Житие святого Павлина Милостивого, епископа Ноланского

The saint of God Peacock was from Aquitaine 922. During his secular life he was one of the senior senators under the Roman emperor. He lived a pious life and feared God 923. His wife, named Tarasiya, was similar in faith and virtues to her husband and was also pious. Having no children of their own, they took in poor orphans and cared for them as if they were their own children, feeding them and teaching them the fear of God. From day to day they excelled in every virtue and generously distributed alms to the poor. Finally, they themselves wished, for the sake of pleasing God, to become beggars. They sold their large estate and, having distributed everything to those in need, they themselves lived in voluntary poverty, like poor people, and placed their trust in God’s providence. Once, when they were already very poor, a beggar came to them to ask for alms; but they had nothing but bread. Blessed Peacock advised his wife to give this last bread to the beggar. “God will help us,” he said, “and we will not regret giving to those who ask for God’s sake.” Tarasiya, however, did not give it, but saved the bread for her own needs, since that day they themselves had nothing for lunch. At this time, a messenger from one of his rich friends came to Blessed Peacock, informing him that this friend had sent him a lot of food by sea, and then one, the last ship, precisely with food, sank and died in the sea waves. Hearing about this, Peacock said to his wife: “You see, if you had given the last bread to the beggar, the last ship with food would not have sunk at sea.” It is only because of the stinginess of many that God destroys their property. After that, leaving together with their property both worldly glory and all the interests of this world, they left Rome for the country of Campania 924, since there they left for themselves one insignificant estate for food. They settled in a city called Noloyu 925, near the tomb of the holy martyr Felizata, and there they worked for the Lord, hiding from the world. But Peacock’s virtue could not remain hidden for long. For her sake, he was taken, under duress, to the throne of the Nolan Church, and against his will he accepted the episcopal rank 926. He ruled his flock holyly and vigilantly, like a faithful and wise steward, “whom the master set over his servants” (Luke 12:42) 927. He fed his sheep not only with spiritual food, teaching and instructing them, and leading sinners to repentance and turning everyone to the path of truth, but he also took care of bodily food and all the needs of his sheep - he fed and clothed the poor and needy, orphans and widows, and ransomed captives to freedom. In those years, by God's permission, the Vandals invaded Italy in 928, who conquered it all. They also came to the region of Campania, in which the city of Nola was located. Having devastated many villages and cities, they penetrated into the diocese of Pavlinus, where they did the same thing: they captured many people and took them overseas, to their African country. Then the blessed Bishop Paulinus began to give everything that he had in the bishopric to ransom captives and to feed the impoverished barbarians from the invasion, so that he had absolutely nothing left. When the Vandal warriors, being cruel and inhuman, tortured Christians, demanding that they point out the treasures hidden in the earth, Saint Paulinus sympathized with the believers in his heart and cried out to God: “Lord, make me tormented for gold and silver. For You know where I hid my wealth - namely in the hands of Your poor and wretched servants.” One day a poor widow came to him and said with tears: “My son was captured by the Vandals, and I learned that he is with the son-in-law of the Vandal king Riga, in Africa. I beg your holiness: give me, with what to ransom my son, the only hope of my food and the support of my old age. The man of God, having carefully searched around himself in the hope that he would find something to give to the one asking, and having found nothing but himself, said to the poor widow: “Woman, I have absolutely nothing to give you except myself.” Take me, I surrender to your power like a slave. Sell ​​me and ransom your son, then go give me into slavery in exchange for your son. The woman, hearing these words from the lips of such a man, thought that this was more mockery than mercy. But he, being eloquent and wise, with his reasoning convinced the doubting woman that he was telling her not for the sake of ridicule, but quite rightly. He convinced her to believe his words and not be afraid to sell the bishop into slavery in order to free her son. Then they both went to Africa and, coming to the Vandals, stopped at the gate of that prince, the king’s son-in-law, with whom the poor widow’s son lived. When the prince left the house somewhere, the widow fell at his feet and begged him with tears to let her son go. But the barbarian, being proud, not only did not want to let her son go, but did not even listen to her requests. Then the widow, pointing to the servant of God Peacock, said: “I’m giving this man instead of my son; just be merciful and let me have my son, for he is my only one. The prince, looking carefully at the man of God, asked him: -What craft do you know? Saint Paulinus answered him: “I don’t know any craft, but I only know how to cultivate gardens well.” Hearing this, the prince rejoiced, for he needed just such a person, and gave his son to the widow. She and her son returned home, and Saint Paulinus, remaining to work, took charge of the gardens and began to work zealously. His master began to often come to the garden and have conversations with his gardener about various things. Noticing his wise and extensive knowledge, he talked with him about everything, often leaving his family and friends to enjoy the reasoning of his servant. Blessed Peacock brought him various vegetables from the garden for lunch every day and, receiving bread from his hands, returned to his work. One day, when his master was talking with him, Saint Paulinus said to him: - Look, you are going to go somewhere. Meanwhile, you will have to take care of accepting the Vandal kingdom, for this king, your father-in-law, will suddenly die an unexpected death. If you leave, someone else will seize royal power without you. The prince, having heard these words from his gardener, did not keep silent about it, but went and told the king, for he was completely faithful to him and for this he was loved by him more than anyone else. The king doubted and said: “I want to see the husband you’re talking about.” “I will now command him to bring vegetables from the garden for lunch for you, and you will see him.” When the king sat down to dinner, Peacock came in to him, bringing vegetables for the royal meal, at the command of his master. When the king saw him, he immediately trembled and, calling his master, his son-in-law, revealed to him the secret that he wanted to hide from him. “It is true,” he said, “what you heard from this man, for at night, in a dream vision, I saw various princes sitting on thrones and holding court over me.” He also sat among those judges. By their court, the rod and the power that I once received were taken away from me. Ask him who he is. I do not think that this man was a simple man, for I saw him in great rank. Then the king’s son-in-law took blessed Peacock aside and asked him: The man of God answered him: “I am your servant, whom you accepted in place of the widow’s son.” The prince persistently interrogated him, demanding to explain not what he had become now, but what he had been in his country? He conjured the saint and swore that he would not hide his secret from him, but would reveal the whole truth to him. The man of God, embarrassed by the interrogation and unable to break his oath, said that he was a bishop. His master, hearing this, was greatly frightened and humbly said to him: “Ask me for what you want, and then return to your country with rich gifts.” The saint of God Peacock said to him: “I will ask you for the only good deed that you can do: release all the captives of my city and country who were brought here to freedom in their native land.” Immediately, through the zeal of this prince, Christians captured from the region of Campania were found throughout the entire African country and brought to Saint Paulinus. The holy shepherd was released with honor with all the verbal sheep of his flock, with many rich gifts and food supplies in abundance. They returned to their land on ships with joy and joy. A few days later, according to the saint’s prophecy, Riga, the king of the Vandals, died, and his son-in-law ascended the throne in his place. Thus, Saint Paulinus, having given himself alone into slavery, brought many people out of slavery to freedom, following Christ the Lord, who took on the form of a slave and delivered the human race from slavery to the devil. After leaving slavery with the Vandals, Saint Paulinus lived for many years, and as a good shepherd, laying down his life for his sheep, he valiantly managed the flock entrusted to him and, not sparing himself, showed many benefits to the poor brethren. Then he passed on to the Chief Shepherd Christ, his Lord, 929 from Whom he now receives reward a hundredfold and inherits eternal life, glorifying Him forever. Amen. Aquitaine is the western part of ancient Gaul (present-day France). Saint Paulinus received holy baptism in the year 26, in 389. Campania is an ancient region of central Italy, south of Rome, near the Tyrrhenian Sea. Nola is one of the oldest cities in Campania and still exists today. This was in 409. Previously, he was a presbyter (from 393) in Barcelona, ​​Spain. The comparison is taken from the Savior’s parable about the faithful and prudent steward, who takes care of the servants and is always ready to give account to his master. Vandals - the people of the Germanic tribe, lived first in central Germany, later in southern Spain and then in northern Africa, from where they made devastating raids on neighboring coastal countries Saint Paulinus died on June 22, 431. His relics are in the church of St. Bartholomew in Rome. He remained known as a writer and teacher of the Church, mainly as a Christian poet. From him there remain 35 hymns and up to 50 letters, especially important for their deep piety. They depict with living features the height of Christian perfection and talk about how you need to take care of your heart; the virtues of evangelical humility, love of God and neighbor are described; the duties of spouses and sweet consolations for the unfortunate are outlined. Three hymns are beautiful prayers to God, three other expositions of three psalms: Ps.1, Ps.2 and Ps.136. In addition, the letters and hymns of St. Paulinus speak about the Providence of God, about original sin, about the Holy Eucharist, about the intercession of saints for the world, about prayer for the dead and the veneration of icons. Saint Paulinus also remained known for his love for decorating the churches of St. icons; Tradition also attributes to him the invention of church bells, dating back to approximately 400. You might be interested in: