Pachomius le Grand, Curtea Veche, Bucharest
Saint Pacôme le Grand
Fondateur du cénobitisme
chrétien (+ 346)
A 20 ans, l'égyptien Pacôme est enrôlé de force dans l'armée romaine. A Thèbes, alors qu'il se morfond dans une caserne où on l'a enfermé avec les autres conscrits récalcitrants, des chrétiens charitables viennent les visiter et leur apportent de quoi manger.
Une fois libéré, Pacôme se fait baptiser. Il se met au service des pauvres et des malades, puis obéit à l'appel de la solitude en se faisant ermite pendant sept ans.
Un jour qu'il se trouve à Tabennesi dans le désert, une voix mystérieuse lui dit: "Pacôme, reste ici, bâtis un monastère."
Une autre fois, un ange lui dit: "Pacôme, voici la volonté de Dieu: servir le genre humain et le réconcilier avec Dieu."
Pacôme a compris: on ne se sauve pas tout seul. Il bâtit un monastère pour aider d'autres hommes à trouver Dieu. Les disciples y viendront petit à petit.
Ce premier essai de vie commune est un échec: on n'improvise pas une communauté. Pacôme en tirera la leçon et rédigera un règlement strict: "la Règle de saint Pacôme". Il devient ainsi le père du monachisme communautaire ou cénobitique.
Le grand saint Athanase d'Alexandrie veut le faire prêtre. Par humilité, il refuse. Il continue à fonder et à multiplier les monastères chez les coptes de la Haute-Égypte.
Il mourut lors d'une épidémie qui frappa les couvents égyptiens en 346.
Saint
Pacôme est fêté le 15 mai par les Eglises d'Orient.
En Thébaïde, l'an 347 ou 348, saint Pacôme, abbé. Soldat encore païen, témoin
de la charité chrétienne envers les recrues de l'armée détenues, il en fut ému,
se convertit à la vie chrétienne, reçut de l'anachorète Palémon l'habit
monastique et, sept années plus tard, sur un avertissement divin, il édifia un
grand nombre de monastères pour accueillir des frères, et écrivit une célèbre
Règle des moines.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/1127/Saint-Pacome-le-Grand.html
Saint
Pachomius, Iconostasis in Blaj, XVIIIth Century
SAINT PACÔME
Abbé
(292-348)
Pacôme naquit en 292,
dans la Haute-Thébaïde, au sein de l'idôlatrie, comme une rose au milieu des
épines. A l'âge de vingt ans, il était soldat dans les troupes impériales,
quand l'hospitalité si charitable des moines chrétiens l'éclaira et fixa ses
idées vers le christianisme et la vie religieuse. A peine libéré du service
militaire, il se fit instruire, reçut le baptême et se rendit dans un désert,
où il pria un solitaire de le prendre pour son disciple. "Considérez, mon
fils, dit le vieillard, que du pain et du sel font toute ma nourriture; l'usage
du vin et de l'huile m'est inconnu. Je passe la moitié de la nuit à chanter des
psaumes ou à méditer les Saintes Écritures; quelques fois il m'arrive de passer
la nuit entière sans sommeil." Pacôme, étonné, mais non découragé,
répondit qu'avec la grâce de Dieu, il pourrait mener ce genre de vie jusqu'à la
mort. Il fut fidèle à sa parole. Dès ce moment, il se livra généreusement à
toutes les rudes pratiques de la vie érémitique.
Un jour qu'il était allé
au désert de Tabenne, sur les bords du Nil, un Ange lui apporta du Ciel une
règle et lui commanda, de la part de Dieu, d'élever là un monastère. Dans sa
Règle, le jeûne et le travail étaient proportionnés aux forces de chacun; on
mangeait en commun et en silence; tous les instants étaient occupés; la loi du
silence était rigoureuse; en allant d'un lieu à un autre, on devait méditer
quelque passage de l'Écriture; on chantait des psaumes même pendant le travail.
Bientôt le monastère devint trop étroit, il fallut en bâtir six autres dans le
voisinage. L'oeuvre de Pacôme se développait d'une manière aussi merveilleuse
que celle de saint Antoine, commencée vingt ans plus tôt.
L'obéissance était la
vertu que Pacôme conseillait le plus à ses religieux; il punissait sévèrement
les moindres infractions à cette vertu. Un jour, il avait commandé à un saint
moine d'abattre un figuier couvert de fruits magnifiques, mais qui était pour
les novices un sujet de tentation: "Comment, saint Père, lui dit celui-ci,
vous voulez abattre ce figuier, qui suffit à lui tout seul à nourrir tout le
couvent?" Pacôme n'insista pas; mais, le lendemain, le figuier se trouvait
desséché: ainsi Dieu voulait montrer le mérite de la parfaite obéissance. Le
saint abbé semblait avoir toute puissance sur la nature: il marchait sur les
serpents et foulait aux pieds les scorpions sans en recevoir aucun mal;
lorsqu'il lui fallait traverser quelque bras du Nil pour la visite de ses
monastères, les crocodiles se présentaient à lui et le passaient sur leur dos.
Sur le point de mourir, il vit son bon Ange près de lui.
Abbé L. Jaud, Vie
des Saints pour tous les jours de l'année, Tours, Mame, 1950.
SOURCE : http://magnificat.ca/cal/fr/saints/saint_pacome.html,
http://viechretienne.catholique.org/saints/1430-saint-pacome
.jpg)
The
phenomenon of an angel to Sacred Pahomiju (fresco). XIVth centuryChurch of
a monastery Zrze (Macedonia).
Явление
ангела Святому Пахомию (фреска).Церковь монастыря Зрзе (Македония).
SAINT PACÔME
Haute-Egypte au début du IVe siècle. Il fut un homme d'ascensions en quête de
Dieu plus haut que toutes cimes. D'origine païenne, soldat dans l'armée
impériale, frappé par la fraternité des chrétiens, il se donne au Christ et
quitte tous ses biens pour lui. Attiré par l'appel du Désert, il se fixe vers
325 en un lieu retiré, près de Thèbes. Depuis lors, le mot Thébaïde désignera
une solitude radicale, comme le mentionne le "Larousse". Bientôt
affluent autour de lui ses disciples. Pour eux, Pacôme connaîtra d'abord un
échec : ses premiers compagnons, dégagés des soucis matériels, consacraient
beaucoup plus de temps au repos et au sommeil qu'au travail, à la pénitence et
à la prière !
Pacôme lance un appel aux plus généreux et gagne le désert de Tabennêsi. Il
édifie avec eux une grande Famille où ensemble on prie, on travaille de ses
mains et on se sanctifie : des moines vaillants engagés aussi bien dans les
exercices spirituels que dans les tâches de la vie en commun. Naîtront neuf
monastères, la plus grande source de la vie monastique en Orient puis en
Occident. Saint Pacôme remet son âme à Dieu vers 346. Avec Antoine le grand et
Macaire, Pacôme constitue la trilogie des Pères du Désert en Egypte. Leur
grande maxime de sagesse afin de vivre pour Dieu l'Unique se traduit en latin
"fuge, tace, quiesce" : viens à l'écart, habite le silence, reçois la
paix du coeur. A chacun de chercher la voie royale du Désert en respirant par
l'Esprit.
Pâcome vient du latin "paix".
Rédacteur : Frère Bernard Pineau, OP
SOURCE : http://www.lejourduseigneur.com/Web-TV/Saints/Pacome
.jpg)
Saint
Pacôme le Grand recevant de l'ange la Règle de son Ordre (icône Byzantine).
Saint Pacôme
(pacificateur)
Avec saint Antoine , saint Pacôme fut le fondateur du monachisme.
Au moment de sa mort, les 9 monastères qu’il avait créés devaient contenir de 6
à 8.000 moines répartis sur les deux rives du Nil, en Égypte.
Quand il allait les visiter et qu’il devait traverser le Nil, il se mettait sur
un crocodile qui le transportait de l’autre côté.
Il est né en 286, à Esneh (actuellement Isna) en Égypte, non loin de Thèbes au
sein d’un milieu païen. Il sacrifiait aux Dieu mais vomissait le vin du
sacrifice et ne pouvait ingurgiter aucune nourriture sacrifiée. Quand il
entrait dans un temple, les idoles s’arrêtaient de prophétiser.
A vingt ans, il fut enrôlé de force dans l’armée romaine où il découvrit les
martyrs chrétiens. Après avoir quitté l’armée, il se rendit à Sheneset où
vivait un ermite du nom de l’apa Palemon et demanda à vivre avec lui. Il frappa
à la porte et palémon lui dit : en été, je jeune tous les jours, et en hiver,
je mange tous les deux jours. Je ne prends que de l’eau, du pain et du sel et
je dors rarement.
Qu’à cela ne tienne, Pacôme fut conquit par le programme et s’installa avec
l’apa Palémon auprès duquel il restera sept ans.
Comme le sommeil entraîne le moine dans un monde d’illusion, il fallait ne pas
dormir sauf le strict nécessaire. Il dormait donc accroupi ou assis en
s’appuyant légèrement contre un mur. Lorsqu’il rentrait le soir et voulait
s’allonger pour dormir, l’apa Palemon l’envoyait se promener dans le désert en
portant une grosse pierre pendant des heures entières. Il mangeait des herbes
cuites auxquelles Palémon ajoutait un peu de cendres pour leur donner mauvais
goût.
Les prières se faisaient debout, les bras en croix, immobile et abolissant
toute perception du monde extérieur.
Un jour, il partit dans le désert et aboutit à un village nommé Tabennesi. Un
ange lui apparut et lui ordonna de s’installer en ce lieu. Il y fondera son
premier monastère.
Tout était fait pour éliminer l’orgueil et tuer “l’homme mondain”.
Les moines étaient regroupés par métiers. De plus, Pacôme avait institué ce
qu’on appelait la “règle de l’ange”: les moines étaient répartis en 24 groupes
selon les 24 lettres de l’alphabet grec. Chaque lettre désignait un certains
type de moine. Ainsi, la lettre iota, i, regroupait les niais et un peu innocents,
le chi, les moines au caractère difficiles etc.
Seul Pacôme connaissait la répartition. Les moines ne la connaissaient pas.
Il luttait contre toute ostention de l’ascèse. Ainsi, chaque moine mangeait
avec un grand capuchon qui ne permettait pas au voisin de voir ce qu’il
laissait par mortification : pas de jalousie, pas de culpabilité. Si un moine
sortait avant la fin du repas, personne ne pouvait voir ce qui restait dans son
assiette et se prévaloir d’une mortification plus intense que celle de son voisin.
Chacun était tenu de tresser une natte par jour. Par ostentation, un moine en
fit deux. Pacôme l’enferma cinq mois dans sa cellule avec obligation de faire
deux nattes par jour.
(Cf. “Les hommes ivres de Dieu”, Jacques Lacarrière, Points Sagesse, Arthème
Fayard)
Le tempérament des moines Coptes se pliait difficilement à cette discipline et
souvent des querelles surgissait que Pacôme s’efforçait de calmer.
Un jour, un moine lui demanda : “Pourquoi, saint père, lorsqu’on m’adresse des
paroles dures, suis-je tout de suite en colère ?”. Pacôme répondit :”Parce que
lorsqu’on donne un coup de hache à l’acacia, il émet aussitôt de la gomme !”.
Pacôme mourut à l’âge de soixante ans lors d’une épidémie de peste.
Mais le cénobitisme (moines vivant en communauté) était né et se répandit en
Cappadoce, en Grèce et dans tout l’Occident.
SOURCE : http://carmina-carmina.com/carmina/Mytholosaints/pacome.htm
Saint Pacôme le Grand
Fondateur du cénobitisme
chrétien (+ 346)
A 20 ans, l’égyptien
Pacôme est enrôlé de force dans l’armée romaine. A Thèbes, alors qu’il se
morfond dans une caserne où on l’a enfermé avec les autres conscrits
récalcitrants, des chrétiens charitables viennent les visiter et leur apportent
de quoi manger.
Une fois libéré, Pacôme
se fait baptiser. Il se met au service des pauvres et des malades, puis obéit à
l’appel de la solitude en se faisant ermite pendant sept ans. Un jour qu’il se
trouve à Tabennesi dans le désert, une voix mystérieuse lui dit: « Pacôme,
reste ici, bâtis un monastère. » Une autre fois, un ange lui dit:
« Pacôme, voici la volonté de Dieu: servir le genre humain et le
réconcilier avec Dieu. » Pacôme a compris: on ne se sauve pas tout seul.
Il bâtit un monastère pour aider d’autres hommes à trouver Dieu. Les disciples
y viendront petit à petit.
Ce premier essai de vie
commune est un échec: on n’improvise pas une communauté. Pacôme en tirera la
leçon et rédigera un règlement strict: « la Règle de saint Pacôme ».
Il devient ainsi le père du monachisme communautaire ou cénobitique. Le
grand saint Athanase d’Alexandrie veut le faire prêtre. Par
humilité, il refuse. Il continue à fonder et à multiplier les monastères chez
les coptes de la Haute-Égypte.
Il mourut lors d’une
épidémie qui frappa les couvents égyptiens en 346. Saint
Pacôme est fêté le 15 mai par les Eglises d’Orient.
SOURCE : https://fr.aleteia.org/daily-prayer/samedi-9-mai/&daily_prayer_section=evangile-du-jour-3/
Monastery
of Saint Abraam
Also
known as
Pachomius the Elder
Pachomius the Great
Pachome…
Pakhomius…
Pacomius..
Pacomio…
9 May (Roman
Martyrology; Coptic church)
15 May (in
the east)
14 May on
some calendars
3 July on
some calendars
Profile
Soldier in
the imperial Roman army. Convert in 313.
He left the army in 314 and
became a spiritual student of Saint Palaemon.
Lived as a hermit from 316.
During a retreat into the deep desert, he received a vision telling him to
build a monastery on
the spot and leave the life of a hermit for
that of a monk in
community. He did in 320,
and devised a Rule that let fellow hermits ease
from solitary to communal living; legend says that the Rule was dictated to him
by an angel. Abbot.
His first house expanded to eleven monasteries and convents with
over 7,000 monks and nuns in
religous life by the time of Pachomius’s death.
Spiritual teacher of Saint Abraham
the Poor and Saint Theodore
of Tabennísi. Considered the founder of Christian cenobitic
(communal) monasticism, whose rule for monks is
the earliest extant.
Born
c.346 of
natural causes
buried in
an unknown location by Saint Theodore
of Tabennísi
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
Roman
Martyrology, 1914 edition
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
Short
Lives of the Saints, by Eleanor Cecilia Donnelly
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
Coptic
Orthodox Church Network
History
of Monastic Spirituality
Lausiac History, by Palladius
Patristics
in English, Rule, part 1
Patristics
in English, Rule, part 2
Patristics
in English, Rule, part 3
Patristics
in English, Rule, part 4
images
video
sites
en français
fonti
in italiano
notitia
in latin
MLA
Citation
“Saint Pachomius of
Tabenna“. CatholicSaints.Info. 8 December 2021. Web. 9 May 2023.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-pachomius-of-tabenna/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-pachomius-of-tabenna/
Plate
from the 1619 book Sylva anachoretica Aegypti et Palaestinae. Plate design
by Abraham Bloemaert (1564/66-1651); engraving by Boetius à Bolswert (ca.
1580-1633). Scan from the original work - Bloemaert, Abraham (1619) Sylva
anachoretica Ægypti et Palæstinæ. : Figuris æneis et brevibvs vitarvm
elogiis expressa. / Abrahamo Blommaert inuentore. Boetio a Bolsvvert sculptore, Antwerp:
ex typographi^a Henrici Ærtss ij, Sumptibus auctoris. University
Library - Radboud University
St. Pachomius
Died about 346. The main facts of his life will be found in MONASTICISM (Section
II: Eastern Monasticismbefore Chalcedon). Having spent some time
with Palemon, he went to a deserted village
named Tabennisi, notnecessarily with the intention of
remaining there permanently. A hermit would
often withdraw for a time to some more remote spot in the desert,
and afterwards return to his old abode. But Pachomius never returned;
a vision bade him stay and erect a monastery;
"very many eager to embrace the monastic life will come hither
to thee". Although from the first Pachomius seems to have realized his
mission to substitute the cenobiticalfor the eremitical life,
some time elapsed before he could realize his idea.
First his elder brother joined him, then others, but all were bent upon
pursuing the eremitical life with
some modifications proposed by Pachomius (e.g., meals in common). Soon,
however, disciples came who were able to enter into his plans. In his
treatment of these earliest recruits Pachomius displayed great wisdom. He
realized that men, acquainted only with the eremitical life,
might speedily become disgusted, if the distracting cares of
the cenobitical lifewere thrust too abruptly upon them. He therefore
allowed them to devote their whole time to spiritualexercises,
undertaking himself all the burdensome work which community life entails.
The monastery atTabennisi,
though several times enlarged, soon became too small and a second was founded
at Pabau (Faou). A monastery at
Chenoboskion (Schenisit) next joined the order, and, before Pachomius died,
there were nine monasteries of
his order for men, and two for women.
How did Pachomius get
his idea of
the cenobitical life? Weingarten (Der Ursprung des
Möncthums, Gotha, 1877) held that Pachomius was once a pagan monk,
on the ground that Pachomius after his baptism took
up his abode in a building which old people said had once been a temple of
Serapis. In 1898 Ladeuze (LeCénobitisme pakhomien, 156) declared this
theory rejected by Catholics and Protestants alike.
In 1903 Preuschen published a monograph (Möncthum und Serapiskult, Giessen,
1903), which his reviewer in the "Theologische Literaturzeitung"
(1904, col. 79), and Abbot Butler in the "Journal of
Theological Studies" (V, 152) hoped would put an end to this
theory. Preuschen showed that the supposed monks of
Serapis were notmonks in
any sense whatever. They were dwellers in the temple who practised
"incubation", i.e. sleeping in the temple to
obtain oracular dreams. But theories of this kind die hard. Mr.
Flinders Petrie in his "Egypt in Israel" (published by the Soc.
for the Prop. of Christ. Knowl., 1911) proclaims Pachomius simply
a monk of
Serapis. Another theory is that Pachomius's relations with
the hermits became
strained, and that he recoiled from their extreme austerities. This theory
also topples over when confronted with
facts. Pachomius's relationswere always affectionate with the
old hermit Palemon,
who helped him to build his monastery.
There was never any rivalry between the hermits and
the cenobites. Pachomius wished his monks to
emulate theausterities of the hermits;
he drew up a rule which made things easier for the less proficient, but did not
check the most extreme asceticism in the more
proficient. Common meals were provided, but those who wished to
absent themselves from them were encouraged to do so, and bread, salt, and
water were placed in their cells. It seems that Pachomius found the solitude of
the eremitical life a
bar to vocations, and held thecenobitical life to be in itself the
higher (Ladeuze, op. cit., 168). The main features
of Pachomius's rule are described in the article already referred to,
but a few words may be said about the rule supposed to have been dictated by
an angel (Palladius,
"Hist. Lausiaca", ed. Butler, pp. 88 sqq.), of which use is
often made in describing a monastery.
According to Ladeuze (263 sqq.), all accounts of this rule go back to Palladius;
and in some most important points it can be shown that it was never followed by
either Pachomius or his monks.
It is unnecessary to discuss the charges brought by Amelineau on the
flimsiest grounds against the morality of the Pachomian monks.
They have been amply refuted by Ladeuze and Schiwietz (cf. also Leipoldt,
"Schneute von Atripe", 147).
Sources
In addition to the
bibliography already given (Eastern Monasticism before Chalcedon) consult
CABROL, Dict. d'archeol. chrét., s.v. Cenobitisme; BOUSQUET AND NAU, Hist.
de S. Pacomus in Ascetica. . .patrologia orient., IV (Paris, 1908).
Bacchus, Francis Joseph. "St. Pachomius." The Catholic
Encyclopedia. Vol. 11. New York: Robert Appleton
Company, 1911.13 May
2015 <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11381a.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by Herman F.
Holbrook. Benedictus Deus in sanctis suis.
Ecclesiastical
approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1911. Remy Lafort, S.T.D.,
Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Copyright © 2021 by Kevin Knight. Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
SOURCE : http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11381a.htm
Article
(Saint) Abbot (May 14)
(4th
century) One of the most celebrated of the “Fathers of the Desert.” He was
a hermit in
the Thebaid (Upper Egypt)
from soon after his conversion to Christianity,
and there became a disciple of the Abbot Palaemon. Saint Pachomius
founded several monasteries governed
by a very austere Rule, which he himself had compiled. He seems to have been
the first to group Religious Houses subject to one Rule under the jurisdiction
of a Father General or Head Abbot. At
the time of his holy death (A.D. 348)
seven thousand monks were
in this manner governed by him.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Pachomius”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info.
27 May 2016. Web. 10 May 2023.
<https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-pachomius/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-pachomius/
Lives
of Illustrious Men – Pachomius the presbyter-monk
Article
Pachomius the monk, a man
endowed with apostolic grace both in teaching and in performing miracles, and
founder of the Egyptian monasteries, wrote an Order of discipline suited to
both classes of monks, which he received by angelic dictation. He wrote letters
also to the associated bishops of his district, in an alphabet concealed by
mystic sacraments so as to surpass customary human knowledge and only manifest
to those of special grace or desert, that is To the Abbot Cornelius one, To the
Abbot Syrus one, and one To the heads of all monasteries exhorting that,
gathered together to one very ancient monastery which is called in the Egyptian
language Bau, they should celebrate the day of the Passover together as by
everlasting law. He urged likewise in another letter that on the day of
remission, which is celebrated in the month of August, the chief bishops should
be gathered together to one place, and wrote one other letter to the brethren
who had been sent to work outside the monasteries.
MLA
Citation
Saint Jerome.
“Pachomius the presbyter-monk”. Lives of
Illustrious Men, with the Authors whom Gennadius Added after the Death of the
Blessed Jerome, translated by Ernest Cushing Richardson. CatholicSaints.Info.
17 April 2014. Web. 10 May 2023.
<http://catholicsaints.info/lives-of-illustrious-men-/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/lives-of-illustrious-men-pachomius-the-presbyter-monk/
Miniature
Lives of the Saints – Saint Pachomius, Abbot
Article
In the beginning of the
fourth century great levies of troops were made throughout Egypt for the
service of the Roman emperor. Among the recruits was Pachomius, a young
heathen, then in his twenty-first year. On his way down the Nile he passed a
village whose inhabitants gave him food and money. Marvelling at this kindness,
Pachomius was told they were Christians, and hoped for a reward in the life to
come. He then prayed God to show him the truth, and promised to devote his life
to His service. On being discharged, he returned to a Christian village in
Egypt where he was instructed and baptized. Instead of going home he sought
Palemon, an aged solitary, to learn from him a perfect life, and with great joy
embraced the most severe austerities. Their food was bread and water, once a
day in summer and once in two days in winter; sometimes they added herbs, but
mixed ashes with them. They only slept one hour each night, and this short
repose Pachomius took sitting upright without support. Three times God revealed
to him that he was to found a religious Order at Tabenna, and an angel gave him
a rule of life. Trusting in God he built a monastery, although he had no
disciples; but vast multitudes soon flocked to him, and he trained them in
perfect detachment from creatures and from self. His visions and miracles were
innumerable, and he read all hearts. His holy death occurred in 348.
“To live in great
simplicity, and in a wise ignorance, is exceeding wise.” – Saint Pachomius
“Most men look for
miracles as a sign of sanctity, but I prefer a solid and heartfelt humility to
raising the dead.” – Saint Pachomius
One day a monk, by dint
of great exertions, contrived to make two mats instead of the one which was the
usual daily task, and set them both out in front of his cell, that Pachomius
might see how diligent he had been. But the Saint, perceiving the vainglory
which had prompted the act, said, “This brother has taken a great deal of pains
from morning till night to give his work to the devil.” Then, to cure him of
his delusion, Pachomius imposed on him as a penance to keep his cell for five
months and to taste no food but bread and water.
“Take heed, therefore,
that you do not your justice before men to be seen by them; otherwise you shall
not have a reward of your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 6:i
MLA
Citation
Henry Sebastian Bowden.
“Saint Pachomius, Abbot”. Miniature Lives of the
Saints for Every Day of the Year, 1877. CatholicSaints.Info.
23 February 2015. Web. 10 May 2023.
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SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/miniature-lives-of-the-saints-saint-pachomius-abbot/
Saint
Pachomius fresco, Monastery of the Cross - Interior
ST. PACHOMIUS, ABBOT.
In the beginning of the fourth century, great levies of troops were made
throughout Egypt for the service of the Roman emperor. Among the recruits was
Pachomius, a young heathen, then in his twenty-first year. On his way down the
Nile he passed a village, whose inhabitants gave him food and money. Marvelling
at this kindness, Pachomius was told they were Christians, and hoped for a
reward in the life to come. He then prayed God to show him the truth, and
promised to devote his life to His service. On being discharged, he returned to
a Christian village in Egypt, where he was instructed and baptized. Instead of
going home, he sought Palemon, an aged solitary, to learn from him a perfect
life, and with great joy embraced the most severe austerities. Their food was
bread and water, once a day in summer, and once in two days in winter;
sometimes they added herbs, but mixed ashes with them. They only slept one hour
each night, and this short repose Pachomius took sitting upright without
support. Three times God revealed to him that he was to found a religious order
at Tabenna; and an angel gave him a rule of life. Trusting in God, he built a
monastery, although he had no disciples; but vast multitudes soon flocked to
him, and he trained them in perfect detachment from creatures and from self.
One day a monk, by dint of great exertions, contrived to make two mats instead
of the one which was the usual daily task, and set them both out in front of
his cell, that Pachomius might see how diligent he had been. But the Saint,
perceiving the vainglory which had prompted the act, said, "This brother
has taken a great deal of pains from morning till night to give his work to the
devil." Then, to cure him of his delusion, Pachomius imposed on him as
penance to keep his cell for five months and to taste no food but bread and
water. His visions and miracles were innumerable, and he read all hearts. His
holy death occurred in 348.
REFLECTION.—" To live in great simplicity," said St. Pachomius,
"and in a wise ignorance, is exceeding wise."
SOURCE : http://jesus-passion.com/Saint_Pachomius.htm
Saint Pachomius
St. Pachomius was born
about 292 in the Upeer Thebaid in Egypt and was inducted into the Emperor’s
army as a twenty-year-old. The great kindness of Christians at Thebes toward
the soldiers became embedded in his mind and led to his conversion after his
discharge. After being baptized, he became a disciple of an anchorite, Palemon,
and took the habit. The two of them led a life of extreme austerity and total
dedication to God; they combined manual labor with unceasing prayer both day
and night.
Later, Pachomius felt
called to build a monastery on the banks of the Nile at Tabennisi; so about 318
Palemon helped him build a cell there and even remained with him for a while.
In a short time some one hundred monks joined him and Pachomius organized them
on principles of community living. So prevalent did the desire to emulate the
life of Pachomius and his monks become, that the holy man was obliged to
establish ten other monasteries for men and two nunneries for women. Before his
death in 346, there were seven thousand monks in his houses, and his Order
lasted in the East until the 11th century.
St. Pachomius was the first monk to organize hermits into groups and write down a Rule for them. Both St. Basil and St. Benedict drew from his Rule in setting forth their own more famous ones. Hence, though St. Anthony is usually regarded as the founder of Christian monasticism, it was really St. Pachomius who began monasticism as we know it today.
SOURCE : http://www.ucatholic.com/saints/pachomius/
Pachomius of Tabenna, Abbot (RM)
(also known as Pachome)
Born in the Upper Thebaîd near Esneh, Egypt, c. 290-292; died at Tabennisi,
Egypt, on May 15, c. 346-348; feast day in the East is May 15.
"It is very much better for you to be one among a crowd of a thousand
people and to possess a very little humility, than to be a man living in the
cave of a hyena in pride." --Pachomius
Pachomius, son of pagan parents, was unwillingly drafted into the Theban army
at the age of 20, probably to help Maximinus wage war against Licinius and
Constantine. When his unit reached Thebes the officers in charge, knowing the
feelings of their reluctant recruits, locked them up. They were taken down the
Nile as virtual prisoners under terrible conditions. The soldier-prisoners were
fed, given money, and treated with great kindness by the Christians of
Latopolis (Esneh) while they were being shipped down the Nile, and Pachomius
was struck by this. When the army disbanded after the overthrow of Maximinus,
he returned to Khenoboskion (Kasr as-Sayd). The kindness of the Christians to
strangers caused Pachomius to enquire about their faith and to enroll himself
as a catechumen at the local Christian church. After his baptism in 314 he
searched for the best way to respond to the grace he had received in the
sacrament. He prayed continually:
"O God, Creator of heaven and earth, cast on me an eye of pity: deliver me
from my miseries: teach me the true way of pleasing You, and it shall be the
whole employment, and most earnest study of my life to serve You, and to do
Your will."
Like many neophytes, Pachomius was in danger of the temptation to do too much.
Zeal is often an artifice of the devil to make a novice undertake too much too
fast, and run indiscreetly beyond his strength. If the sails gather too much
wind, the vessel is driven ahead, falls on some rock, and splits. Eagerness may
be a symptom of secret passion, not of true virtue if it is willful and
impatient at advice. Thus, Pachomius wanted to find a skillful conductor.
Hearing about a holy man was serving God in perfection, Pachomius finally
sought out the elderly desert hermit named Saint Palaemon and asked to be his
follower. They lived very austerely, doing manual labor to earn money for the
relief of the poor and their own subsistence, and often praying all night.
Palaemon would not use wine or oil in his food, even on Easter day, so as not
to lose sight of the meaning of Christ's suffering. He set Pachomius to
collecting briars barefoot; and the saint would often bear the pain as a
reminder of the nails that entered Christ's feet.
One day in 318 while walking in the Tabennisi Desert on the banks of the Nile
north of Thebes, Pachomius is said to have heard a voice that told him to begin
a monastery there. He also experienced a vision in which an angel set out
directions for the religious life. The two hermits constructed a cell there
together about 320, and Palaemon lived with him for a while before returning to
solitude. Pachomius's first follower was his own brother, John, and within a
short time, there were 100 monks.
Pachomius wrote the first communal rule for monks (which some say survives in a
Latin translation by Saint Jerome and others say is lost), an innovation on the
common type of eremitical monachism. The life style was severe but less
rigorous than that of typical hermits. Their habit was a sleeveless tunic of
rough white linen with a cowl that prevented them from seeing one another at
group meals taken in silence. (Silence was strictly observed at all times.) They
wore on their shoulders a white goatskin, called Melotes. The monks learned the
Bible by heart and came together daily for prayer. By his rule, the fasts and
tasks of work of each were proportioned to his strength. They received the holy
communion on the first and last days of every week. Novices were tried with
great severity before they were admitted to the habit and profession of vows.
His rule influenced SS. Basil and Benedict; 32 passages of Benedict's rule are
based on Pachomius's guidelines.
Pachomius himself went fifteen years without ever lying down, taking his short
rest sitting on a stone. He begrudged the necessity for sleep because he wished
he could have been able to employ all his moments in the actual exercises of
divine love. From the time of his conversion he never ate a full meal. The
saint, with the greatest care, comforted and served the sick himself. He
received into his community the sickly and weak, rejecting none just because he
lacked physical strength. The holy monk desired to lead all souls to heaven
that had the fervor to walk in the paths of perfection.
He opened six other monasteries and a convent for his sister on the opposite
side of the Nile (but would never visit her) in the Thebaîd, and from 336 on
lived primarily at Pabau near Thebes, which outgrew the Tabennisi community in
fame. He was an excellent administrator, and acted as superior general.
The communities were broken down into houses according to the crafts the
inhabitants practiced, such as tailoring, baking, and agriculture. Goods made
in the monasteries were sold in Alexandria. Because of his military background,
Pachomius styled himself as a general who could transfer monks from one house
to another for the good of the whole. There were local superiors and deans in
charge of the houses. All those in authority met each year at Easter and in
August to review annual accounts. Pachomius also built a church for poor
shepherds and acted as its lector, but he refused to seek ordination for the
priesthood or to present any of his monks for ordination, although he permitted
priests to join and serve the communities.
Pachomius also had an enormous sense of justice. Although the money garnered by
their labors was destined for the poor, when one of the procurators had sold
the mats at market at a higher price than the saint had bid him, he ordered him
to carry back the money to the buyers, and chastised him for his avarice.
The author of his vita tells us that the saint had the gift of tongues.
Although he never learned Latin or Greek, he could speak them fluently when the
necessity arose. Pachomius is credited with many miraculous cures with blessed
oil of the sick and those possessed by devils. But he often said that their
sickness or affliction was for the good of their souls and only prayed for
their temporal comfort, with this clause or condition, if it should not prove
hurtful to their souls. His dearest disciple, Saint Theodorus who after his
death succeeded him as superior general, was afflicted with a perpetual headache.
Pachomius, when asked by some of the brethren to pray for his health, answered:
"Though abstinence and prayer be of great merit, yet sickness, suffered
with patience, is of much greater."
One of the saints chief occupations was praying for the spiritual health of his
disciples and others. He took every opportunity to curb and heal their
passions, especially that of pride. One day a certain monk having doubled his
diligence at work, and made two mats instead of one and set them where
Pachomius might see them. The saint perceiving the snare, said "This
brother has taken a great deal of pains from morning till night, to give his
work to the devil." In order to cure the monk's vanity, Pachomius ruled
that the proud monk do penance by remaining in his cell for five months.
Another time a young actor named Silvanus entered the monastery to do penance,
but continued to live an undisciplined life by trying to entertain his fellows.
Pachomius had a difficult time curbing his youthful playfulness until he explained
the dreadful punishments awaiting those who mock God. From that moment divine
grace touched Saint Silvanus, he led an exemplary life and was moved by the
gift of tears.
Pachomius was an opponent of Arianism and for this reason was denounced to a council
of bishops at Latopolis, but was completely exonerated. Though he was never
ordained, he was highly respected and even visited by Saint Athanasius in 333.
By the time of his death, there were 3,000 (7,000 according to one source)
monks in nine monasteries and two convents for women. He died in an epidemic.
Pachomiusis one of the best-known figures in the history of monasticism
(Attwater, Benedictines, Bentley, Delaney, Farmer, Husenbeth, Walsh, White).
The vita of Saint Pachomius was translated into Latin from the Greek in the 6th
century by the abbot Dionysus Exiguus, so called not because of his height but
because of his great humility. Dionysus includes this story:
"At another time the cohorts of the devils plotted to tempt the man of God
by a certain phantasy. For a crowd of them assembling together, were seen by
him tying up the leaf of a tree with great ropes and tugging it along with
immense exertion, ranking in order on the right and left: and the one side
would exhort the other, and strain and tug, as if they were moving a stone of
enormous weight. And this the wicked spirits were doing so as to move him, if
they could, to loud laughter, and so they might cast it in his teeth. But
Pachome, seeing their impudence, groaned and fled to the Lord with his
accustomed prayers: and straightway by the virtue of Christ all their
triangular array was brought to naught. . . . "After this, so much trust
had the blessed Pachome learned to place in God . . . that many a time he trod
on snakes and scorpions, and passed unhurt through all: and the crocodiles, if
ever he had necessity to cross the river, would carry him with the utmost
subservience, and set him down at whatever spot he indicated" (Dionysus).
In art, Saint Pachomius
is a hermit holding the tablets of his rule. He might also be shown (1) as an
angel brings him the monastic rule; (2) being tempted by a she-devil; (3) in a
hairshirt; (4) with Saint Palaemon (Roeder), or (5) walking among serpents
(White).
SOURCE : http://www.saintpatrickdc.org/ss/0509.shtml
St. Pachomius, Abbot
From his authentic life compiled by a monk of Tabenna soon after his death. See Tillemont, t. 7. Ceillier, t. 4. Helyot, t. 1. Rosweide, l. 1. p. 114, and Papebroke, t. 3, Maij. p. 287.
A.D. 348.
THOUGH St. Antony be
justly esteemed the institutor of the cenobitic life, or that of religious
persons living in community under a certain rule, St. Pachomius was the first
who drew up a monastic rule in writing. He was born in Upper Thebais about the
year 292, of idolatrous parents, and was educated in their blind superstition,
and in the study of the Egyptian sciences. From his infancy, he was meek and
modest, and had an aversion to the profane ceremonies used by the infidels in
the worship of their idols. Being about twenty years of age, he was pressed
into the emperor’s troops, probably the tyrant Maximinus, 1 who
was master of Egypt from the year 310; and in 312 made great levies to carry on
a war against Licinius and Constantine. He was, with several other recruits,
put on board a vessel that was sailing down the river. They arrived in the
evening at Thebes or Diospolis, the capital of Thebais, a city in which dwelt
many Christians. Those true disciples of Christ sought every opportunity of
relieving and comforting all who were in distress, and were moved with
compassion towards the recruits, who were kept close confined, and very
ill-treated. The Christians of this city showed them the same tenderness as if
they had been their own children; took all possible care of them, and supplied
them liberally with money and necessaries. Such an uncommon example of
disinterested virtue made a great impression on the mind of Pachomius. He
inquired who their pious benefactors were, and when he heard that they believed
in Jesus Christ the only Son of God, and that in the hope of a reward in the
world to come they laboured continually to do good to all mankind, he found kindled
in his heart a great love of so holy a law, and an ardent desire of serving the
God whom these good men adored. The next day, when he was continuing his
journey down the river, the remembrance of this purpose strengthened him to
resist a carnal temptation. From his infancy he had been always a lover of
chastity and temperance; but the example of the Christians had made those
virtues appear to him far more amiable, and in a new light. After the overthrow
of Maximinus, his forces were disbanded. Pachomius was no sooner returned home,
but he repaired to a town in Thebais, in which there was a Christian church,
and there he entered his name among the catechumens, or such as were preparing
for baptism; and having gone through the usual course of preliminary instructions
and practices with great attention and fervour, he received that sacrament at
Chenoboscium, with great sentiments of piety and devotion. From his first
acquaintance with our holy faith at Thebes, he had always made this his prayer:
“O God, Creator of heaven and earth, cast on me an eye of pity: deliver me from
my miseries: teach me the true way of pleasing you, and it shall be the whole
employment, and most earnest study of my life to serve you, and to do your
will.” The perfect sacrifice of his heart to God, was the beginning of his
eminent virtue. The grace by which God reigns in his soul, is a treasure
infinitely above all price. We must give all to purchase it. 2 To
desire it faintly is to undervalue it. He is absolutely disqualified and unfit
for so great a blessing, and unworthy ever to receive it, who seeks it by
halves, or who does not esteem all other things as dung that he may gain
Christ.
When Pachomius was
baptized, he began seriously to consider with himself how he should most
faithfully fulfil the obligations which he had contracted, and attain to the
great end to which he aspired. There is danger even in fervour itself. It is
often an artifice of the devil to make a novice undertake too much at first,
and run indiscreetly beyond his strength. If the sails gather too much wind,
the vessel is driven a-head, falls on some rock and splits. Eagerness is a
symptom of secret passion, not of true virtue, where it is wilful and impatient
at advice. Pachomius was far from so dangerous a disposition, because his
desire was pure, therefore his first care was to find a skilful conductor.
Hearing that a venerable old man named Palemon served God in the desert in
great perfection, he sought him out, and with great earnestness begged to live
under his direction. The hermit having set before him the difficulties and
austerities of his way of life, which several had already attempted in vain to
follow, advised him to make a trial of his strength and fervour in some
monastery; and, to give him a sketch of the difficulties he had to encounter in
the life he aspired to, he added: “Consider, my son, that my diet is only bread
and salt: I drink no wine, use no oil, watch one half of the night, spending
that time in singing psalms or in meditating on the holy scriptures, and
sometimes pass the whole night without sleeping.” Pachomius was amazed at this
account, but not discouraged. He thought himself able to undertake everything
that might be a means to render his soul pleasing to God, and readily promised
to observe whatever Palemon should think fit to enjoin him; who thereupon
admitted him into his cell, and gave him the monastic habit. Pachomius was by
his example enabled to bear solitude, and an acquaintance with himself. They
sometimes repeated together the psalter, at other times they exercised
themselves in manual labours (which they accompanied with interior prayer) with
a view to their own subsistence and the relief of the poor. Pachomius prayed
above all things for perfect purity of heart, that being disengaged from all
secret attachment to creatures, he might love God with all his affections. And
to destroy the very roots of all inordinate passions, it was his first study to
obtain the most profound humility, and perfect patience and meekness. He prayed
often with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross; which posture was
then much used in the church. He was in the beginning often drowsy at the night
office. Palemon used to rouse him, and say: “Labour and watch, my dear
Pachomius, lest the enemy overthrow you and ruin all your endeavours.” Against
this weakness and temptation he enjoined him, on such occasions, to carry sand
from one place to another, till his drowsiness was overcome. By this means the
novice strengthened himself in the habit of watching. Whatever instructions he
read or heard, he immediately endeavoured fervently to reduce to practice. One
Easter-day Palemon bade the disciple prepare a dinner for that great festival.
Pachomius took a little oil, and mixed it with the salt which he pounded small,
and added a few wild herbs, which they were to eat with their bread. The holy
old man having made his prayer, came to table; but at the sight of the oil he
struck himself on the forehead, and said with tears: “My Saviour was crucified,
and shall I indulge myself so far as to eat oil?” Nor could he be prevailed
upon to taste it. Pachomius used sometimes to go into a vast uninhabited
desert, on the banks of the Nile, called Tabenna, in the diocess of Tentyra, a
city between the Great and Little Diospolis. Whilst he was there one day in
prayer, he heard a voice which commanded him to build a monastery in that
place, in which he should receive those who should be sent by God to serve him
faithfully. He received, about the same time, from an angel who appeared to
him, certain instructions relating to a monastic life. 3 Pachomius
going back to Palemon, imparted to him this vision; and both of them coming to
Tabenna built there a little cell towards the year 325, about twenty years
after St. Antony had founded his first monastery. After a short time, Palemon
returned to his former dwelling, having promised his disciple a yearly visit,
but he died soon after, and is honoured in the Roman Martyrology on the 11th of
January.
Pachomius received
first his own eldest brother John, and after his death many others, so that he
enlarged his house; and the number of his monks in a short time amounted to a
hundred. Their clothing was of rough linen; that of St. Pachomius himself often
hair-cloth. He passed fifteen years without ever lying down, taking his short
rest sitting on a stone. He even grudged himself the least time which he
allowed to necessary sleep, because he wished he could have been able to employ
all his moments in the actual exercises of divine love. From the time of his
conversion he never ate a full meal. By his rule, the fasts and tasks of work
were proportioned to every one’s strength; though all are together in one
common refectory, in silence, with their cowl or hood drawn over their heads
that they might not see one another at their meals. Their habit was a tunic of
white linen without sleeves, with a cowl of the same stuff; they wore on their
shoulders a white goat-skin, called a Melotes. They received the holy communion
on the first and last days of every week. Novices were tried with great
severity before they were admitted to the habit, the taking of which was then
deemed the monastic profession, and attended with the vows. St. Pachomius
preferred none of his monks to holy orders, and his monasteries were often
served by priests from abroad; though he admitted priests when any presented
themselves to the habit, and he employed them in the functions of their
ministry. All his monks were occupied in various kinds of manual labour: no
moment was allowed for idleness. The saint, with the greatest care, comforted and
served the sick himself. Silence was so strictly observed at Tabenna, that a
monk, who wanted anything necessary, was only to ask for it by signs. In going
from one place to another, the monks were ordered always to meditate on some
passage of the holy scripture, and sing psalms at their work. The sacrifice of
the mass was offered for every monk who died, as we read in the life of St.
Pachomius. 4 His
rule was translated into Latin by St. Jerom, and is still extant. He received
the sickly and weak, rejecting none for the want of corporal strength, being
desirous to conduct to heaven all souls which had fervour to walk in the paths
of perfection. He built six other monasteries in Thebais, not far asunder, and
from the year 336 chose often to reside in that of Pabau or Pau, near Thebes,
in its territory, though not far from Tabenna, situated in the neighbouring
province of Diospolis, also in Thebais. Pabau became a more numerous and more
famous monastery than Tabenna itself. By the advice of Serapion, bishop of
Tentyra, he built a church in a village for the benefit of the poor shepherds,
in which for some time he performed the office of Lector, reading to the people
the word of God with admirable fervour, in which function he appeared rather
like an angel than a man. He converted many infidels, and zealously opposed the
Arians, but could never be induced by his bishop to receive the holy order of
priesthood. In 333 he was favoured with a visit of St. Athanasius at Tabenna.
His sister at a certain time came to his monastery desiring to see him; but he
sent her word at the gate, that no woman could be allowed to enter his
inclosure, and that she ought to be satisfied with hearing that he was alive.
However, it being her desire to embrace a religious state, he built her a
nunnery on the other side of the Nile, which was soon filled with holy virgins.
St. Pachomius going one day to Pané, one of his monasteries, met the funeral
procession of a tepid monk deceased. Knowing the wretched state in which he
died, and to strike a terror into the slothful, he forbade his monks to proceed
in singing psalms, and ordered the clothes which covered the corpse to be
burnt, saying: “Honours could only increase his torments; but the ignominy with
which his body was treated, might move God to show more mercy to his soul; for
God forgives some sins not only in this world, but also in the next.” When the
procurator of the house had sold the mats at market at a higher price than the
saint had bid him, he ordered him to carry back the money to the buyers, and
chastised him for his avarice.
Among many miracles
wrought by him, the author of his life assures us, that though he had never
learned the Greek or Latin tongue, he sometimes miraculously spoke them; he
cured the sick and persons possessed by devils with blessed oil. But he often
told sick or distressed persons, that their sickness or affliction was an
effect of the divine goodness in their behalf; and he only prayed for their
temporal comfort, with this clause or condition, if it should not prove hurtful
to their souls. His dearest disciple St. Theodorus, who after his death
succeeded him in the government of his monasteries, was afflicted with a
perpetual head-ache. St. Pachomius, when desired by some of the brethren to
pray for his health, answered: “Though abstinence and prayer be of great merit,
yet sickness, suffered with patience, is of much greater.” He chiefly begged of
God the spiritual health of the souls of his disciples and others, and took
every opportunity to curb and heal their passions, especially that of pride.
One day a certain monk having doubled his diligence at work, and made two mats
instead of one, set them where St. Pachomius might see them. The saint
perceiving the snare, said, “This brother hath taken a great deal of pains from
morning till night, to give his work to the devil.” And, to cure his vanity by
humiliations, he enjoined him by way of penance, to keep his cell five months,
with no other allowance than a little bread, salt, and water. A young man named
Sylvanus, who had been an actor on the stage, entered the monastery of St.
Pachomius with the view of doing penance, but led for some time an
undisciplined life, often transgressing the rules of the house, and still fond
of entertaining himself and others with buffooneries. The man of God
endeavoured to make him sensible of his danger by charitable remonstrances, and
also employed his more potent arms of prayer, sighs, and tears, for his poor
soul. Though for some time he found his endeavours fruitless, he did not desist
on that account; and having one day represented to this impenitent sinner, in a
very pathetic manner, the dreadful judgments which threaten those who mock God,
the divine grace touching the heart of Sylvanus, he from that moment began to
lead a life of great edification to the rest of the brethren; and being moved
with the most feeling sentiments of compunction, he never failed, wheresoever
he was, and howsoever employed, to bewail with bitterness his past
misdemeanours. When others entreated him to moderate the floods of his tears,
“Ah,” said he, “how can I help weeping, when I consider the wretchedness of my
past life, and that by my sloth I have profaned what was most sacred? I have
reason to fear lest the earth should open under my feet, and swallow me up, as
it did Dathan and Abiron. Oh! suffer me to labour with ever-flowing fountains
of tears, to expiate my innumerable sins. I ought, if I could, even to pour
forth this wretched soul of mine in mourning; it would be all too little for my
offences.” In these sentiments of contrition he made so great progress in
virtue, that the holy abbot proposed him as a model of humility to the rest;
and when, after eight years spent in this penitential course, God had called
him to himself by a holy death, St. Pachomius was assured by a revelation, that
his soul was presented by angels a most agreeable sacrifice to Christ. The
saint was favoured with a spirit of prophecy, and with great grief foretold the
decay of monastic fervour in his Order in succeeding ages. In 348 he was cited
before a council of bishops at Latopolis, to answer certain matters laid to his
charge. He justified himself against the calumniators, but in such a manner
that the whole council admired his extraordinary humility. The same year, God
afflicted his monasteries with a pestilence, which swept off a hundred monks.
The saint himself fell sick, and during forty days suffered a painful distemper
with incredible patience and cheerfulness, discovering a great interior joy at
the approach of the end of his earthly pilgrimage. In his last moments he
exhorted his monks to fervour, and having armed himself with the sign of the
cross, resigned his happy soul into the hands of his Creator in the
fifty-seventh year of his age. He lived to see in his different monasteries
seven thousand monks. His Order subsisted in the East till the eleventh
century; for Anselm, bishop of Havelburgh, writes, that he saw five hundred
monks of this institute in a monastery at Constantinople. St. Pachomius formed
his disciples to an eminent a degree of perfection chiefly by his own fervent
spirit and example; for he always appeared the first, the most exact, and the
most fervent in all the exercises of the community. To the fervour and
watchfulness of the superior it was owing that in so numerous a community
discipline was observed with astonishing regularity, as Palladius and Cassian
observe. The former says that they eat with their cowl drawn so as to hide the
greater part of their faces, and with their eyes cast down, never looking at
one another. Many contented themselves with taking a very few mouthfuls of
bread and oil, or of such like dish; others of pottage only. So great was the
silence that reigned amongst them whilst every one followed his employment,
that in the midst of so great a multitude, a person seemed to be in a solitude.
Cassian tells us, 5 that
the more numerous the monastery was, the more perfect and rigorous was regular
observance of discipline, and all constantly obeyed their superior more readily
than a single person is found to do in other places. Nothing so much weakens
the fervour of inferiors as the example of a superior who easily allows himself
exemptions or dispensations in the rule. The relaxation of monastic discipline
is often owing to no other cause. How enormous is the crime of such a scandal.
Note 1. Those who
place the conversion of St. Pachomius later, think this emperor was
Constantine. But for our account see Tillemont, Hist. Eccl. note 2, t. 7, p. 675. [back]
Note 2. Matt. xiii.
44. [back]
Note 3. Some late
editions say the angel gave St. Pachomius the whole rule in writing which he
prescribed to his monks; but this is an interpolation not found in the genuine
life published by the Bollandists, Maij. t. 3, 10, p. 201. [back]
Note 4. Acta
Sanctorum, Maij. t. 3, p. 321. [back]
Note 5. Cassian, l.
4; Instit. c. 1. [back]
Rev. Alban
Butler (1711–73). Volume V: May. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
SOURCE : http://www.bartleby.com/210/5/142.html
Saint Pachomius
the Great
May 28th (May 15th old
calendar).
Saint Pachomius was an
Egyptian by birth and was a pagan in his youth. As a soldier, he took part in
the Emperor Constantine's war against Maxentius. After that, learning from
Christians about the one God and seeing their devout life, Pachomius was baptized
and went to the Tabennisiot desert, to the famous ascetic Palamon, with whom he
lived in asceticism for ten years. Then an angel appeared to him in the robes
of a monk of the Great Habit at the place called Tabennisi and gave him a
tablet on which was written the rule of a cenobitic monastery, commanding him
to found such a monastery in that place and prophesying to him that many monks
would come to it seeking the salvation of their souls. Obeying the angel of
God, Pachomius began building many cells, although there was no-one in that
place but himself and his brother John. When his brother grumbled at him for
doing this unnecessary building, St. Pachomius simply told him that he was
following God's command, without explaining who would live there, or when. But
many men soon assembled in that place, moved by the Spirit of God, and began to
live in asceticism under the rule that Pachomius had received from the angel.
When
the number of monks had increased greatly, Pachomius, step by step, founded six
further monasteries. The number of his disciples grew to seven thousand. St.
Antony is regarded as the founder of the eremitic life, and St. Pachomius of
the monastic, communal life. The humility, love of toil and abstinence of this
holy father were and remain a rare example for the imitation of monks. St.
Pachomius performed innumerable miracles, and also endured innumerable
temptations from demons and men. And he served men as both father and brother.
He roused many to set out on the way of salvation, and brought many into the
way of truth. He was and remains a great light in the Church and a great
witness to the truth and righteousness of Christ. He entered peacefully into
rest in 346, at the age of sixty. The Church has raised many of his followers to
the ranks of the saints: Theodore, Job, Paphnutius, Pecusius, Athenodorus,
Eponichus, Soutus, Psois, Dionysius, Petronius and others.
Troparion Tone 5
As
a pastor of the Chief Shepherd/ thou didst guide flocks of monks into the
heavenly sheepfold / thyself illumined, thou didst instruct others concerning
the Habit and Rule./ And now thou dost rejoice with them in the heavenly
mansions.
Kontakion Tone 2
O
Godbearing Pachomius, after living the life of Angels in thy body/ thou wast
granted their glory./ Now thou art standing with them before God's throne/ and
praying that we all may be forgiven.
SOURCE : http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/saints/pachomius_great.htm
San Pacomio Abate
Alto Egitto, 287 - 347
Nacque nell'Alto Egitto,
nel 287, da genitori pagani. Arruolato a forza nell'esercito imperiale all'età
di vent'anni, finì in prigione a Tebe con tutte le reclute. Protetti
dall'oscurità, la sera alcuni cristiani recarono loro un po' di cibo. Il gesto
degli sconosciuti commosse Pacomio, che domandò loro chi li spingesse a far
questo. «Il Dio del cielo» fu la risposta dei cristiani. Quella notte Pacomio
pregò il Dio dei cristiani di liberarlo dalle catene, promettendogli in cambio
di dedicare la propria vita al suo servizio. Tornato in libertà, adempì al voto
aggregandosi a una comunità cristiana di un villaggio del sud, l'attuale
Kasr-es-Sayad, dove ebbe l'istruzione necessaria per ricevere il battesimo. Per
qualche tempo condusse vita da asceta, dedicandosi al servizio della gente del
luogo, poi si mise per sette anni sotto la guida di un vecchio monaco,
Palamone. Durante una parentesi di solitudine nel deserto, una voce misteriosa
lo invitò a fissare la sua dimora in quel luogo, al quale presto sarebbero convenuti
numerosi discepoli. Alla morte dell'abate Pacomio, i monasteri maschili erano
nove, più uno femminile. Del santo restò sconosciuto il luogo della
sepoltura. (Avvenire)
Emblema: Bastone
pastorale
Martirologio Romano:
Nella Tebaide, in Egitto, san Pacomio, abate, che, ancora pagano, spinto da un
gesto di carità cristiana nei confronti dei soldati suoi compagni con lui
detenuti, si convertì al cristianesimo, ricevendo dall’anacoreta Palémone
l’abito monastico; dopo sette anni, per divina ispirazione, istituì molti
cenobi per accogliere fratelli e scrisse per i monaci una regola divenuta
famosa.
Come ti converto uno che non crede? Con l’esempio di una carità viva. Prendete un giovanotto pagano, arruolato a forza nell’esercito imperiale e subito fatto prigioniero insieme a tutte le reclute. Pensate allo sconcerto, alla delusione e alla sofferenza dei giorni di prigionia, insieme all’incertezza di quella che sarà la sua sorte. Immaginate l’incontro furtivo nella notte con alcuni uomini, che di nascosto vengono a confortarlo, sfamarlo e incoraggiarlo e che, insieme all’aiuto materiale, gli sussurrano parole di Cielo e dicono di fare tutto ciò in nome del “Dio dei cristiani”. Il giovanotto ne resta così colpito ed ammirato da rivolgersi all’ancora ignoto “Dio dei cristiani”, promettendo di dedicare a lui tutta la sua vita se riuscirà a liberarsi da quelle catene. E quando ciò avviene, al giovanotto restando solo due cose da fare: imparare a credere in quel Dio che lo ha liberato e, poi, studiare il modo per sciogliere il suo voto. E’ questa, in sintesi, l’origine dell’esperienza religiosa di San Pacomio, nato nell’Alto Egitto nel 287 e convertitosi al cristianesimo come abbiamo appena descritto. Dopo il battesimo, la vita spirituale di Pacomio cerca modi per esprimersi: prima all’interno di una comunità cristiana di cui si mette a servizio, quasi a voler subito mettere in pratica l’insegnamento di carità che quegli sconosciuti cristiani gli avevano trasmesso in carcere; poi attraverso l’esperienza eremitica, cioè l’incontro con Dio nella solitudine del deserto, di cui il grande Antonio è stato maestro un secolo prima. Pacomio, però, apre una strada nuova: all’imitazione di Gesù, solo nel deserto, in un rapporto esclusivo con il Padre e alle prese con le tentazioni del demonio, egli preferisce imitare Gesù che vive con i suoi discepoli ed insegna loro a pregare. Ecco nascere così attorno a lui un’interessante ed inedita esperienza di monachesimo: il cenobitismo o vita comune, dove la disciplina e l’autorità sostituiscono l’anarchia degli anacoreti. Quindi, non più e non solo la solitudine degli eremiti precedenti,con le astinenze, i digiuni e le penitenze corporali che li caratterizzano ma che possono anche nascondere l’insidia della bizzarria e dell’orgoglio; piuttosto, una comunità cristiana sul modello di quella fondata da Gesù con gli apostoli, basata sulla comunione nella preghiera, nel lavoro e nella refezione e concretizzata nel servizio reciproco. Il documento su cui Pacomio vuole regolare la vita della comunità è la Sacra Scrittura, che i monaci imparano a memoria e recitano a bassa voce mentre svolgono il loro lavoro: un contatto diretto con Dio attraverso il “sacramento della Parola”. Pacomio muore il 14 maggio 346, lasciando in eredità una decina di monasteri, di cui un paio anche femminili. Il luogo della sua sepoltura è sempre stato sconosciuto, perché un punto di morte aveva raccomandato al discepolo più fedele di seppellirlo in un posto segreto, per evitare la venerazione dei suoi seguaci.
Autore: Gianpiero Pettiti
L’esempio di un gesto di generosità e di altruismo può cambiare l’anima e il destino di una persona: da malvagia può diventare compassionevole, da avara prodiga, da collerica mite, da pigra laboriosa, da atea credente. È quello che è capitato al giovane pagano Pacomio, nato in Egitto nel 287, mai entrato in contatto con il Cristianesimo. Costretto ad arruolarsi nell’esercito romano, viene fatto prigioniero assieme ai suoi compagni a Tebe (Grecia). Pacomio è disperato perché non sa che cosa gli riserverà il futuro. Di notte vede arrivare furtivamente alcune persone che offrono ai prigionieri cibo e parole di conforto. Il soldato si stupisce e chiede il motivo di questo comportamento. «Siamo cristiani – si sente rispondere – discepoli di Gesù, il Figlio di Dio che ci ha insegnato ad aiutare il prossimo». Parole che colpiscono profondamente Pacomio che, con fiducia, chiede a Gesù di essere liberato. In cambio consacrerà la sua vita a Dio, farà quello che a lui è gradito e offrirà il Bene a tutti gli uomini.
Pacomio ritrova la libertà e tiene fede alla solenne promessa. Si reca in un villaggio dove aiuta i poveri e cura gli ammalati. Dopo aver ricevuto il Battesimo si dedica alla vita solitaria per alcuni anni, imitando gli eremiti del deserto. Un giorno, però, una visione Celeste gli suggerisce di fondare una comunità per “chiamare” gli altri uomini a Dio. Pacomio capisce che deve pregare insieme agli altri e lavorare con loro per mantenersi e per aiutare il prossimo. Il santo segue l’esempio degli apostoli che lavoravano, mangiavano e pregavano insieme. Egli raduna i monaci, diventati sempre più numerosi, che mettono tutti i loro beni in comune e si aiutano vicendevolmente. Detta alcune norme di comportamento per regolare la vita della comunità: una disciplina che va rispettata, un’autorità alla quale si deve obbedienza per sostituire l’anarchia (libertà di fare quello che si vuole). Una di queste regole, per stare sempre a contatto con Dio, è di imparare a memoria la Bibbia e di recitarla sottovoce mentre si lavora.
Pacomio muore nel 347 dopo aver fondato otto monasteri maschili e due femminili. Dove dimora il suo corpo non è dato saperlo, poiché, tenendo fede alla sua grande umiltà, in punto di morte l’ex soldato chiede e ottiene dal suo discepolo Teodoro di essere sepolto in un posto sconosciuto a tutti, onde evitare di essere ricordato e venerato.
Autore: Mariella Lentini
SOURCE : http://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/52450
PACOMIO, abate di Tabennesi santo. Nato nella diocesi di Snē (Latopolis dei Greci) nel 287, P. mori a Phbōou nel 347, dopo aver istituito nell'Alto Egitto una Congregazione di nove fiorenti monasteri. Fu profondamente venerato dai suoi discepoli che lo considerarono come padre del cenobitismo egiziano.
Sommario: I. Fonti.
- II. Vita. - III. Spiritualità. - IV. Culto. - V. Iconografia.
I. FONTI. Tra i
diversi testi della documentazione pacomiana, la Vita costituisce
certamente il documento piú importante e piú prezioso per la conoscenza del
personaggio e della prima generazione del monachismo da lui istaurato.
Piú d'una volta P.
raccontò ai suoi primi discepoli la storia della propria infanzia, della
conversione, delle lotte contro i demoni e degli inizi della Congregazione e,
dopo la morte del « padre », Teodoro, il discepolo prediletto, narrò ancora
ai fratelli queste stesse cose e tutto ciò che P. aveva fatto per lo
stabilimento della Congregazione; esortati ripetutamente da Teodoro, i fratelli
«interpreti» scrissero la prima Vita di P. Non si sa con certezza se fu scritta
in copto o in greco, poiché i fratelli « interpreti », dunque bilingui,
poterono scriverla nell'una e nell'altra lingua. Tuttavia un fatto è certo:
tutte le grandi compilazioni che ci restano della Vita di P. si
fondano su documenti copri e non esiste alcuna valida ragione per supporre che
questi abbiano avuto dei modelli greci.
Da lungo tempo due
particolari compilazioni sono state riconosciute essere le piú importanti: la
prima Vita greca e la compilazione copra del tipo della Vita
bohairica, mentre si è molto discusso sulle relazioni esistenti tra i due
documenti e sulla priorità dell'uno rispetto all'altro. Un attento confronto
con un testo arabo ancora inedito ci ha dimostrato che non si tratta in realtà
di un vero e proprio problema. Le due compilazioni si fondano sugli
stessi due documenti base: una Vita breve di P. ed un altro documento
da noi considerato come una Vita di Teodoro; un primo compilatore
maldestro inserí in blocco la prima parte della Vita di Teodoro in
quella di P. ed il risultante testo sahidico ci è pervenuto soltanto in una
traduzione araba inedita (ms. 116 della Biblioteca Universitaria di Gottínga).
La Vita breve di P. non è stata conservata distinta mentre quella
di Teodora si conserva in ampi frammenti sahidici. Un rimaneggiamento di questa
compilazione, dunque, fu la fonte comune che l'autore della prima Vita greca
e quello della Vita copta del tipo della Vita bohairica
rimaneggiarono leggermente e completarono indipendentemente l'uno dall'altro.
A parte qualche frammento
molto antico (S1 - S2 - S8) la Vita araba del ms. di Gottinga (inedita,
ma incorporata nella grande compilazione araba pubblicata da Amélineau)
rimane il documento piú importante per la conoscenza della vita di P., mentre
tutti gli altri, sia greci sia copri, o ne dipendono o hanno un interesse
secondario.
Accanto alla fonte
fondamentale costituita dalla Vita, è il caso di citare la Regola di
P., le sue catechesi e le sue lettere, oltre che alcune opere dei suoi
discepoli e successori immediati, Teodoro e Orsiesio.
In realtà s. P. non scrisse
una regola o per lo meno non nel senso in cui si intende la parola quando si
parla ad es, della Regula Magistri o di quella di s.
Benedetto, né ha scritto regole sul tipo di quelle « morali » di s. Basilio.
La Vita, tuttavia ci parla a piú riprese dei precetti o
regolamenti che egli andava tracciando per i suoi discepoli, precetti e
regolamenti che, redatti in occasione della fondazione di nuovi monasteri,
riguardavano soprattutto l'organizzazione materiale del lavoro durante la
sinassi, la cura dei malati, il lavoro dei campi e dei forni, ecc.; alcuni di
tali precetti, scritti in circostanze diverse, furono riuniti ad altri di data
posteriore opera probabilmente di Orsiesio. Questo insieme eterogeneo fu
tradotto dal greco in latino da s. Girolamo con il titolo Regola di s.
Pacomio ed è inutile dire che questo amalgama, per quanto prezioso possa
essere per lo storico, non è di natura tale da darci una idea esatta
della spiritualità pacomiana, né della vita pacomiana della prima generazione.
Dopo la Vita, quindi, i documenti piú importanti a tale scopo sono
invece le poche catechesi di Teodoro conservate in copto ed il testamento di
Orsiesio (Liber Orsiesii) conservato in latino.
L'Historia Lausiaca di
Palladio, che comprende alcuni capitoli (32-34) dedicati ai Tabennesioti, ha
avuto una straordinaria popolarità attraverso tutto lo svolgersi
della tradizione sino ai nostri giorni ed ha contribuito non poco a creare e
conservare una falsa immagine del cenobitismo pacomiano, In effetti, questo
strano testo e soprattutto la fantasiosa regola del cap. 32 (che si dice
dettata da un angelo) non hanno praticamente niente in comune con questa forma
di cenobitismo. Palladio ha semplicemente utilizzato in questi capitoli un
testo preesistente, d'origine copra, nel quale un monaco in possesso di una
vaga conoscenza dell'ambiente pacomiano aveva tentato di descriverlo nel
quadro delle pratiche dei centri semianacoretici del Basso Egitto.
II. VITA. P. nacque,
come si è detto, a Snē, regione dell'Alto Egitto, nel 287, da genitori pagani.
Verso i vent'anni fu arruolato di forza nelle armate imperiali e,
giunto a Tebe, fu gettato in prigione con le altre reclute; a sera però i cittadini
del luogo vennero a portate loro dei viveri. Commosso da tanta bontà, P. chiese
chi fossero ed essi risposero di essere cristiani e di trattare cosí i
prigionieri « per il Dio del cielo »: questo fu il primo contatto di P. con il
Cristianesimo. Durante la notte, pregò il Dio di quei cristiani di liberarlo
dalla servitú promettendogli di servire il genere umano per tutti i giorni
della propria vita.
La sua preghiera fu
esaudita e poco dopo fu congedato. Messosi in cammino verso Sud, si fermò
presso la comunità cristiana del villaggio di Šenesēt (Khenoboskion per i
Greci, l'attuale Kasr-es-Sayad), dove fu catechizzato e ricevette il
Battesimo. Durante la notte nella quale fu iniziato ai santi misteri
una visione gli fece comprendere che egli doveva espandere la grazia allora
ricevuta su tutto il genere umano che si era impegnato a servire: vide in sogno
la rugiada del cielo discendere sul suo capo, quindi scorrere sulla sua mano
destra dove si condensava in miele prima di spandersi su tutta la superficie
della terra. Ma quale servizio P. doverla rendere agli uomini suoi fratelli,
Dio glielo avrebbe rivelato gradualmente.
Per qualche tempo egli
visse da asceta in seno alla comunità cristiana di Šenesēt, dedicandosi al
servizio della gente del luogo, soprattutto nel corso di un'epidemia scoppiata
in quel periodo. Ben presto, però, decise di farsi monaco e andò a mettersi
sotto la protezione del vecchio Palamone (v.) che viveva nei dintorni, e
presso questo padre spirituale trascorse sette anni. Ma un giorno, in cui si
era ritirato per pregare nel deserto di Tabennesi, gli giunse dal cielo una
voce che gli disse: « Pacomio, Pacomio, lotta, installati qui e costruisci
una dimora poiché una folla d'uomini verrà a te e seguendoti si faranno
monaci con profitto delle loro anime ». Il cielo gli aveva quindi precisato la
sua vocazione ed in tal modo egli servirà il genere umano. Dopo poca tempo lo
raggiunse il fratello Giovanni e molti contadini copti vennero a stabilirsi
presso di lui, poiché egli « era buono per loro ».
Pazientemente e non senza
insuccessi, all'inizio, egli li educò alla vita comune e gradualmente
fece del piccolo gruppo una Koinonia, una vera comunità cristiana,
ad immagine di quella dei primi cristiani di Gerusalemme, insistendo sulla comunione
nella preghiera, nel lavoro e nei pasti.
Dopo un inizio difficile,
cominciarono ad affluire i novizi e la Congregazione si sviluppò con tale
rapidità che P. dovette organizzare, uno dopo l'altro, otto monasteri.
Lasciando a Teodoro, il discepolo prediletto, l'amministrazione di Tabennesi,
egli andò a stabilirsi a Phbōou, la sua seconda fondazione, dove fissò la sede
del governo generale di tutta la Congregazione; poco dopo però fece venire in
quel luogo lo stesso Teodoro, per esserne aiutato in questa amministrazione.
P. e i pacomiani avevano
una grande stima ed un profondo rispetto per i loro vescovi ed in particolare
per Atanasio, patriarca di Alessandria, che non sdegnava di andarli a visitare
nella Tebaide. I vescovi locali ebbero in generale un atteggiamento
assai amichevole verso P. e fu proprio per le insistenze di alcuni di loro che
egli fondò alcuni dei suoi monasteri. In certi casi si verificò qualche
tensione, ma sempre si trattò di eccezioni: poco prima di morire, ad esempio,
P. fu convocato davanti ad un sinodo di vescovi a Latopolis per fornire
spiegazioni sulle sue visioni e sul dono della diacrisis. Tranne questo
caso isolato, del resto narrato piuttosto oscuramente nella Vita, le relazioni
tra i vescovi e P, rimasero, generalmente, eccellenti.
Alla sua morte, nel 347
P. lasciava oltre ai nove monasteri maschili anche un monastero femminile. Pur
non potendosi prendere seriamente la cifra fantastica di numerose migliaia di
monaci, fornita dalla Historia Lausiaca, resta certo che la Congregazione
pacomiana, alla morte del fondatore, era tra le piú fiorenti.
Il successore immediato
di P., da lui stesso designato, cioè Petronío, visse solo qualche giorno dopo
la morte del santo e fu sostituito da Orsiesio, il quale non riuscí a
conservare l'unità della Congregazione e dovette rimetterne il governo nelle
mani di Teodoro fino alla morte di quest'ultimo (367).
III. SPIRITUALITÀ. Quando
P. si fece monaco, esistevano nell'Alto Egitto numerose comunità
semi-anacoretiche ed anzi egli stesso fu membro di una di esse; e tuttavia
per i suoi discepoli e i suoi successori, oltre che per i suoi biografi, egli
fu il fondatore della vita cenobitica. La forma di vita monastica da lui
instaurata era dunque, almeno in Egitto, qualche cosa di nuovo. Non é tuttavia
il caso di insistere troppo sull'originalità del cenobitismo pacomiano rispetto
ai raggruppamenti di asceti riuniti intorno ad uno stesso padre spirituale.
Ciò che tuttavia
costituisce la vera originalità della comunità pacomiana è proprio il fatto che
essa non é più semplicemente il raggrupparsi di eremiti intorno ad un padre
carismatico, ma una comunità di fratelli in comunione fra loro nella preghiera,
nel lavoro e in tanti altri momenti della loro vita. Come nel cenobitismo
primitivo di Siria e in quello di Cappadocia la realtà fondamentale di questa
spiritualità é proprio quella della comunione che dà al cenobitismo ragion d'essere
e piena giustificazione anche senza un orientamento verso l'eremitismo. Rimane
ad ogni modo come modello la vita della primitiva comunità cristiana a Gerusalemme,
sotto la guida degli Apostoli: non si tratta di una semplice unione di cuori,
ma di una comunione effettiva e concreta che si manifesta nel „ servizio
“ reciproco sotto tutte le forme.
L'autorità del superiore,
quale concepita da P., non può essere compresa senza fare appello a questa
nozione profondamente cristiana del “servizio”. P, si considera l'umile
servitore di tutti i suoi fratelli e protesterà vigorosamente ogni qualvolta
gli si vorrà accordare un trattamento speciale in quanto superiore. Tutta
l'organizzazione delle case e dei superiori subalterni (capi di casa, secondi,
ecc.) ha ugualmente come ragion d'essere il servizio dei fratelli: vi é la casa
destinata all'assistenza dei malati, quella per gli ospiti, ecc. Di
conseguenza l'obbedienza non ha soltanto un fine ascetico o educativo, ma ha
sempre un orientamento comunitario e se si è tanto parlato del preteso
carattere « militare » dei monasteri pacomiani è soltanto perché, invece di
consultare le autentiche fonti del cenobitismo pacomiano, ci si è ciecamente
fidati della fantasiosa « Regola dell'angelo » della cronaca palladiana.
La somiglianza tra questa
spiritualità monastica e quelle di Siria e Cappadocia - malgrado le
innegabili differenze -- dipende senza dubbio dal fatto che esse hanno le piú
profonde radici nella stessa corrente dottrinale giudeo-cristiana. Come quella
dei « figli del patto » la loro ascesi si fonda sul Battesimo e le sue esigenze
e, del resto, molti discepoli di P. venivano dal paganesimo o almeno non erano
ancora stati battezzati al momento del loro ingresso nel monastero. Qui essi
trascorrevano un periodo come catecumeni e ogni anno, quando tutti i fratelli
dei nove monasteri della Congregazione si riunivano a Phbōou per celebrare insieme
la Pasqua nella preghiera e la parola di Dio, aveva luogo il Battesimo solenne
di tutti i catecumeni della Congregazione, i quali si trovavano cosí
introdotti contemporaneamente nella Chiesa e nella vita monastica.
In considerazione di ciò
si comprende facilmente tutta l'importanza del Battesimo nella spiritualità
pacomiana. Quando P. o Teodoro parlano nelle loro catechesi delle promesse
fatte a Dio, alle quali esortano a rimanere fedeli, si riferiscono alle promesse
del Battesimo e non ad una particolare professione religiosa. Tutta la vita monastica
è concepita come pieno adempimento di tali promesse, vale a dire piena fedeltà
a tutti i comandamenti di Dio in vista del possesso di tutti i frutti dello
Spirito Santo.
Il documento fondamentale
di questa vita monastica non è una regola umana o angelica; è la S. Scrittura,
cioè la regola prima e, in certo senso, la sola regola del monaco di Tabennesi.
Sin dalla sua iniziazione al monachismo egli ne impara a memoria lunghi brani
che medita, vale a dire recita a memoria, a voce bassa, nel corso dell'intera
giornata e spesso della notte, camminando, lavorando o facendo qualunque altra
cosa. È questa la principale forma di preghiera: contatto con Dio attraverso il
sacramento della sua parola. E quando al mattino e alla sera si
ritrova alla sinassi con i suoi fratelli, comunica con loro con la
stessa preghiera, nello stesso « ruminare » la parola di Dio.
Questa spiritualità cosí ricca
e questa forma di vita cenobitica cosí pura non ebbero in Oriente e
in Occidente la diffusione e l'influenza che il loro valore intrinseco avrebbe
meritato. Il monachismo pacomiano rimase isolato innanzi tutto
geograficamente, ma anche psicologicamente e spiritualmente. Nella letteratura
monastica del Basso Egitto, pur cosí aperta a tutte le correnti
spirituali, ed in particolare negli Apophthegmi, praticamente nulla
si è inserito della letteratura pacomiana e ciò, probabilmente, è dovuto al
fatto che piuttosto presto si manifestò un certo antagonismo tra i cenobiti
dell'Alto Egitto e gli anacoreti del Basso Egitto. Inoltre, ed in modo piú
particolare, l'isolamento pacomiano nacque dal fatto che al momento della
grande crisi origenista della fine del IV set. i monaci di Tabennesi
presero risolutamente posizione in favore dell'arcivescovo di Alessandria e
quindi contro gli asceti di Scete.
In Occidente la Vita di
P., tradotta in greco e in latino da Dionigi il Piccolo all'inizio del VI sec.,
non ebbe una larga diffusione; assai piú successo ebbe la regola tradotta da s.
Girolamo della cui influenza si trovano tracce in tutte le grandi regole
occidentali. Si deve tuttavia riconoscere che questo insieme di precetti di
ordine estremamente pratico e funzionale era poco adatto a propagandare la vera
spiritualità pacomiana.
È da augurarsi che i
recenti sviluppi degli studi pacomiani permettano a questa autentica spiritualità
cristiana di esercitare un'influenza più profonda sul rinnovamento monastico contemporaneo.
IV. CULTO. Sul letto
di morte P. fece promettere al discepolo Teodoro di non lasciare il suo corpo
nel luogo in cui sarebbe stato sepolto, ma di nasconderlo; egli temeva infatti che
sul luogo della sua sepoltura si costruisse un martyrion come era
d'uso per i martiri. Egli pensava « che i santi non sono soddisfatti di coloro
che agiscono in questo modo ». Teodoro promise e rimase fedele alla promessa:
la notte successiva alla sepoltura egli si recò con tre fratelli a prelevare il
cadavere e lo collocò in un luogo segreto che sembra non sia stato mai
scoperto.
P. era morto il 14 del mese di pašons (= 9 magg.) ed è a questa data che si fa menzione di lui nei sinassari copti ed etiopici. I martirologi occidentali, non conoscendo il calendario copto confusero il 14 pašons con il 14 magg. ed è infatti a quest'ultima data che P. é celebrato nei martirologi di Usuardo e di Baronio, L'errore è stato tuttavia corretto nell'ed. del 1922 del Martirologio Romano in cui la memoria di P. è riportata al 9 magg. I sinassari bízantini lo celebrano in generale al 7 magg. (Sinassario Costantinopolitano), ma anche al 6, al 14 e al 15 dello stesso mese.
Bibl.: Fonti: H. Rosweyde, Vitae Patrum Anversa 16283, pp. 111-38 (Vita sancti Pachomii, riprodotta
in PL, LXXIII, coll. 227-72); Monuments pour servir à l'histoire de
l'Égypte chrétienne au IVe siècle. Histoire de saint Pachôme et de ses communautés. Documents coptes et arabes
inédits, pubblicati e tradotti da É Amélineau, in Annales du Musée Guimet XVII, 2 voll., Parigi
1889; L.- Th. Lefort, S. Pachomii vita bohairice scripta (= CSCO,
89), Lovanio 1925 (trad. lat. [= CSCO, 107], ibid.
1936), F. Halkin, Sancti Pachomii Vitae graecae (= Subsidia hagiographica, n.
19), Bruxelles 1932; L.-T. Lefort, S. Pachomii vitae sahidice scriptae (-- CSCO,
99/100), Lovanio 1933-1934; id., Les Vies coptes de Saint Pachôme et de ses premiers successeurs (= Bibliothèque du Muséon, 16), ibid. 1943; id., Oeuvres de
s. Pachôme et de ses disciples (= CSCO, 159), trad. franc. (= CSCO,
160), ibid. 1956; A.-J. Festugière, Les Moines d'Orient, IV,
2, La première Vie grecque de saint Pachôme. Introduction
critique et traduction, Parigi 1965.
Studi: O.
Grützmacher, Pachomius und das älteste Klosterleben, Friburgo in
Br. 1896; P. Ladeuze, Étude sur le cénobitisme pakhômien pendant
le IVe siècle et la première moitié du Ve, Lovanio-Parigi 1898;
S. Schiwietz, Geschichte und Organisation der pachomischen Klöster
im vierten Jahrhundert, in Archiv für kathol.
Kirchenrecht, LXXXI (1901), pp. 461-90, 630-49; W. E. Crum, Theological Texts from Coptic Papyri edited with an
Appendix upon the Arabic and Coptic Versions of the Life of Pachomius
(-- Anecdota Oxoniensia, Semitic series, 12), Oxford
1913; F. Halkin, L'Histoire Lausiaque et les Vies
grecques de S. Pachôme, in Anal- Boll., XLVIII (1930),
pp. 257-301; R. Draguet, Le chapitre de HL sur Les Tahennésiotes dérive-t-il
d'une source copte?, in Le Muséon, LVII (1944), pp. 53-145; LVIII (1945),
pp. 15-95; B. Steidle, " Der Zweite " im Pachomiuskloster, in Benediktinische Monatsschrift, XXIV (1948),
pp. 97-104, 174-79; H. Backt, Pakhome - der grosse 'Adler',
in Geist und Leben, XXII (1949), pp. 367-82; id., Heimweh nach
der Urkirche. Zur Wesensdeutung des frühchristlichen Mönchtums, in Liturgie
und Mönchtum, VII (1950), pp. 64-78; id., L'importance de l'idéal
monastique de s. Pachôme pour l'histoire du monachisme
chrétien, in Revue d'ascétique et de mystique, XXVI (1950),
pp. 308-26; id., Ein Wort zur Ehrenrettung der ältesten
Mönchsregel, in Zeitschrift für katholische Theologie,
LXXII (1950), pp. 350-59; K. Lehmann, Die Entstehung der
Freiheitsstrafe in den Klöstern des heiligen Pachomius, in Zeitschr,
der Savigny-Stiftung f. Rechtsgeschichte. Kan. Abt., XXXVII (1951),
pp. 1-94; C. De Clercq, L'influence de la Règle de saint Pachôme
en Occident, in Mélanges d'Histoire du Moyen-Âge dédiés d la
mémoire de Louis Halphen, Parigi 1951, pp. 169-76; H.
Backt, Vom gemeinsamen Leben. Die Bedeutung des pachomischen Mönchideals für die
Geschichte des christlichen Mönchtums, in Liturgie und Mönchtum XI
(1952), pp. 91-110; D. J. Chitty, Pachomian Sources Reconsidered, in Journal of Ecclesiastical History, V
(1954), pp. 38-77; L.-T. Lefort, Les sources coptes pachômiennes, in Le Muséon, LXVII
(1954), pp. 217-29; H. Backt, Antonius und Pachomius. Von der Anachorese zum Cönobitentum, in
B. Steidle, Antonius Magnus Eremita (-- Studia Anselmiana, n.
38), Roma 1956, pp. 66-107; E. Amand de Mendiera, Le
système cénobitique basilien comparé au système
cénobitique pachômien, in Revue d'histoire des religions, CLII
(1957), pp. 31-80; J. Rezáč, De forma unionis monasteriorum sancti Pachomii, in Orientalia
Christiana Periodica, XXIII (1957), pp. 381-414; H. M.
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Studien, IX (1960), pp. 241-53; H. Backt, La loi du
‚retour aux sources’. (De quelques aspects de l'idéal
monastique pachômien), in Revue Mabillon, LI (1961),
pp. 6-25; id., Pachôme et ses disciples, in Théologie de la
vie monastique (= Théologie, 49), Parigi 1961, pp. 39-71; id., Mönchtum
und Kirche. Eine Studie zur Spiritualität des Pachomius, in J. Daniélou-H. Vorgrimler, Sentire Ecclesiam.
Das Bewusstsein von der Kirche als gestaltende Kraft der Frömmigkeit, Friburgo in Br.
1961, pp. 113-33; id,, Ein verkanntes Fragment der koptischen
Pachomius-Regel, in Le Muséon, LXXV (1962), pp. 5-18; J. Gribomont,
in LThK, VII2, coll. 1330-31; H. Van Cranenburgh, Nieuw licht op de oudste Kloostercongregatie van
de christenheid: de instelling van Sint-Pachomius, in Tijdschrift voor geestelijk levens, XIX (1963),
pp. 581-605, 665-90; XX (1964), pp. 41-54; H.. Backt, Zur
Typologie des koptischen Mönchtums, Pachomius und Evagrius, in Christentum am Nil (Internationale
Arbeitstagung zur Artstellung « Koptische Kunst »), Recklinghausen 1964,
pp- 142-57; C. Gindele, Die Sehriftlesung im Pachomiuskloster, in Erbe
und Auftrag, XLI (1965), pp. 114-22; A. Veilleux, Le
problème des Vies de Saint Pachôme, in Revue d'ascétique et
de mystique, XLII (1966), pp. 287-305; P. Tamburrino, Koinonia.
Die Beziehung 'Monasterium' - 'Kirche' im Koinonia. Die Beziehung `
Monasterium-Kirche ' im frühen pachomianischen Mönchtum, in Erbe und
Auftrag, XLIII (1967), pp. 5-21; B. Steidle - O.
Schuler, Der 'Obern-Spiegel' im 'Testament' des Abtes Horsiesi (nach
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SOURCE http://www.citeaux.net/wri-av/pacomio_1968.htm
Pacomio, santo
Dizionario di Storia (2011)
Fondatore del cenobitismo cristiano (Tebaide inferiore, Egitto, 292 ca.-Pbow,
Egitto, 346). Di famiglia pagana, fu soldato a Isna, dove si convertì al
cristianesimo. Completò la sua istruzione religiosa a Šeneset e ricevette poi
il battesimo. Sotto la direzione spirituale dell’anacoreta Palamone ne seguì,
per alcuni anni, la rigorosa dottrina ascetica, conoscendo così i limiti
dell’anacoretismo, di cui cercherà di superare i difetti mediante il
cenobitismo. Recatosi a Tabennesi sulla riva del Nilo, raccolse intorno a sé
discepoli, che raggiunsero presto il centinaio; per loro organizzò la vita in
comune, prescrisse una regola, si fece esperto maestro di vita spirituale.
L’afflusso sempre crescente di discepoli indusse P. a fondare altri monasteri a
Pbow, a Šeneset, quindi a Temusson e a Thebiu, poi più a N a Panopolis (Akhmim)
e più a S a Phenum. Morì durante un’epidemia di peste. P. ha il merito di avere
per primo concepito la vita ascetica come vita in comune, nell’osservanza di
una regola valida per tutti e sotto la direzione di un superiore, nell’ambito
di una stessa residenza. Base di tale vita comune fu la regola di P., giuntaci
in una traduzione etiopica e nella versione latina di una traduzione greca,
oggi perduta, dell’originale copto, di cui solo recentemente sono stati trovati
frammenti. La regola stabiliva l’unità del movimento cenobitico, affidandone la
direzione a un unico superiore, che controllava l’operato dei superiori locali
e due volte all’anno riuniva intorno a sé tutti i monaci, per l’esame della
loro vita spirituale e materiale. P., per l’equilibrio e la moderazione della
sua opera, ebbe successo non solo ai suoi tempi in Egitto (i monaci pacomiani,
nel momento della maggiore fioritura, furono decine di migliaia), ma anche in
tutto il mondo orientale; in Occidente, mediante l’opera di Cesario di Arles e
di Cassiodoro, la riforma cenobitica di P. fornì la premessa del monachesimo
benedettino.
SOURCE : https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/santo-pacomio_(Dizionario-di-Storia)/
Histoire de Saint Pacôme (pdf) :
https://www.patristique.org/sites/patristique.org/IMG/pdf/po_19_iv_5.pdf
Voir aussi : http://www.patristique.org/sites/patristique.org/IMG/pdf/po_19_iv_5.pdf
http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.ca/2012/05/st-pachomios-new-righteous-martyr-1730.html
https://citydesert.wordpress.com/2014/05/17/saint-pachomius-the-great/
