Pimonakhos vol 8 issue 3

Vol: 8 Issue: 3

Amshir 1730 / March 2014

They say I am a hermit...

His Grace Bishop Macarius All it was is that I left the monastery to go for a walk in the desert. I walked until the evening. The hour was late and I could not find the way from which I came, so I sat down. Night fell and in the midst of this darkness I lost myself in prayer... It was the most joyous I had ever felt in the last nine years of my ascetic life.

I thankfully ate the only piece of bread I carried with me when I left the monastery.

It was the tastiest I had ever had. Before I went to sleep, I drew around me a circle on the ground, and surrounded it with crosses. I went into deep sleep to wake up in time for early morning praises.

The next day, I attempted to return back, but not knowing the exact way, I walked endlessly. By midday I conceded that I had lost my way. I was not disheartened for the only way I care for is the one that leads me to God and for this I left the world‌ I continued to walk until I came across a village from which I could obtain bread and water. However, I had no money for the bread. In the midst of my dilemma, I was approached by an honourable gentleman, who got off his donkey and paid for my bread. When he learnt that I was lost, he offered to help, but I kindly declined. He then insisted I take his donkey to support me along the way, which I accepted.

I immediately headed back for the mountain not knowing where to go.

I thought to myself, why not live without the monastery, the people and the shelter? Didn’t I leave the world for Christ? This is how I must live the remainder of my life.

I settled in a spot which had a few palm trees and built myself a hut from tree branches. I braided palm leaves and sold my work to buy food for myself and my donkey who became my companion. I sold

my work at the nearest village, bought my necessities and gave the remainder to the poor. When people discovered where I lived, I had to move to another place far away.

I choose a spot seventy kilometres from where I stayed. Being far from villages, I relied on dates for food and a nearby water spring for water...

Occasionally, I would see a number of hermit fathers passing by. They directed me to a nearby church where they assembled. I attended the church from time to time to receive the Holy Communion and not once did anyone speak to me or to one another.

I did not feel time pass me by, I would pray for hours, read the Bible completing multiple books in one sitting. I ate once a day; I lived naked for a while for I had no replacement for my worn clothes. I was cut off from everyone, but I tasted happiness I had never experienced before.

And so, I lived my life among the mountains and ravines, barely feeding myself, wearing clothes that barely cover my skinny body and without shelter, continuously moving from place to place. I experienced freedom like never before, I am contented with this life until the day I depart at which point my happiness would be complete‌ Does this make me a hermit? I wonder, how can people say I am a hermit?!

Right: A group of youth from Archangel Michael Church

Right: A youth trip from St Anthony’s Church Page 2

Year 12 Class from St Marks Coptic Orthodox College

Left: A group from St Mark’s Spending a day at the monastery

St Abraam Church youth group with father Paula

The monk and the life of Solitude By: A Monk from St Macarius Monastery The monk doesn’t need anyone to tell him about solitude for the monk came to the monastery seeking to be isolated from the world, seeking to be a monk (monakhos) and by definition a monk is he who lives a solitary life.We are not speaking about solitude in any negative connotation but rather a positive one, it’s not about fleeing from the world as much as it’s seeking to be attached to the One. The monk is called (monakhos), because he is one attached to the One as St Paul said “he who is joined to the lord is one spirit with him.” (1 Cor 6:17) Our primary example for solitude is the lord Jesus Christ Himself. In every occasion he used to leave the congregation and flees alone to an isolated place, not just as an act to teach us, although he wants to teach us, but he doesn’t act so as to teach us, but he isolates himself out of deep need of practicing his close relationship with the Father. He used to find joy and calmness in his Father’s bosom. “Leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps.” (1 Pet 2:21) Examples: + After healing Simon’s mother in law: “now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed.

And Simon and those who were with him searched for Him. When they found Him, they said to him: everyone is looking for you.” (Mark 1:35-37). Christ wanted to fulfil the deepest desire of his heart which is practicing his secret relationship with the father. + “however, the report went around concerning Him all the more; and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. So He himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed.” (Luke 5:15-16) + “and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12) + “when Jesus heard it, he departed from there by a boat to a deserted place by Himself.” (Matt 14:13) + “and when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.” (Matt 14:23) + “and it happened, as He was alone praying, that His disciples joined Him, and He asked them, saying, who do the crowds say I am?” (Luke 9:18) + in the transfiguration scene “ now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to

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pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and his robe became white and glistening.” (Luke 9:28-29) All these examples shows Jesus’ effort in leaving the people and isolating Himself in deserted places to practice His loving relationship with His Father. Monasticism stands basically on imitating Jesus during the Holy Forty Days, taking Jesus’ life as an example when He isolate himself from the people and depart by Himself to practice his relationship with the father.

The 17th epistle of St Anthony: [Our saviour Jesus Christ became to us an example for the solitary life when he climbed the mountain by himself to pray, and when He defeated Satan when he tested Him in the wilderness, that’s not because He couldn’t defeat him in front of people, but to teach us that through seclusion and quietness we can defeat our enemies and attain perfection. Also our Saviour didn’t transfigure himself to his disciples in front of the people, but when He wanted to do so he took them to the mountain and showed them His glory. Likewise John the Baptist was in the wilderness till the day he revealed himself to Israel…

Therefore learn my beloved brethren, the virtue of solitude, because through Christ’s isolation from the world, he gave us a great hope in the life of solitude. As David the prophet said: “you alone, O Lord make me dwell in safety.” (Psalms 4:9) as well as Elijah the prophet that deserved the spiritual food from the angel, it didn’t take place when he was with the congregation, or in a city or town, but in the wilderness.

All the events that took place with the saints and the examples, “were written for our admonition” (1 Cor 10:11), so we could get jealous of those who lived the solitary life that we might get closer to God; because it’s a great comfort. And those who loved seclusion with all their heart and all their senses, were honoured more than those who lived in the cities or country sides.

So work hard my beloved brethren, to abide in Him as you should so you could reach God, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom is the glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, from now and forever amen.]

So how do we live a solitary life while we are among people?

This can’t be found outside your cell. Take saint Abba Moussa’s saying as: don’t leave your cell, and the cell will teach you everything. Don’t leave your cell under any circumstances unless you are asked to do something, go to church, and eat food.

Other than that take it as a sea of destruction and consider your cell as the rescue boat. Consider your cell as Noah’s boat, where you can find God, where you find comfort, where you find the Holy Spirit. Your cell is where you practice your monasticism, this is what you came to the monastery for. Watch out not to leave your cell unless you are asked to do a job, or whether you are going to church or for food.

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The Agapy Meal of the Hermits of Scete By: Cecil Donahue A very interesting and important clue to the nature of this communal meal is furnished by the name used by the hermits themselves when referring to it: Agapy.

This word was not an uncommon one in the desert hermit's vocabulary, for it had a number of meanings. It was commonly used with reference to an act of charity, or to something given as alms. It could also refer to a meal; and in this sense it was used to denote either a banquet taken in commemoration of the death of one of the brethren, or a meal given to the poor and needy out of charity or the meal which the hermits took together on Saturday, Sunday and the major feasts. In this last connection the term Agapy occurs quite frequently, and from its use can be inferred the solemn and religious nature of this meal.

It is reasonable to suppose that the meal began with a prayer or a blessing, for such was the normal practice even during the week when the hermits ate alone in their cells at the ninth hour. At the Agapy this function would most probably fall to the senior at each table, who would bless the food for the brethren at that table. In the monasteries, where a more cenobitical life obtained, the saying of a psalm both preceded and followed the solemn meals of Saturday, Sunday and festal times. The evening meal on these days, however, was begun and concluded with a simple prayer.

It has already been noted that the Agapy was eaten in church after the offering of the Holy Sacrifice. Just what relation this meal might have had with the Agapy of a century or two previous is not altogether clear. Whatever else may be said, it is certain that the Agapy of the hermits of Scete was not unrelated to the Sacrifice which invariably preceded it. There is one or the other text among the Apophthegmata Patrum which has bearing on this point. “…And when the Synaxis was dismissed, he fled as if escaping from a fire and hurried to reach his cell. For the brethren often received small breads with a drink of wine after the Synaxis. He, however, refused to accept anything, not because he rejected the eulogia of the brethren, but because he wished to possess the peace of the Synaxis.”

Until the sixth century the word eulogia. retained the meaning of bread or other food blessed by the priest during the course of the Mass. It was the custom to offer breads for use in the Sacrifice of the Mass, but those which were in excess of the number needed for the Eucharist were blessed and distributed to the faithful after Mass. This text from the Apophthegmata of Abba Isaac indicates that the small breads Page 6

which the hermits ate at the communal meal were the evlogia blessed during the preceding Mass.

Still another text from the Apophthegmata shows from one point of view the regard which the hermits had for the evlogia. In Abba Arsenius' mind, excommunication from the evlogia was equivalent to excommunication from the Eucharist itself.

“The old men used to tell this story: A few dried figs were once given to Scete; and since they were not of very good quality, none of them were sent to Abba Arsenius for fear of offending him. But when the venerable man heard what had taken place, he refused to go to the Synaxis, saying: You have excommunicated me by not sharing with me the evlogia which God has sent to the brethren and which I am unworthy of receiving with you. And when all the brethren heard this they took profit from the humility of the old man. Then the presbyter leaving took him the dried figs, and brought him back with joy to the Synaxis.”

The hermits could not but have strongly reminded of the close relation between the Eucharist and the agapy when they saw sustenance for both soul and body, the Eucharist and the come thus from the Altar of God. The reverence which the hermits were expected to observe toward the sacred character of the agapy itself can be seen from the following narration: “The Fathers used to tell how once when the brethren were eating the agapy, one of them laughed at the table. And when Abba John saw it, he wept and said: What must that brother have in his heart, seeing that he has laughed; rather he should cry since he is eating the agapy” It was also part of their discipline that a brother who lapsed into sin could not be readmitted to the agapy until he had done penance “with his whole soul”

H.G. Mor Philaxinos Zacharias (Syriac Orthodox - India) during his visit to the monastery

Fr Biemen’s Visit to the monastery Page 7

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