ON ST. PASTOR, ABBOT
IN SCETIS.
From the Catalogue of Peter de Natalibus.
PrefacePastor, abbot in Scetis (S.)
BY THE AUTHOR J. B. S.
This St. Pastor, noted on the preceding day by Ferrari from the Catalogue of the bishop of Equilino, we have deferred to this day, not sufficiently certain who was called by that name in the Usuardine Appendices, on account of the various announcements sufficiently doubtful Reported in the manuscript Florarium and elsewhere to which they are to be referred. Celebrated indeed in the said Appendices is the name of St. Pastor, but of whom they treat is not altogether established, and it seems more probable that everywhere is indicated that Pastor, most well known by his Roman title, of whom also this day treats, although the several codices do not express it. In most it is simply read; Likewise the birthday of St. Pastor the confessor, or, Likewise of St. Pastor the confessor. A little more clearly others speak, and certainly intimate St. Pastor, the brother of St. Pius, presbyter, nay Cardinal, as it is among the said Appendices in the Florentine codex: so that from these nothing much can be drawn for the ancient cult of this our St. Pastor the abbot, unless Equilino went before, and there were added our manuscript Florarium thus expressly announcing: Likewise the birthday of blessed Pastor the abbot and confessor. He, afflicting himself for many years in great abstinence, flourished in the desert with much religion. See his deeds elsewhere. This especially I ask, whence Equilino or others drew that this Saint put off mortality on the 7th day before the Kalends of August, unless perhaps, on account of that other synonym, they judged he should be placed on that day.
[2] To this also makes the addition of the Brussels Charterhouse manuscript to Greven, he is praised at length in the Lives of the fathers. placed on this same very day: Likewise of blessed Pastor the abbot and prelate, according to the Catalogue (I think that of Equilino already cited by us), concerning whom several things said and done are narrated in the Lives of the fathers. Assuredly also in various places of book 5 in Rosweyde, the author uncertain, the interpreter Pelagius, from page 563. From which book some unknown anonymous writer collected that eulogy which the praised bishop Equilino, in book 6, chapter 141, reported, to be here transcribed by us, rather than from the Utrecht manuscript, prepared for the press by Rosweyde, as being much more imperfect. Nor certainly can the Equilinian one be called sufficiently complete, since it omitted several things, not so much deeds as sayings, which I should have thought should be added here, unless the very volume on the Lives of the fathers were in everyone's hands, so that it is enough to have assigned the places in which the rest of the apophthegms of St. Pastor may conveniently be found. Let there be seen, therefore, therefore, the cited page 563, from number 12 to 15; then page 570, from number 29 to 33; likewise page 593, numbers 13 and 14. Finally pages 600, 601, and 602, from number 37 to 64. Let it suffice here to set forth the eulogy of Equilino, determining nothing concerning the age of the Saint, since it seems quite uncertain whether he lived in the fourth or fifth century.
EULOGY FROM THE LIVES OF THE FATHERS
In Equilino, book 6, chapter 141.
Pastor, abbot in Scetis (S.)
Pastor the presbyter was illustrious in the desert of Scetis in the time of the holy anchorite Fathers, who, afflicting himself with great abstinence, He refuses to let himself be seen by his mother; flourished with much sanctity and religion. But when his mother took care to see him, the abbot, and his monks; and had watched them going to the church: Pastor with the brethren, entering the cell, closed the door in her face. But when she, weeping, cried out at the door, and more earnestly demanded to see her son: he forbade her to see him; exhorting her to bear it with equanimity: because, if not in the present world, at least she would see him in the future: who, comforted, departed, and cared not to behold him further.
[2] The judge of the province, when he desired to see the abbot Pastor, but could not, and to intercede for his sister's son before the judge. imprisoned the son of his sister, as a malefactor: saying that, if Pastor should come to intercede for him, he would release him. The mother, therefore, of the youth, and the sister of the abbot, went to the door: and with tears earnestly asked that he would go to the judge for him. To whom he sent word, saying: that Pastor did not beget sons. And when she departed with sorrow, the judge said that he should at least command it by word; and he would release him. But he sent back word; that he should examine the cause according to law: and if he were worthy of death, should slay him: but if not, should do as he willed.
[3] He teaches the custody of the soul. But he taught the brethren, saying, that to keep one's soul from sin, and to consider oneself, and to have discretion, are the perfections of the soul. Tribulation and discretion are the operations of the solitary life.
[4] He restores an expelled solitary. When a certain brother from a certain congregation had offended; the abbot, on the counsel of a certain solitary, expelled him: whom, weeping, the abbot Pastor summoned to himself, and sent for that solitary. And when the abbot had come, he said to him: that there were two men; who both had their dead, of whom one left his own dead, and went to weep for the dead of the other. Which the solitary, understanding to be said of himself, was compunct.
[5] He who has moved himself is not easily scandalized. A certain brother said to the abbot Pastor that he was disturbed, and wished to desert the place: because he had heard certain words concerning a brother, which greatly scandalized him. Pastor said that he should not believe these words, because they were not true. But he affirmed that the words were true, because a faithful brother had told him. And he answered; That if he were faithful, he would not have told him. But to him affirming that they were altogether true: he proposed to him the parable of the Gospel concerning the beam and the mote: admonishing him to put in his heart; that his own sins were the beam, and another's the mote.
[6] He is gentle toward the penitent. A certain brother, who had committed a great sin, wishing to do penance, asked Pastor whether a penance of three years were enough? Who said that it was much. Being asked whether a year would suffice? he answered that it was much. Being asked, forty days: he answered that it was much. Adding that if he repent this from his whole heart, and do a three days' penance, God will receive him.
[7] When one may be angry. Being asked concerning that word: Whosoever is angry with his brother without cause, etc.: What it was to be angry without cause: he answered; From every matter by which a man is aggrieved by his brother, to be angry without cause: even to plucking out his eye. But if anyone should wish to separate one from God, for this he ought to be angry.
[8] On driving away evil thoughts. A certain brother complained to him that, having many thoughts, he was in peril among them: who led him out under the open sky, bidding him spread out his bosom, and hold the wind: who answered that he could not. So, said he, since thoughts cannot be repelled, that they enter not: but it is man's part to resist them. But the holy Man rested in the Lord on the 7th day before the Kalends of August, conspicuous for sanctity and life, and illustrious for miracles.