ON SAINT ISIDORA,
AMONG THE GREEKS.
CommentaryIsidora among the Greeks (S.)
D. P.
[1] The ancient MS. Menaea of Dijon, which in the college of the Society of Jesus with Peter Francis Chifletius we found, gave us notice of this Saint Isidora, who ended her life in peace, and this distich is added.
Ἐκ γῆς ἀπέπτῃ πρὸς Μελισσῶνας πόλου Μέλισσα χρηστῶν πράξεων Ἰσιδώρα.
Leaving the earth she flew to the beehives of heaven, Isidora, like a bee of holier works.
[2] Is this one praised in the Lives of the Fathers? Our Raderus in part 1 of the Verdure of the Saints chapter 3, from the Lives of the Fathers, reciting the history of a certain Anonyma, foolish for God among the Tabennesiotes, whose eminent sanctity divinely revealed to him St. Pityrum showed to the Virgin Nuns, wont to hold her in contempt and to vex her; asserts that he found in a Greek MS. of the Augsburg library, that she was named Isidora. If formerly several copies had this, we shall probably conjecture that some collectors of the Menaea chose this day, on which she should be annually commemorated, since they knew not her proper Birthday. For by this reckoning very many of those, whose memory the Lives of the Fathers make, on account of the merit of eminent sanctity, found a place in the Menaea and Synaxaria, that they might at least be praised by one distich: although otherwise of the day, place, and manner of death nothing was certain. Raderus was followed by Lahierius, Nierembergius, Lancicius, Writers of our Society: than whom we would prefer to be able to produce other more ancient witnesses. But the history of that Anonyma relating Palladius, Bishop of Helenopolis, book 8 chapter 42, concludes it thus: But a few days after, when by all she was greatly honored and observed, the Blessed one not bearing the glory with which she was affected, secretly went out of the monastery: and whither she went, or what place she entered, or where she died, no one has known to this day.
[3] Moreover there is none who does not see, that the similitude of the bee flying up to the heavenly beehives, with the honey of good works collected, expressed in the preceding distich, agrees vehemently with this exit of that Saint. And so I shall not be loath, on the faith of Raderus, and of the MS. Codex which he himself cites, from an anonymous Greek, whom Pelagius Deacon of the Holy Roman Church made Latin, to insert in this place the same history more fully and from its origin described, who among the Tabennesiotes feigning herself foolish, which in booklet 18 n. 19 is such, among the Lives of the Fathers published and illustrated by Rosweide book 5. St. Basil the Bishop narrated, saying: There was in a certain Monastery of women a certain Virgin, who feigned herself to be foolish and to have a demon: who to such a degree was by all through error held such, that they did not even take food with her. For she had chosen such a life, that never departing from the kitchen, she there fulfilled the office of all the ministry: and was according to the proverb the sponge of the whole house, proving fulfilled by her deeds, that which we read written in the holy books: 1 Cor. 3: If any of you think himself to be wise in this world, let him become foolish that he may be wise.
[4] She therefore having her head wrapped in rags, so also in all things served: but the other Virgins shorn are covered with cowls. and living in great austerity and contempt of all, No one ever could see her of the four hundred Virgins eating: never in all her age did she sit at table: from none did she take even a little part of bread, but only wiping the crumbs of the very tables and washing the pots, content with these alone for nourishment she lived. To none did she ever do injury: none heard her murmur: to none did she ever speak either little or enough. And behold, when by all she was beaten, lived in the hatred of all, sustained the curses of all, to the holy Pyoterius, than St. Pyoterius, to be holier, whose name was this, a most approved man and always living in the deserts, an Angel of the Lord stood by on a certain day, sitting in the place Porphyrites, and addressed him in these words: Go to the Tabennesiote monastery of women, and one of them there thou shalt find having on her head a crown; know her to be better than thee: who while alone against the people fights days and nights, her heart never departed from God: but thou residing in one place, never going forth anywhere, through all cities in mind and thought dost wander.
[5] And straightway he came to the said monastery, and asked the Masters of the Brethren to introduce him to the dwelling of the women. Whom presently they, as a man the same professing it before all the Sisters, not only glorious in life, but also of more advanced age, with great confidence caused to be introduced. But having entered he desired to inspect all the Sisters: among whom her alone, on account of whom he had come, he did not see. But he said at last, Bring all to me, some one seems to me to be wanting. They say to him: We have one foolish one within in the kitchen: for so they call those who are vexed by a demon. But he: Exhibit her also to me, that I may see her. Which heard they began to call the above-mentioned. Who when she would not hear, perceiving (as I believe) something, or perhaps knowing this very thing by divine revelation, they say to her; St. Pyoterius desires to see thee: for he was a man of great fame and name.
[6] and being honored by the rest acknowledging their fault, And when she had been exhibited to him, and he had seen her forehead wrapped in a cloth, he cast himself at her feet saying, Bless me: which again at his feet then she too did and said, Do thou bless me, Lord. All the Sisters were astonished, saying together, Do not, Abba, sustain such an injury, for she is a fool whom thou seest. And the holy Pyoterius said to all of them: You are the fools, for this is both your and my Amma (for so they there call spiritual mothers) and I pray God that I may deserve to be found worthy of her on the day of judgment. Which heard all fell down together at her feet, each confessing to her her own various sins. For one washing the dirt of a dish said she had poured it over her: another related that she had often struck her with blows: another wept that she had filled her nostrils with mustard: the rest also reported that they had inflicted various injuries on her. For all which that Saint, prayers being poured forth to God, went out.
[7] she secretly withdrew herself. But after a few days, she not bearing so great a glory of herself, and not wishing to be heaped with so great honor of the Sisters, and believing herself burdened by the excuses of each, went out of that monastery secretly: and whither she went, into what place she sent herself, or by what end she failed, could come to the notice of none. Who yet doubts her end, although known to God alone, to have been most holy? But Tabenna is an island of the Nile at the extreme Thebaid, near Syene. But the place Porphyrites is said by Eusebius book 8 chapter 18 to be in the same Thebaid: and from Palladius chapter 77 it is understood to have been altogether uninhabitable, in which the Abbot Posidonius scarcely was wont to find wild herbs for food. But as regards the crown, which for an indication of the hidden Saint Pyoterius is said to have received, this Palladius calls διάδημα, Gentianus Hervetus renders a fillet, and well: for it seems not here to be understood some sign divinely shown to Pyoterius, invisible to the rest; but that very vile cloth, twisted around the head, by which she was sufficiently distinguished from the rest, by the use of the monastery wearing cowls.