Elias

ON ST. ELIAS, SOLITARY NEAR ANTINOË IN THE THEBAID,

FOURTH CENTURY.

Elias, solitary. (S.)

BY G. V. H.

In the menaia of the Greeks at the 3rd day of November St. Elias is celebrated. There are several Eliases. Where one reads thus: Τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ὁ Ὅσιος Πατὴρ ἡμῶν Ἠλίας ἐν εἰρήνῃ τελειοῦται. Τῶν ἀρετῶν εἰς ἅρμα προβὰς Ἠλίας Πόλῳ προσῆλθεν, ὥσπερ ἄλλος Ἠλίας. On the same day our holy father Elias is consummated in peace. Going up into the chariot of the virtues, Elias came to Heaven, like another Elias. Several holy men distinguished by the name Elias are read in the Lives of the Fathers of Heribert Rosweyde. Of whom one lived near the Jordan in a cave, a most approved monk, renowned for the merit of hospitality [Lausiac History, book VIII, chapter 3 (Migne, Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIII, column 1194).]. Another, most celebrated for a miraculous gift of chastity, who, a native of the city of Arthribis or Athlebe, built a great monastery of virgins, over which he presided until his death Ibid., chapter 35 (Patrologia Latina, volume cited, columns 1135, 1136).. And a third Elias in the monastery of Sabas [On the Lives of the Fathers, book X (Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIV, column 145).].

[2] He treats here of the one who lived near Antinoë, of whom Palladius None of these seems to be venerated on this day in the menaia, but another Elias, illustrious for outstanding holiness, who lived in the solitude of Antinoë, which is the metropolis of the Thebaid on the bank of the river Nile. Of whom there treat Rufinus in the History of the Monks Chapter 12 (Patrologia Latina, volume XXI, column 432)., and Sozomen [Ecclesiastical History, book VI, chapter 28 (Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIII, columns 1154, 1155).] and Cassiodorus [Tripartite History, book VIII, chapter 1 (Patrologia Latina, volume LXIX, column 1107).] and Nicephorus Callistus [Ecclesiastical History, book XI, chapter 34 (Patrologia Graeca, volume CXLVI, column 694).]: who all seem to depend on the Lausiac History of Palladius (which, translated from the Greek by Gentian Hervet, Heribert Rosweyde inserted in the Lives of the Fathers), from whose chapter 51 we transcribe the deeds of St. Elias, together with the version of Rufinus; which we set on either side of the Greek text, that the studious reader may use this occasion to recognize the liberty of Rufinus, who changes not only the words but also the matter of the original copy.

TEXT OF PALLADIUS.

Ἴδομεν δὲ καὶ ἕτερον πρεσβύτερον τῆς Ἀντινόου μητροπόλεως τῆς Θηβαῒδος, ἑκατὸν δέκα ἐτῶν λοιπὸν ὄντα· ἐφ᾽ ὅν ἐλέγετο τοῦ προφήτου Ἠλίου πνεῦμα ἀναπεπαῦσθαι. Διαβόητος γὰρ ἦν οὗτος, ἐν τῇ φοβερᾷ ἐκείνῃ ἐρήμῳ ἑβδομήκοντα ἔτη ποιήσας. Ού δύναται δὲ λόγος ἐπάξιος τὴν τραχεῖαν ἐκείνην ἔρημον διηγήσασθαι τῆς ἐν τῷ ὄρει ἐν ᾧ ἐκεῖνος ἐκαθέζετο, μηδέποτε κατελθὼν εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην. Ἄτραπος δὲ στενή τις ἦν τῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπιόντων, ὡς μόλις ἐπιβαίνειν τοῖς ἴχνεσι τοὺς ἀφικνουμένους, ἔνθεν κἀκεῖθεν λίθων ἀγρίων παρακειμένων. Ἦν δὲ καθήμενος ὑπὸ πέτραν τινὰ εἰς σπήλαιον, ὥστε καὶ τὸ ἰδεῖν αὐτὸν λίαν ἦν φοβερόν. Ἐτρεμε δὲ λοιπὸν ὅλος, ὑπὸ τοῦ γήρως συνεχόμενος. Πολλὰ δὲ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν σημεῖα ἐπιτελῶν καὶ ἰώμενος τοὺς κάμνοντας οὐκ ἐπαύετο. Ἔγεγον δὲ περὶ αὐτοῦ οἱ πατέρες, ὅτι οὐδεὶς μέμνηται τὴν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ ὄρει γεγενημένην ἄνοδον. Ἤσθιεν δὲ ἐν τῷ γήρει τρεῖς οὐγγίας ἄρτου εἰς ἑσπέραν, καὶ τρεῖς ἐλαίας. Ἐν νεότητι δὲ ἀεὶ δι᾽ ἑβδομάδος ἐσθίων ἅπαξ διετέλει Patrologia Graeca, volume XXXIV, columns 1132, 1137..

INTERPRETATION OF RUFINUS.

We saw also another venerable old man, Elias by name, in the borders of the city of Antinoë, which is the metropolis of the Thebaid, already nearly a hundred and ten years old as was said; on whom they said that the spirit of Elias had truly rested. For many and magnificent things were reported of him. For they said that he had spent seventy years in the most vast solitude, the horror and terror of which desert no speech could worthily set forth. There then the old man sat, through all this age ignorant of the places of human habitation. And the path that led to him was narrow and rugged; such as could scarcely be found by those who came and went. And the place itself in which he sat was a certain terrible cave, striking very great horror into those who looked on it. And he himself with limbs now trembling was shaken by premature age. Yet he worked signs unceasingly every day, and all who came to him constrained by any affliction he released in every way. And all the fathers affirmed that no one at all remembered when he had withdrawn to the desert. His food was a tiny bit of bread and very few olives up to the last old age. For in his youth he was said to have frequently fasted for weeks Place cited..

INTERPRETATION OF GENTIAN HERVET.

And we saw also another old man in the solitude of Antinoë, which is the metropolis of the Thebaid, Elias by name, who was a hundred and ten years old. On him they said that the spirit of Elias the prophet had rested; for he was very celebrated, as one who had spent seventy years in that terrible solitude. No speech can narrate according to its dignity that rugged solitude which is on the mountain on which he sat, never coming down into the inhabited region. For there is a certain path of those who approach him of such a kind that those who approach can scarcely keep their footing, walled in on either side by rough stones. And he was sitting under a certain rock in a cave, so that even to see him was formidable. And he was now trembling all over, as one whom old age oppressed. And he worked many signs daily, and did not cease to heal the sick. And the Fathers who were with him said that no one remembered his ascent to the mountain. And in old age he ate three ounces of bread and three olives at evening. But in youth he always ate once a week.

[3] and others from Palladius. We have said that the other authors we have cited depend on Palladius. That this may be plain to the eyes, we here add those few words they have written of Elias. Sozomen: At the same time there lived Copres, Hellus and Elias… And Elias at that time was philosophizing not far from the city of Antinoë, about a hundred and ten years of age. But before

he said that he had remained solitary in desert places for seventy years. And although he was so advanced in age, he nonetheless persevered in fasts and a strict manner of living Place cited.. Cassiodorus almost translates Sozomen, in this way: At that season there were Copres and Hellin and also Helias … but Elias at that time was living not far from the city of Antinoë in the desert, passing about his hundred and tenth year of age. Before that, however, he lived alone in solitude for nearly seventy years, and by fasting and by living manfully he reached this age Place cited.. With which agree the words of Nicephorus Callistus: There were also seen at that time Copres, Helles and Elias… Helias further had near the city of Antinoë the workshop of his monastic philosophy; who passed his hundred and tenth year. And he said that for seventy years he had lived alone in lonely places before he came there. And though he was of that age, yet he persevered to the end in the contest begun, manfully fasting, just as if he had entered the course of the monastic life in that very year or two years before Place cited..

[4] The faith of Palladius All the credit of the deeds of Elias, then, rests with Palladius; and since his Christian faith has been suspect, Catholic faith was suspect, but not his historical credit. it is asked whether his historical credit is intact, and hence whether what he has narrated of St. Elias can be believed? Of Palladius's Christian faith Heribert Rosweyde treats, on the Lives of the Fathers, book eight, whose Preludes Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIII, column 1066 ff. to the Lausiac History of Palladius are to be read; and you will see that Palladius was corrupted by the errors of Origen. Of him St. Epiphanius writes to John, bishop of Jerusalem: Beware of Palladius the Galatian, who was once dear to us and now stands in need of God's mercy, because he preaches and teaches the heresy of Origen; lest perhaps he should lead some of the people entrusted to you to the perversity of his error Patrologia Graeca, volume XLIII, column 392.. This Palladius seems to have been that follower of Origen who undertook to tempt St. Paula, and whom St. Jerome met and reduced to silence. The story is narrated by Jerome himself in the epitaph of Paula: The necessity, he says, lay upon me “of resisting a most wicked viper and deadly beast.” Palladius seems also to have favoured Pelagius. This is gathered from Jerome's preface against Pelagius, where he has this: Palladius, of a slavish wickedness, tried to renew the same heresy and to construct against me a new calumny of the Hebrew translation. Do we now also envy his talent and nobility? Now also the mystery of iniquity is at work. Afterwards, however, he attached himself to St. John Chrysostom, and in the cause of that most holy man he did much. At that time, then, unless perhaps he pretended, he thought as a Catholic. But on these matters let Rosweyde and Baronius be read Ecclesiastical Annals, at the year 388, numbers 103–110.. I for my part think thus: that Palladius erred and was worthy of reproof; but that he was a heretic at heart is not established for me. Wherefore, as Rosweyde with much right notes, the Lausiac History is to be read with caution in the life of certain men who are undeservedly praised by Palladius; but I do not therefore judge Palladius to have been a liar, so that historical credit should also be refused to what he says he saw with his eyes and heard from suitable witnesses. And therefore what he himself testifies he saw and heard of St. Elias I should suppose can be believed by us with secure mind.

[5] Certain other things perhaps relating to this Elias. To our Elias too seem to belong the things narrated among the Sayings of the Elders, booklet II, n. 5 Lives of the Fathers, book VI (Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIII, column 1001).: The elders once said to Abba Elias in Egypt about Abba Agathon: that “he is a good brother.” And the old man said to them: “He is good according to his generation.” They said to him: “But according to the ancients, how?” And he answering said: “I have already told you that he is good according to his generation; but according to the ancients, I saw a man in Scetis who could make the sun stand in the sky, as Jesus son of Nave did.” And hearing this they were amazed and glorified God. Perhaps also the following: Two brothers came to Abba Elias, assailed by their thoughts: and the old man, seeing that they were corpulent, as if to his disciple, said smiling: “Truly, brother, I blush for you, that you have so fed up your body, when certainly you profess yourself a monk; for pallor and leanness with humility are the glory of a monk” Ibid., booklet III, Sayings of the Elders 64, column 771..

[6] Elias is treated in the Spiritual Meadow. But without doubt our Elias is that old man of whom in the Spiritual Meadow, chapter 44 Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIV, column 141.: A certain old man narrated to us when we had come to the Thebaid, that a certain old man was staying outside the city of Antinoë, a man of great virtue, who had spent seventy years in his cell. And he had ten disciples, of whom one was very negligent of himself. The old man therefore often reproved and exhorted him, saying: “Brother, take care for your soul; for you have to die, and unless you amend yourself, you will go to punishment.” But that brother was always disobedient to the old man, and did not accept the things said by him. And it happened after some time that he died. The elder was greatly saddened over him (for he knew that he had gone out of the world in great sloth and negligence), and began to pray and say: “Lord Jesus Christ, our truthful God, reveal to me how it is with the brother's soul.” And he looked, being rapt in ecstasy, and saw a river of fire, and a huge multitude in the fire itself, and in the midst that brother, sunk to the neck. Then the elder said to him: “Was it not because of this punishment that I begged you to take care of your soul, son?” The brother answered and said to the old man: “I give thanks to God, Father, that at least my head has rest, for by your prayers I stand above the head of a bishop”.

[7] At what time Elias lived. We must now see at what time St. Elias lived. Palladius came to Alexandria under the second consulship of Theodosius, in the year of Christ 388 Lausiac History, chapter 1 (Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIII, column 1091).. He spent three years in the monasteries around Alexandria Ibid., chapter 7.; he saw many old men contemporary with Anthony the Great; he then travelled through the desert and visited many holy men; at length on account of illness he came to Palestine, where he seems to have stayed until the year of Christ 392. He saw Elias, then, in the year 391. Elias was then passing his hundred and tenth year. And he did not survive long. Therefore the time of St. Elias's life ran from about the year 280 to the end of the fourth century. Elias, then, was contemporary with St. Anthony the Great. I suspect that some bond existed between Elias and Anthony. For mention is made of the congregation of Elias, from which one monk went to Anthony and was sent back by that saint to the place from which he had come. The matter is worthy of report; it is narrated among the Sayings of the Elders, booklet nine [On the Lives of the Fathers, book V (Patrologia Latina, volume LXXIII, column 909).]. A temptation once befell a brother in the congregation of Abba Elias, and being expelled from it he went to the mountain to Abba Anthony. And when he had stayed with him for some time, he sent him back to the congregation from which he had gone out. But they, seeing him, expelled him again; and he likewise went to Abba Anthony, saying: “They would not receive me, Father.” So the old man sent to them, saying: “A ship suffered shipwreck on the sea, and lost the cargo it carried, and with labour the empty ship was brought to land. Will you then sink on land the ship that has been saved?” And they, recognizing that Abba Anthony had sent him back, at once received him. I confess that I cannot demonstrate by unconquerable argument that this Elias of whose congregation there is treatment was our Elias; but since it is established that this Elias of ours was contemporary with Anthony and led the life of a monk at the same time, and that besides other Fathers attached themselves to the blessed man, whom one may reckon his disciples, and since no other Elias, father of a congregation at that time, has plainly been found by me, I am of the opinion that our Elias is treated. Other things about St. Elias I have not been able to find; so let this be the end.