ON S. ATHANASIUS THE WONDERWORKER,
MONK IN ASIA MINOR.
Eulogy from the Ms. Synaxarium of Dijon.
Athanasius the Wonderworker, Monk in Asia Minor (S.)
D. P.
[1] Of the middle age The Synaxarium of our College of Dijon, often praised by us, obtained for it by Peter Francis Chifflet, and kindly lent to us for some time, among the many Saints scarcely or not yet known from elsewhere, gave also this one. And it gave it with a more prolix Eulogy than the others to be found everywhere; but without any distich, as is wont to be done before the others, and in the last place: which is to us an argument that his name began to be inscribed in the Synaxarium after these; and gives place for conjecture, that he was also later in age, and flourished in the X or XI century: for no other character of time can be detected in the Eulogy. We would utterly be ignorant of the very palæstra of his more long-lasting exercise, were it not that the river Sangaris is named, Sangarius to others, ΞΑΓΑΡΙΣ in a coin of Julia Pia Augusta in Ortelius in the Thesaurus Geographicus, near the Sangaris, a river of Asia minor, having dwelt, and retaining that name even today. This, with various reflux from East to West, and again from West to East, running through greater Phrygia, at Pessinus again is turned to the West to water Bithynia, and finally to enter the Euxine Pontus at the Chelae of the Mariandinian Bay. Within this river a certain Syncleticus had an insular monastery, and after death buried in the monastery of Trajan, I do not know whether so called by his proper name from baptism, or by an appellative from his rank or office of Senate; to whom S. Athanasius is said to have joined himself, that he might bring his disorderly subjects to observance by example and word, as he did; and full of good works and days he died there; but thence shortly afterwards translated to the nearby monastery of Trajan, made it more famous by the magnitude and multitude of his miracles. Yet the site of this monastery also remains unknown to us, except that in lesser Phrygia, or rather I would say greater Mysia, between Chrysa and Lamponia, was a certain Trajanopolis; to which yet I would not dare to refer the nomenclature of the monastery, which I would rather believe to have received its name from its founder according to the usage of the middle age. No more easily could I explain what was the country of S. Athanasius: for the region of the Kiloyrrhitae named in the eulogy is unknown to us. Κυπαρισσιωτῶν, if it should be written from the Cyparissian Promontory of Messenia, under the title of Wonderworker he is set forth. we would say the Saint was of the Peloponnesians: but this far-sought, is divination. Let us say therefore, what is principal, that in the said Synaxarium on this day is inscribed Μνήμην τοῦ ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀθανασίου τοῦ Θαυματουργοῦ, Memory of our Holy Father Athanasius the Wonderworker, explained by the following Eulogy.
[2] [Greek text from the Ms. Synaxarium of Dijon follows in the original, beginning Οὗτος ὁ ἐν Ἁγίοις καὶ μέγας Ἀθανάσιος, ὁ τὴν ἐπονομαζομένην τοῦ Τραιανοῦ μονὴν τοῖς θαύμασι καταπλουτίσας, χώρας μὲν ἦν τῶν Κιβυῤῥαιωτῶν… with longer Eulogy from the Ms. of Dijon and continuing through the saint's life, monastic profession, scribal labors, blindness and restoration, almsgiving to the poor, prophecies, and death, with the vision of the Apostles Andrew and John conducting him to heaven; ending Ἀμήν.]
[3] This holy and great Athanasius, who enriches the celebrated monastery of Trajan with his miracles, was born in the region of the Cibyrrhiotes. as a Cibyrriote by nation: Now having attained a fitting age, and execrating the world, he went out, according to the rule of the Gospel, clothed with one tunic; and running from place to place, and joining himself to spiritual men, transferred to himself the virtues of each. There was further a certain Syncleticus the Monk, having his own monastery in the river Sangaris, and there harsh and disorderly Monks: for whose sake affected with weariness, he went off to a far region. To him met the Blessed one, who, made a monk at the river Sangaris, and addressing him as if divinely sent to him, received him and led him back to his monastery: but he himself, full of all virtue and spiritual industry, partly by his sight and example, partly by admonition and exhortation, brought those unbridled ones to the fear of God. Then taking the great and angelic habit, and ordained Presbyter, he sacrificed; afterwards writing and fasting until evening. Then manifoldly tempted by demons, and having attained perfect obedience and self-denial, advanced so far, that he was free from the passions. But when he had written many books, his eyes failed him already old. For this cause shut in a certain place, in anguish of mind he so prayed: Lord, if indeed I am worthy, the prize of long and difficult writing he distributed to the poor. restore to me the light as from the beginning: and whatever I shall write strengthened by you, let the beggars and needy eat from it. In such a manner suffering many things, through twenty-eight years more or less, he handed over to the poor from the labor of his hands nine hundred gold coins. Never did he go forth outside, nor did he see or address anyone, except on Saturday and Sunday; but having attained a great age, he passed to the Lord, conducted by the Apostles Andrew and John, as a certain spiritual and holy Father saw. For he beheld two terrible men, flashing like lightning, who going forth from the inner chamber of the Lord King, seen at death conducted by the Apostles into heaven, commanded the Apostles, that they should lead back the one whom they were leading, and that Athanasius should receive the monastery of Trajan in their place. Therefore at once he sent to him: for he was not far off: but those who were sent found him already deceased. And this Blessed one when he lived foretold many things, which had their outcome; but after his death he did very many and innumerable miracles, to the praise of our most merciful God. Amen.
[4] From this we gather that the Trajan monastery was consecrated to the Holy Apostles Andrew and John; afterwards he became famous for very many miracles. whom Athanasius was ordered to succeed as Patron; and that he indeed by the miracles divinely shown is removed from the suspicion of schism or heresy, with which most frequent pests, living under the Patriarchate of Constantinople, even Monks labored: yet the Apathia praised in him (although it can be understood in a sound sense, so that it signifies passions not utterly extinct and dead, but mortified) is a phrase of the middle and later age, and familiar to the Apathist heretics, who wished that a state of a certain Stoic-like insensibility, subject to no change, by long exercise of virtue could be acquired in this mortal life: in which God wills even the most perfect to wrestle sometimes with their passions, whence humbled they may know that whatever they have of virtue is from God, and owe to Him alone the glory of every good.