Pachomius

ON SS. PACHOMIUS, HILARION, MAMAS AND PATRICIUS

AMONG THE GREEKS.

Pachomius, among the Greeks (S.)

Hilarion, among the Greeks (S.)

Mamas, among the Greeks (S.)

Patricius, among the Greeks (S.)

D. P.

The double Greek MSS. of Turin of the Duke of Savoy and the other Milanese of the Ambrosian library, on this VI of May suggest the memory of our holy Fathers Pachomius, Hilarion and Mamas. But the Dijon Menaea of Pierre-François Chiflet refer them thus: Saints Mamas, Pachomius and Hilarion rested in peace: and these verses are added:

Ἱλαρίωνι καὶ Παχομίῳ Μάμας Συνεκεδεδήμην τὴν καλὴν ἐκδημίαν.

With Hilarion and Pachomius Mamas Migrated by the beautiful migration.

And soon after is joined S. Patricius, with nothing added, whom nevertheless we join to others, with this premised admonition. Mamas we knew hitherto only as a Martyr: but now we have another, who rested in peace, and we suspect that he was a monk, equally as the companions joined to him, and from the Lives of the Fathers or some part of them now lost once received; just as under that phrase many, whom we now know from the same Lives, we judge to have been inscribed in the Synaxaria. Of the great Pachomius, Abbot in Egypt, we shall commemorate on day XIV of May, when also he is praised in the Menology of Emperor Basil, but by other Greeks on the following day: But the memory of S. Hilarion the Wonderworker was illustrated by us on March XXVIII, although by the printed Menaea and Synaxarium of Clermont it is referred to day IV of May. But we hardly dare to suspect them to be those who are noted here with S. Mamas, unless perhaps some common translation fell to them, which made them be commemorated together among the sacred matters on this day: but while no indication of this is brought forward, we prefer to opine them inhabitants of one monastery or laura, and buried in the same place.