ON S. THEOPHANES THE RECLUSE, AND PANSEMNE THE PENITENT,
DWELLING NEAR ANTIOCH.
From two manuscript Synaxaries.
CommentaryTheophanes the Recluse, at Antioch (S.)
Pansemne the Penitent, at Antioch (S.)
G. H. and D. P.
[1] SS. Theophanes and Pansemne are held celebrated among the Greeks, and their Acts are reported in the printed Menaia, and from them contracted in the Menology of Sirletus: but much more amply we have found them at Dijon and at Paris, there in the College of the Society of Jesus with Petrus Franciscus Chiffletius, Dijon and Paris Mss. at Paris in the then Clermont College also of the Society of Jesus, from which we give their Acts of this kind. "Memory of the holy and blessed Theophanes and Pansemne." Memory of the holy and blessed Theophanes and Pansemne.
[2] "The holy Theophanes, was from the city of the Antiochenes; but born from unbelieving and impious parents, he was swiftly translated to faith in Christ; for in the fifteenth year of his age, having been joined in marriage to a wife, and having spent three years with her, they suggest a notable epitome of his life; when immediately she was taken from among men, he himself came to the Church of God, and received holy baptism: and having built a most narrow little cell near the city, he shut himself in, being purified through all things, which he completed for perfection and the highest virtue."
[3] "But having heard about a certain public harlot Pansemne, so called, that she was a cause of perdition for many, committing himself to God, he went out from the cell: and being at his own house, and casting off the hair shirt which he wore, and putting on a costly garment, and receiving from his father ten pounds of gold, as if wishing to lead another woman to marriage, he came to Pansemne. And having shared a meal with her, when the time seemed suitable in which they ought to come together, reclining, he inquired how much time it had been, since she had set herself to such a work. But she having said, twelve years, and out of many who had come together with her none more beautiful than him had she seen, nor been wounded by such great love of any other; again he said, that he wished lawfully and with chaste marriage to take her to his house, but not to share with her in shameful practice."
[4] "She with great joy having received what was said, if she, being such, should be deemed worthy of marriages honorable and zealous; the blessed Theophanes gave the gold to her, and said, that he was going to complete the things for the perfection of the marriage, and going to build another little house near his own cell, and again come to her, and say, that there would not otherwise be cohabitation with her unless the Christian rites were performed; but she at first was unwilling and put it off, yet however received also baptism, and continuously for seven days being catechized, and hearing the Holy man's things about the future judgment and the recompense of things to be done, was both enlightened in mind and came to compunction by the grace of Christ; and freed all her slaves from servitude, and the gold which by the shameful work of her body she had collected, having prepared useful vessels, dedicated to God; and entered the cell, which the Holy man had built, and so much advanced in virtue as to drive away demons, and to heal all kinds of diseases; and having lived on one year and ten months, she departed to the Lord, together with the holy and miracle-working Theophanes."
[2] Saint Theophanes was from the Antiochene city, sprung from pagan and impious parents, near to whom S. Theophanes, his wife having died, but quickly translated to faith in Christ and piety. For when he had years of age fifteen and ten, with a wife he was bound in matrimony, and stayed with her three years. She then having been taken from human affairs, he hastened to the Church of Christ, and received sacred baptism, and near the city, made a Christian and a recluse built a most narrow cell, in which he shut himself up. There he applied every effort, that to the perfect state of holy life and to the highest summit of virtue he might come.
[3] But when he had understood that there was a certain public harlot, whose name was Pansemne, who was set as a cause of perdition to many; he commended himself by prayers to God; and going out of the cell, he came to his own house, where the hair shirt with which he was clothed being cast off, he put on a precious garment. He approaches Pansemne the harlot: Receiving then from his father ten pounds of gold, as if he wished to lead another wife, he came to Pansemne, and took food with her. Then when the time seemed opportune, in which they should come together; reclining, he inquired of her, how much time had passed, since she had given herself to this life. Twelve years she answered, and of all who had come together with her, none had she seen more pleasant than him, nor had she been wounded with such love toward anyone. Again he said, that he wished in honorable marriage at his home lawfully to dwell with her, but not shamefully to mix with her.
[4] and under the pretext of contracting marriage with her, She gratefully received this saying, if she, being such, should be esteemed worthy, to whom so honorable and desirable a marriage should be granted. Blessed Theophanes having offered the gold said; that the same was for him to procure all things pertaining to the consummation of the marriage: and departing, he constructed a little house near his cell, and returning to her said; that there could not otherwise be cohabitation with her, unless she were initiated into the Christian mysteries. At which she at first was indignant and equivocated: but at length being induced that she should wish to receive baptism, he converts her, and for seven continuous days instructed about the last judgment and retribution; and hearing from the Saint what further was to be done by her, with mind divinely illumined, and by Christ's grace pricked with great penitence. Then all her slaves she gave freedom, and from the gold also which she had collected in the shameful use of her body, he shuts her in a cell. she made useful vessels, and offered all to God. Finally entering the cell, which S. Theophanes had built, she came to such eminent virtue, that she expelled demons, and healed all kinds of diseases. But when she had lived thus one year and ten months, she passed to the Lord together with the Saint and Wonderworker.
[5] and is venerated together with her, Some encomia of the same are also had in the Menology of Basilius Porphyrogenitus the Emperor, and in the Greek Menaea at Milan in the Ambrosian Library, signed N 378 and G 158. But at what time these lived, is not disclosed: but in the Dijon Synaxary to them by custom two couplets are fitted: to Theophanes indeed of this kind, alluding to his ascetic and macerated-with-penances life, and at the same time to his name taken ἀπὸ τοῦ φανεῖν, to appear.
"Theophanes, plucked from this life for God, / appeared ripe so to speak as a cluster of grapes for God."
Plucked from this life for God Theophanes, / Ripe was seen as a cluster of God.
To Pansemne however thus it is sung there.
"If even of dead Pansemne we should forget, / may Christ Himself also forthwith forget me."
If oblivion of dead Pansemne should seize me, / may Christ Himself forget me.
These things in the aforesaid Synaxary are had.
For the rest, just as it is not necessary to believe, that both died on the same day; so it will be reasonable to presume, that either after their death they were each buried in the place of their reclusion, though probably not having died together. and later obtained simultaneous cult, an oratory being founded there; or that the bodies, illustrated by frequent miracles, were carried at the same time on this X June into some of the Antiochene churches. But which Antioch ought here to be understood, from several so called by that name, no one prudently would divine; except that, when nothing else occurs to the contrary, presumption usually stands for the more famous and Patriarchal in Syria, which had most of its own Eremite Saints around it and venerated them, less known elsewhere; as appears from those, whose mention has been made in the Life of S. Symeon the Younger Stylite, or "On the Wondrous Mountain," illustrated on the day XXIV May.