|
THE
ELEVENTH
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day died the holy father, the devoted ascetic and fighter Abba Sinoda ‘Arsematadas (i.e. Archimandrite), that is to say, “head of the solitaries.” This saint was of the men of a city the name of which is Sansal, which is in the neighborhood of the city of ‘Akmim in Upper Egypt, and Saint Arsenius, who was like the angels, prophesied concerning him. This Arsenius was going along the road on certain business of the monastery, and there were monks with him, and he met the mother of this Saint Sinoda as she was going out to draw water. And he went up to her, and saluted her thrice saying, “God shall bless the good fruit of thy womb! It shall be sweet-smelling, and his name shall be fragrant like perfumery, and his fame shall be in all countries for ever.” And when the monks saw him they marveled, and they said unto him, “O our father, didst thou not wish [never] to see the face of a woman at all? What hath happened to thee now?” And he said unto them, “As God liveth, O my son, there shall go forth from this woman a grain of salt wherewith all the world shall be salted, and [all] those who hope for the mercy of God.” And a certain monk, who was a righteous man, and a spiritual fighter, answered and said unto Abba Arsenius, “As God liveth, O my father, when thou didst draw nigh this woman to salute her, I saw the angel of God, and in his hands was a sharp sword of fire which turned about every way. And the angel said unto thee, ‘Having saluted her, peace be unto thee, O friend of our Lord Jesus Christ. Know thou that he who shall be born of this woman shall rejoice the hearts of all the holy elect ones; and the Son of God shall hold converse with him many times.’” And when the seventh day of the month of Genbot arrived, this saint Abba Sinoda was born. Now his father had flocks of sheep, and when Sinoda was grown up, he handed them over to his son to tend; and Saint Sinoda used to give the shepherds their food. And he would go down to the well in the cold winter season, and stand up in it, and pray from evening until dawn, all the time. And a certain righteous old man testified concerning him, saying, that he saw the fingers of Saint Sinoda like ten lighted lamps. And his father took him, and carried him to Saint Abba ‘Absal his mother’s brother, that he might bless him. And Abba ‘Absal laid [his hands] on the boy’s head, and said unto him, “My blessing, O Sinoda, for assuredly thou shalt become the great father of many peoples”; and his father left him with Abba ‘Absal. And one day Abba ‘Absal heard a voice from heaven, saying, “Behold, appoint Saint Sinoda ‘Arsimatradas over all the world.” And he fought a great spiritual fight, and devoted himself to the works of piety, with fasting and prayer, and prostrations, and frequent and ceaseless vigils; and he became the light of all the ends of the world. And he composed many Homilies, and Admonitions, and profitable Sayings. One night the angel of God appeared to Abba ‘Absal, and brought him the apparel of Elijah the prophet, and the head cloths of the Three Children, and the girdle of Saint John the Baptist, and he said unto him, “God saith unto thee: Pray over Sinoda, and array him in this apparel of the ascetic life.” And straightway Abba ‘Absal rose up, and prayed over Abba Sinoda, and arrayed him in the garb of the ascetic life. And after this he fought a great fight, and he drew up a Canon for monks, and nuns, and the laity, and women, and all [classes of] men. And when the General Council of two hundred Bishops assembled in the city of Ephesus, he went with father Abba Cyril, the Archbishop to the Council; and he overcame the infidel Nestorius and anathematized him and excommunicated him. And when they were coming back the sailors would not allow Abba Sinoda to travel in the ship with the Archbishop, and straightway he prayed and entreated God, and a cloud took him up. And as he was traveling on the cloud he looked down from above on Saint Abba Cyril, who was in the ship, and he saluted him, saying, “Peace be unto thee, O my Father, and unto those who are with thee”; and [Cyril] said unto him, “And on thee also, and on those who are with thee [be peace]; forget me [not] in thy prayer.” And they marveled at him exceedingly, and they glorified God Who giveth such grace unto those who fear Him. And he came to his monastery, and joined in the midnight prayer with his sons the monks. And out Lord Jesus Christ was wont to visit him often, and to converse with him, and he washed the feet of our Lord revealed unto him many mysteries, and he prophesied prophecies. And after this he grew old in his days and he lay down [sick] on the seventh day of the month Hamle. And our Lord Jesus Christ came and sat by him and comforted him, and Abba Sinoda said unto Him, “O my Lord and God, make Thou me as strong as I was formerly, so that I may go to the Council, for the Archbishop hath sent [saying] that they summon me because of the infidels, who blaspheme against the Holy Trinity and would take from Thee Thy Godhead.” And our Lord and God and Redeemer with great grace, and with a sweet voice, answered and said unto him, “O My chosen one Sinoda, dost thou wish for more days? Behold, thy days are one hundred and twenty years and two months! Thou didst put on the garb of the ascetic life when thy days were nine years, and from the time when thou didst put on the garb of the ascetic life until today is one hundred and eleven years and two months. The toil is sufficient for thee.” And when our Lord had said this He went up into heaven in great glory. And when it was the seventh day of the month Hamle, the Company of the Saints came to him, and he saw our Lord Jesus Christ. And he said unto his sons, “Hold me, so that I may worship my Lord Jesus Christ”; and they lifted him up and he worshipped Him. And then he said unto his sons, “I commit you to God. Behold, the Will of God hath reached me that my soul must be separated from my exhausted body, and I command you to submit yourselves to your father Wida, for he shall be your shepherd after me.” And having said this our Lord Jesus Christ said unto him, “Blessed art thou, O My chosen one Sinoda, and excellence shall be unto thee for My sake, because thou hast performed My good pleasure all the days of thy life. And now, come with Me so that I may make thee to rest in the joy which is for ever.” And when He had said this unto him, Sinoda delivered up his soul into the hand of God, and he died in peace. Salutation to Abba Sinoda, to whom was given the apparel of Elijah the prophet. And on this day also died the holy father Abba Makabis (Maccabaeus), who fought the fight in the desert of Hur and pleased God. And on this day also became a martyr Saint Abba Ignatius, Archbishop of the city of Rome; he succeeded Peter in the days of the Emperor Tarabeyanos. When the emperor heard that this father was teaching all the people, and bringing them into the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that they were renouncing the worship of idols, he had Ignatius brought before him and he said unto him, “Sacrifice to the gods.” And [though] he would neither obey him, now submit to him, he promised him many things, and was not angry with him; but Ignatius would not accept his promised gifts, and he was not afraid of his wrath. And when there had been much speech between them, and Ignatius would not agree with the emperor in his infidelity, straightway the emperor gave him to the lions. And Saint Ignatius gave commands to the people, and made them strong in the True Faith. And one of the lions drew nigh to him, and seized him by the head, and the saint delivered up his soul into the hand of God; and after this the lion did not come near him at all. And they carried away his body in great honor, and laid it in the good place, which God had prepared for it. Salutation to Ignatius who inherited the throne of Peter. Salutation to him that became a pilgrim. Salutation to George the priest, whom the Virgin taught to pray.
Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen. |
||