SS. Pachomius and Palemon

Abridged from the Life of St. Pachomius, by an artcieDt •writer, who had his information from the companions and disciples of the Saint.

ST. PACHOMIUS was born in Thebais, or the higher Eo-ypt, about the year 292, of infidel parents, who carried him, when as yet a child, to the temples of their idols, to make him a partaker of their impious sacrifices; but as a presage of what he was one day to be, when they gave him a little of the wine of the devil's libations, or drink offerings, to taste, he presently cast it up again; and when upon another solemn occasion he had accompanied them to celebrate the festival of an idol that was worshipped upon the banks of the Nile, the devil was restrained, by his presence, from returning answers, and deluding the people with his usual tricks, till by the mouth of the priest he had ordered Pachomius to l«e sent away as an enemy of the gods. Yet all this while he was totally ignorant of the christian religion, but otherwise led a very mor« al life, and was always modest, temperate, and chaste. When about twenty years old, Constantino being then emperor, he was, with many other of his coun trymen, impressed for the service, on account of a war just then breaking out. The young recruits were put on shipboard, in order to pass down the Nile, and so to be carried to the army. In their way they arrived at a certain city, where they found the inhabitants remarkably officious in administering all the comfort and assistance in their power to some young men, who were kept close confined by their officers, and in great distress. Pachomius enquired who these men were that showed so much humanity and benevolence to the afflicted and distressed? On being told they were Christians, a set of men who made it their business to do good to all men, and especially to strangers in distress, he further enquired what was meant by the name of Christians, and what were their tenets? They told him they were godly and religious people who believed in Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, and exercised themselves in all the virtues and works of charity, in expectation of an eternal reward from God in another life. Pachomius was touched with this account, and being visited by the divine grace, withdrew himself into a corner, and lifting up his hands and heart to heaven, he called upon the great God, who made heaven and earth, to enlighten his soul with the knowledge of the true and perfect rule of life which he would have him to follow; and promised, if he would deliver him from his present bondage, that he would yield himself up to his divine service during the remainder of his life, and quit all worldly hopes, to adhere to him alone. The emperor having shortly afterwards obtained a complete victory over his enemies, and put an end to the war, ordered the new raised troops to be discharged. Pachomius having now recovered his wished-for liberty, returned to his own country, and presently enrolled himself in the number of those that were under instructions in order to receive baptism, and being baptised shortly afterwards in the church of the town of Chinoboscium, he was on the following night favored with a heavenly vision, which strongly moved him to consecrate the residue of his life to divine love.

In obedience to this call, he repaired immediately to Palemon, a holy anchoret, who led a recluse life in a neighboring desert, with a desire of putting himself under his conduct and direction, and of spending the remainder of his life with him. This servant of God, who led a very austere life, at first refused him admittance, alledging, that several others had in like manner pretended to put themselves under his discipline^ but became quickly tired of his way of life. Pacho mius requested tli-at lie would at least put him to the trial, for that he trusted God would enable him to execute all that he should require of him. ' My son," said Palemon, " the way of life that I follow is not the easiest. I eat nothing but bread and salt, and wholly refrain from oil and wine. I watch one half the night; employing that time in solemn prayer, and in meditat-:ng on the word of God; and sometimes I pass the whole night without sleep." Pachomius replied, that lie hoped the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the help of his prayers, would inspire him with the necessary courage to embrace, and patience to suffer all this rigor, even to the end of his life. Palemon perceiving the lively faith and steadfast resolution of the young man, was content to receive him, and clothe him with the monastic habit; and Pachomius, on his part, from the very beginning, embraced the exercises of a religious life with so much ardor, and advanced with such large steps, day by day, in the paths of virtue and perfection, as to give unspeakable satisfaction and joy to his master, who continually returned thanks to Christ for the wonders of his grace which he discovered in his disciple. In the mean time they lived together in the same cell, performed the same practices of abstinence and prayer, and labored together in the same manual exercises, that they might not only support themselves without being burthensome to others, but also to have wherewith to entertain and relieve their indigent brethren. After the labors of the day, they watched and prayed together for the best part of the night; and if, upon these occasions, Palemon observed that Pachomius was in danger of falling asleep, he led him out of the cell, and employed him in carrying loads of sand from one place to another, in order to vercome his drowsiness; telling him, that if he hoped /) persevere to the end in his holy undertaking, he must not by any means suffer himself to relax in watching and prayer. Besides these exercises, Pacho mius, in a more particular manner, applied himself to the cultivating and purifying his interior. In order to this, whilst he was reading the holy scriptures, and committing them to his memory, which was a part of his daily occupation, he paused in silent and deep meditation upon each of the heavenly precepts, suffering them to sink deep into his soul, and studying to reduce each of them to practice; but the favorite vir tues in which he particularly labored to excel were, a profound humility, unwearied patience, and unbounded charity and love both for God and his neighbor.

When Easter arrived, Palemon ordered Pachomius to prepare them a dinner for that great festival. The latter readily obeyed, and, in consideration of the solemnity of the feast, mingled a little oil and salt to gether to be eaten with the wild herbs which he had gathered. But when, after having prayed together, Palemon came to table, and saw the sallad prepared for him, instead of eating it, he wept bitterly, saying: " my Lord was crucified, and shall I indulge myself in eating oil!" Neither would lie at any rate be in* duced to take any other food but his bread and salt aa usual, blessing it with the sign of the cross before ho eat thereof, and returning humble thanks to our Lord afterwards.

One day, whilst Paleraon and Pachomius were watching together by a fire they had kindled in their cell, another religious man coming to them, desired admittance, whom they courteously received. Aftei some discourse the stranger proposed to them, " thai if they had as much faith as he had, they would show it, by standing with their bare feet over the burnino coals, which himself was ready to do, whilst they repeated at leisure the Lord's prayer. The servants of God were shocked at the arrogance of their guest; and Palemon besought him to desist from so mad an attempt. But instead of hearkening to him, being puffed up with pride and presumption, he went and stood upon the coals, and by the help of the enemy, God so permitting, in punishment of his pride, received no injury whatsoever. The next morning at de parting, he added to his pride the insolence of insulting the two saints, by reproaching them with their want of faith. But it wns not long before his arrogance was most dreadfully punished: for the devil perceiving that his self-conceit had already stripped him of divine grace, and left him in a condition to beoome an easy prey to lust, came one day to his cell, m the shape of a most beautiful woman, pretending to he in the utmost distress, and being- admitted, en kindled in his heart the fire of concupiscence. The unhappy man readily yielded to these wicked sugges tions, and attempting to put them in execution, was so unmercifully handled by the evil spirit, as to be left extended upon the floor, without speech or sense. Having however, after some time, come to himself, he, as soon as he was able to walk, went to the cell of St. Palemon telling what had happened, and acknowledg ing that he had drawn all this evil upon himself by his pride, and begging their prayers, that the devil might not tear him in pieces, or otherwise destroy him. The Saints lamented his case, and wept for him; but the enemy to whom he had made himself a slave, would not suffer him to remain with them; for all on a sudden he jumped out of the cell, and after running about the wilderness like a mad man, he went to the neighboring city of Panopolis, and there, having flung himself into the furnace of the hot baths, he perished in the flames— a deplorable example of the dreadful consequences of pride and presumption.

Pachomius, from hearing the direful exit of this un happy man, took occasion of being still more humble, mortified, and fervent in prayer; and as he had an extraordinary love for solitude, he often withdrew from his cell into lonely places, spending his whole time in prayer; earnestly begging of the divine Majesty to do-liver him from all the deceits and snares of the wicked one. There was also in the neighborhood a wild place full of thorns, to which he often went to procure wood for their use. Upon these occasions it was his custom to walk bare-foot among the thorns, pleasing himself with the pricks and wounds that he received in his feet, by the meditation of t\Q piercing of the feet of our Saviour upon the cross. One day, going to a greater distance than ordinary from his cell, he came to a place called Tabenna, at that time altogether uninhabited, where having, according to custom, remained a considerable time in prayer, it was reve<\led to him, that he should there build a monastery, to which many should resort, and put themselves under his conduct; for whose instruction and direction he should receive a rule from heaven; a sketch of which was then presented him by an angel. When he re turned back to Palemon, he acquainted him with this revelation, and prevailed on him to accompany him to Tabenna, where they built a small cell, and for some time remained together, performing their accustomed exercises, till at length Palemon, seeing the extraordinary grace that God had conferred on Pachomius, went back again, and left him sole possessor o this new cell, upon condition, that, as long as they lived, they should frequently visit each other for theii mutual comfort and spiritual assistance.

And now the time drew near which was to crown the labors of St. Palemon with an eterna. recompense in the land of the living. Previous to his death, ha was seized with a grievous and most painful illness, whi<?h the brethren who came to visit him, attributed to his austere and penitential manner of life, and therefore prevailed upon him to admit of some little comfort, in point of eating and drinking, in consideration of his age and weakness. But he quickly returned again to his former manner of diet, alledging, that the change had only contributed to increase his pains, and that if the martyrs had bravely suffered so many cruel torments for the love of Christ, and thereby pur chased a happy eternity, it would be shameful in him to forfeit the eternal reward prepared for patient suffering, by a cowardly murmuring under his light and momentary pains. After he had continued about a month, suffering with invincible courage and constancy, his soul, sufficiently purified in the furnace of tribulation, took her happy flight, accompanied by angels to the heavenly mansions. His name stands recorded amongst the Saints in the Pioman Martyrology, on the eleventh of January.

After Pachomius had buried his holy father, and was returned to his cell at Tabenna, God was pleased to send him his own brother for a companion, who, having heard of his wonderful life, came to visit him, which was the first time the Saint had seen any of hia relations since his conversion, and proposed to live with 12 him. Pachomius having joyfully received him, found in his brother all the dispositions that could be desired in a perfect religious man. The two brothers continued together, meditating incessantly on the law of God both by day and night, with all the affection of their souls, ever tending towards him, and totally disengaged from the least affection towards the things of the earth. They labored with their hands for their daily food, and never reserved any thing for to-mor row; but whatever they earned above the necessary sustenance of the day they gave to the poor. Pacho mius to his former austerities added that of humbling his soul and body, by wearing hair-cloth; and during the space of fifteen years, notwithstanding his hard labors, long watchings, and continual fastings, never allowed himself to lie down at night to take his rest; but whatever sleep he admitted of, he took sitting in the midst of his cell, without having any thing at his back to support himself, or to lean against for his ease.

In the mean time, the Saint being a second time admonished from heaven concerning the religious congregation he was to institute, and the rules he was to give them, began to enlarge the place of their habitaJon, and to build several additional cells for the reception of those whom he expected would come in good time to join him in the service of so great a Master His brother, whose spirit inclined rather to the life of an anchoret, in a more perfect solitude, after some time blamed his proceedings, and being the elder brother, took upon him to bid him desist from so use less a labor. The Saint, although he could not help being troubled at this opposition, yet bore it with meekness and humility, without making the least reply. But the following night, prostrating himself alone in prayer in the new building, he remained till morning in this humble posture, lamenting his misery, and imploring the divine mercy for having suffered any emo tions of impatience or resentment on this occasion to take place in his soul, begging the grace of God to guard and protect him from sin, and so powerfully to assist him for the future, that he might acquire a perfect mastery over all his passions, and serve him with all perfection all the days of his life. So numerous were the tears he shed that night, so great the fervor of his prayer, and the weather so violently hot, that what with his weeping and sweat, the place on which he lay prostrate became as wet as if water had been cast upon it. At other times, during his devotions by night, he used to excite himself to watching and fervor in prayer, by stretching out his arms, keeping his body as immovable as if he were fastened to the cross, and remaining for several hours in this painful posture. On all occasions Pachomius behaved him self with such humility, meekness, and condescension towards his brother, that they lived together in the

136 ST. FAcnoMirs.

most perfect harmony and peace, till God was pleased to take the brother to himself. Pachomius took care for his burial, and spent the whole night in singing psalms and hymns over his body, and recommending his soul to God.

And now PacLomius, as if all he had hitherto done had been nothing, forgetting, with the Apostle, the things that were behind, stretched forth himself to the things that wen- before, by a new fervor in the study and practice of religious perfection, having the congregation which he was to establish in that place always before his eyes. This drew upon him the inveterate envy and malice of the wicked enemy, by whom he was incessantly plied with temptations of every kind, and frequently with fantastical apparitions; who sought either to puff him tip with pride and vain glory, by the honors he pretended to pay him, or to allure him to lust, by placing the figures of impudent women with bare bosoms before him, or by interrupting and distracting him in his devotions, by a variety of illusions and ludicrous scenes; sometimes also as saulting him with open violence, and even laying many blows and stripes upon him. But the Saint, armed with a lively faith and strong confidence in Jesus Christ, whom he called to his assistance by fervent prayer, ever came off victorious in all these con flicts, and even with a great increase of virtue, to the utter confusion of all the powers of hell: so that being now enabled by the gift of God, to tread under hia feet serpents and scorpions, the very crocodiles obeyed him. In the mean time he would have willingly de barred himself even of the short time he was obliged to allow to necessary sleep, which he would have gladly spent in prayer, and earnestly prayed that the Lord would enable him to live without it, that he might be wholly intent on his divine love, which, in some measure, as far as his mortal condition could bear was granted to him. Now the great subject of his prayer, both night and day, was that the will of God might be ever accomplished in all things.

Shortly afterwards he was again visited by an angel who told him that it was the will of God that he should not only serve him himself, with all purity and perfection, but also that he should assemble a great multitude of religious men together, and train them up, and dedicate them to his divine seivice, according to the method and rule which had been shown him before. So that now he began to receive all such as came to him, that were desirous to fly from the contaoion of the world, and, by penance, present themselves as humble suitors to the mercy of God. After having made them pas? through a long and severe noviceship, he admitted them to the monastic profession, incessantly inculcating to them the strict obligation of their institute, as well with respect to flying from all the allurements of the world, as of diligently exercising themselves in the ways of virtue and holiness: adding, that a monft, according to the directions of the gospel, ought first, to renounce the world in general: secondly, all disorderly affections of flesh and blood to his nearest kindred and worldly friends; and, in the last place, the most difficult of all, he ought to renounce and deny himself, take up his cross and follow Christ.

As the number of those that resorted to him in creased every day, he distributed them into different classes and monasteries, appointing to each of them their regular exercises and different employments, according to their several abilities and dispositions, and making himself all to all, not only by a general solicitude for their spiritual progress, but also by his readiness to serve even the least of them in the meanest offices, so as to make himself, on every occasion, their cook— their gardener — their porter — and especially their infirmarian, by the tender care he always show ed to the sick, on whom he attended both night and day.

He delivered to all his monks the rules he had received from heaven, appointing for them a very moderate food, a mean habit, and no more sleep than necessity required. He labored to inspire them with a well-grounded humility, as the necessary foundation of all virtue, without which the. spiritual edifice of a religious life is sure to fall to the ground. To exclude all ambiti?n, or desire of preferment and superiority, he would not even allow his monks to be promoted to the priestly dignity, choosing that they should rathei remain in the humble condition of laics; and therefore, till God sent him some priests, who desired to be admitted to his congregation (for such as these he did ot refuse, but received with great respect), he was forced to have recourse to some neighboring clergy men, requesting them to come and say mass, and ad minister the holy communion to the religious in his monasteries. But above all things he recommended a read)' and perfect obedience, as the very soul of religion, and the shortest way to religious perfection, by divesting them of their own will, and making them securely find, and faithfully follow, in all things, the blessed will of God.

He had the bowels of a tender parent towards all his children, but a more particular affection and compassion for the aged and sick, as also for young boys, serving them, and exercising the works of mercy towards them with his own hands, and feeling a more than ordinary solicitude for their comfort and instruction. Nothing could equal the respect, he retained for the clergy in general, more particularly the bishops of God's church, or the zeal he had for the purity of the catholic faith, which made him conceive a horror against the Arians and other heretics, as enemies of God's truth: and, as at that time the writings of Origen, who had unhappily blended the errors of tha

Platonic philosophers with the Christian doctrine, were very much handed about among the Egyptian monks. to the great prejudice of their souls, Pachomius declared open war against them, and prohibited all his monks the reading of them.

Being likewise animated by an extraordinary zeal for the salvation of the souls, not only of his own religious, but also of all others whom he saw in want of spiritual assistance, and observing in that part of the country many of the meaner sort of people employed in the care of the cattle, who had for want of having a church at hand to which they might resort, lived in great ignorance, deprived of the use of the sacra ments; to remedy so great an evil, he applied to the bishop of Tentyra, and procured that a church should be built for them in the neighboring village; and as it was some time before they were provided with clergy men, he went himself with his monks, on Sundays and holidays, and read lessons out of the divine Scrip tures, proper for their instruction, in so edifying a manner, with such a saintly air of devotion, and so serene and heavenly a countenance, as made his auditory receive him, and attend to him, not as to a man, but as to an angel sent them from heaven. Numbers upon this occasion were brought over by his instructions from the gulf of in6delity and error to the Christian faith; and the more so, because he, on his part, employed nut only the words of exhortation and doctrine in their behalf, but also the more effectual arms of fer« vent prayer for their conversion, accompanied with many sighs and tears.

About this time the great St. Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, in visiting the churches of Egypt, which were all under his jurisdiction, came also to Tabenna, where our Saint had established his monasteries. Pachomius, who had venerated this holy patriarch, as.he great pillar of the church of God, and respected nim much more for his sanctity than for his dignity, caused all his monks to 'go out to meet him, singing psalms and hymns, and to receive him with great reverence and joy; yet so that he himself would not appear at their head, nor any way distinguish himself amongst them, but hid himself in the crowd, to avoid being particularly taken notice of by that great prelate, who, as he feared, would promote him against his will to the priestly dignity, at the recommendation of the bishop of Tentyra his diocesan, who very much desired to have him ordained priest.

Whilst Pachomius was thus happily employed in conducting a great number of holy souls in the ways of eternal life, and directing them to perfection, both by word and example, his sister, hearing the fame of his sanctity, came one day to his monastery, desiring to see him. The Saint, who never admitted any wo man into his monastery, sent her word by the porter that he was alive and well, and requested she would return homo in peace, and not make herself uneasy on account of her not seeing him in this transitory life; but added, that if she desired to follow the same kind of life as he did, in order to find mercy with God, and secure to her soul a happy eternity, she should think seriously of it; and if this should be her fixed resolution, he would give orders for building a proper man sion for her at a distance from his monastery, where she might serve the Lord, under regular discipline, in all purity of soul and body, and in time engage many others, by her example, to dedicate themselves in like manner to the love and service of Christ in a religious life: for, to expect to find, said he, any solid rest, content, or happiness, but in works of godliness, as long as we carry this body of death about us, is a thing utterly impossible. His sister hearing this, shed a flood of tears; and being at the same time touched with a powerful grace, determined upon the spot to choose that better part which he had so strenuously recommended to her; and accordingly, as soon as the monastery which he ordered to be built for her, was in readiness, she entered into it, and there served our Lord with such sanctity and perfection, as to attract many others of her sex to join in her holy undertaking, and consecrate themselves to Christ under her direction. This was the origin of the nuns of the order of St. Pnchomius, to whom the Saint gave the same rules as to his monks: and took the strictest care imaginable, that the one should have 1/ttle or no communication with the other, so that he might cut off all occasions of temptation.

Among the disciples of St. Pachomms, the most illustrious imitator of his virtues, and his successor in sanctity, was St. Theodore, whose history is briefly as follows: He was born of noble and wealthy Christian parents, according to the world. His father dying when he was very young, left him heir to a plentiful estate, under the care of a tender and affectionate mother. But he had a better Father in heaven, who showed his great care and tender love for him by an early weaning of his heart from the love of Uie world and its vanities; and sweetly inviting him to his divine service in a very extraordinary manner, when he was as yet scarcely twelve years old. His conversion hap pened upon a solemn occasion of public mirth, whilst a great feast was preparing in his house, which abound ed in rich furniture and all kind of world! v wealth, when behold he was suddenly visited with a heavenly light in his interior, which clearly convinced him of the nothingness of transitory things, accompanied with a strong call to give up all to follow Christ. " Alas! what would it profit thee, 0 unhappy Theodore," said he to himself on this occasion, " if thou shouldest even gain the whole world, and enjoy all the temporal de lights the world can give, shouldst thou lose by these means the eternal goods arvl immortal joys of heaven f for there is no pretending to pass thy life here in these vain pleasures and delights, and yet expect to merit jverlasting rewards hereafter." With these send' meats he withdrew himself into a private closet, and there prostrating himself on the floor, with many sigha and tears he prayed thus to our Lord: " 0 Almighty God, who knowest all the secrets of hearts, thou knowest there is not any thing in this world that I prefer before the love of thee. Wherefore I implore thy mercy, that thou wouldst direct me to accomplish thy holy will, enlightening my poor soul, that she may never sleep in the darkness of sin and eternal death, but being redeemed by thy grace, may be brought to praise and glorify thee for ever." Whilst he was praying to this effect his mother came in, and finding him all in tears, asked him who had given him any trouble or offence, that he should grieve in such a manner, and separate himself at dinner time from the company? — that they had been seeking him every where, and were greatly concerned about him. He begged of her to make herself quite easy, and to go to table, but desired withal to be excused from bearing her company. From this time he accustomed himself, in going to school, to fast every day till the evening, and frequently to eat nothing for two days; and for two whole years, whilst he remained in the world, he totally refrained from all delicacies, contenting himself with the meanest and coarsest kind of food. After some time he quitted all that he seemed to possess in the world, and entered into a monastery: where he had not been long before he heard of St. Pachomius, and was in spired with a desire of putting himself under his discipline. Having followed the call, he went to Tabenna, was cordially received by the Saint, and, in a short time, by the great fervor with which he applied him self to watching, fasting, and prayer, and to all good works, made a very considerable progress in all vir tues.

Whilst Theodore was climbing up the hill of Christian perfection, by a constant attention to please God, and omit nothing which he conceived would promote his spiritual advancement, his mother having heard where he was, attempted to bring him back again into the world. Wherefore having obtained letters of re commendation from some bishops, to whom she knew Pachomius could refuse nothing, she went to the monastery of the nuns, and wrote from thence to the holy abbot, desiring that she might see her son. Pachomi us called for Theodore, and told him how the case stood; and that to satisfy his mother's, desire, and in consideration of the holy prelates whose letters she had brought, he thought he might go and see her. And will you assure me, reverend father, said Theodore, that after receiving such great lights and calls from God, as I have received, and leaving both my mothei and all things else in the world, for the love of Christ, I shall have nothing to answer to our Lord, at the last day, if I should go now and see my mother to gratify flesh and blood, and give this disedification to my brethren? Nay, said Pachomius, if you don't judge it expedient for your soul, I don't wish to compel you: for it is far more becoming a true monk whose profession it is to renounce the whole world, and himself also, to shun all manner of unprofitable worldly visits and vain conversation, and to admit of no other company but of those from whose godly discourse he may be edified in the ways of God. This refusal, however disagreeable it might be at first to the mother of Theodore, turned to her great advantage, in order to the salvation of her soul; for in hopes of meeting with some opportunity, sooner or later, of seeing her son amongst the other religious, she resolved to continue with the nuns, and to follow the same holy way of life. And as to Theodore, his whole life from this time was so perfect and saint-like in every regard, that after his death he was enrolled amongst the saints. His name occurs in the Roman Martyrology on the twenty-eighth of December.

But to return to St. Pachomius. As he had received unspeakable joy and comfort on occasion of the fervor of Theodore and many others of his monks, whom he saw advancing rapidly in the way of religious perfection, so he was exceedingly afflicted when he met any one, who, under the habit of religion, had nothing of the spirit of religion, but lived rather according to the flesh, not having as yet put oft' the old man of their former worldly conversation. With such as these he spared no pains, but employed every means, such as admonitions — exhortations — corrections — fervent prayers to God, and tears poured forth in their behalf, in order to obtain for them the grace of a perfect conversion: and did not desist till they were either brought to a sense of their duty, and reclaimed from their evil ways, or else, if they proved incorrigible, entirely cut off from his congregation. A young man, named Silvanus, who had been an actor upon the stage, quitting his sinful profession, came to put him self undei the discipline of the Saint, and was received in his monastery. But whilst he was here, he led for some time a careless life, breaking through the rules of the- congregation, and spending his time in entertaining himself and others with his former ridiculous buffooneries, to the great scandal of his brethren, who desired the holy abbot to dismiss him. The man of God, who was very unwilling to send back again into the world any of his children, employed, besides his charitable remonstrances and exhortations, which were without effect, his more potent arm of continual pray er, sighs and tears, for this poor soul; and then taking him aside, represented to him, in so strong and powerful a manner, the truths of eternity, the dreadful judgments that threaten impenitent sinners, with the rest of the motives thai are most proper to excite ra souls both the fear and love of God: that the grace of God entering into the heart of Silvaims, he was immediately touched with so lively a sense of his sins, and such deep compunction for them, as not only entirely to refrain for the time to come from his former faults, and begin to lead a new life of great edification to the rest of his brethren, but also in every place, arid in all his occupations to be continually weeping and ".amen ting so bitterly for his past crimes, that he could not refrain from sobbing and mourning, even whilst he was taking his meal with the other religious. When his brethren desired him not to afflict himself to such an excessive degree, since it became even troublesome to them, but rather to restrain these outward tokens of grief which were no way necessary even to the most perfect compunction, the true seat of which dwelt within the heart, he answered, that he would jjladly obey them, and accordingly made all the effort? he could to refrain from them; but he found a certain flame burning within his breast, that would not suffer him to be quiet. But, said they, what subject or occasion is there for all these flood of tears 1 " Ah • " said he, " how can I help weeping, when I see so many holy brethren, the dust of whose feet I ought to venerate, so charitable as to take notice of me? When I see a wretch that is come from the playhouse, quite laden with sins, receive so many good offices.1

Alas! I have reason to fear, lest the earth should open under my feet, and swallow me down, as it did Dathan and Abiron, in punishment of my having pro faned all that was sacred, after so clear a knowledge and experience of divine grace, by leading so slothful and wicked a life. Wonder not at my weeping. Oh? my brethren, I have just reason to labor to expiate my innumerable sins with ever flowing fountains of tears; and if I could even pour forth this wretched soul of mine in mourning, it would be all too little to punish my crimes.1' With these sentiments of humility and contrition he made so rapid a progress in virtue and sanctity, as to be admired by the holy abbot himself, who proposed him to the rest of his monks, as a singular pattern of humility, and assured them that neither Theodore himself, nor any of the rest of them, whose lives had been the most innocent, and who seemed, by their good works, to have already trodden Satan under their feet, were near so much out of danger of this enemy rising up against them, and overthrowing them by pride, as Silvanus was, whose perpetual contrition and humility kept the devil at so great a distance, that he could lay no manner of hold on him. This glorious penitent, after eight years spent in thus continually offering to God the sacrifice of a contrite and humble heart, put a happy end to his penitential course of life, by dying the death of the saints: and St. Pachomius gave testimony, that at tht hour of his death a multitude of heavenly spirits conveyed his soul along with them, with great joy, and presented it as a choice sacrifice to Christ our Lord.

There was another also of the religious whose sanctity was much esteemed by Pachomius, whom he like wise proposed as an extraordinary pattern of virtue and perfection to the rest of his monks. His name was Zacheus; who, after he had for a long tim« served the Lord with great diligence and fervor in a religious state, fell ill of the jaundice, which forsook him not till his death. On this occasion lie had a cell appointed him, in which he lived separated from the rest of the religious; yet he omitted none of the regular exercises of the community, but was always with the rest at all the hours of prayer. He never allowed himself in his illness any sleep in the day; and every night, before he laid himself down to rest, he employed himself for a considerable time in meditating on some passages of the holy Scriptures, and then signing his whole body with the sign of the cross, and glorify ing God, he took his short repose. About midnight he rose again, and continued praising God till the time of the morning prayers. His entire food was only bread and salt, and the whole time that was vacant from other duties, he spent in making mats, and woiking with his hands. In twisting the palm-leavet which he made use of in his work, though his hand* became so much galled and wounded thereby as often times to shed blood, yet he never interrupted his work, nor betrayed the least emotion to impatience. One of the brethren, on seeing his hands grievously wound' ^d, and all bloody whilst at work, entreated him to consider his illness, and to spare himself; for that God, who knew what he suffered, and how much he was otherwise afflicted by his disease, would not impute it to him for sin, nor charge him with sloth, if he did not work; and as to the community, they expected it not from him; but as they willingly exercised hospitality to the greatest stranger, and to all that were in want, they would, no doubt, take a much greater pleasure in serving him. Zacheus answered that he could not possibly think of living without working. Well, said the other, if you are fixed in your resolution of continuing to work, at least anoint your hands with oil, to prevent the loss of so much blood. Za cheus followed his advice; but instead of finding any ease by the application of the oil to his wounded hands, the pain increased to such a degree as to be come quite insupportable. St. Pachomius came to visit him on this occasion, and treating him as one that stood not in need of milk, but was capable of di gesting the strongest diet, reprehended him for having sought this assuagement of his pains, which God had sent him for his profit, and not having resigned him self wholly to him, but rather trusted in this visible medicine than in the living God. Zacheus made no apology for himself, but meekly answered: " Forgive me, reverend father, and pray to the Lord for me, that he may vouchsafe in his mercy to remit me this sir also, together with all my other sins." My authoi adds, from the testimony of many of the brethren, that he bewailed himself for a whole twelvemonth on this occasion, and observed during that time so strict a fast, as to eat but once in two days, and that in a small quantity. Pachomius used to direct such as were afflicted, or oppressed with sadness, to this holy man, for he had a wonderful talent of administering comfort to all that were in trouble or affliction of mind. He continued his labors and conflicts to the end; when in a good old age he passed from temporal sor rows to eternal joys.

St. Pachomius was invited by Varus, the holy bishop of Panopolis, to come into his diocese, in order to establish some monasteries of his institute. In this way he visited divers religious houses included in the number of those that were under his direction. On entering into one of these houses, he met the brethren carrving out the corpse of one of the religious, accompanied by his worldly friends and relations, in order to be buried with a solemn office in an honorable manner. At the sight of the Saint they all stood Atill, desiring him to piay both for themselves and the deceased brother. H.IN ing finished his prayer, under standing in spirit the vi etched state of his soul, (fo/ th3 man had led a very careless and indolent life), lie forbid them to proceed in their psalrns, and ordered them to strip off the fine garments with which they had clad him, and to bury him without any solemnity or tokens of honor, which, as the holy abbot assured them, would be rather prejudicial than beneficial to his unhappy soul; which proceeding of the Saint was designed as a warning to all his disciples not to rel) so much on wearing the habit, as in leading the life of a religious. After remaining here two days, teaching and instructing his monks, and arming them against the deceits of Satan, a message was brought him from the monastery of Chenoboscium, that one of the religious there, who was near his end, desired to see him, and to have his last blessing before he died. Thither he hastened with the utmost speed: but when he came within two or three miles of the monastery, he heard a heavenly melody in the air, and looking up beheld the soul of the servant of God carried up by angels to heaven, who died at the very instant of time, as the companions of the Saint, to whom he related what he had heard and seen, found when they returned to the monastery.

Pachomius was received witr great honor by the bishop, who assigned proper places to him and his monks for the building of their monasteries, which, whilst they were rising up, some wicked men, by the instigation of Satan, pulled down in the night what they had built during the day. On this occasion the Saint preached patience to his people; but God took his cause in hand for one night, whilst these wretches were intent upon their wickedness, they were suddenly con sumed by fire, and seen no more. On several other occasions God was pleased to work miracles in favor of the faith and sanctity of his servant Pachomius, of which the following instances may suffice. A woman, who had labored for a long time under an issne of blood, was suddenly cured, by coming behind him, and only touching his habit whilst he was sitting in the church of Tentyra, with Denys the priest. >Iany others were healed of divers diseases, and delivered from the possession of wicked spirits, by his prayers. A man came to him one day, desiring him to cast the devil out of his daughter. The Saint told him that he and his religious never spoke to women, but that he should send him in any garment that belonged to his daughter, which he would bless in the name of the Lord: and that he trusted in Christ she would be res cued from the power of the enemy. The father accordingly brought him one of her garments, which when the holy abbot beheld, he presently understood in spirit the case of the young woman, viz. that she was guilty of sins of impurity, by which she had violated the vow of chastity she had made to God, and that upon this account the devil had permission U, take possession of her. He returned therefore the garment to the father, telling him how the case stood, and that if he desired his daughter should be delivered from the devil, she must first repent, be converted from her sins, promise not to be guilty of them any more, and that then she should find mercy. Her father took her *A task, arid at length she acknowledged her guilt, with great signs of repentance, and promised, in the most solemn manner, to refrain from committing the like sins for the future. Upon which the man of God gave the father some oil which he had blessed, by the use of which she was presently cured, and never ceased to glorify God, who had delivered her at once, both from the possession of the devil, and from her sinful habit. The Saint on his part was never puffed up with pride or vain glory on account of any of the miraculous cures that God wrought by him; but con tinuing always in the fear of God, and in a perfect sense of his own nothingness, he kept his soul always evsn, so as neither to be elevated by good success, nor depressed with evil: and if at any time God did not grant the things for which he petitioned, he was perfectly resigned to the divine will, knowing that to be best, both for himself and for all others, which God ordained, and saw to be most fitting.

One of the religious, who was a diligent imitator of the virtues of the holy abbot, standing one day in prayer, was struck in the foot by a scorpion, and though the torment he suffered on that occasion was extreme, and the pain, togethei with the poison, had spread itself even to the heart, and threatened him with present death, yet he would by no means interrupt his devotions, nor stir from his place, till ho had finished his prayer; and then Pachomius prayed to our Lord in bis rchalf, and he was presently healed. On the other hand Theodore, being afflicted with a violent pain in the head, desired the.nan of God to pray for his cure: but he answered, that it was far better for him to bear the pain, which God had sent for his profit, with perfect resignation, patience, and humility, how long soever it might continue to afflict him, and to thank his divine Majesty for it, as for a great favor; saying, that a religious man might merit more, and please God better, by patience and conformity to his divine will in sufferings and sickness, than by the most rigorous abstinence, or long continual prayers in the time of health.

And now after our Saint had established his congregation upon a solid foundation, and assembled to gether a multitude of holy souls, serving God in great perfection, many of whom he had sent before him to heaven, he himself was seized with his last illness a little after Easter, anno 348. In his sickness he pre served always a serene and cheerful countenance: and after having called together the brethren, and made an excellent exhortation to them, begging of them to ever remember all the lessons he had given, to avoid

(he conversation of heretics, and to be ever vigilant in prayer and all other exercises of virtue, he recommend ed to them the choice of a successor: and after two days, arming himself with the sign of the cross, and looking with a cheerful aspect on an angel of light, who was sent to conduct bim to heaven, he breathed out his holy soul, to take her ilight to her heavenly country, upon the ninth of May. His name stands recorded among the Saints in the Roman Martyrology, on the fourteenth of May; and in the Menologies of the Greeks on the fifteenth; where also they affirm that the number of his monks, before his death, amounted to one thousand four hundred. But Palladius, afterwards bishop of Helenopolis, who has given an abstract of the life of St. Pachomius, in his Historia Lausiaca, chap. 38, and who had visited in person the holy inhabitants of the deserts of Egypt, some years after the death of this Saint, affirms that the whole number of the monks, whom St. Pachomius had under his care in all his monasteries, amounted to seven thousand; and that in his own monastery of Tabenna alone, there were no less than one thousand four hundred monks, who maintained themselves by the labor of their own hands, without being troublesome to any one, and who, at the same time, by their frugal way of living, were enabled also to exercise hospitality, and to give liberal charities to the poor.