the very man who had committed the murder with his own hand. When therefore the divine man was beset by so great a multitude, gazing at heaven and surpassing heaven with his mind, he besought the Lord to refute the falsehood of the calumny and to reveal the truth which lay hidden. Having thus prayed, and having seized the hand of the dead man, he said: "Tell us, O young man, who inflicted this wound upon you: show who committed this execrable crime, the dead man raised by his prayers, and free the innocent from this wicked calumny." And speech indeed followed upon speech. And the man, sitting up with his right hand, looked around at those who were approaching, and with his finger pointed out the murderer. A cry arose from all, and the murderer declared through him, some astonished at the miracle and others weeping over the calumny that had been attempted. When they had stripped that criminal, they found the sword still stained with blood, and the gold which had been the cause of the murder. The divine Palladius, who had previously been admirable, hence deservedly became far more admirable. For the miracle sufficed to demonstrate the man's confidence before God.
[3] From the same order was also the admirable Abraham, who built what is called the Paratomon, Him and S. Abraham, and sent forth splendors of virtue in every direction. How illustrious his life was, the miracles which take place after his death bear witness. From his tomb to this very day there spring forth cures of every kind of disease. Of this the abundant witnesses are those who draw freely from it through faith. May I also be granted to obtain aid, Theodoret invokes them, I who have sanctified my tongue with their memory.
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