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THE SECOND
MONTH IN THE NAME
OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, On this day died the fighter Abba Ablarius (Hilarius?) the monk
and anchorite. This holy man
was a native of the city of Gaza, and his parents were pagans, and they
taught him all the various kinds of learning of the Greeks, and their
philosophy, and he was very far superior in knowledge to many of his
companions, and wisdom had a dwelling place in his soul.
And he wished to make himself very strong in the learning of
foreign peoples, but there was no one in his city who could teach him that
learning, and who could fulfill for him all that he desired.
And he rose up and went to the city of Alexandria, and he went into
the place where all the doctors sat, and he learned from them many kinds
of learning. And a divine
zeal moved within him to learn the doctrine of the Church, and he enquired
for the Books of the Church, and certain men gave them to him, and he read
them and understood them. And
Abba Iskander, Archbishop of the city of Alexandria, revealed and
explained to him the meaning of what was obscure in the Books, and he made
him to understand the belief on our Lord Jesus Christ.
And Iskander baptized him with Christian baptism, and he fought a
great fight, and he became a monk and devoted himself diligently to the
path of the monastic life. Then he went to Saint Abba Anthony, and he dwelt with him for
many days, learning from him the path of righteousness.
When he heard that his parents according to the flesh were dead, he
went to his city, and took the goods, which his parents had left him, and
gave them to the poor and needy, and to the women who were with child.
Then he entered one of the monasteries in the country of Syria, and
he fought a great fight, and he devoted himself strenuously to fasting,
and prayer, and bowings, and vigils, and he used to fast for six days and
six nights at a time, and he used to feed himself on the grass of the
desert. And his heart shone
brightly, and God gave him the gift of prophecy and of working signs and
wonders. After this he dwelt
in that same monastery for many years, and it was in that monastery that
Epiphanius became a monk. And
the abbot received this Saint Ablarius (Hilarius?) and he taught him the
rule of the ascetic life and the Law of the Church, and he prophesied of
him that he would become the Bishop of Cyprus, which came to pass even as
he had prophesied. Now the
days of this father were eighty years; ten years he lived in the house of
his father, and seven years in the city of Alexandria, and for three and
sixty years he led the life of a monk and fought a great fight.
And he pleased God and died at a good old age.
And Saint John of the Golden Mouth (Chrysostom) praised this holy
man, and Saint Basil in his writings also praised him.
Salutation to Ablarius (Hilarius?) who drank seawater and ate
grass. Salutation to Sabla Mariyam, who was famed for her fasting and
self-abnegation. And on this day also Saint Paul and his companion [Longinus], and
the holy woman Zaina became martyrs.
Salutation to Paul, Longinus, and Zaina. And on this day also are commemorated Eusia (Ausia), and
Constantine. Glory
be to God Who is glorified in His Saints.
Amen.
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