Eulogies to Saint Arsenius the Anchorite

Essay by Rev. Theodore Studite's "Eulogy to Saint Arsenius the Anchorite" (27 chapters) is an outstanding hagiographical work dedicated to the glorification of one of the greatest Egyptian desert dwellers. The work was originally written for spiritual edification and was not intended to be delivered in church as an ordinary sermon. The essay shows the path of Saint Arsenius from a brilliant Roman aristocrat, mentor of the imperial sons Arcadius and Honorius at the court of Theodosius the Great, to an ascetic who followed the Divine call: “Arsenius, if you want to be saved, get away from people, and you will be saved.” St. Theodore the Studite describes in detail his departure to the Skete hermitage, his humble obedience to Abba John Kolov and the subsequent decades of strict silence (hesychia), prayer and extreme asceticism. The text vividly illustrates the key virtues of St. Arseny: absolute alienation from the world and human society (emphasized by many anecdotes, including his famous refusal to meet), the deepest humility (manifested in seeking advice from simple monks and accepting beggary), unceasing prayer with tears and wakefulness, strict abstinence in food and manual labor. The author also mentions his spiritual insight, his ability to discern the machinations of demons, and his teachings about the essence of monastic life. The work ends with a solemn comparison of Saint Arsenius with the Old Testament patriarchs and prophets (Abraham, Moses), in which he surpasses them in certain aspects of personal asceticism and communion with God. St. Theodore the Studite presents Saint Arsenius as an ideal example of monastic perfection and an “earthly angel” whose life serves as a guiding star for all who seek salvation. Contents Preface 1 2 Chapter 1. [Col.852] Fatherland of the saint; life in the world, changed to a hermit’s life at the inspiration of God; glorious successes in it; distance from people 3 4 5 6 7. [Col. 856] 8 9 10 11 12 Chapter 2. The gift of prayer and tears; vigils, instructions, handicrafts, mortification, poverty; dismissing disciples and receiving them; return to Troin 13 14 15 16 17 18 Chapter 3. Understanding the machinations of demons and knowledge of the hidden; illness, vision, concern for a despised burial; death, external appearance of the body; life expectancy; praise 19 20 21 22 23 24 Conclusion 25 26 27 The star that constantly appears to us, not included in the zodiac circle, but established in the sky of virtue, now shining on the day of its memory, sends rays of virtue sparkling with an immaterial light to the universe. Who is this, holy-loving congregation? Angel-like Arseny, unattainable in virtue, the height of humility, the flow of tenderness, the memory of which alone is already an exhortation to increase virtue. And I am surprised that while the lives of other blessed men were promptly described by admirers of virtue, the life of our blessed father remained untold except as indicated by some holy fathers, although the life of the father is no lower than the excellent luminosity of the first, even more than others, it shines with the rays of his divine exploits. Shall we act like our predecessors and allow such a treasure to be kept under cover of silence? It won't happen! On the contrary, convinced by deliberate paternal impulses, we, although we are alien to the ability to speak well, but hoping to receive as an assistant in our enterprise the one who serves as the subject of life, we will speak; at the same time, we will offer only one truth, collecting everything that was briefly said about him earlier, and reproducing it in memory, albeit through a fragmentary story. Putting everything together and adding, where necessary, the reflections that follow from here in order, we will try to compose a life and fulfill the desire that lovers of virtue have regarding the all-blessed father. Chapter 1. [Col.852] Fatherland of the Saint; life in the world, changed to a hermit’s life at the inspiration of God; glorious successes in it; moving away from people The genus of Arseny 1, to which many are involved, speaking the truth, is virtue; hence its origin and internal image. But since carnal people seek a fatherland by blood, then [it must be said that] of the earthly cities, his fatherland was the first city, that is, the famous Rome, from which those who wielded the royal scepter borrowed the name. He was the son of noble parents, proud of wealth and other splendors of life. His family has not survived intact to this day (for how could it have survived for so many years?), but its traces are distinguished by such greatness that they could be divided into thirty houses: this is enough to show how famous and rich the glorious man was. Being like this, he was even higher in education, wise in Hellenic and Roman wisdom 2. So, since the fame of him reached the then emperor Theodosius the Great 3, who was looking for such an educator for his children Arcadius and Honorius 4, who would be better than everyone else, Arsenius, by order of the king, comes to Byzantium and, having received both royal sons, began to engage in their upbringing and education and made them the best in both respects. Until the age of forty, he lived in the royal chambers and, constantly having the fear of God in his thoughts, he sighed and prayed to God with tears, saying: “Lord, instruct me how to be saved.” And then one day he was in the palace and heard the voice of God saying to him: “Arseny, if you want to be saved, get away from people, and you will be saved” 5 . Hearing these words, Arseny, who had long been wounded by the love of God, immediately despised all human and temporary glory, luxury, bodily food and all other love of glory, considered the royal chambers to be nothing and, without telling anyone, sailed to Alexandria, and from here went to the [desert] Skete. And having entered the church, he approached the clergy and said: “For the sake of the Lord, make me a monk and instruct me how to be saved.” They, noticing the nobility of the husband in his manners, face and address, asked him who he was and where he was from. Since he at first refused to answer and said: “I am a stranger and a wretched man seeking salvation,” [Col. 853] then they could hardly persuade him to tell them his life. After listening to him, they said to each other: “Who will take him in and instruct him in monastic life?” And after consulting among themselves, they decided to take him to Abba John Kolov 6. Taking him with them, they all went to the elder and, after praying, told him about Arseny. When they were talking with the elder, the ninth hour came and the elder said to the clergy: “Let us eat food, and let the will of the Lord be done.” And Abba John sat down with the clergy, and they began to eat, but they left Arseny standing. Then Abba John threw one cracker on the ground and said to Arseny: “Eat if you want.” Arseny bent down to the ground, walked with his hands and feet to the place where the cracker lay, and ate it while lying on the ground. Seeing this, the elder said to the brothers: “Go in peace and pray for us; know that he will become a skilled monk.” The clerics then turned to Arseny in private: “Share your meal with us, brother, for the Lord’s sake, and tell us what thoughts you had when you ate the cracker?” He said to this: “I thought to myself this way: just as they threw bread at you to a dog, you should eat it like a dog.” And they blessed God. After spending a little time with Abba John and studying the monastic way of life, Arseny separated from him and settled in a separate cell. And he lived here, struggling in the Lord, so that he surpassed many of the great elders of that time with his labors, and abstinence, and steadfastness in ascetic deeds. Having then switched to a silent life, he again began to pray to God: “Lord, instruct me how I can be saved.” And I heard a voice: “Arseny, run, be silent and be calm; this is the root of a sinless life" 7 . Having received such a command from God, Arseny directed his entire mind to heaven, dwelling on earth only in body, while communicating with the heavenly forces in spirit. One of the fathers, named Mark, asked him, who led such a life and loved silence so much: “Father, why are you running away from us?” The elder replied: “God sees that I love you, but I cannot live with God and people; the highest thousands of thousands and ten thousand ten thousand thousand (cf. Dan. 7:10; Rev. 5:11) have one will, but people have many wills. Therefore, I cannot leave God and live with people.” And in order to reveal his silence more clearly, it is necessary to say about the following worthy of mention. One day he came to a place covered with reeds, and since the reeds swayed [and made noise] from the wind, he asked the brothers [who were there]: “What is that noise?” They replied: “It’s the reeds that are making noise, Father.” Then the elder said to them: “If someone truly remains in silence and hears the voice of a sparrow, then there is no longer peace in his heart; especially since you don’t have it with such noise.” How this man, who remained in silence and protected his enthusiastic service to God from all earthly noise, did not like human society, even unmixed, and stopped oral conversation except when absolutely necessary, the following legends testify to this. One day, Theophilus, Archbishop of Alexandria 8, came to him with one archon, asking the elder to honor them with a word. After a short silence, the elder asked: “If I tell you, will you do it?” When they gave their consent, he said: “Where you hear Arseny, do not approach that place” 9. Another time, the archbishop, wanting to come to the elder, first sent to find out if he would open [his cell]. The elder replied: “If you come, I will open it for you, and if I open it for you, I will open it for everyone, but I myself will no longer stay there.” Hearing this, the archbishop said: “If my coming makes him leave, then I’d better not go to him” 10. And one more thing. One father came to him and knocked on the door. [Col. 857] Arseny opened it, thinking that it was his novice. But when he saw another, he fell on his face. He said: “Rise up, Abba, so that I can greet you.” The elder said: “I will not rise until you leave.” And although the one who came begged him a lot, he did not get up until he left 11. Let no one think that he was breaking the union of love, of which he was a strong lover; no, but [he did it] so as not to be distracted from the best. Some brothers, getting ready to go to Thebaid to buy flax, decided among themselves: “On this occasion we will see Abba Arseny.” Abba Alexander entered the elder and said: “The brothers from Alexandria want to see you.” The elder asked: “Is this what they came for?” And having learned that they were going to Thebaid, he said: “It is natural that they will not see the face of Arseny, because they did not come for my sake. Calm them down and let them go in peace, saying that the elder cannot go out” 12. Another time the elders came to him, asked for a long time to talk with him and begged him to tell them a word about the silent ones who did not meet with anyone. Then the elder says: “While the girl is in her father’s house, many have a desire to marry her; when she begins to leave the house, she no longer has the same honor that she had when she was hiding. Such is the soul: as soon as it has become open to everyone, not everyone likes it anymore” 13. Here we are shown a measure for mutual communication with brothers: this should not always and not always take place, so that by giving preference to a foreign matter over the main one, we do not imperceptibly punish ourselves. But what is this matter, it is useful to add here [the following story about this]. A certain brother came to the Skete and began to beg the clergy, saying: “I want to talk with Abba Arseny.” They told him: “Wait a little and you will see him.” And he answered: “I will not eat until [Col. 860] I’ll see.” Then the clergy sent him with one brother, who would take him to his cell, since it was far away. Pushing open the door, they entered the cell and, having greeted the elder, sat down in silence. And the cleric brother said: “When I return home, pray for me.” The alien brother, not having boldness in front of the elder, answered the first: “I will also go with you.” And they went out together. Then the stranger’s brother began to ask his cleric brother: “Lead me to Abba Moses, who used to be a robber.” And when they came to Moses, he received them with joy and, having treated them, sent them away. And the cleric said to the other brother: “So I brought you to an extraordinary monk and to the Egyptian [Moses]: which of them did you like better?” He replied: “I liked the Egyptian better.” Hearing this, one of the fathers began to pray to God, saying: “Lord, show me this matter, for one runs away from people for the sake of Your name, and the other accepts people also for the sake of Your name.” And two large ships were shown to him [in a dream], and he saw on one Abba Arseny and the Spirit of God sailing in silence, and on the other sailed Abba Moses and the Angels of God, who gave him honeycombs. So Arseny, running away from conversations with men, sometimes allowed them, but with women - absolutely never, for he was an inexorably strict silencer, devoted to the love of God 14. One noble woman, very rich and God-fearing, came to Canopus of Alexandria from Rome, wanting to see Arsenius. Archbishop Theophilos received her with honor, and she began to ask him to convince the elder to accept her. The archbishop went and asked to receive her. The elder did not agree to talk. When the noble woman was informed about this, she ordered her caravan to be prepared and said: “I believe in God that I will see him, for I did not come to see a man—there are many people in our city—but I came to see a prophet.” And when she approached the elder’s cell, by God’s arrangement the elder was outside the cell. Seeing him, she fell at his feet, but the elder raised her with anger and sternly said: “If you want to see my face, here it is - look.” Out of shame, she could not look him in the face. And he said to her: “Have you not heard about my deeds? They should be watched. How did you decide to make such a trip? Don't you know that you are a woman and should never leave the house? Behold, you will return to Rome and you will say to the women: “I saw Arsenius,” and they will make the sea a path for the women going to me.” She answered: “If God wills, I will not allow anyone to go [Col. 861] here. But pray for me and remember me always.” The elder in response to this said: “I pray to God that your memory may be blotted out from my heart.” Hearing this, she left in embarrassment. And when she came to the city, she fell ill with a fever out of sadness. And it was announced to dad 15 that she was sick. He came to her and asked her to tell what was wrong with her. She said: “Oh, if only I had not come here! For I said to the elder: “Remember me,” and he replied: “I pray to God that your memory may be erased from my heart.” And now I’m dying of sadness.” And the archbishop says to her: “Don’t you know that you are a woman, and the enemy the devil fights against the saints through women; and therefore the elder said this; he always prays for your soul.” And thus her thought was healed, and she joyfully returned to her homeland 16. Such is silence and such is Arseny’s conversation. Chapter 2. The gift of prayer and tears; vigils, instructions, handicrafts, mortification, poverty; dismissing disciples and receiving them; return to Troin Who was gifted with such a gift of prayer and humility as Saint Arsenius? And a witness to this is the brother who, having come to the elder’s cell and looking into it through the window, saw the elder burning like fire; brother was worthy to see this. When he knocked, the elder came out and, seeing his brother, overcome with horror, asked: “How long have you been knocking? Did you see anything? He replied: “No.” After talking with him, the elder released him 17. Someone tells that just as before, when he lived in the royal chambers, he wore the best clothes, like no one else, and now no one came to church dressed more poorly than he 18. And when one day in the Skete they were distributing little figs to the brethren and the presbyter did not dare to send such a small amount to Arseny so as not to arouse his anger, the elder, having learned about this, did not come to the service and said: “You excommunicated me without giving me the blessing that God sent to the brethren and which I am not worthy to receive.” And the elder went and brought him to the service with joy 19 . And the fact that he consulted and did not act at his own discretion, although he shone very much in knowledge, experience, and wisdom, is not this a matter of humility? So, one day he asked an Egyptian about his thoughts, because he saw that this one was not like the others. The Egyptian said: “Father Arsenios, how do you, so skilled in Greek and Roman education, ask a simpleton about your thoughts?” The blessed father replied: “Roman [Col. 864] and I know Greek teaching, but I haven’t learned this simpleton’s alphabet” 20 . What did the elder mean by this? The fact is that if someone has mastered all education for himself, but has not studied the alphabet of true humility first of all and has not given all the wisdom of the world a second, as if extraneous, place, he is in reality an uneducated and most unlearned person. Then again the Egyptian asked him: “Why do we get nothing from such education and wisdom, while these Egyptian [monks] acquire so many virtues?” The elder said: “We receive nothing from worldly education, but Egyptian monks, like private people, acquire virtues through their own labors” 21 . In addition to his humility, the holy father was distinguished by great tenderness and constantly shed his holy tears. Throughout his life, while sitting at work, he kept a handkerchief on his knees for the tears that fell from his eyes 22 . He also had the gift of wakefulness to an extraordinary degree. Once he called Abba Alexander and Zoilus, his disciples, and said to them with humility: “Since the demons are fighting against me, and I don’t know if they are creeping up on me in my sleep, then work with me this night and protect me so that I do not fall asleep in vigil.” And they sat silently in the evening: one on the right side, and the other on the left, and they both said: “We were sleeping and got up and did not notice him dozing.” The next morning (God knows whether he did it of his own free will, so that we would think that he dozed off, or whether the nature of sleep really took over) he sighed three times and stood up immediately with the words: “I dozed off, right?” They replied that they had not seen 23. He [usually] spent the whole night awake, and in the morning, about to fall asleep, yielding to the demands of nature, he said to sleep: “Go, evil slave, serve.” And after dozing a little, he quickly got up 24. On the evening of Saturday, on the eve of Resurrection, leaving the sun behind him, he raised his hands to the sky and prayed until [in the morning] the sun shone on his face again, and only then did he sit down [to rest] 25 . The blessed father usually said the following: “It is enough for a monk to sleep one hour if he is a true ascetic” 26 . And also: “A monk is a stranger in a foreign country and should not interfere in any matter, and will be in peace” 27. [Col. 865] And he also said: “If we seek God, it will be revealed to us; and if we keep Him with us, He will remain with us” 28. Saint Arseny also worked with his hands, adorning himself with apostolic glory (cf. 1 Cor. 4:12). He wove baskets and sewed until the sixth hour. And it was surprising that during the year he only changed the water for the date leaves once, or rather, added water. Some of the fathers asked him: “Why, father, don’t you change the water for the dates, which already stinks?” He answered them: “Instead of the incense and peace that I used in the world, I should smell this stench” 29. He did not allow himself even moderation in regard to nutrition, but, by cleansing his body, he brought it to obedience to himself, avoiding satiety, like an excellent rider of a wild horse. But he didn’t taste the fruit at all. Only when he heard that all kinds of fruits were ripe, he said himself: “Bring me,” and ate one of all the fruits, thanking God 30. Abba Daniel said about him: “He stayed with us for so many years, and we gave him only one measure of bread during the year, and when we gathered with him, we ourselves ate from it” 31. But Arseny, truly rich in good deeds, was also non-covetous. He needed everything, including a linen thread, and, not having where to buy it, he accepted alms and said at the same time: “I thank you, Lord, that you have made me worthy to accept alms for your name’s sake.”32 But I must also say what his highest dispassion was. One day an envoy from the Roman commander came to him and brought him the will of a senator [relative], who left him a very rich inheritance. He took this will and wanted to tear it up. The messenger fell at his feet and said: “I beg you, do not tear him apart if you do not want to accept him.” 33 Moreover [Col. 868] he was wise in his answers. One day Abba Mark, talking with him, said: “Is it good not to have any consolation in your cell? For I saw a brother having some greenery and plucking it out.” The elder replied: “This is good, but depending on the character of the person, for if he does not have the strength for such a course of action, then he again implants them” 34. Another time, the elder said to Abba Alexander: “When you peel off your date branches, come and eat food with me.” Abba Alexander usually worked slowly, and when the time for eating came, he still had date branches; he, wanting to fulfill the elder’s word, remained to finish the work. Abba Arseny, seeing that he was late, thought that he had guests and ate the food [alone]. Alexander, having finished work, came in the evening. The elder asked: “Did you have guests?” - "No". - “Why didn’t you come?” - “Because you told me: “Come when you peel the date branches”; fulfilling your word, I did not come because I had just graduated.” And the elder was surprised at his accuracy and said to him: “Return quickly to complete your rule and change the water; otherwise your body will soon fall into illness” 35. The blessed father was sometimes not ashamed to humble himself before his disciples. One day, when he was sitting in the lower countries [of Egypt], where his peace was disturbed, he wanted to leave his cell without taking anything from it; he went to his disciples, the Faranites, Alexander and Zoilus. And he said to Alexander: “Get up, let’s swim.” And so it was done. And Zoilou said: “Come with me to the river, and look for me a ship sailing to Alexandria. And then you [Col. 869] swim to your brother.” Zoilus was silent, embarrassed by this word. So they separated from each other. The elder came to Thebaid and here he fell ill with a serious illness. His disciples thought among themselves like this: “Did any of us offend the elder, and was that why he left us?” And they didn’t find any guilt in themselves. The elder, having recovered, said: “I will go again to my fathers.” After this he sailed and came to Petra, where his disciples were. When he was near the river, an Ethiopian girl touched his mantle. The elder began to reproach her. Then the girl told him: “If you are a monk, go to the mountain.” After this, Alexander and Zoilus met him, and when they fell at his feet, the elder hugged them, and everyone began to cry. And the elder said: “Didn’t you hear that I was sick?” They answered: “Yes.” The elder continued: “Why didn’t you come to visit me?” Abba Alexander responded to this: “Because your departure from us was not desired, and many, having received no benefit, say: “If they had not been disobedient, the elder would not have left them.” Then he said: “I knew that too. But people will again say [about me]: the dove, finding no rest for its feet, returned to Noah in the ark (Gen. 8:9).” Thus the disciples were comforted and lived with him until his death 36. Chapter 3. Understanding the machinations of demons and knowledge of the hidden; illness, vision, concern for a despised burial; death, external appearance of the body; life expectancy; praise Another time, someone asked Arseny: “Thoughts confuse me, saying: you cannot fast or work - visit the sick, this expresses love.” The elder, knowing the wickedness and machinations of the demons, said to his brother: “Go, eat, drink, sleep, don’t work, but just don’t leave your cell.” For he knew that staying in the cell leads the monk to his rule 37. Was not deprived [Col. 872] blessed with the gift of clairvoyance, being filled with Divine grace. When he was sitting in his cell one day, a voice came to him: “Go, I will reveal to you the affairs of people.” He got up and went out; and [the Angel] carried him to a certain place and showed him an Ethiopian chopping wood and making a large bundle, he tried to lift it and could not; Instead of removing some of the wood, he went back to chopping and added more wood to the bundle. A little later, [the Angel] showed him a man standing over a well, drawing water from it and pouring it into a holey vessel from which it flowed. And again [the Angel] said: “Go, I’ll show you.” And he saw the church and two men sitting on horses and carrying a log across, opposite each other: they wanted to pass through the doors of the church and could not, because the log was across, and they did not agree to carry the log lengthwise one after the other and therefore remained outside the church. Then Arseny asked what this meant. And it was said to him: “These are people who carry the beam of virtue with difficulty and do not agree to follow the path of Christ’s humility, which is why they remain outside the Kingdom of God. But someone who chops wood is a person burdened with sins and, instead of repenting, never ceases to add new ones to them. He who draws water is a person who does good deeds, but since he also has something evil with them, he thereby destroys good things. A person needs to add repentance to good deeds, so as not to work in vain” 38. The following is also said about him. One day he fell ill in the Skete, and the presbyter, going to him, carried him to the church and laid him on a soft bed, and put a small pillow under his head. One of the elders came to visit him and, seeing him on his bed, was tempted and said: “Is this Abba Arseny? And is he lying on such a bed?” The elder asked him: “Who were you in your village?” “I was a shepherd,” he said. [Col. 873] The presbyter continued: “How did you spend your life?” - “In a lot of work and sorrow.” - “How do you live in your cell now?” - “I live well.” Then the presbyter said: “Do you see Abba Arseny? In the world he was the father of kings and thousands of slaves in silk robes served him; precious carpets were under his feet. But you, when you were a shepherd, did not have what you have now - peace; so he does not have the food that he had in the world. Look, now you are at peace, and he is tormented.” The elder, hearing this, was touched and bowed, saying: “Forgive me, Abba, I sinned, for this one came here for work, and I for peace.” And the old man left, having received the benefit 39. One day demons approached the blessed elder in his cell, harassing him. Those who served him approached, stopped outside the cell and heard him calling out to God: “My God, do not leave me; I have not done anything good before You, but let me, by Your mercy, make a beginning.” When one brother asked him to say a word for good, the elder answered him: “Strive as much as you can so that your inner work is according to God, and you will overcome external passions” 40. So the blessed old man performed his ascetic deeds for many years and was full of every virtue. When the time came for his repose, he began to exhort his disciples, saying: “Do not worry about a funeral dinner for me, for what I did for myself, that is what I will find” 41 . The disciples were saddened when they heard this. Then he said: “The hour has not yet come; when he comes, I will tell you, and I will sue you at the judgment seat of Christ, if you give my body to anyone.” - “What should we do? We don’t know how to bury you.” And the elder said to them: “Do you know how to tie me with a rope and drag me up the mountain?” This is what Arseny usually said: “Arseny, why did you leave the world?” This word is significant, for, he said, if you have chosen to be with God, then keep your [Col. 876] unyielding mind, so that through oblivion it does not become empty for conversation with God 42 . He also said the following: “I have often repented in words, but never in silence” 43. By this the monk showed that a person who does not pay attention to speaking appropriately often falls through verbosity and is plunged into deadly disasters and disputes. An unreasoning madman does not repent [of his words], but, on the contrary, shamelessly intensifies his speech due to the bad habit of competition. For a strong snare for a man is his mouth, and he is caught in the words of his tongue. A prudent person with a pure mind, if he speaks beyond what he should, then repents: “Oh, if only I had not said this word!” - he says. For by speaking too much you cannot avoid sin. Therefore silence is beautiful and beneficial. When the elder was dying, the brothers noticed him crying and said: “Are you truly afraid, father?” He answered them: “Indeed, the fear that is inherent in me now at this hour has been with me since I became a monk.” And immediately he rested in peace 44. When Abba Pimen heard that the elder had died, he said with tears: “Blessed are you, Father Arseny, who cried in this world, for whoever does not cry here will cry there forever; whoever cries here voluntarily will not need to cry there from torment” 45. Abba Daniel said about him that “he never wanted to talk about subjects from Scripture, although he could talk if he wanted. Also, I didn’t write any letters soon. When he came to church from time to time, he stood behind a pillar so that no one would see his face and so that he himself would not be entertained by anything extraneous. He looked angelic, like Jacob; He was all gray-haired, pleasant in speech, dry and tall, but bent from old age. He had a large beard, reaching to his waist; His eyelashes fell out from continuous crying. He died at ninety [Col. 877] five years; he lived in the palace of the blessed memory of Theodosius the Great until he was forty years old, in the Skete for forty years, ten in Troina, above Babylon, opposite Memphis, three years in Canopus of Alexandria and spent the remaining two years again in Troina, where he rested, ending his course in peace and the fear of God, for he was a good man and filled with the Holy Spirit and faith. He left me 46 his leather tunic, white hair shirt and sandals made of palm branches. And I, unworthy, wore them to receive a blessing (cf. 2 Kings 2:9, 13-14)” 47. This is the end of the life of Blessed Arseny, briefly summarized not on the basis of his many wondrous deeds, but on the basis of what was previously given in writing in parts by the reverend elders. We, having received this from them, dare to add something to what was said, so that our poverty of speech will be revealed and our love for the holy will be fulfilled. What word can describe the activity of this all-glorious, most blessed, most reverend man? Not only the current generation is amazed at his deeds and tries to imitate his ascetic exploits, but even the famous and supreme of the ancient holy fathers glorify his life. I mean the great Euthymius, who made every effort to imitate his virtues, his silence, silence, humility, poverty in clothing, abstinence in food, patience in everything, according to the word said about him: “Arseny, why did you come out [from the world]?” The Monk Euthymius imitated his contrition, his love for the desert, and his contempt for glory and for society, [Col. 880] and his constant earnest prayer, and his compassion and prudence. Since he imitated his life with all zeal, he was rewarded with the gifts that he had, receiving the communion of the All-Holy Spirit, and enlightenment with the Divine Light, and the gift of clairvoyance. O most blessed Arseny, pure receptacle of the Spirit! What word can be worthy of your glorious deeds? What kind of virtue should I praise in you first of all? Removal from the world? Who, having heard the voice of the Divine, left the world entirely rather than you? Patriarch Abraham hastened to the method and place of saving rest, but with his wife and property (cf. Gen. 12:4–5). You, completely alone, without clothes and unnecessary things, carrying only the Cross of Christ on your shoulders, settled in the desert. The royal palace did not attract you, the advantage of honors did not prevail over you. How much more amazing is this than the work of Abraham? Who, like you, with feelings outside the world and earthly dreamy images, was honored to talk with God? The great Moses who ascended Sinai (cf. Ex. 20:21; 33:11, 18–23; 34:5–8). But haven’t you also been worthy of talking with God every day on the pillar of prayer? And his face [from the conversation with God] shone with glory (cf. Ex. 34:29-35) - but didn’t you appear engulfed in fire to the one who saw you? Oh, miracle: through prayerful communication with God, you appeared in the form of a flame, becoming like the one with whom you were in communication, becoming a fire-breathing angel and - boldly speaking - surpassing the glory of Moses. What about all-night standing? The night was illuminated for you like day with prayers, as the divine David once sang (cf. Ps. 139:12). The sun, standing before you in prayer, handed you over to the sun, completing its circular flow. O sun, rival to the true spiritual sun! Your thought, full of light, purer than the rays of the sun, raises thoughts to the sky, even penetrating higher than the heavens. And the sweetness of silence? Who seemed to be a greater lover of silence than you, who withdrew from the noise of man and aspired to God alone? They say that the philosopher Pythagoras did not talk with anyone except bulls and birds, out of love for silence. You, refuting his philosophical inclination as something less than decent, lived in the desert, not even hearing the voice of birds. Thy pure heart seemed like a deep calm sea, for the winds of wickedness were carried far away by the breath of the All-Holy Spirit, [Col. 881] with whose help you, having completed the voyage, calmed down in the undisturbed harbor of the highest Kingdom. What about the height of humility? Who, like you, humbled himself in simple clothing? Who, at first living with the emperor and being highly educated, then hid his nobility and perishing wisdom in such a way? Dressed in gold, you began to wear the poorest clothes; much-wise, you became a simpleton, many-learned, you began to learn through questions and instructions to mortify passions and surpassed everyone else. How did you feel about your relatives? You yourself said about this: “I died before him,” 48 - preferring, of course, voluntary death to natural. I will also quote your blessed saying: “Arseny, why did you leave [the world]?” It is sung by the faces of monks walking along the path of salvation. For remembering the reason for which we left the world, and only caring about this, is an obstacle to sin. And the delight of divine contrition? And the continuous reflection on death, which constantly filled your pure heart, from which streams of tears constantly flowed and kindled the fire of divine love in you? In chastity I would call you the second Joseph; but you have banished the memory of the woman from your heart forever! Oh, truly a man (ἄρσην), in accordance with his name and not carrying anything feminine in himself 49! By abstinence, trampling passions, you imitated the patriarch Jacob and ate in order to live, and did not live in order to eat 50; What outsiders think about in word, you did daily in practice. Through your wakefulness you have become, as it were, disembodied, lulling the stars with your vigils, spending the night in prayer, filled with every virtue, the greatest lover of every good thing. Oh, brightest heavenly body! O most brilliant star of the silent ones! Oh, the most desirable glory of the monks! Oh, earthly angel, inspired by the beauty of abstinence! O paradise of virtue, planted with every beautiful goodness! Oh, starry sky, [decorated] with various beauties, created at the pinnacle of the purest life... 51 Rev. Arseny the Great (354–449). The church celebrates his memory on May 8/21. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 6. – Ed. Emperor Theodosius the Great (346–395) ruled a unified Roman Empire from 379–395. His sons became emperors after the death of Theodosius: Honorius (384–423) in the western part of the empire and Arcadius (377–408) in the eastern part of the empire. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 42. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 1. – Ed. Rev. John Kolov. Lived in the 5th century, student of Rev. Pimen the Great. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 2–3. – Ed. Ruled the Church of Alexandria from 385–412. Notorious for his intrigues against St. John Chrysostom. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 7. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 8. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 37. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 26. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 44. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 38. – Ed. Pope is an honorary title for the Archbishop of Alexandria. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 28. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 27. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 4. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 16. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 6. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 5. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 41. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 32. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 14. – Ed. See: Ibid. Ava Arseny, 30. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 15. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 12. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 10. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 18. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 19. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 17. – Ed. See: Ibid. Ava Arseny, 20. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 29. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 22. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 24. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 11. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 33. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Avva Arseny, 36. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 9. – Ed. See: Ibid. Avva Arseny, 39. – Ed. See: Ibid. Ava Arseny, 40. – Ed. See: Memorable tales. Ava Arseny, 40. – Ed. The name "Arseny" translated from Greek means "courageous", "masculine". – Ed. Famous words of the philosopher Socrates. – Ed.