Acepsimas

ON ST. ACEPSIMAS, HERMIT IN SYRIA,

FOURTH CENTURY.

Acepsimas, hermit in Syria. (S.)

G. V. H.

Among the blooming flowers of Jesus Christ, innumerable as the terrestrial paradise of the Church, namely the sacred solitude of the desert, has brought them forth, The writer of the Life of St. Acepsimas is Theodoret, most worthy of credit. there stood out like a lily of the valleys a man above all human praise, the most holy Acepsimas, whose venerable Acts we undertake to treat with great love. The history of the outstanding man we owe to that great light of the Church, Theodoret, bishop of Cyrrhus in Syria. We enjoy good fortune indeed, God so disposing it, that in narrating deeds which seem to surpass the powers of all human nature we have as guarantor that man whose endowments of mind were such as to win for one narrating such things the highest authority. For Theodoret had, with an outstanding knowledge of the sacred Scriptures, such great learning in sacred matters and intimate knowledge of all theology, that he deservedly occupies an outstanding place among the greatest men of the Church. Moreover the prayers of the most holy monk Macedonius, living near Antioch, had obtained for a sterile parent a son Theodoret, a promise having first been exacted that the son whom she should receive from God she would likewise consecrate to God for perpetual service. The vow being made, the woman afterwards conceived; and when, a disease falling on her, she was brought to the extreme danger of miscarriage, she sent for St. Macedonius, that she might be freed from so great a danger by the prayers of the holy man. He, warned by God the preceding night, had learned both of the disease and of the cure of the disease. So he came leaning on a staff; and entering the house and giving the salutation of peace as he was wont: Be of good heart, he said, and do not fear. For he who gave the gift will not take it away, unless you violate the pact you entered. For you promised that you would give back what shall be given you and consecrate it to divine service. — So, said the mother, do I both wish and desire to bear. For I would hold a miscarriage preferable to an alien upbringing of my son. — Drink then, said the divine man, this water, and you will feel the divine help. She drank as he had ordered, and the danger of miscarriage went away. So Theodoret out of gratitude in the Life of St. Macedonius, from whom as a boy he had often heard the same, with admonitions to render to God what his parents had vowed. A boy of good disposition and aspiring to the heavenly life, in the first flower of youth he bade farewell to the world, which he should rather be said to have not known than to have left. Brought up, then, in a monastery and living with monks of outstanding holiness, he could not be ignorant of the most eminent lights of the desert, who had lived either in his boyhood or a little before in the neighbouring deserts. Afterwards, raised to the episcopal throne of Cyrrhus and going about his diocese with tireless labour, he must have been instructed above all others about the prodigious holiness of those men who had filled the Cyrrhestic region with the odour of their outstanding virtue and the report of their miracles. Of whose number was St. Marcian, who was treated on the preceding day; of the same number St. Acepsimas, of whom we now begin to treat, resting on the authority of Theodoret himself.

[2] He flourished At what time Acepsimas lived we learn from the Ecclesiastical History of Theodoret. St. Acepsimas in the fourth century. For he narrates thus [Book IV, chapter 25, otherwise 26 (Patrologia Graeca, volume LXXXII, column 1190).] of the same time in which St. Marcian lived in the desert of Chalcis, and other saints in other deserts: In the Cyrrhestic (desert) the most praiseworthy Acepsimas, enclosed in a little cell, had spent sixty continuous years, neither seen by anyone nor speaking to anyone. In the fourth century, then, Acepsimas flourished, since Theodoret affirms that he lived in the time of Marcian. And Marcian lived through almost the whole of the fourth century, as we have demonstrated in the Commentary preliminary to his Acts. But in what year St. Acepsimas was born or in what year he died we can no longer know for certain. For Theodoret says nothing else in the Ecclesiastical History. In the Religious History Patrologia Graeca, volume LXXXII, column 1411., chapter XIV, having named several saints in passing, coming to St. Maisymas: I, he says, shall betake myself to the meadows of Cyrrhus, and shall set forth as best I can the beauty of the few fragrant and shapely flowers in them. There was before our age a certain Maisymas… And having finished his Life: In the same time, he says, beginning chapter XV, there was Acepsimas… He says, then, that Acepsimas lived before the age of himself, Theodoret. He defined with accurate number only the years spent in the desert, namely a time of sixty years. So it comes about that we cannot arrange an accurate chronology. What the later Greeks write in the Menaia, that Acepsimas was renowned in the time of Theodosius the Great, is true, but it does not help us at all for computing the number of years.

[3] [Whose fatherland and family we do not know, but we have learned of his illustrious holiness,] Of the family and fatherland of St. Acepsimas nothing is said in express words. I would believe that he came from Cyrrhus or the Cyrrhestic region; but I cannot demonstrate it by certain argument. Whether he was born of illustrious or of humble family, history has likewise passed over in silence. That he was very celebrated for holiness Theodoret declares in explicit words, saying that the fame of Acepsimas was widely spread through the East. And how greatly he was esteemed by the dwellers near the desert, and how great a fame of holiness he enjoyed, appeared above all when all wished to seize the body of the holy man after his death and to carry it to their own village. And this would have been done, had not the holy man forestalled this desire of his venerators, having bound a certain man by the faith of an oath to bury his body in the same place where he had lived. From this most prudent counsel of the most humble man Theodoret displays his outstanding praise. So far, he says, was simplicity a care to the citizens of heaven even after death; who neither in life ever bore high spirits, nor when dead sought after glory from men, but had transferred their whole love to the bridegroom, after the manner of chaste women, who desire to be both loved and praised by their husbands alone, and spurn the praises of others. For that reason the bridegroom rendered them illustrious and celebrated even against their will, and added the glory of men to the heap. This love of simplicity, a sign of the deepest humility, has brought it about that we know very few things from the life of St. Acepsimas. But the things we know are most excellent.

[4] above all his marvellous love of solitude. He was led by so great a love of solitude that for sixty years he spoke with no human being; and he was seen by no one before the last fifty days of his life. The opening of the little cell through which food was brought in, not pierced straight but carried obliquely around, kept those approaching from all sight of the man. And so greatly did that huge love of solitude please God that he punished by a miracle, with a great penalty, a man with indiscreet eyes, which ceased only when pardon had been sought from the holy man. If ever he set foot out of the little cell, he went through the darkness of the dead of night, namely to draw a little water from a spring. This nocturnal going out became known by an outstanding miracle, as can be read below in Theodoret. Besides solitude and extreme frugality of food the most holy man subdued his body by a monstrous weight of iron loaded with which he went about; under which weight he was forced to go bent towards the earth. And these are the things we find committed to writing in Theodoret about the outstanding conversation of St. Acepsimas. Those who wrote afterwards of St. Acepsimas bring forward a narrative drawn from the same source; for which reason we ought not to adduce their authority for confirming the truth of the matter.

[5] He is ordained presbyter by the simple imposition of the bishop's hand. In the life of this most holy hermit a fact occurred which, as it is common to many holy monks, yet from the singular circumstances of the matter seems to deserve to be recorded here in a special way. The bishops of the Churches which had monks illustrious for outstanding holiness in their territory were often zealous to make those humble men more honourable before all by conferring on them the order of the presbyterate. The offered honour most refused so constantly that they could scarcely be ordained unless force was used. But our Acepsimas received the order of the presbyterate with much simplicity. For God had revealed to him the approaching day of his dissolution, and for that reason through the last fifty days Acepsimas afforded free access to himself to all. At once all hastened there; among whom the bishop of the church. Of what church, Theodoret has passed over in silence: because, as I am of the opinion, it is clear that the Cyrrhestic region belongs to the bishop of Cyrrhus; and when he says pontiff of the Church, I think he understands the Church of Cyrrhus. The bishop, then, urged the holy man to receive the priesthood; and he, since the fewness of the days yet to be spent in earthly life made him secure, offered himself ready to the pontiff to be ordained. And thus as he was, as Theodoret narrates, with no one leading him, he (Acepsimas) with bent knees awaited grace, while he (the bishop), imposing his hand, served the Spirit. You see, studious reader, the order of the presbyterate, without previous ordinations and by the sole imposition of the hand, conferred by a bishop, received by a most holy man. That fact, narrated by so great an author as Theodoret, will not be useless to theologians in treating the sacrament of Order. For here there is not only no porrection of instruments, but not even a moving up to the altar. Whence it is clear that at that time through the churches of the East the truth was veiled by no shadow of doubt, that the sacrament of Order is administered by the imposition of the hand alone.

[6] He is little venerated by the Latins, The cult of St. Acepsimas took its beginning immediately from his blessed death, as is manifestly clear from the zeal of the peoples to seize the sacred body of the man for the protection of their village. That the name of Acepsimas was brought into the public tablets of the Churches through that region, though I in no way doubt it, yet I would not dare to affirm without any document. In the ancient martyrologies of the Latins the name of our St. Acepsimas does not occur. Nor did it come into the Roman Martyrology; for what reason I cannot divine. Ferrari brought St. Acepsimas into the General Catalogue of Saints who are not in the Roman martyrology in these words: On the third of the Nones of November among the Greeks, St. Acepsimas the recluse. He seems to have taken him from the Menology of Sirleto at the same day, where one reads thus from the Menaion: The feast of St. Acepsimas, who under Theodosius the Great enclosed himself in a cell, in which he spent sixty years, seeing and addressing no one; but, devoting himself to himself and to God, he felt all refreshment. And having worked many miracles he rested in peace. Nicephorus Callistus had written similar things [Ecclesiastical History, book XI, chapter 41 (Migne, Patrologia Graeca, volume CXLVI, column 717).]: In the (solitude) of the Cyrrhestians Acepsimas, celebrated in the mouth of all; who, enclosed in a very tiny hut, spent a time of sixty years in holiness, not coming into conversation with anyone. In the Universal Martyrology of Castellano mention is made of the same St. Acepsimas.

[7] but more by the Greeks. Whom the Greeks have venerated for many centuries past, as is clear from the menaia. In the menaion, that is, of the month of November, on the third day Acepsimas is treated:

Τήξας ἑαυτὸν ἐγκρατείᾳ καὶ πόνοις, Ἀκεψιμᾶς μετῆλθεν ἔνθα μὴ πόνοι.

Consuming himself with abstinence and labours,

Acepsimas has passed over to where there are no labours.

There is added a rather long narrative of the deeds of the holy man, which we shall give for reading presently from the Menaion of Bartholomew of Koutloumousi and from a Milan codex of the twelfth century, which can be compared with each other.

LIFE OF ST. ACEPSIMAS

or chapter XV of the Religious History of Theodoret (Migne, Patrologia Graeca, volume LXXXIII, column 1413 ff.) The Migne version of Gentian Hervet is retained.

Acepsimas, hermit in Syria. (S.)

FROM THEODORET.

The solitary life of St. Acepsimas, approved by God with miracles; his priesthood and his flight from honourable burial.

Ἀκεψιμᾶς κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν γέγονε χρόνον, οὗ κλέος εὐρὺ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν Ἕω. Οὗτος ἐν οἰκίσκῳ καθείρξας ἑαυτὸν, ἑξήκοντα διετέλεσεν ἔτη, μήτε ὁρώμενος, μήτε φθεγγόμενος· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἑαυτὸν νεύων καὶ τὸν Θεὸν φανταζόμενος, πᾶσαν ἐκεῖθεν ψυχαγωγίαν ἐδέχετο, κατὰ τὴν προφητείαν τὴν λέγουσαν · Κατατρύφησον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ δῴη σοι τὰ αἰτήματα τῆς καρδίας σου. Διά τινος δὲ βραχέος ὀρύγματος τὴν χεῖρα προτείνων, τὴν κομιζομένην τροφὴν εἰσεδέχετο. Τὸ δὲ ὄρυγμα οὐ διαπρεπὲς ἦν κατευθὺ διωρυγμένον, ἵνα μὴ πρόκειται τοῖς ὁρᾶν βουλομένοις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγκάρσιον ἦν ἑλικωειδῶς κατεσκευασμένον. Τροφὴ δὲ αὐτῷ ἐκομίζετο φακὸς διάβροχος ὕδατι· ἅπαξ δὲ τῆς ἑβδομάδος νύκτωρ ἐξιὼν, τὸ ἀρκοῦν ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς πελαζούσης ἀνιμᾶτο πηγῆς. Καί ποτέ τις πόρρωθεν προβατεὺς θρέμματα νέμων, σκότους ὄντος, κινούμενον θεασάμενος καὶ λύκον ὑποτοπάσας, συγκεκυφὼς γὰρ ἐβάδιζε σιδήρῳ πολλῷ βαρυνόμενος, τὴν σφενδόνην ὡς λίθον ἀκοντίσων ἐκίνησεν. Τῆς δὲ χειρὸς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀκινήτου μενούσης, καὶ ἀφιέναι τὸν λίθον οὐ δυναμένης ἕως ἐκεῖνος ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀρυσάμενος ἐπανῆκεν, αἴσθησιν τῆς ἀγνοίας ἐδέξατο. καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἕω καταλαμβάνει τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς φροντιστήριον, καὶ διηγεῖται τὸ γεγονὸς καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτεῖ, καὶ λαμβάνει τῆς πλημμελείας τὴν ἄφεσιν, οὐ φωνὴς φθεγξαμένης ἀκούσας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν τῆς χειρὸς κινημάτων καταμαθὼν τὴν εὐμένειαν.

[2] Ἄλλος δέ τις, κακοήθει πολυπραγμοσύνῃ χρησάμενος καὶ γνῶναι ποθήσας τί δρῶν ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον διετέλει, εἰς τὴν παρὰ τῷ θριγκίῳ πεφυτευμένην πλάτανον ἀναβῆναι τετόλμηκεν· ἀλλὰ παραυτίκα τῆς τόλμης ἐδρέψατο τοὺς καρπούς. Τὸ γὰρ ἥμισυ τοῦ σώματος ἀπ᾽ ἄκρας κορυφῆς μέχρι τῶν ποδῶν λυμανθεὶς, ἱκέτης ἐγένετο, τῆς ἁμαρτάδος κατηγορῶν. Ὁ δὲ τῇ τομῇ τῆς πλατάνου τὴν ὑγείαν ἔσεσθαι προεμήνυσεν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ καὶ ἕτερος τὰ ἴσα δράσας ὑπομείνῃ τὰ ἴσα, τμηθῆναι παραυτίκα τὸ δένδρον ἐκέλευσεν. Εἵπετο δὲ τῇ τομῇ καὶ τῆς τιμωρίας ἡ λύσις. Τοσαύτῃ μὲν οὖν οὗτος ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐχρήσατο τῇ καρτερίᾳ, τοσαύτην δὲ παρὰ τοῦ ἀγωνοθέτου τὴν χάριν ἐδέξατο.

[3] Ἡνίκα δὲ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν ἐστέλλετο, προεσήμανεν ὡς μετὰ πεντήκοντα ἡμέρας δέξεται τοῦ βίον τὸ τέλος· ὑπεδέξατο δὲ ἅπαντας τοὺς ἰδεῖν θελήσαντας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀφίκετο πρόεδρος, ἤπειγεν αὐτὸν ὑποδέξασθαι τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τὴν ζεύγλην· Οἶδα, λέγων, ὦ Πάτερ, καὶ τῆς σῆς φιλοσοφίας τὸ ὕψος καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς πενίας τὴν ὑπερβολήν. Ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης τὴν οἰκονομίαν πεπιστευμένος, ταύτῃ τὰς χειροτονίας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐκείνῃ προβάλλομαι. Δέξαι τοίνυν, ἔφη, τῆς ἱερωσύνης τὸ δῶρον, τῆς μὲν ἐμῆς δεξιᾶς ὑπουργούσης, τῆς δὲ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος τοῦτο χάριτος χορηγούσης. Πρὸς ταῦτα φάναι λέγεται · Ὅτι μετ᾽ ὀλίγας ἐντεῦθεν ἐκδημήσω ἡμέρας, ἥκιστα περὶ τούτων ζυγομαχήσω. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἔμελλον ἐπὶ πλεῖστον βιώσεσθαι, πάμπαν ἔφυγον τὸ βαρὺ τοῦτο καὶ φοβερὸν τῆς ἰερωσύνης φορτίον, τῆς παρακαταθήκης ὀρρωδῶν τὰς εὐθύνας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ἀπελεύσομαι, καταλιπὼν τὰ τῇδε, εὐπειθῶς τὸ κελευόμενον δέξομαι. Αὐτίκα τοίνυν, οὐδενὸς ἄγοντος, ὁ μὲν τὰ γόνατα κάμπτων τὴν χάριν ἀνέμενεν, ὁ δὲ τὴν χεῖρα ἐπιτιθεὶς ὑπούργει τῷ Πνεύματι. Τῇ δὲ ἱερωσύνῃ ὀλίγας ἐπιβιώσας ἡμέρας, βίου βίον ἠλλάξατο, καὶ τὸν ἀγήρω καὶ ἄλυπον ἀντὶ τοῦ πολυφρόντιδος ἔλαβεν.

[4] Ἁρπάζειν δὲ πάντων βουληθέντων τὸ σῶμα καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἑκάστῳ κώμην ἀποκομίζειν προαιρουμένων, μηνύσας τις τοῦ ἁγίου τοὺς ὅρκους, τὴν ἔριν διέλυσεν. Ὁρκῶσαι γὰρ αὐτὸν ἔφησεν ἔν ἐκείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ παραδοῦναι τοῦτο ταφῇ. Οὕτω καὶ τῆς μετὰ θάνατον εὐτελείας ἐπεμελοῦντο τῶν οὐρανῶν οἱ πολῖται· καὶ οὔτε παριόντες μέγα φρονεῖν ἠνέσχοντο πώποτε, καὶ τελευτήσαντες τὸ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἐπεσπάσαντο γέρας· ἀλλὰ τὸ φίλτρον ἅπαν εἰς τὸν νυμφίον μετέθεσαν, κατὰ τὰς σωφρονούσας γυναῖκας, αἱ παρὰ μόνων τῶν ὁμοζύγων καὶ φιλεῖσθαι καὶ ἐπαινεῖσθαι σπουδάζουσι, τῆς παρ᾽ ἄλλων εὐφημίας καταφρονοῦσαι. Τούτου χάριν αὐτοὺς ὁ νυμφίος καὶ μὴ βουλομένους ἀοιδίμους ἀπέφηνε, καὶ τῆς παρ᾽ ἀνθρώποις εὐκλείας ἐκ περιουσίας μετέδωκεν. Ὅταν γάρ τις τὰ θεῖα μετιὼν αἰτῇ τὰ οὐράνια, προστίθησι μετ᾽ ἐκείνων καὶ ἕτερα πάμπολλα, πολλαπλασίας τὰς αἰτήσεις δωρούμενος. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ νομοθετῶν ἔλεγεν· “Αἰτεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν·” καὶ πάλιν· “Ὁ καταλιμπάνων πατέρα καὶ μητέρα καὶ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ γυναῖκα καὶ τέκνα ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου μου, καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ ἑκατονταπλασίονα λήψεται καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσει.” Ταῦτα εἴρηκεν, καὶ πεποίηκεν. Ἡμᾶς δὲ εἴη καὶ λόγῳ παιδευομένους καὶ ταῖς τούτων προσευχαῖς ἐπερειδομένους, κατὰ σκοπὸν διῶξαι ἐπὶ τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.

St. Acepsimas lived sixty years in solitude. In the same time there was Acepsimas, whose fame was spread widely through the East. Having enclosed himself in a little dwelling, he spent sixty years, neither seen by anyone nor addressing anyone; but looking into himself and contemplating God, he took from there all consolation, according to the prophetic word: “Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the petitions of your heart.” And stretching out his hand through a narrow opening, he received the food brought. Further, the opening was not pierced straight, that those wishing to look in might not be able to, but carried obliquely around. And the food brought him was lentils moistened with water; and going out once a week by night, he drew as much water as was enough from a neighbouring spring. And so a certain shepherd pasturing sheep, when he had once beheld him from afar moving through the darkness and conjectured that it was a wolf, because he went bent, loaded with a great weight of iron, was swinging his sling to cast. But when his hand remained motionless for a long time, and he could not let the stone fly until that divine man, having drawn the water, had returned, he recognized his error. And at earliest morning, having set out to the gymnasium of virtue, he narrated what had happened, and having asked pardon he obtained remission, hearing no voice of one speaking, but understanding his benevolence from the motions of his hand.

[2] Whose love of solitude God approves by a miracle. Another man, led by a curiosity of perverse character, longing to know what he was doing all the time, dared to climb a plane tree adjoining the wall; but he soon carried off the fruit of his audacity. For, wasted in half of his body, he came as a suppliant and confessed his offence. And he foretold that he would recover health when the plane tree had been cut down. For that no one, for like daring, should be punished with equal penalty, he ordered the tree to be cut down at once; and the cutting of the tree was followed by the relaxing of the punishment. Such, then, was the endurance of this saint, and so great the grace he obtained from the president of the games.

[3] In the second month before his death he is made a priest. And when he was girding himself for his departure from this life, he indicated that he would die after fifty days, and gave to all who wished the opportunity of seeing him. And when the pontiff of the church also had come, he urged him to take on the yoke of the presbyter: I know, he said, O Father, both the sublimity of your philosophy and the greatness of my poverty. Yet in discharging the office of the pontificate, it is by this office, not by that poverty, that I carry out ordinations. Therefore receive, he said, the gift of the priesthood, my right hand ministering but the grace of the Holy Spirit bestowing it. To this he is said to have replied thus: Since in a few days from now I am about to depart from life, I shall by no means contend about these things. For indeed if I were to live longer, I should plainly flee the heavy and tremendous burden of the priesthood, shuddering at the account to be rendered of the deposit. But because I am shortly to depart, leaving all these things, I shall not unwillingly obey the commands. Soon therefore, with no one leading him, he with bent knees awaited grace, while the other, imposing his hand, served the Spirit. And surviving the priesthood by a few days, he exchanged life for life, and in place of a life subject to many cares obtained one free from old age and pain.

[4] The body of the deceased is buried near his cell. When all wished to seize the body and each was zealous to carry it to his own village, a certain man, revealing the oath of the saint, settled the dispute. For he said he had been bound by him with an oath to bury him in this place. So far was simplicity a care to the citizens of heaven even after death: who neither in life ever bore high spirits nor when dead sought after glory from men; but they transferred their whole love to the bridegroom, after the manner of chaste women, who desire to be both loved and praised by their husbands alone, and spurn the praises of others. For that reason the bridegroom rendered them illustrious and celebrated even against their will, and added the glory of men to the heap. For when someone pursuing divine things asks for heavenly ones, he adds together with them other things too, bestowing multiplied petitions. For this he said also when establishing the law: “Seek the kingdom of God and his justice, and all the rest will be added to you;” and again: “Whoever leaves father and mother, and brothers and wife and children, for my sake and my gospel, will receive a hundredfold in this age and in the age to come will possess eternal life.” These things he both said and did. May it fall to us, instructed both by word and deed, and supported by the prayers of these men, to aim straight at the mark, at the prize of the supernal calling in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be honour for ever. Amen.

FROM THE MENOLOGY OF THE GREEKS

ACCORDING TO THE MILAN CODEX D. 74 SUP. Compare Commentary, number 7..

FROM MANUSCRIPTS.

Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ ὁσίου Ἀκεψιμᾶ. Ἐν τοῖς χρόνοις τοῦ μεγάλου Θεοδοσίου ἦν τις Ἀκεψιμᾶς ὀνόματι, ἐνάρετος· ὅστις ἐν οἰκίσκῳ καθείρξας ἑαὺτον κατὰ τὰ μέρη τῆς Ἀνατολῆς, ἑξήκοντα διετέλεσεν ἔτη μήτε ὁρῶν μήτε ὁρώμενος. Διά τινος δὲ βραχείας ὀπῆς τὴν χεῖρα προτείνων, τὴν κομιζομένην τροφὴν εἰσεδέχετο. Τροφὴ δὲ αὐτῷ ἐκομίζετο φᾶκος διάβροχος ὕδατος. Ἅπαξ δὲ τῆς ἑβδομάδος ἐξιὼν νύκτωρ, τὸ ἀρκοῦν ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐγγιζούσης ἐλάμβανε πηγῆς. Καὶ ποτέ τις ποιμὴν πόρρωθων πρόβατα νέμων σκότους ὄντος κινούμενον θεασάμενος, καὶ

λύκον εῖναι νομίσας· συγκεκυφὼς γὰρ ἐβάδιζε, σιδήρῳ πολλῷ βαρυνόμενος· τῇ σφενδόνῃ λίθον ἀκοντίσων ἐκίνησε. Τῆς δὲ χειρὸς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀκινήτου μενούσης, καὶ ἀφιέναι τὸν λίθον οὐ δυναμένης ἕως ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀρυσάμενος ἐπανῆκεν, αἴσθησιν τῆς ἀγνοίας ὁ ποιμὴν ἐδέξατο, καὶ ἡμέρας γενομένης καταλαμβάνει τὸν οἰκίσκον καὶ διηγεῖται τὸ γεγονός· * καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτεῖ. Καὶ λαμβάνει τὴν ἄφεσιν, οὐ φωνῆς φθεγγομένης ἀκούσας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν τῆς χειρὸς κινημάτων καταμαθὼν εὐμένειαν. Ἕτερος δέ τις πειρᾶσαι θέλων αὐτὸν τί διαπράττοιτο παρ᾽ ὅλον βίον, ἀνῆλθεν εἰς πλάτανον, θεωρεῖν αὐτὸν βουλόμενος. Οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν τοὺς πονηρίας ἐδρέψατο καρπούς· τὸ γὰρ ἥμισυ τοῦ σώματος λυμανθεὶς ἱκέτης ἐλεεινὸς ἐγένετο. Ὁ δὲ ὅσιος προστάξας τὴν πλάτανον κοπῆναι, ἰάσατο αὐτόν. Πρὸ δὲ πεντήκοντα ἡμέρων ἐδήλωσε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κοίμησιν· καὶ ὑπεδέξατο καὶ ἐθεάσατο καὶ εὐλόγησε τοὺς προσελθόντας αὐτῷ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς ἐκκλησίας πρόεδρος ἀφίκετο καὶ κατηνάγκασεν αὐτὸν δέξασθαι τὴν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου χειροτονίαν, ἐπείσθη εἰπών· Εἰ μὲν ἔμελλον ἐπὶ πλεῖον βιώσεσθαι, οὐκ ἂν τὸ βαρὺ τοῦτο κατεδεξάμην φορτίον· ἐπεὶ δὲ μέλλω ταχέως τελευτᾶν, ὑπακούω. Καὶ θεὶς τὰ γόνατα, τὴν χάριν ἔλαβε, καὶ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον τέλει τοῦ βίου ἐχρήσατο, ταφεὶς δὲ ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ οἰκίσκῳ, καθὼς ὡρκώσε τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ.

THE SAME DAY, OF ST. ACEPSIMAS.

In the times of Theodosius the Great there was a certain man, Acepsimas by name, a man of outstanding virtue; who, enclosed in a little hut in the parts of the East, lived sixty years neither seeing anyone nor seen by anyone. Stretching out his hand through a certain narrow opening, he received the food brought. And the food brought to him was lentils moistened with water; and going out once a week by night, he took what was enough of water from a neighbouring spring. And on one occasion a certain shepherd pasturing sheep far off, seeing him moving through the darkness and thinking it was a wolf (for he went bent, loaded with much iron), was intending to cast a stone with a sling. But his hand remaining motionless for a very long time, and being unable to let the stone fly until the divine man had drawn the water and returned, the shepherd came to recognize his ignorance. And when it was day, he went to the little hut, narrated what had happened and asked pardon; and he received remission, hearing no sounding voice but learning his kindness through the motions of his hand. Another man, wishing to learn by experience what he was doing all his life, climbed a plane tree, wishing to observe him; but not long after he reaped the fruits of his wickedness. For stricken with a blow in half of his body, he became a pitiable suppliant. And the saint ordered the plane tree to be cut down, and healed him. And fifty days before, he made known his falling asleep, and received those who came to him, looked on them and blessed them. And when the prelate of the church had come, and had compelled him to receive the order of the presbyterate, he obeyed, saying: If I were to live longer, I should by no means take up that heavy burden; but because I am shortly to die, I obey. And with knees set down, he received the grace; and shortly after he reached the end of life, buried in the same place, as he had bound the bishop by oath.

* codex σφενδονι.

* codex ὡς.

* codex γεγονως.

FROM THE MENAION OF NOVEMBER [According to the edition of Bartholomew of Koutloumousi at the 3rd day of November.].

Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ, Μνήμη τοῦ ὁσίου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Ἀκεψιμᾶ. Οὗτος ἦν ἐπὶ Θεοδοσίου τοῦ Μεγάλου· ὃς ἐν οἰκίσκῳ καθείρξας ἑξήκοντα διετέλεσεν ἔτη, μήτε ὁρώμενος μήτε φθεγγόμενος· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἑαυτὸν νεύων καὶ τὸν Θεὸν φανταζόμενος, πᾶσαν ἐκεῖθεν ψυχαγωγίαν ἐδέχετο. Τὸ δὲ ὄρυγμα οὐ δι᾽ ὅλου ἦν κατ᾽ εὐθὺ κατωρυγμένον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγκάρσιον ἑλικωειδῶς κατεσκευασμένον. Τροφὴ δὲ αὐτῷ ἐκομίζετο φακὸς διάβροχος ὕδατι. Ἅπαξ δὲ τῆς ἑβδομάδος νύκτωρ ἐξιὼν, τὸ ἀρκοῦν ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς πελαζούσης ἀνιμᾶτο πηγῆς, παρὰ μηδενὸς βλεπόμενος. Καὶ πολλῶν θαυμάτων γενόμενος αὐτουργὸς καὶ τὴν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου ἀξίαν βίᾳ καταδεξάμενος, ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὸ πνεῦμα τῷ Θεῷ παρέθετο.

THE SAME DAY, THE MEMORY OF OUR HOLY FATHER ACEPSIMAS.

This man lived in the times of Theodosius the Great; who, enclosed in a little hut, lived sixty years, neither seen by anyone nor addressing anyone; but attending to himself and setting God before his eyes, he took from there all refreshment. And the opening (of the little hut) was not pierced straight through the whole, but made obliquely in a winding fashion. And the food brought to him was lentils moistened with water. And going out once a week by night he drew sufficient water from a neighbouring spring, seen by no one. And having worked many miracles and having been forced to receive the dignity of presbyter, he rendered up his spirit to God in peace.