ON ST. JONAH THE PRESBYTER AND MONK,
IN THE MONASTERY OF ST. SABAS IN PALESTINE.
Probably at the beginning of the IX century.
A COLLECTION.
On the Saint's cult and deeds.
Jonah, presbyter and monk, in the monastery of St. Sabas in Palestine (S.)
J. S.
Although Baronius is silent about St. Jonah the monk in the Roman Martyrology, and the other Latin martyrologists have generally passed him over — except Ferrari — yet there seems no reason at all to doubt of the lawful cult of Jonah the monk. Jonah the presbyter, recorded by the Greeks and Muscovites, For in nearly all the ritual books of the Greeks St. Jonah is celebrated, and the Muscovites in the figured Ephemerides which Papebroch gave before tom. 1 of May likewise announce St. Jonah the presbyter at the XXII of September in these words: Jonah the presbyter. Papebroch adds these annotations: He lived as a monk among the Sabaites, the father of SS. Theodore and Theophanes the confessors, who are venerated on the XXVII of December. But he is referred by the Menæa to the preceding day, and has no Life distinct from the Acts of his sons, which we have in Greek. Those Acts Combefis published in the Origines Constantinopolitanæ, pag. 191, but in them few things, and only some in general, are said about the parents of SS. Theodore and Theophanes, nor are their names indicated. Nevertheless we can readily believe that Jonah was the father of SS. Theodore and Theophanes, surnamed the Graptoi, since the compiler of the Basilian Menology attests it, who was not so far removed from the age of those Saints as to be unable to deserve credit in this matter — especially since the Menæa too agree with him, as also a manuscript Synaxary of nearly the same age, and the so-called Typicon of Sabas. And in the aforesaid Life of Theodore the Graptos, in Combefis, pag. 192, these things are said about his parents: Piety supplied distinction to the parents of this noble man: their riches and ample substance was that they had taken from Christ the name in the appellation of Christians. These words signify that they were pious and Christian; but the ample riches of Theodore's parents, which from this passage Baillet attributes to Theodore's parents, I can by no means find. Then Theodore and his brother Theophanes are said to have been sent by their parents to the monastery of St. Sabas, to be imbued with letters and piety. Nor does the Life of St. Theodore give more about his parents.
[2] In the Menology which was put together in the X century at the bidding of the emperor Basil, was a monk famous for virtues and miracles, at the XXII of September St. Jonah is announced in these words: The commemoration of St. Jonah, father of Theodore and Theophanes the confessors. This eulogy is added: This Jonah was a presbyter, notable for piety and learning, and father of Theodore the most blessed confessor and of Theophanes the writer of canons — of that Theodore, I say, whose face Leo the Horse-groom (rather Theophilus) the image-breaker branded with ink and wounded, because he had not been able to induce him to deny the worship and adoration of the holy images of Christ and of her who without seed bore him, the Mother of God, and of all his Saints. This St. Jonah therefore, having sent word of renunciation to the affairs of the world, betook himself to the laura of holy Sabas and became a monk; and he exercised himself with such zeal in fastings, prayers, perpetual tears and weeping that, when he had drawn all men into admiration of him, he inspired in many a desire of imitating his exact life endowed with every virtue. Wherefore he received the gift [] of cures, by which he profited those who came to him. And when he had lived in this manner and had appeared admirable to all, he passed to God.* Things consonant with these are read in the printed Menæa and in Sirmond's manuscript Synaxary, which agree by name about St. Jonah's sons SS. Theodore and Theophanes, as also about the gift of miracles. The Sirletian Menology, in which there are fewer things, is silent about them. But that St. Jonah led the monastic life in the monastery of St. Sabas in Palestine all the documents have. Of his presbyterate too all agree; and the Synaxary hints that he was ordained presbyter after he had begun to shine with virtues in the monastic life. This is probable enough, even though in other calendars he is from the beginning called a presbyter.
[3] and seems to have died at the beginning of the IX century. The age of St. Jonah becomes in some measure known from the contests of his sons for the sacred images with the emperors Leo the Armenian and Theophilus, the image-breakers, who reigned before the middle of the IX century. Leo Pagi places from the year 813 until 820; Theophilus from 829 until 842. The former, having had both scourged, drove them into exile; the latter afflicted the same still more grievously. And this is referred by Pagi to the year 835; nor did St. Theodore live many years thereafter, who is said in his Life to have died an old man. Therefore St. Jonah, Theodore's father, doubtless died not a few years before him, although he too is said to have died ἐν γήρᾳ καλῷ, in a good old age, both in the Synaxary and in the Menæa, so that he probably reached the IX century, and perhaps some years
lived in that century. Of St. Jonah's native place a conjecture can be made from the Life of his sons, who there answer the emperor that they were born in Moabitis, so that it is probable that St. Jonah dwelt there before his monastic life. But more about these matters can be investigated at the Life of SS. Theodore and Theophanes, to be given at the XXVII of December. As to the day on which he was venerated by the Greeks, some doubt may be had, since in the Basilian Menology and among the Muscovites he is placed at the XXII of September; but in the rest of the Greek calendars — namely in the Menæa, in the other Menology, in the Typicon, in the Synaxary — he is recorded at the XXI day of the same month, on which Ferrari too inserted him in his General Catalogue.
Annotationsin Greek, the gift also*