Orsisius the Abbot

ON S. ORSISIUS THE ABBOT, SUCCESSOR OF S. PACHOMIUS AMONG THE TABENNESITES,

IN THE THEBAIC DESERT OF EGYPT.

From the Acts of SS. Pachomius & Theodore, the Ms. Synaxarion & others.

A. CIRC. CCCLXXX.

Orsisius Abbot, successor of S. Pachomius in the Thebaid (S.)

BY THE AUTHOR D. P.

The Dijon Synaxarion already praised by us several times, after the three holy Apostles aforenamed, thus proceeds; Under the name of Ortisius referred in the Dijon Synaxarion. The same day the holy Ortisius in peace was finished: The same day S. Ortisius rested in peace: & a Distich is added, which could not be read whole:

Faultless Ortisius came to the

Word, No fault not to find will Momus be able...

Wanting blame Ortisius follows God, Nor did Momus himself find reproach in him.

We may presume that by the change of one letter it was made, that Ortisius was written for Orsisius or Orsiesius in the aforesaid Synaxarion; & thus here is praised the great disciple & successor of the Great Pachomius, it does not seem he is another than the successor of S. Pachomius, whom so much praised in the Acts of the master, & by S. Anthony coeval, it would be almost a sin to believe wholly neglected by the Greeks. About this one therefore I take upon myself to treat here, nor shall I grudge to gather here certain chief things about him.

[2] He was dwelling in the monastery of Chenoboscii, when Pachomius was passing the extreme of his age, about the year CCCXLIX, a man of great faith (as in the Acts XIV May num. 74 is said) & distinguished for humility & charity, & had approached the dying Father with others. after Petronius soon dead. Him therefore called closer to himself, the Saint orders to inquire of all, whom they may choose as their Father. But all, not without sighing, exclaiming; Since, from the time when God willed us to be subject to thee, no one besides thee alone is to be found, who could execute that office with dignity; the holy man answered; You should believe me saying, Petronius, if only he remains among the living, would be not unequal to the rule of the Brethren. He was sick, yet he came when summoned; but when by the vehemence of infirmity he was exhausted beyond measure, & had given quite few days to ruling the Brethren; instructing all by divine precepts & by the memory of their holy Father, he migrated from this life, on the twenty-seventh day of the same month. Elected by him, But before he rendered the spirit to the Creator, with the Monks called together in one, he asked an Abbot to be designated as his successor. But with them adding furthermore [5] that this care pertained to himself, he committed his place to Abbot Orsisius, who was present with the rest, & about whom we have already said before. But he not without much sighing received what was offered, repeatedly crying out, that he was unequal & unfit to such a burden.

[3] He was, as already said, endowed with virtue & the highest humility, & he diligently visited the individual monasteries, for the cause of seeing & consoling the Brethren; not unaware to what an excellent grade of perfection Abbot Pachomius once had attained, when he himself was being engaged in his discipline. He skillfully instructs the Brethren, Following therefore his footsteps, whether standing or sitting, he did not cease to hold discourse with them about divine things, & thus to profit their souls, frequently making mention of the words of Pachomius, when in the monastery of Chenoboscii he held the prefecture. Although however he had not yet attained such knowledge of God, yet in parables he made discourse to them; but to the parable God added force & efficacy. But whatever he brought into the midst, he himself eminently knew how to develop them, so that all the Brethren vehemently wondered. Of more, one was as follows. We are not ignorant, Brethren, he warns negligence is to be avoided. with how perfect a knowledge of celestial things through the holy Scriptures that venerable Father of ours was wont to imbue us. But I, as much as my mediocrity suggests to me, thus judge; a man, unless with great care & diligence he guard his mind, easily forgets all those things which he has sometime usefully heard said, & slips into sloth. Thus then it happens, that when the demon finds his mind empty, without difficulty he constructs his snares. Just as if someone has perhaps neglected to pour oil into a lamp, duly prepared & set out for lighting, gradually it must be extinguished, & we see darkness succeed in place of light; nor only this, but a creeping mouse sometimes often attempts to consume the wick. Before however the lamp ceases altogether to burn, he attempts this with vain endeavor; but when he observes that not only the flame, but every sense of fire too is extinguished, then without fear he attempts to gnaw & devour the wick, & to throw the lamp hither & thither; through which the demon creeps into the soul, as a mouse to the lamp. which, if it is earthen, is broken into pieces; if of bronze, by the paterfamilias found without light, that it may again be able to give light it is prepared. The same is the reason of a soul caring little for its salvation, when the holy Spirit is perceived gradually to recede from it, until at last it is wholly destitute of all divine warmth. Then therefore the adversary expels all alacrity from that soul, & renders the body obnoxious to various languors. But if he is indeed in mind rightly constituted in those things which are of God, but simply supplanted by creeping negligence, then with the merciful God striking into that soul his fear & the memory of eternal punishments, he watches, henceforth keeping himself with great accuracy, until the Lord deign to visit him.

[4] And here Orsisius making an end of speaking, rose for conceiving prayers, when by this his parable he had brought no small utility to the Brethren. As for the rest Abbot Orsisius so engaged among the Brethren, that he was observed by all most studiously to imitate Abbot Pachomius. The same once praised by Pachomius, For he had him with himself for some time; & when he had set the same as Father over the Chenoboscii, & some murmured about him, as too young for such a grade; the matter heard Pachomius said about him: Think not, Brethren, that the kingdom of heaven is owed only to the elders. Nay rather some elder murmuring against a Brother, not only is that one not an elder, but neither has he yet cast the foundation of monastic life. For God exacts nothing else from men, than that they fear him by loving & love him by fearing. But charity contrives nothing of evil against a neighbor. I say to you; Making such distinguished progresses in monastic life Orsisius, like a golden lamp diffuses splendor through the house of the Lord, & to him will pertain what is written; I have espoused you to one husband to present you a chaste virgin to Christ.

[5] At the time when the holy Archbishop Athanasius, to his & God's great glory, was returning from the Court to his Church, it happened that, & then by S. Anthony when the Brethren were instituting a sailing toward Alexandria, they received fame about our Blessed Father Anthony, that he was dwelling on the outer mountain. Hearing which, they instituted their course thither, that they might be recreated by the sight of so great a man, & that from the eminent servant of God they might receive a blessing. He furthermore when he heard the Brethren arriving, not without great difficulty rose from the place (for the age was now exceedingly advanced) & going outside, lovingly greeted them, asking how Abbot Pachomius was doing & faring: But with them lamenting, Anthony understood that he had died, & said: Weep not: all you have been made as Abbot Pachomius. I indeed affirm; He undertook a great ministry, when he admitted such a multitude of Brethren into his discipline, having entered the way of the Apostles. Abbot Zacchaeus answered; Nay rather thou thyself, O Father, of the world, as far as it lies open, must be called a most bright light, whose fame has reached even to the Emperors themselves, who for thy sake do not at all hesitate to pay due praises to God.

[6] To whom Anthony; Not so, Zacchaeus, do I feel. For at the time when I first began to be a Monk, no monastery existed anywhere, in which any concern or fear was for the salvation of others: but each of the ancient Monks, congratulating that this one has been substituted to him. with the persecution now finished, privately exercised himself in monastic life. But afterwards your Father effected so great a good, with God helping. Another indeed before, whose name was Aotas, wished to undertake such a ministry: but because he did not study with whole heart, that attempt lacked success. About your Abbot furthermore from the discourses of many I have received, that in divine Letters he was eminently versed. I seriously & often wished to see him with bodily presence, but perhaps I was not worthy: yet by God's grace in the kingdom of heaven we shall see each other; but also all the other holy Fathers, & especially our Lord & God Jesus Christ. Take courage therefore, be comforted, & with full course tend to perfection. Tell me also this, whom did he designate as his successor in office & dignity? With them adding, that Abbot Petronius was chosen by Pachomius for it; & that to Petronius, after not much time finished with life, Orsisius succeeded; Anthony answered; Not Orsisius, but an Israelite, call him I pray. Then if to Bishop Athanasius, a man most worthy of that grade, you have a journey, thus shall you address him from me; This commends to thee Anthony; Take care of the sons of the Israelite. With this said, & with his blessing imparted to them, not without commendatory letters to the great Athanasius he dismissed them. Who when they came to Alexandria, by the most holy Pontiff, especially on account of the commendation of blessed Anthony, were received with great signification of benevolence

for not how great Anthony was could lie hidden from Athanasius.

[7] Furthermore Abbot Orsisius, according to the grace received from God, he himself promoting the institutes of Pachomius eminently educated his Brethren in the life of the spirit; indeed the force & strength of his discourses seemed perpetually to grow, for the consolation of the Brethren: nor only did he bring forth bare parables in spiritual colloquies, but also their exposition, repeatedly inculcating that, what, for the better government of the whole monastery, the rule, while he still survived, Pachomius had prescribed, & also the constitutions of the Fathers, & the order of the Prefects & Subprefects, they should exactly keep. He established also two times in the course of the year for assembling, namely of Easter & of the Great remission, when the account of all things looking to bodily necessity is taken, Brethren he exhorts of works likewise & of expenses, that the Oeconomus of the greater monastery, by what reason he should execute the office committed to himself, might be able to have perspective. But it was their custom from the very beginning, about evening, with the manual work & supper performed, to sit together in one for scrutinizing the Scriptures, then free from all other solicitude, except that, which concerned their salvation. But to those to whom the chief care of this matter had been committed, strong in spirit as masters, as it became ministers of God, were executing their office. For as long, says the Lord, as you have done to one of the least who believe in me, you have done it to me.

[8] Sitting therefore Orsisius, & confirming the Brethren with beautiful discourses, to the zeal of humility, he was saying: Some of you I see, for whom the fame of a great name, & power over others & command, & that they may obtain the dignity either of a domestic office or of another office, are in their vows & desire. Another indeed, while our Father lived, was the zeal of the Monks, when only through distinguished promptness of obedience anyone strove to be called great, fearing otherwise lest in the kingdom of heaven he should sometime have to stick among the last. To me also when Abbot Petronius committed, that I should take care of you;

tears broke forth & groans, as I considered the danger, situated in the governance of souls. Not only I, but absolutely all the Saints have felt thus. The first of all the Prophet Moses, sent by God to liberate & rule the People of Israel, with great submission of mind beseeched God, that he should not wish to be angry with him for that matter, & only then undertook the ministry. We therefore likewise, Brethren, as often as we shall have heard pronounced that; He who exalts himself, shall be humbled; let us strive to be alien from every taint of ambition. It is not for all to be engaged with praise in the rule of souls, but only for those who are known to eminent above others by perfection. It is a parable. A brick uncooked, if not far from a river it is placed under a building to be constructed, will not be useful for one day; & constancy in temptations. but if the same is diligently baked, it will obtain the reason of the hardest stone. So we see it happens to men still savoring carnal things, that, unless first kindled by the fire of divine discourses, after the example of that Joseph, even at the very beginning of their attempts, they begin miserably to dissolve. For it is necessary that those be agitated by the waves of many temptations, who institute their life in the midst of a multitude of men. But the man worthy of praise is he, who very conscious of his own mediocrity, contends not sluggishly to shake off the burden imposed on him, lest he fall into greater dangers. Whoever in faith by no means vacillate, they are firm & stable in every event. About Joseph however, a most holy man, if anyone desires a discourse to be instituted, let him know that he was by no means delighted with earthly things. How many temptations did he sustain, & in what regions? In those certainly, where there was then no vestige of true religion. But the God of his Fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, & the God of Jacob, in all things was present to him, brought him out safe from tribulations, & now in the celestial court equally with the Fathers he is engaged & exults. We too, who, how little we can, are not ignorant; let us contend strongly, Brethren; nor do I know indeed, whether even by this reason we shall be able sufficiently to decline the judgments of God. Many other things similar to these when he had said, he prayed: & the Brethren betook themselves to their cells.

[9] By the bad example of the monk of Monchosis Meanwhile with the number of Monks growing beyond measure, through fields & forests for the cause of seeking food, for so great a multitude of men, they began to be dispersed: & the more other cares were multiplied, the more negligence began to creep into the individual monasteries. A certain Father therefore of the Monchosense monastery, by name Apollonius, contrary to what the rule passed in common suffered, began to procure necessaries for his monastery by himself abundantly. For which cause having been admonished & rebuked much by Abbot Orsisius, with sick mind he received what was being said, induced into that counsel by the adversary, that he should withdraw his monastery from the community; & he persuaded several chief ones there to approve this. By whose example truly pernicious, from other monasteries too not few fell into the same fault, when they saw Apollonius without shame resisting the Abbot: for he was saying, Because by the reason of living in common we differ in nothing from the Brethren. And since by Abbot Orsisius he by no means allowed himself to be persuaded, even more the whirlwind of temptation prevailed. Seeing therefore Orsisius in what straits the matter was constituted (for much time had flowed away, seeing the disturbances increase, from when he had been compelled to bear those molestations) although he had not unwillingly determined to sustain them even unto death; yet looking around whom especially he might add to himself as companion in governing, into a solitary place for a while he hid himself: & there indulging continuous sighs, as he himself afterwards related to us, broke forth into these voices to God; This, Lord, Abbot Petronius thy servant dying commended to me, that I should try to lead very many Brethren to the ascetic institute of life & salvation. But quite few, who lend ears to our words, it is given to find: for each one goes after the desires of his heart, if you except those, who with wholly sincere faith serve thee, & who with Pachomius as guide & master strenuously exercised themselves in ascetic life, & if any others have thy fear. But to me it happens most molestous, when I see the universal community thrown into such turbulences, not indeed by my fault or carelessness, since to no one, as thou thyself best knowest, have I ever given any handle for disturbance; nor canst thou, Lord, be ignorant of this, among complaining prayers, Nay neither does this monastery alone throw solicitude upon me, but also for the cause of others I am in straits, lest perhaps having received this occasion, from that conjunction & charity of minds, which from the beginning was among themselves, they recede. Now therefore, Lord, I can no longer sustain alone: indicate to me therefore some man ready in mind & robust, & I will name him to them, lest I be held guilty of souls, which perhaps are to perish.

[10] Therefore on that same night a dream was offered to him

& he seemed to himself to see twin beds, of which one indeed precious, he asks another to be substituted to himself; but worn with age; the other not unequal in price to the prior, but far firmer & more solid. Then he heard it commanded to himself thus: This firmer bed continually shouldst thou occupy. Then reflecting with himself he understood, that grabatum was of Theodore, who with Abbot Pachomius once seemed to be as one soul: & with morning arisen, as if relieved from tribulation, especially because he greatly loved Theodore, whom endowed with altogether eminent humility, & most strong for sustaining the murmurings of men he was not unaware; with the Hegumens of all monasteries ordered to assemble in one, with Theodore not summoned, he addresses with this oration: That it is not unknown to you I know, how much in these last days there have been disturbances among us. & with Theodore shown in a vision I sustained for a while, induced only by the hope, that all that storm would gradually vanish: but on the contrary, as yourselves can see, it has happened, & the evil has grown to immensity. And so I have need to confess, that I alone am by no means equal to such cares & solicitudes. Wherefore so I have persuaded myself, that no one of you will wish to compel me to a further excuse of so great a burden. But since it is most certain to me, that quite little can be done by me in this business, nor is there any reason why either by God or by the elders of the Fathers I should fear to be reproved, he declares a Vicar. to whom certainly my insufficiency is abundantly evident; so I determine, that Theodore is the one who is altogether sufficient for this office, whom we have already for a long time revered no otherwise than as our Father. With these said, on the following night he withdrew into the monastery of Chenoboscii, & remained in it. The Brethren furthermore all, with great joy hearing this, received Theodore as their Father. But he denied that he would stand by their will, until he had conferred about the whole matter with Abbot Orsisius, passing meanwhile three days without all food & drink.

[11] After he then was summoned & present, again with the Brethren assembled in one for his cause, This one with the office received, Abbot Orsisius said to him: We have constituted thee: Our Father has long since destined thee for this office, when, having seized thy beard, three times he said: Remember, Theodore, do not leave my bones in that place where they have been buried. Which heard, Abbot Theodore, had nothing further to oppose. And so Orsisius delivered him to the Brethren, & himself again departed into Chenoboscia; but Theodore was ordained. As for the rest Abbot Theodore over that affliction, which once his spirit had suffered, eminently consoled Orsisius, & also began somewhat to insist that into the monastery Pabau he should not be loath to return, about to visit the Brethren as before: for he was living in Monchosis. Therefore having led Orsisius persuaded there ran before, & ordered the Hebdomadarius with a signal given to convoke the Brethren, & thus received him. But he, as he then was, made a Catechesis in the midst of them (for the hour for holding it was for him) & Abbot Theodore stood listening, skillfully relieves him. as if his Vicar. But after these things, on account of their mutual charity toward one another, Orsisius did not wish to be removed from him: but they were both as one man. But all the Brethren admired their vivifying goodness, who had been divinely taught to be thus united. Second furthermore after Orsisius was Theodore, & he was asking him about individual things.

[12] Again therefore Orsisius went off to visit the monasteries: but Theodore, through the care which he had, by no means was idle. But now the crown, due to holy labors, with the Lord preparing, the year was passing, as we shall demonstrate elsewhere, CCCLXVIII; & the Brethren gathered for celebrating Easter II April, with the festivity performed Theodore had dismissed, when he met his last day, on the XXVII of the same month; with such a sense of Orsisius continually present, & instantly entreating for his longer life, as is to read in the Acts num. 94. With the exequies performed however, With Theodore dead again the whole burden Orsisius sustains, Abbot Orsisius again obtained his pristine place & order among the Brethren, & to their right government strove with all his strength: for he was a man of the highest probity, & burning with great desire for the salvation of the Brethren. For God supplied strength & strength to the man, abundantly granting to him understanding of the holy Scriptures. Wherefore for no small space of time he presided with the highest power in peace over the Brethren.

[13] If Orsisius was coeval with Theodore (for he ought not to be conceived much greater by birth, who after him, until about the year 380; dying in the LXV year of his age, still ruled the Brethren for some years) he could have come even to the year CCCLXXX & beyond; & he would have begun to preside about the fiftieth year of his age, & would have transcended the eightieth of life when he died. Yet not until the last spirit did he cease to labor for the utility of the Brethren, what perhaps he could less by words on account of old age, doing by writings. For Gennadius of Marseilles, in the book on Ecclesiastical Writers ch. 9; Orsiesis, he says, a Monk, Colleague of Pachomius & Theodore, a man in the holy Scriptures perfectly instructed, composed a book, seasoned with divine salt, & constructed with the instruments of all monastic discipline; & to speak simply, almost the whole old & new Testament, by compendious dissertations, only according to the necessity of Monks, is found in it expounded: which in place of a testament, & for the instruction of the Brethren writes a most useful treatise, near the day of his death, he offered to the Brethren. I doubted indeed in the preliminary Commentary num. 18, whether the Doctrine & treatise of our Father Orsiesius, such as first in the Bibliotheca Patrum, then together with others gathered by S. Benedict Abbot of Aniane into the Codex of Rules, was being held edited by Luke Holstenius, is the very book praised by Gennadius: for the reason that the perpetual exposition of the old & new Testament, which in it Gennadius seemed to me to praise, did not appear sufficiently clearly there. But when I reflect my mind to the words,

only according to the necessity of Monks; praised by S. Benedict of Aniane the Abbot. & I see the treatise almost wholly composed from passages of either sacred Page; I cease to doubt, & to require by my wishes that, which I think we now have, namely the Treatise, most useful to Monks & to the zealous of ascetic matters; so that with merit the aforesaid S. Benedict, in the concord of Rules, often praises that Doctrine of Orsisius.