Praise for Alvian

A short essay by St. Nile of Sinai’s “Praise to Alvian” was probably written after 404 in the genre of encomia (a song of praise in the form of chanted verses in honor of gods or people). St. Nile sets the virtuous life of St. Peter as an example for the monks to follow. Alvian (Alviana, Albiana), who labored in the vicinity of Ancyra. He lived in poverty, followed the commandments of God, and constantly read the Holy Scriptures. The ascetic undertook a journey to Jerusalem and the Nitrian desert, where he died. St. Nile, depicting the life of St. Alvian, encourages readers to imitate his godly life. He hopes that “some will be jealous” of his virtue, “immediately feeling love for it..., and others... will marvel at it, recognizing themselves as unhappy and remaining in the knowledge that they are meager in goodness.” *The title of the work in Greek is Εἰς ᾿Αλβιανὸν μοναχὸν (ἐρημίτην) λόγος. *The title of the work in Latin is In Albianum oratio. Let those who love peace find mines of so-called precious stones and gold-bearing veins, and let them enjoy, being proud of these things, the variety of colors reflecting in their faces something attractive and pleasing to the eye. And let the lovers of God examine the lives of holy men, the virtues of people who have withdrawn and tried to hide from the world, and in what virtues they succeed. For it is truly incompatible with anything and extremely meaningless that it causes people so much harm that it is hardly convenient for anyone to express it in words, to apply a lot of care and diligence to a person, so that the natural beauty covered by this becomes a bait of voluptuousness for the incontinent, in whom passions are irritated to the point of frenzy by this additional decoration, and what can decorate the soul, correct sins in life, about that again have so much carelessness and negligence, that what deserves all our attention is neglected, as something indifferent or, better said, disastrous, should be neglected. For what benefit have expensive stones, gold and other luxury substances brought to human life? On the contrary, what harm and what injustices did they not cause to all people, becoming the cause of all evils? From them comes covetousness, theft, torture, robbery, and murder. From them - robberies, devastations, barbarian invasions, internecine wars, when people with the desire to get rich turn against each other and do not refuse to endure and do anything until the chosen goal is achieved in any way, whether through their own death or the murder of opponents. Often those who decided to put themselves in such a state so that nothing of what they possessed would be taken away from them, perished themselves, dying miserably in soul, in the hope of dubious gain, suffering a miserable death and, before their opponents, being subjected to the very thing that they tried to subject them to. But hearing stories about those who have lived well and learning about the good deeds they have done are very useful for lovers, serving as a lamp illuminating the hidden, to knowledge and putting into action that which was hitherto unknown, although it is always useful. For some will, of course, be jealous of their virtue, immediately feeling love for it, since by some natural aspiration the soul indulges in the beautiful, while others, although imitation will be prevented by some bad habit, will marvel at it, recognizing themselves as unhappy and remaining for the time being with the knowledge that they are meager in goodness. In relation to benefit, it is also important to feel the bad state in which a person is, and not to be deluded by anything extremely vile, exalting himself with this as a virtue, just as other insensitive people, not yet wounded by the consciousness of sin and blinded by conscience, fearlessly walk along his rough and impassable path, just like those whose feet are covered with hard calluses, stepping through thorns and thorns, they do not tolerate anything that they endured before they accustomed themselves to this through the harshness of life, and when their feet were soft and tender, and soon felt the slightest damage. For there is nothing so difficult for the body and harmful for the soul that over time and through habit it could not become easy and tolerable, no longer producing that unpleasant sensation that it did when it was still unusual, and the body was tired and the conscience was sad, until it turned into a habit for the soul and body, making pleasant what previously seemed difficult and unpleasant. So, since it is considered a good deed not to keep silent about the successes of the zealots of virtue and not to hide the fact that, having become obvious, it brings great benefit in life, teaches the life of an angel, turns the earth into Heaven with the purity and carelessness of life, when everyone tries to do good to each other and no one allows himself to offend anyone, since we are finally convinced that everything that remains here is vain, zealously desire that which can be taken by us in the Future Age and be useful there for a long time, then, having told openly, we will make known the blessed man, until now hidden from many, because, like a deer, plunging deep into the Nitrian desert, he always tried to hide from everyone, fearing everyday misfortunes, which, like thunderclaps, strike from above and even more damage the soul when it is not protects himself and does not shy away from treating people. Let us make it known, so that everything that this reverent man tried to hide from people would not be hidden from those who were able to take advantage of it, not out of envy of those who would imitate him, and not because one wanted to be adorned with acquired goodness, but because he avoided every opportunity to expose himself to public display, as a dangerous thing that, instead of benefit, could cause harm. He was from the land of Galatia and a native of the city of Ancyra. His young age directed him towards chastity in such a way that although many crowded around him because of his good looks, they were surprised by his modesty and sedateness, and this, more than the beauty of his face, kindled great love for him in those to whom he did not turn his gaze and whom he did not honor with a friendly word. Meanwhile, it is not the same thing to be chaste both for one in whom no one irritates passion, and for one in whom thousands try to arouse passion; just as it is not the same thing to control a ship under storm and save it without suffering anything from the excitement and, sitting at the stern in the pier, holding on to the helm. The first means presenting the signs of art at the right time, and the second means without the slightest need to show an external appearance, which still leaves room for doubt whether a person is truly adorned with experience or, with inexperience, not being initiated into science, deceives the audience as having acquired information. Therefore, this blessed one, although he was still young and therefore incapable of performing church service, they tried in every possible way to catch him, considering it a loss if the priestly rank was not adorned with his characteristic beauty, as necessary for the whole body of the church leadership rank as the apple of the eye, and the eye for the face: because he shone with life, for many and for all he was a useful example, in a young and blooming body showed an senile and comfortable state of mind. And although many apparently used violence against one and elevated him to the rank of the priesthood of righteousness, he did not tolerate violence, being ashamed of those who had an advantage over him, he did not dare to do anything against his will, judging that the work entrusted to him was important, and, as indeed it was above his age, he ran away from both public riots and church office, fearing the severity of the yoke imposed on him. And although he was jealous to immediately retire into the desert, he nevertheless overcame this desire with a right thought, reasoning that it is better to learn the first feats in advance from mentors and leaders, from whom those who are just beginning to practice virtue are formed, than, without receiving the initial education, to go straight to teachers who teach the most perfect feats, and thereby impose labor on them, forcing them to teach children's lessons instead of what is taught to husbands and descend from their usual state to exercises in deeds and words that are inappropriate for them and childish, decent for babies. Therefore, he comes to those who labor outside the city on the mountain, over whom the blessed Leontius (then still a presbyter, and then a bishop) was in charge, a man adorned with both action and knowledge, even more perfect than those who labor in the deserts, but who knew how to be condescending towards infants, accustomed to those who were still beginning an active life, because even such, together with those who succeeded, was always under his command. Then this blessed one, having succeeded more quickly than could have been expected in time, having surpassed many and having improved more than time would have allowed him to improve, leaves from here and transfers the work of asceticism to the outskirts of Jerusalem, so that he can see the places there where he stayed, performed miracles and finally the Lord Jesus suffered, and receive benefit from seeing the men laboring there. And having taken advantage of them, I won’t say, having surpassed them, in a short time, he retires into the said desert and, carefully concealing the sacred dignity, while he could hide this, accepts the monastic life as if he were just beginning. He made use of such teachers of virtue who soon aroused in him a love for Heaven and directed his desire towards the life of an angel; why did he love moderation in everything, for lack of need in anything constitutes the difference between incorporeal natures alone, and it is impossible for those bound by the flesh to live without, according to necessary needs, replenishing with food what is daily evaporated. So, having neglected everything in the aggregate that exists on earth, he completely surrendered to heavenly wisdom, judging that not only those related to the body, but also the body itself are unnecessary for achieving the goal for one who takes care of the soul and hastens to present it to God. He cared for the flesh as much as necessity forced him, in order to maintain only life. And all the time he spent his time solely caring about how to always please God, with what thoughts and what deeds a serious person should be adorned, so that the lips, in honest and useful words, explaining inner purity, would call those listening to piety, and the body, with modest movements, would teach those who see it to be decent. Therefore, even after his death, even to this day, he arouses surprise in those living there and they glorify his ever-memorable glory and how he always forbade the tongue and hearing to talk about anything everyday, not being able to speak or hear about anything that happens in the world, calling everything timeless and useless that does not advance the intended goal. “All art and research,” he said, “for those engaged in this constitute a subject of care, so that every day, in words and in thoughts, everything that is said and thought about it is continually perfected, because reflection in everything leads to the knowledge of something greater, and the exercise becomes beneficial for the still unknown. Why don’t we spend all our leisure time taking care of our art, in which, if anyone wants (since the height of perfection is unattainable) to acquire even sufficient experience, he will not have time to turn his mind to anything else, because a whole life is barely enough to, I don’t say, think about preparing for the future, but to protect himself from misfortunes in the present. Just as the helmsman’s eye unswervingly looks at the restless waves with all his attention, and a little inattention can become the cause of ruin, so the mind, struggling with passions and evil spirits, if it is sober, is rarely robbed, and if it neglects a little about attentiveness, it completely sinks and drowns.” Therefore, this blessed one could always be seen silent and sitting in thought: the very look of his face showed that he really cared about what he was talking about, whether he was praying to God or thinking about something useful. And just as his mind indulged in heavenly contemplations, resting in them or turning an inquisitive gaze to himself, whether there was anything missing for his well-being, so his hands did not remain idle, thereby obtaining what was needed for the body. For he never ate bodily food in idleness, did not tolerate having it from others, and generally did not want to accept any consolation from anyone, saying that it is more fitting for everyone passing through this life to give than to receive, so as not to weaken the strength for boldness, not to be sometimes forced to say something that gives consolation in pleasure, and often to keep silent about the truth if it is harsh, so as not to sadden the benefactor. And how great and what were his bodily needs to deal with them a lot? Simple bread, and even then not to satiety, served as food, water as drink, cold in the heat and warmed in the sun in the cold, clothing - long-term, equal to the years of his stay in the desert and during all this time the payment was never changed. Neither sandal nor boot were on his feet, bundles of palm leaves and chamois skin were his bed when he went to sleep, briefly resting his body from the day’s labors, exhausted by strenuous work, because he spent most of the night, as well as the day, in singing and prayer, reasoning that at these times he was talking with God, and often repeating with David: “May my conversation be delightful to Him” ( Ps. 103:34). He did not know Caesar's coin and whose seal was depicted on it. And copper did not pass through his hands, lest he defile them with one touch. His entire wealth was the Book, and it served as a consolation in despondency, so that reading was a kind of pleasure after much labor, both literal meaning and speculation calming the troubled spirit. And he called this poverty a kingdom because of its carelessness, not because he did not acquire anything to support life in the morning, but because he had no desire for anything that arouses the surprise of many. For he considered not abundance in everything, but the lack of need for anything, to be the wealth of the soul, which knows how to be philosophical despite any contentment and despises everything as useless that goes beyond it. And that it is not necessary to overload oneself with heaps of possessions, but not to want to have anything in oneself in order to stop the desire for enrichment in oneself, this, like many others with him, he taught, denouncing the excessively rich of poverty, since they, due to an insatiable passion, need much more than what they have, and calling those rich who generously put aside something of the necessary needs as unnecessary and not suitable for philosophy. For the latter in the true sense is wealth, and should rightly be called so, and the former is poverty and extreme poverty, because one keeps oneself from satiation and excessively burdening oneself with what one has, and the other arouses a new and insatiable desire to acquire what is not there, and the acquisition of which is doubtful, while condemnation for covetousness is certain and is subject to punishment by the sentence of the Judge. Covetousness will not only try to take away someone else’s property, but also desire to have something more than what is needed for contentment. And since this life is night and what happens in it is a dream, as this blessed one said, then what benefit does luxury bring to people after this state has passed, when the ghosts of the night disappear and do not even leave a feeling of sorrow and peace? “When the day comes,” he said, “sleepy dreams for those who awaken turn out to be empty; The one who imagines himself getting rich in the morning has nothing; he who dreamed that he was drinking or eating finds that he did not do this at all. Whoever in a dream reached the authorities, accumulated a lot of money, held silver in his hands or hid it in his bosom, turns out to not have all this. Some in a dream were exposed to dangers, and others to misfortunes and sorrows, others suffered punishment, and others were even killed; they all get up, some rejoicing, and others sad that what they imagined in the dream was a dream and not reality; and they rejoice as those who have escaped the test of evil, but they are sad as those who have not found in themselves what made them happy. And no one has any fruit from such a dream; during the day, it turns out that he has nothing of what he thought he had at night, except for one memory of pleasing or saddening ghosts, arousing regret for the pleasures that he was deprived of, and for the joy from which he was torn out. So after this disgrace, when the dream of this life, like a night dream, ends, everything here finally loses its value: wealth and poverty, satiety and poverty, glory and humiliation. What remains for some is joy, for others - horror and awe, and they will accept this as a worthy reward for what they have done in life.” Therefore, this man is worthy of admiration, and let everyone compete with him in everything: some - looking at his deeds, and some - guided by what they heard from him. Walking closely along the path, he perceived life; He endured everyday hardships patiently, like a dream, but now he is consoled where pleasure is constant and true, for short-term labors he gives to reap eternal joy in Christ Jesus our Lord. To him be glory forever! Amen. You might be interested in: