Saint Gérasime, abbé
Gérasime naquit
probablement vers la fin du IV è siècle dans la province de Lycie et entra tout
jeune dans un couvent d’Asie Mineure. Attiré par la réputation des anachorètes
qui, en ce temps-là, peuplaient le désert de Palestine, il se rendit dans le désert
de Judée pour y vivre dans leur sillage. Mais bien vite, nombre de disciples se
mirent à lui demander de rester avec lui. Gérasime donna alors vie à un
monastère dans les environs de Jéricho, auquel près de soixante-dix ermitages
dans le désert étaient rattachés. De cette façon, était offerte aux plus jeunes
la possibilité d’apprendre la purification du cœur dans la charité fraternelle,
tandis que les anciens pouvaient s’adonner à la solitude érémitique. Il mourut
en 475. La laure de Gérasime resta jusqu’au XIII è siècle un des centres les
plus importants du monachisme palestinien.
Étymologie germanique
: "gari", lance et "Ans", divinité
Saint Gérasime
Fondateur de monastères
en Palestine (+ 475)
Confesseur.
Il fut tout d'abord moine
en Asie Mineure puis s'en alla sur les rives du Jourdain, dans le désert de
Jéricho. Là il fonda un monastère qui alliait la vie en communauté pour les
débutants et une laure pour les plus avancés. Ces derniers vivaient toute la
semaine dans leurs cellules, dans le plus grand dépouillement, se nourrissant
de pain et de dattes, tressant des palmes pour vivre. Le dimanche, ils
rejoignaient la communauté pour l'office et le repas. On raconte qu'un jour
Gérasime rencontra un lion du désert, affligé d'un roseau dans la patte. Le bon
moine retira le roseau et pansa la plaie. Durant cinq années, le lion se fera
le disciple de Gérasime le suivant comme un chien fidèle. Quand les moines
perdirent leur âne emmené par des pirates, ce fut le lion qui accomplit les
labeurs. A la mort de saint Gérasime, il se laissa mourir sur sa tombe.
Sur la rive du Jourdain,
également en Palestine, l’an 475, saint Gérasime, anachorète, qui, au temps de
l’empereur Zénon, fut ramené par saint
Euthyme à la foi orthodoxe et accomplit de grandes œuvres de
pénitence, offrant à tous ceux qui s’exerçaient à la vie monastique sous sa
direction une méthode de discipline et de conduite parfaite.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : http://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/751/Saint-Gerasime.html
5 mars
Saint Gérasime, moine
près du Jourdain. (5ème siècle)
Un jour, il se trouva nez
à nez avec un lion qui marchait sur trois pattes en tenant la quatrième en
l'air. Une épine qui s'était enfoncée dans la chair le faisait horriblement
souffrir. Il rugissait de douleur devant Gérasime qui, touché de compassion lui
retira l'épine et banda la plaie puis renvoya le lion vers le désert.
Mais celui-ci ne voulut
plus quitter Gérasime. Il resta au monastère, comme un animal domestique, sans
causer de frayeur à qui que ce soit.
Quand Gérasime mourut, le
lion refusa de prendre toute nourriture et vint mourir sur le tombeau de celui
qui l'avait soigné.
On confond souvent son
nom avec Jérôme que l'on écrit quelquefois "Gérôme". A tel point que
le miracle du lion fut appliqué à Saint Jérôme qui est souvent représenté avec
un lion à ses côtés.
SOURCE : http://carmina-carmina.com/carmina/calendier/mar5.html
Saint Gérasime du Jourdain
et le lion
par Moniale Sofia
La source principale de
ce texte rédigé par la moniale Sofia est un texte russe pour les enfants paru
en 1994 aux Éditions russes de l’Icône de la Mère de Dieu du Buisson Ardent.
Sa mémoire est fêtée le 4
mars. Le prénom Gérasime est issu d’un mot grec qui signifie
« respectable », « vénérable ».
Saint Gérasime naquit
dans la province de Lycie en Asie Mineure*, à la fin du quatrième siècle. Il
entra dès son enfance dans un monastère cénobitique*. Il passa toute sa vie
dans la prière, le jeûne et le travail et, à la fin de son existence, il
atteignit une grande sainteté. Il était bon pour les animaux sauvages, avait de
la miséricorde pour les hommes, mais ce qu’il aimait plus que tout au monde
c’était Dieu.
Afin de garder
continuellement le souvenir de Dieu dans son cœur, il décida de s'installer
dans la terre lointaine de Palestine, là où notre Seigneur Jésus Christ avait
autrefois marché.
Ayant quitté sa ville
natale en Asie Mineure, il s’installa non loin de Jérusalem, dans le désert,
au-delà du Jourdain.
Dans la journée, le
désert était sec et très chaud ; durant la nuit, la fraîcheur descendait
et les grosses étoiles brillantes scintillaient sur la terre qui dormait.
Le calme régnait dans le
désert vide et immense. Seule une caravane de dromadaires passait de temps en
temps, avec des marchandises ; un chacal ou un lion traversait le désert à
la poursuite d’un animal à manger.
Saint Gérasime se
construisit une petite cellule* dans le désert ; durant la journée,
il travaillait dedans – il tressait des corbeilles avec des branches de
palmiers pour les vendre – et, durant la nuit, il priait Dieu, seul, dans le
silence.
L'écho de sa sainte vie
se répandit rapidement dans les environs et d’autres moines qui venaient de
loin se rendirent chez lui afin de vivre avec lui, de prier Dieu et de
travailler. C’est ainsi que près de cent moines se rassemblèrent autour du
saint moine.
Saint Gérasime
construisit pour eux un monastère sur une montagne, au milieu du désert, non
loin du Jourdain. Les moines s’occupaient à tresser des corbeilles qu’ils
allaient ensuite vendre à Jérusalem. Saint Gérasime leur acheta aussi un âne
sur lequel ils portaient l’eau dans des petits tonneaux depuis le fleuve du
Jourdain.
Il n’y eut bientôt pas
assez de place dans le monastère pour les moines, alors ils commencèrent à se
construire des cellules* dans le désert à l’exemple de saint Gérasime. Le
dimanche, durant la liturgie, tous communiaient aux très Purs Mystères* du
Christ ; ils s’émerveillaient d’un enseignement que le starets leur
donnait dans un court sermon et partageaient tous un repas. Après le repas,
chacun prenait pour lui-même un peu d’eau pour une semaine et une part de
pain ; et les moines retournaient dans leurs cellules dispersées dans le
désert pour pratiquer les ascèses de la foi, du travail et de la prière. Ils
vivaient tous en amitié les uns avec les autres, dans l’amour et la bonne
intelligence, et prenaient exemple sur le starets pour mener une vie qui plaît
à Dieu. Le starets grandissait et s’affermissait toujours davantage dans
l’amour de Dieu ; il atteignit un tel degré de sainteté que non seulement
les gens le vénéraient et apprenaient de lui la persévérance, l’humilité*,
l’amour et la patience, mais même les animaux sauvages lui étaient soumis et
lui obéissaient comme autrefois à Adam dans le paradis créé par Dieu.
Un jour, Saint Gérasime
marchait dans le désert du Jourdain ; il vit devant lui un énorme lion
allongé sur le sable brûlant. Le starets regarda un peu plus attentivement,
puis s’approcha de l’animal sauvage ; le lion ne bougea pas, il regarda
tristement saint Gérasime, il souleva avec difficulté sa patte droite et la
tendit au starets, comme s’il le suppliait de quelque chose. Saint Gérasime
s’accroupit sur le sable et vit qu’un morceau de roseau pointu était enfoncé
dans la patte du lion. Il nettoya la plaie, retira l’écharde et enveloppa la
patte qui était enflée avec un morceau de serviette. Et le lion regarda avec
douceur saint Gérasime, lui lécha avec reconnaissance les mains, n’ayant pas
les mots pour lui exprimer ses sentiments.
Dès lors le lion ne
quitta plus le starets, prenant la nourriture de sa main et allant derrière
lui, comme un disciple fidèle.
– Qu’il soit un parmi les
frères – décida le starets – qu’il ait comme nous un travail monastique.
On lui confia la garde de
l’âne qui portait l’eau au monastère depuis le Jourdain ; lorsque l’âne
broutait sur la rive, le lion devait le garder. Mais, une fois, le lion
s’endormit accablé par la chaleur du soleil, assez loin de l’âne. Une caravane
de dromadaires venant d’Arabie passa. Les conducteurs emmenèrent l’âne avec
eux.
Le lion revint l’air
abattu et coupable, le soir, au monastère.
– Où est donc
l’âne ? lui demanda le starets.
Le lion baissa encore
plus la tête comme pour demander pardon au starets qui pensa, pour sa part, que
le lion avait mangé l’âne.
– Puisque nous n’avons
maintenant plus d’âne – lui dit-il avec sévérité – tu feras désormais son
travail !
On chargea le lion avec
les petits tonneaux et on l’envoya au fleuve du Jourdain. Le lion accomplit son
nouveau travail avec humilité*. Un jour, il vit la caravane qui passait à
nouveau. L’âne était attaché avec les dromadaires. Les caravaniers s’enfuirent
de peur à la vue du lion, qui prit l’âne par la bride, comme autrefois –
et ramena toute la caravane au monastère. Il exprima sa joie d’avoir retrouvé
l’âne perdu par un cri perçant et un rugissement.
– Nous avons injustement
grondé le lion, dit le saint starets. Et il a accepté la punition alors qu’il
était innocent. Il est privé du don de la parole, mais il donne aux gens
l’exemple de l’obéissance.
Le lion, qui avait reçu
le nom de Jourdain, vécut ainsi cinq ans, sans s’éloigner du monastère. Lorsque
saint Gérasime mourut, le 5 mars 475, et fut enterré par les frères près de
l’église du monastère, le lion s’était absenté pour quelques jours, afin
d’aller se nourrir dans la forêt.
A son retour, il chercha
le starets. Malgré les consolations des moines, le lion s’attristait de plus en
plus et rugissait de plus en plus fort, comme s’il pleurait. Alors le plus
ancien des frères lui dit :
– Ainsi, tu ne nous crois
pas lorsque nous te disons que notre starets est mort. Viens avec nous, nous
allons te montrer l’endroit où il repose maintenant.
Ils allèrent jusqu’à la
tombe du starets. Les moines pleuraient à genoux. En entendant leurs sanglots,
le lion hurla longuement et fortement. Puis il se coucha sur la tombe, poussa
un dernier rugissement puissant et mourut.
Le lion avait échangé une
vie de liberté contre la soumission. Il avait œuvré et vécu pour le saint moine
et il lui avait offert sur sa tombe sa propre vie. Les moines glorifièrent Dieu
qui leur avait révélé le merveilleux mystère de son amour dans lequel l’homme,
l’animal sauvage et toute la nature s'unissent en un seul lien. Ils avaient vu
la gloire de Dieu, qui resplendit sur le monde, et un lion couché – comme un
agneau – aux pieds de l’homme.
*LE PETIT VOCABULAIRE DES
MOTS NOUVEAUX
ASIE MINEURE :
ancien nom de la partie occidentale de l’Asie, au sud de la mer Noire.
CÉNOBITIQUE : les
monastères peuvent se distinguer par le genre de vie qui y a été institué. Dans
le monastère cénobitique, les frères ont tout en commun.
CELLULE : c’est la
pièce individuelle du moine. S’il y a beaucoup de moines, il arrive fréquemment
que deux frères se partagent cette pièce.
LES TRES PURS MYSTERES DU
CHRIST : le terme « mystère » est ici synonyme de
« sacrement ». Il s’agit de la communion au très saint Corps et au
précieux Sang de Jésus Christ.
HUMILITÉ : l’homme
humble est celui qui a un sentiment correct de sa faiblesse. Il s’abaisse
volontairement pour empêcher l’orgueil de pénétrer en lui. L’orgueil est un
ennemi pour l’homme comme en témoigne la Parole de Dieu : « quiconque
s’élève sera abaissé, et quiconque s’abaisse sera élevé. » (Luc, XIV, 11)
SOURCE : https://www.apostolia.eu/fr/articol_3962/saint-gerasime-du-jourdain-et-le-lion.html
Сцены
из Жития прп. Герасима Иорданского. Роспись ц. во имя свт. Николая Орфаноса в
Фессалонике. 1309-1319 гг.
Le 4 mars, nous célébrons
la mémoire de notre vénérable Père GERASIME l'ANACHORETE du JOURDAIN
Notre Saint Père Gérasime
naquit dans la province de Lycie, à la fin du IVe siècle, et entra dès son
enfance dans un monastère cénobitique. Après avoir été initié aux règlements de
la vie commune, le désir ardent de Dieu le conduisit en des lieux déserts où il
se nourrissait de plantes poussant là naturellement, et il passait ses jours et
ses nuits à lutter contre les esprits des ténèbres et les passions de la chair.
De là, il se rendit en Terre Sainte pour entreprendre de plus grands combats
dans les lieux sanctifiés par la présence de tant de saints ascètes et nouveaux
Apôtres. Après avoir vénéré les sanctuaires de Jérusalem, il se dirigea vers
l'âpre désert de la Mer Morte, qu'il civilisa par ses vertus, et attira à lui
un grand nombre de disciples.
Pendant les temps
troublés qui agitèrent les moines de Palestine après le Concile de Chalcédoine
(451) et entraînèrent vers l'hérésie plus de dix mille d'entre eux, Saint
Gérasime, victime de sa grande simplicité, se laissa séduire lui aussi quelque
temps par l'éloquence trompeuse du monophysite Théodose qui s'était emparé du
siège épiscopal de Jérusalem, à la place de Saint Juvénal (cf. 2 juillet).
Mais, rencontrant Saint
Euthyme dans le désert de Rouba, il réalisa son erreur, accueillit
avec humilité son enseignement et revint à l'Orthodoxie pour devenir, tant par
sa vie que par ses enseignements un fervent défenseur de la Vraie Foi. Par la
suite, il garda de fréquentes relations avec le grand Euthyme et, chaque année,
il partait avec lui pour le désert profond, afin de passer tout le Carême,
jusqu'au dimanche des Palmes, dans le jeûne le plus austère et la prière
permanente. Pendant la semaine il s'abstenait de toute nourriture et ne se
contentait, le dimanche, que de la Sainte Communion.
Comme ses disciples
devenaient plus nombreux, il condescendit à leur faiblesse et alla fonder une
laure dans un endroit plus clément, sur les rives du Jourdain, dans laquelle il
alliait harmonieusement la vie communautaire et la solitude, offrant ainsi à
tous une saine émulation dans les combats de la vertu. Les débutants devaient
d'abord vivre dans le cénobion pour y apprendre la soumission et les institutions
de la vie angélique, puis ceux d'entre eux qui étaient suffisamment éprouvés
dans l'ascèse et l'humilité allaient vivre en solitaire aux alentours, répartis
dans plus de soixante-dix cellules qui étaient assez éloignées les unes des
autres pour que chacun puisse se livrer sans trouble à la prière et aux hymnes
divines, se nourrissant seulement de pain et d'eau pendant les cinq jours de la
semaine. Le samedi et le dimanche, ermites et cénobites se réunissaient dans
l'église pour célébrer la Divine Liturgie et participer aux Saints Mystères.
Après le repas commun, suivi de quelque conversation spirituelle ou d'une
conférence de leur Père Gérasime, ils recevaient les fournitures nécessaires à
leur travail manuel, un pain, quelques dattes et une cruche d'eau, et chacun
repartait en silence pour mener son combat, seul devant Dieu. Ces ermites
menaient une vie si austère qu'ils n'avaient dans leur cellule ni lampe, ni
rien pour allumer du feu. Mortifiant leur ventre et toutes les passions
chamelles par un combat permanent contre la tendance de notre nature au
plaisir, ils apprenaient ainsi à rester maîtres de la tristesse, de la colère
et de toutes les passions de l'âme, et gardaient leur intellect en éveil dans
le constant souvenir de Dieu. Saint Gérasime leur enseignait comment mettre
tout leur soin à cultiver « l'homme caché du coeur » et à élever leur âme vers
la contemplation des mystères divins. Ils étaient si dépouillés de tout
attachement aux choses du monde qu'ils avaient comme règle, quand ils sortaient,
de laisser leur cellule ouverte à quiconque entrerait pour prendre ce dont il
avait besoin. C'est ainsi qu'ils imitaient parfaitement la vie des Apôtres et
pouvaient recevoir de Dieu les mêmes grâces que ces derniers.
Saint
Cyriaque l'Anachorète (cf. 29 septembre) qui, trop jeune encore pour
entreprendre les combats du désert avait été envoyé par Saint Euthyme auprès de
Gérasime pour devenir son disciple, racontait qu'un jour, après avoir été
averti de nuit par la vision d'une colonne de feu qui s'élevait au ciel, son
Ancien lui annonça que Saint Euthyme venait de décéder et qu'ils devaient se
rendre à ses funérailles, après une longue marche dans le désert jusqu'à
Jéricho.
Une autre fois, comme le
Saint se promenait sur la rive du Jourdain, un lion terrifiant se présenta
soudain devant lui, hurlant de douleur et lui montrant sa patte enflée, car une
pointe de roseau s'y était enfoncée. Plein de cette même compassion que Dieu
éprouve envers toutes Ses créatures, Gérasime retira l'épine, nettoya la plaie
et la banda, puis il congédia la bête. Mais le lion, plein de reconnaissance,
ne voulut plus quitter l'homme de Dieu; il le suivait partout comme un disciple
exemplaire et, converti de sa férocité naturelle, il ne mangeait plus que du
pain et des légumes. Il avait même reçu une obédience et était chargé de
conduire l'âne du monastère pour le faire paître sur les rives du fleuve. Un
jour, échappant à la surveillance du lion, l'âne s'éloigna et fut capturé par
des chameliers qui venaient d'Arabie. Le lion revint au monastère tout triste
et la tête baissée. Saint Gérasime, croyant qu'il avait mangé l'âne, le
réprimanda sévèrement et le condamna à faire désormais le travail de la bête de
somme, en portant l'eau du fleuve au monastère. Quelque temps après, le
chamelier qui avait pris l'âne étant de nouveau de passage dans la région, se
trouva par hasard en face du lion. En reconnaissant l'âne, le lion fonça
aussitôt sur lui et, le prenant par la bride avec trois chameaux à la suite, il
le ramena avec joie au monastère d'abba Gérasime en frétillant de la queue de
joie. Son innocence ayant été reconnue, le lion, qui avait reçu le nom de
Jourdain, vécut dès lors dans la laure inséparable du Saint et ami de tous les
moines.
Au bout de cinq ans,
quand Saint Gérasime s'endormit dans le Seigneur (5 mars 475), Jourdain était
absent de la laure. Lorsqu'à son retour, les moines lui apprirent la mort de
l'Ancien, il refusa de manger et, tournant çà et là, il poussait de grands
rugissements de désespoir. Comme les moines ne parvenaient pas à le consoler,
l'un d'eux l'invita à le suivre pour voir l'endroit où on avait enterré le
Saint. Aussitôt qu'il approcha de la tombe, le lion se prosterna avec le moine
et, frappant violemment sa tête contre terre, il mourut sur place en poussant
un grand rugissement. Jean Moschos, qui nous a transmis cet épisode, conclut en
disant : « Tout cela se fit non pas qu'il faille attribuer au lion une âme
raisonnable, mais parce que Dieu voulait glorifier ceux qui Le glorifient, non
seulement durant leur vie, mais encore après leur mort, et montrer comment les
bêtes étaient soumises à Adam avant qu'il eût transgressé Son commandement et
qu'il eût été chassé du Paradis de délices »1.
La laure de Saint
Gérasime est restée pendant longtemps un des hauts lieux du monachisme
palestinien, jusqu'à sa destruction au XIIIe siècle. Prenant avec eux les
Reliques du Saint, les moines s'installèrent alors dans la laure de Calamon qui
prit le nom de Saint Gérasime.
1 . Jean Moschos, Le
Pré Spirituel, 107 (SC 12, 15 7).
SOURCE : http://calendrier.egliseorthodoxe.com/sts/stsmars/mars04bis.html
Vénérable GÉRASIME de
SOURVIA, mort en paix
Saint Gérasime était
originaire d’un village du Péloponnèse, nommé Léontari. À l’âge de huit ans, il
fut confié par ses parents à un maître pour apprendre les saintes Lettres, ce
qu’il fit avec succès, grâce à son application et à ses qualités naturelles.
Lorsqu’il atteignit l’âge canonique, il fut ordonné prêtre et, tel le cerf
assoiffé qui court après la source des eaux du Salut, il entreprit un
pèlerinage en Terre Sainte. De là, il passa de lieu en lieu, vivant dans le
jeûne, la veille et la prière continuelle, et prêchant la parole de Dieu et le
repentir aux populations grecques soumises au joug turc. Il parvint ainsi au
monastère de la Sainte-Trinité, nommé Sourvia, fondé jadis par saint Denys de
l’Olympe (cf. 23 janv.) dans la région de Volos. Il s’y installa, afin de
s’adonner avec une ardeur accrue aux travaux de l’ascèse, crucifiant chaque
jour sa chair et ses désirs, de sorte que Dieu lui accorda la grâce d’accomplir
des miracles qui répandirent sa renommée dans tous les villages alentours. Aux
chrétiens qui venaient le visiter pour recevoir sa bénédiction, il enseignait
aussi les mœurs évangéliques et corrigeait les nombreux excès que l’occupation
turque avaient entraînés.
Saint Gérasime avait
coutume de visiter aussi le village de Vélestinon, où il s’était construit une
petite cellule, près de l’église, afin d’y entendre les confessions et d’y
prodiguer ses enseignements salutaires. Un jour, alors qu’il se trouvait là, il
eut la révélation de sa fin prochaine, il écrivit à l’higoumène du monastère de
la Sainte-Trinité, qui envoya aussitôt un mulet pour le prendre en secret, car
les habitants du village ne voulaient pas le laisser partir. Une fois arrivé au
monastère, le saint convoqua toute la communauté, leur délivra ses dernières
recommandations, en particulier à l’égard des prêtres, et il remit en paix son
âme à Dieu, le 14 septembre. [Vers 1740. Sa mémoire a été transférée
aujourd’hui à cause de la fête de l’Exaltation de la Croix.] Lorsqu’on procéda
au transfert de ses reliques, après de longues années, elles dégagèrent un
parfum céleste et elles n’ont pas cessé d’accomplir, jusqu’à ce jour, quantité
de miracles.
SOURCE : https://foi-orthodoxe.fr/vie-des-saints/septembre/venerable-gerasime-de-sourvia-mort-en-paix/
Also
known as
Gerasimus of Jordan
Gerasimus of Lycia
Gerasimus of the Jordan
Gerasimos of….
Profile
Monk at
Lycia, Asia
Minor. Hermit.
He moved to Palestine where
c.451 he
founded a house near the Dead Sea, and then c.475 another
one on the River Jordan near Jericho that later grew to great importance and
spread monasticism throughout
the region.
Born
Lycia, Asia
Minor
c.475 of
natural causes
monk healing a lion (early writers may
have confused Gerasimus and Saint Hieronymus)
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Book
of Saints and Friendly Beasts, by Abbie Farwell Brown
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
images
video
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
nettsteder
i norsk
websites
in nederlandse
MLA
Citation
“Saint Gerasimus of
Palestine“. CatholicSaints.Info. 4 March 2023. Web. 4 March 2025.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-gerasimus/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-gerasimus/
(Saint) (March 5) (5th
century) A monk at first in Lycia (Asia Minor) and afterwards in Palestine,
where, in a monastery which he had founded on the banks of the Jordan, in the
neighbourhood of Jericho, he trained numerous disciples. He died A.D. 475. In his
youth, for some time a follower of the heretic Eutychcs, he for all the rest of
his life did severe penance for his fault.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Gerasimus”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info.
11 July 2013. Web. 4 March 2025.
<https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-gerasimus/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-gerasimus/
St. Gerasimus of the
Jordan
Feastday: March 5
Death: 475
Hermit and follower of
St. Euthymius. Born in Lycia, Asia Minor.
He was a merchant who visited hermits in
Egypt. Upon his return to Palestine, he founded a laura, or eremtical
community, in Jericho, Israel. Gerasimus was famous for his austerity and
miracles.
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=3548
Преп.
Герасим Иорданский
The
Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts – Saint Gerasimus and the Lion
I
One fine morning Saint
Gerasimus was walking briskly along the bank of the River Jordan. By his side
plodded a little donkey bearing on his back an earthen jar; for they had been
down to the river together to get water, and were taking it back to the
monastery on the hill for the monks to drink at their noonday meal.
Gerasimus was singing
merrily, touching the stupid little donkey now and then with a twig of olive
leaves to keep him from going to sleep. This was in the far East, in the Holy
Land, so the sky was very blue and the ground smelled hot. Birds were singing
around them in the trees and overhead, all kinds of strange and beautiful
birds. But suddenly Gerasimus heard a sound unlike any bird he had ever known;
a sound which was not a bird’s song at all, unless some newly invented kind had
a bass voice which ended in a howl. The little donkey stopped suddenly, and
bracing his fore legs and cocking forward his long, flappy ears, looked afraid
and foolish. Gerasimus stopped too. But he was so wise a man that he could not
look foolish. And he was too good a man to be afraid of anything. Still, he was
a little surprised.
“Dear me,” he said aloud,
“how very strange that sounded. What do you suppose it was?” Now there was no
one else anywhere near, so he must have been talking to himself. For he could
never have expected that donkey to know anything about it. But the donkey
thought he was being spoken to, so he wagged his head, and said, “He-haw!”
which was a very silly answer indeed, and did not help Gerasimus at all.
He seized the donkey by
the halter and waited to see what would happen. He peered up and down and
around and about, but there was nothing to be seen except the shining river,
the yellow sand, a clump of bushes beside the road, and the spire of the
monastery peeping over the top of the hill beyond. He was about to start the
donkey once more on his climb towards home, when that sound came again; and
this time he noticed that it was a sad sound, a sort of whining growl ending in
a sob. It sounded nearer than before, and seemed to come from the clump of
bushes. Gerasimus and the donkey turned their heads quickly in that direction,
and the donkey trembled all over, he was so frightened. But his master only
said, “It must be a Lion!”
And sure enough: he had
hardly spoken the word when out of the bushes came poking the great head and
yellow eyes of a lion. He was looking straight at Gerasimus. Then, giving that
cry again, he bounded out and strode towards the good man, who was holding the
donkey tight to keep him from running away. He was the biggest kind of a lion,
much bigger than the donkey, and his mane was long and thick, and his tail had
a yellow brush on the end as large as a window mop. But as he came Gerasimus
noticed that he limped as if he were lame. At once the Saint was filled with
pity, for he could not bear to see any creature suffer. And without any thought
of fear, he went forward to meet the lion. Instead of pouncing upon him
fiercely, or snarling, or making ready to eat him up, the lion crouched whining
at his feet.
“Poor fellow,” said
Gerasimus, “what hurts you and makes you lame, brother Lion?”
The lion shook his yellow
mane and roared. But his eyes were not fierce; they were only full of pain as
they looked up into those of Gerasimus asking for help. And then he held up his
right fore paw and shook it to show that this was where the trouble lay.
Gerasimus looked at him kindly.
“Lie down, sir,” he said
just as one would speak to a big yellow dog. And obediently the lion charged.
Then the good man bent over him, and taking the great paw in his hand examined
it carefully. In the soft cushion of the paw a long pointed thorn was piercing so
deeply that he could hardly find the end. No wonder the poor lion had roared
with pain! Gerasimus pulled out the thorn as gently as he could, and though it
must have hurt the lion badly he did not make a sound, but lay still as he had
been told. And when the thorn was taken out the lion licked Gerasimus’ hand,
and looked up in his face as if he would say, “Thank you, kind man. I shall not
forget.”
Now when the Saint had
finished this good deed he went back to his donkey and started on towards the
monastery. But hearing the soft pad of steps behind him he turned and saw that
the great yellow lion was following close at his heels. At first he was
somewhat embarrassed, for he did not know how the other monks would receive
this big stranger. But it did not seem polite or kind to drive him away,
especially as he was still somewhat lame. So Gerasimus took up his switch of
olive leaves and drove the donkey on without a word, thinking that perhaps the
lion would grow tired and drop behind. But when he glanced over his shoulder he
still saw the yellow head close at his elbow; and sometimes he felt the hot,
rough tongue licking his hand that hung at his side.
So they climbed the hill
to the monastery. Some one had seen Gerasimus coming with this strange
attendant at his heels, and the windows and doors were crowded with monks,
their mouths and eyes wide open with astonishment, peering over one another’s
shoulders. From every corner of the monastery they had run to see the sight;
but they were all on tiptoe to run back again twice as quickly if the lion
should roar or lash his tail. Now although Gerasimus knew that the house was
full of staring eyes expecting every minute to see him eaten up, he did not
hurry or worry at all. Leisurely he unloaded the water-jar and put the donkey
in his stable, the lion following him everywhere he went. When all was finished
he turned to bid the beast good-by. But instead of taking the hint and
departing as he was expected to, the lion crouched at Gerasimus’ feet and
licked his sandals; and then he looked up in the Saint’s face and pawed at his
coarse gown pleadingly, as if he said, “Good man, I love you because you took
the thorn out of my foot. Let me stay with you always to be your watch-dog.”
And Gerasimus understood.
“Well, if you wish to
stay I am willing, so long as you are good,” he said, and the lion leaped up
and roared with joy so loudly that all the monks who were watching tumbled over
one another and ran away to their cells in a terrible fright, locking the doors
behind them.
Gerasimus carried the
water-jar into the empty kitchen, and the lion followed. After sniffing about
the place to get acquainted, just as a kitten does in its new home, the lion
lay down in front of the fire and curled his head up on his paws, like the great
big cat he was. And so after a long sigh he went to sleep. Then Gerasimus had a
chance to tell the other monks all about it. At first they were timid and would
not hear of keeping such a dangerous pet. But when they had all tiptoed down to
the kitchen behind Gerasimus and had seen the big kitten asleep there so
peacefully they were not quite so much afraid.
“I’ll tell you what we
will do,” said the Abbot. “If Brother Gerasimus can make his friend eat
porridge and herbs like the rest of us we will let him join our number. He
might be very useful, – as well as ornamental, – in keeping away burglars and
mice. But we cannot have any flesh-eating creature among us. Some of us are too
fat and tempting, I fear,” and he glanced at several of the roundest monks, who
shuddered in their tight gowns. But the Abbot himself was the fattest of them
all, and he spoke with feeling.
So it was decided.
Gerasimus let the lion sleep a good long nap, to put him in a fine humor. But
when it came time for supper he mixed a bowl of porridge and milk and filled a
big wooden platter with boiled greens. Then taking one dish in each hand he
went up to the lion and set them in front of his nose.
“Leo, Leo, Leo!” he
called coaxingly, just as a little girl would call “Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!” to
her pet. The lion lifted up his head and purred, like a small furnace, for he
recognized his friend’s voice. But when he smelled the dishes of food he
sniffed and made a horrid face, wrinkling up his nose and saying “Ugh!” He did
not like the stuff at all. But Gerasimus patted him on the head and said, “You
had better eat it, Leo; it is all I have myself. Share and share alike,
brother.”
The lion looked at him
earnestly, and then dipped his nose into the porridge with a grunt. He ate it
all, and found it not so very bad. So next he tried the greens. They were a
poor dessert, he thought; but since he saw that Gerasimus wanted him to eat
them he finished the dish, and then lay down on the hearth feeling very tired.
Gerasimus was delighted,
for he had grown fond of the lion and wanted to keep him. So he hurried back to
the dining hall and showed the empty dishes to the Abbot. That settled the
lion’s fate. Thenceforth he became a member of the monastery. He ate with the
other monks in the great hall, having his own private trencher and bowl beside
Gerasimus. And he grew to like the mild fare of the good brothers, – at least
he never sought for anything different. He slept outside the door of his
master’s cell and guarded the monastery like a faithful watch-dog. The monks
grew fond of him and petted him so that he lived a happy life on the hill, with
never a wish to go back to the desert with its thorns.
II
Wherever Gerasimus went
the lion went also. Best of all, Leo enjoyed their daily duty of drawing water
from the river. For that meant a long walk in the open air, and a frolic on the
bank of the Jordan. One day they had gone as usual, Gerasimus, the lion, and
the stupid donkey who was carrying the filled jar on his back. They were
jogging comfortably home, when a poor man came running out of a tiny hut near
the river, who begged Gerasimus to come with him and try to cure his sick baby.
Of course the good man willingly agreed; this was one of the errands which he
loved best to do.
“Stay, brother,” he
commanded Leo, who wanted to go with him, “stay and watch the foolish donkey.”
And he went with the man, feeling sure that the lion would be faithful. Now Leo
meant to do his duty, but it was a hot and sleepy day, and he was very tired.
He lay down beside the donkey and kept one eye upon him, closing the other one
just for a minute. But this is a dangerous thing to do. Before he knew it, the
other eye began to wink; and the next moment Leo was sound asleep, snoring with
his head on his paws. Then it was that the silly donkey began to grow restless.
He saw a patch of grass just beyond that looked tempting, and he moved over to
it. Then he saw a greener spot beyond that, and then another still farther
beyond that, till he had taken his silly self a long way off. And just then
there came along on his way from Dan to Beersheba, a thief of a Camel Driver,
with a band of horses and asses. He saw the donkey grazing there with no one
near, and he said to himself, –
“Aha! A fine little
donkey. I will add him to my caravan and no one will be the wiser.” And seizing
Silly by the halter, he first cut away the water-jar, and then rode off with
him as fast as he could gallop.
Now the sound of
pattering feet wakened Leo. He jumped up with a roar just in time to see the
Camel Driver’s face as he glanced back from the top of the next hill. Leo ran
wildly about sniffing for the donkey; but when he found that he had really
disappeared, he knew the Camel Driver must have stolen him. He was terribly
angry. He stood by the water-jar and roared and lashed his tail, gnashing his
jaws as he remembered the thief’s wicked face.
Now in the midst of his
rage out came Gerasimus. He found Leo roaring and foaming at the mouth, his
red-rimmed eyes looking very fierce. And the donkey was gone – only the water-jar
lay spilling on the ground. Then Gerasimus made a great mistake. He thought
that poor Leo had grown tired of being a vegetarian, of living upon porridge
and greens, and had tried fresh donkey-meat for a change.
“Oh, you wicked lion!” he
cried, “you have eaten poor Silly. What shall I do to punish you?” Then Leo
roared louder than ever with shame and sorrow. But he could not speak to tell
how it had happened. The Saint was very sad. Tears stood in his kind eyes. “You
will have to be donkey now,” he said; “you will have to do his part of the work
since he is now a part of you. Come, stand up and let me fasten the water-jar
upon your back.” He spoke sternly and even switched Leo with his olive stick.
Leo had never been treated like this. He was the King of Beasts, and it was
shame for a King to do donkey’s work. His eyes flashed, and he had half a mind
to refuse and to run away. Then he looked at the good man and remembered how he
had taken out that cruel thorn. So he hung his head and stood still to be harnessed
in the donkey’s place.
Slowly and painfully Leo
carried the water-jar up the hill. But worse than all it was to feel that his
dear master was angry with him. Gerasimus told the story to the other monks,
and they were even more angry than he had been, for they did not love Leo so
well. They all agreed that Leo must be punished; so they treated him exactly as
if he were a mean, silly donkey. They gave him only oats and water to eat, and
made him do all Silly’s work. They would no longer let him sleep outside his
master’s door, but they tied him in a lonesome stall in the stable. And now he
could not go to walk with Gerasimus free and happy as the King of Beasts should
be. For he went only in harness, with never a kind word from his master’s lips.
It was a sad time for
Leo. He was growing thinner and thinner. His mane was rough and tangled because
he had no heart to keep it smooth. And there were several white hairs in his
beautiful whiskers. He was fast becoming melancholy; and the most pitiful beast
in all the world is a melancholy lion. He had been hoping that something would
happen to show that it was all a mistake; but it seemed as though the world was
against him, and truth was dead.
It was a sad time for
Gerasimus, too; for he still loved Leo, though he knew the lion must be
punished for the dreadful deed which he was believed to have done. One day he
had to go some distance to a neighboring town to buy provisions. As usual, he
took Leo with him to bring back the burden, but they did not speak all the way.
Gerasimus had done the errands which he had come to do, and was fastening the
baskets on each side of the lion’s back. A group of children were standing
around watching the queer sight, – a lion burdened like a donkey! And they
laughed and pointed their fingers at him, making fun of poor Leo.
But suddenly the lion
growled and began to lash his tail, quivering like a cat ready to spring on a
mouse. The children screamed and ran away, thinking that he was angry with them
for teasing him. But it was not that. A train of camels was passing at the
moment, and Leo had seen at their head a mean, wicked face which he remembered.
And as the last of the caravan went by, Leo caught sight of Silly himself, the
missing donkey of the monastery. At the sound of Leo’s growl, Silly pricked up
his ears and stood on his fore legs, which is not a graceful position for a
donkey. Then the Camel Driver came running up to see what was the matter with
his stolen donkey. But when he came face to face with Leo, whose yellow eyes
were glaring terribly, the thief trembled and turned pale. For he remembered
the dreadful roar which had followed him that day as he galloped away across
the sand holding Silly’s halter. The poor donkey was quivering with fear,
thinking that this time he was surely going to be eaten piecemeal. But after
all this trouble on Silly’s account, the very idea of tasting donkey made Leo
sick. He only wanted to show Gerasimus what a mistake had been made.
All this time Gerasimus
had been wondering what the lion’s strange behavior meant. But when he saw Leo
seize the donkey’s bridle, he began to suspect the truth. He ran up and
examined the donkey carefully. Then Leo looked up in his face and growled
softly, as if to say: –
“Here is your old donkey,
safe and sound. You see I didn’t eat him after all. That is the real
thief,” and turning to the Camel Driver, he showed his teeth and looked so
fierce that the man hid behind a camel, crying, “Take away the lion! Kill the
wicked lion!” But Gerasimus seized Silly by the bridle.
“This is my beast,” he
said, “and I shall lead him home with me. You stole him, Thief, and my noble
lion has found you out,” and he laid his hand tenderly on Leo’s head.
“He is mine, you shall
not have him!” cried the Camel Driver, dodging out from behind the camel, and
trying to drag the donkey away from Gerasimus. But with a dreadful roar, Leo
sprang upon him, and with his great paw knocked him down and sat upon his
stomach.
“Do not hurt him, Leo,”
said Gerasimus gently. But to the Camel Driver he was very stern. “Look out,
Sir Thief,” he said, “how you steal again the donkey of an honest man. Even the
yellow beasts of the desert know better than that, and will make you ashamed.
Be thankful that you escape so easily.”
Then he took the baskets
from Leo’s back and bound them upon Silly, who was glad to receive them once
more from his own master’s hands. For the Camel Driver had been cruel to him
and had often beaten him. So he resolved never again to stray away as he had
done that unlucky time. And when they were all ready to start, Gerasimus called
Leo, and he got up from the chest of the Camel Driver, where he had been
sitting all this time, washing his face with his paws and smiling.
“My poor old Leo!” said
Gerasimus, with tears in his eyes, “I have made you suffer cruelly for a crime
of which you were not guilty. But I will make it up to you.”
Then happily the three
set out for home, and all the way Gerasimus kept his arm about the neck of his
lion, who was wild with joy because he and his dear master were friends once
more, and the dreadful mistake was discovered.
They had a joyful
reception at the monastery on the hill. Of course every one was glad to see
poor Silly again; but best of all it was to know that their dear old lion was
not a wicked murderer. They petted him and gave him so many good things to eat
that he almost burst with fatness. They made him a soft bed, and all the monks
took turns in scratching his chin for ten minutes at a time, which was what Leo
loved better than anything else in the world.
And so he dwelt happily
with the good monks, one of the most honored brothers of the monastery. Always
together he and Gerasimus lived and slept and ate and took their walks. And at
last after many, many years, they grew old together, and very tired and sleepy.
So one night Gerasimus, who had become an Abbot, the head of the monastery, lay
gently down to rest, and never woke up in the morning. But the great lion loved
him so that when they laid Saint Gerasimus to sleep under a beautiful plane-tree
in the garden, Leo lay down upon the mound moaning and grieving, and would not
move. So his faithful heart broke that day, and he, too, slept forever by his
dear master’s side.
But this was not a sad
thing that happened. For think how dreadful the days would have been for Leo
without Gerasimus. And think how sad a life Gerasimus would have spent if Leo
had left him first. Oh, no; it was not sad, but very, very beautiful that the dear
Saint and his friendly beast could be happy together all the day, and when the
long night came they could sleep together side by side in the garden.
– from The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts, by Abbie
Farwell Brown, 1900
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/the-book-of-saints-and-friendly-beasts-saint-gerasimus-and-the-lion/
Venerable Gerasimus of
the Jordan
Commemorated on March
4
Saint Gerasimus was a
native of Lycia (Asia Minor). From his early years he was distinguished for his
piety. Having received monastic tonsure, he withdrew into the desert of the
Thebaid (in Egypt). Thereafter, in about the year 450, the monk arrived in
Palestine and settled at the Jordan, where he founded a monastery.
For a certain while St
Gerasimus was tempted by the heresy of Eutyches and Dioscorus, which
acknowledged only the divine nature in Jesus Christ, but not His human nature
(i.e. the Monophysite heresy). St Euthymius the Great (January 20) helped him
to return to the true Faith.
St Gerasimus established
a strict monastic Rule. He spent five days of the week in solitude, occupying
himself with handicrafts and prayer. On these days the wilderness dwellers did
not eat cooked food, nor did they kindle a fire, but ate only dry bread, roots
and water.
On Saturday and Sunday
all gathered at the monastery for Divine Liturgy and to partake of the Holy
Mysteries of Christ. In the afternoon, taking a supply of bread, tubers, water
and an armload of date-palm branches for weaving baskets, the desert-dwellers
returned to their own cells. Each had only old clothes and a mat, upon which he
slept. When they left their cells, the door was never locked, so that anyone
could enter and rest, or take whatever he needed.
St Gerasimus himself
attained a high level of asceticism. During Great Lent he ate nothing until the
very day of the All-Radiant Resurrection of Christ, when he received the Holy Mysteries.
Going out into the desert for all of Great Lent, St Gerasimus took with him his
beloved disciple St Cyriacus (September 29), whom St Euthymius had sent to him.
When St Euthymius the
Great died, St Gerasimus saw how angels carried the soul of the departed up to
Heaven. Taking Cyriacus with him, the monk immediately set off to the monastery
of St Euthymius and consigned his body to the earth.
St Gerasimus died
peacefully, mourned by his brethren and disciples. Before his death, a lion had
aided St Gerasimus in his tasks, and upon the death of the Elder it died at his
grave and was buried nearby. Therefore the lion is depicted on icons of the
saint, at his feet.
SOURCE : http://oca.org/saints/lives/2015/03/04/100649-venerable-gerasimus-of-the-jordan
Raffigurazione
moderna di san Gerasimo Giordanita
St Gerasimos the
Righteous of Jordan
Commemorated March 4
St Gerasimos feared God
from childhood and, after he became a monk, he went to the deepest parts of the
desert of Thebais. He reached such a height of virtue and was graced with such
intimacy with God, because he had preserved his image and likeness so pure,
that he even had authority over wild beasts. A lion used to attend upon him and
among other things, this lion used to graze the donkey, which fetched water to
the Saint. Once some merchants passed from that place, and when they saw the
donkey, they stole it. The lion was sleeping and did not feel a thing. So, in
the evening he returned to the Saint without having the donkey with him, as
usual.
When the Saint's servant
saw the lion alone, he told the elder that the lion had eaten the donkey.
Therefore, the poor lion was condemned to carry the pitchers on his back and
fetch water from the river instead of the donkey, for as long as the merchants
kept it. However, the same merchants happened to pass from that place again and
they had the donkey with them. As soon as the lion saw the donkey, he
recognised it and rushed at the merchants with a loud roar. The people got
scared and left. Together with the donkey the lion brought to St Gerasimos'
cell the camels which were tied on it. Knocking with his tail on the door of
the Saint's cell, he acted as if to show that he was offering them to the elder
as game.
When the Saint saw this
thing, he smiled a bit and said to his disciple, "We wrongly accused the
innocent lion that he had eaten the donkey. So, now we have to liberate him
from his labour and allow him to go and graze at his usual place". Then
the lion bowed his head, as if he had reason, and taking his leave from the
Saint he went to the wilderness. Once every week he used to come and bow before
the Saint. After Gerasimos died, the lion came, as his habit was, and asked to
venerate him. However, when he did not find him, he seemed to be sad and angry.
With many signs, the Saint's disciple helped him feel that the elder had died.
The lion lamented the elder's death with a fine roar and seemed to be looking
for the Saint's grave. When the disciple led him to it, the lion fell on it and
with a loud roar he breathed his last due to his extreme pain which he suffered
from his love for the Saint. This is how God glorifies those who glorify Him
and makes wild beasts submit to those who keep His image and likeness pure.
St Gerasimos was at the
Fourth Ecumenical Synod at Chalcedon in 451 AD. He at first leaned toward the
Monophysite heresy, but was persuaded of the truth by St Euthymios, and was a
great champion of Orthodoxy at the Synod. St Gerasimos reposed in 475 AD.
Dismissal Hymn (First
Tone)
You proved to be a
citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O Gerasimos,
our God-bearing Father. By fasting, vigil, and prayer you obtained heavenly
gifts, and you heal the sick and the souls of them that have recourse to you
with faith. Glory to Him that has given you strength. Glory to him that has
crowned you. Glory to Him that works healings for all through you.
Kontakion (Fourth Tone)
On this day You have
appeared
As a star resplendent
with the light of virtues, you made the wilderness of Jordan radiantly shine
with beams of sacred celestial light, O righteous Father, God-bearing
Gerasimos.
SOURCE : http://home.iprimus.com.au/xenos/gerasimos.html
Platanias
(Creta, Grecia), museo del monastero di Gonia Odigitria - Icona di san
Gerasimo, realizzata dallo ieromonaco Parthenios, seconda metà XVII secolo
Platanias
(Crete, Greece), Gonia Odigitria monastery museum - Icon of saint Gerasimus, by
hieromonk Parthenios, second half 17th century
San Gerasimo Anacoreta
Festa: 5 marzo
† Giordania, 5 marzo 475
San Gerasimo, anacoreta
in Palestina presso il fiume Giordano al tempo dell’imperatore Zenone, fu
riportato alla vera fede da Sant’Eutimio e si prodigò in grandi penitenze. A
tutti coloro che scelsero la vita monastica sotto la sua guida, offrì una dura disciplina
ed una razione di cibo. Il Martyrologium Romanum lo commemora in data odierna.
Martirologio
Romano: In Palestina sulle rive del Giordano, san Gerásimo, anacoreta,
che, al tempo dell’imperatore Zenone, ricondotto alla retta fede da
sant’Eutimio, fece grande opera di penitenza, offrendo a tutti coloro che sotto
la sua guida si esercitavano nella vita monastica, un modello irreprensibile di
disciplina e di vita.
Nel 1897, A. Papadopoulos - Kerameus nel IV volume dei suoi Anagesta, pubblicava una Vita Gerasimi anonima e, in base ad argomentazioni apparentemente giustificate, attribuiva quest’opera al celebre agiografo Grillo di Scitopoli. H. Grégoire, qualche anno più tardi, dimostrò che tale attribuzione era insostenibile, soprattutto perché la Vita Gerasimi non conteneva alcuni precisi dettagli (come la data di nascita e il luogo di origine) che figurano sempre nelle opere autentiche di Cirillo. D’altra parte, ad un’attenta analisi, questa Vita si rivela come un centone composto di frammenti tratti dallo stesso Cirillo e in particolare dalla sua Vita Euthymii, cioè di Eutimio il Grande.
Sempre secondo H. Grégoire, la Vita, che fornisce tra l’altro la data precisa (526) della morte dell’egumeno Eugenio, uno dei successori di Gerasimo, sarebbe stata composta nella seconda metà del VI secolo e, probabilmente, nella sua stessa laura.
In base alla fonte citata, Gerasimo nacque in Licia, in luogo e data sconosciuti, e dopo essere vissuto in un monastero della sua provincia, si diede a vita anacoretica. Verso il 451, all’epoca dei concilio di Calcedonia, egli si trovava in Palestina, dove si era stabilito vicino al Mar Morto. Seguendo Teodosio, il vescovo intruso che si era sostituito al patriarca Giovenale, Gerasimo abbracciò per un certo tempo le idee di Eutiche, distaccandosene però ben presto, per ritornare all’ortodossia, probabilmente sotto l'influsso di Eutimio il Grande.
Verso il 455, egli si trasferì ad un miglio, circa, dalle rive del Giordano, dove fondò un monastero per cenobiti. In questa laura, in cui tutti gli aspiranti dovevano trascorrere diversi anni, Gerasimo fondò un certo numero di eremitaggi (si contavano sino a settanta cellette) per coloro che volevano condurre vita anacoretica; gli eremiti ad ogni modo si riunivano ogni settimana dal sabato al lunedì. Tutti gli anni, durante la Quaresima, Gerasimo si recava da Eutimio e, dopo un digiuno che interrompeVa solo per ricevere l’Eucaristia, tornava nella sua laura per la domenica prima della Pasqua.
Nel Prato Spirituale, Giovanni Mosco riporta, a proposito di Gerasimo, la storia del leone che il santo aveva sanato togliendogli una spina dalla zampa. Il leone restò con Gerasimo circa cinque anni, e quando questi mori l’animale ne ebbe tanto dolore che si abbatté morto sulla tomba del santo.
D’altra parte, nel Prato Spirituale si trovano anche altre storie narrate a proposito dei monaci della laura di Gerasimo. Certamente a causa dell’omofonia dei nomi, l'episodio del leone fu in seguito attribuito anche a Girolamo divenendo un diffusissimo tema iconografico.
Gerasimo morì il 5 marzo 475. Il Martirologio Romano ha conservato questa data lo stesso giorno in cui è venerato anche da alcuni calendari siriaci, tra cui il Martirologio di Rabbàn Slibà (= 5 àdàr). Nella Chiesa bizantina, per contro, la festa di Gerasimo viene celebrata il giorno precedente (4 marzo) e la notizia dei Sinassari che gli è dedicata dipende - sembra - da fonti diverse dalla Vita sopra citata. Vi si trova l’episodio del leone, ma Gerasimo vi compare come contemporaneo dell’imperatore Costantino Pogonato (secolo VII).
La laura di Gerasimo rimase per lungo tempo celebre, ma alla fine del XIII
secolo era distrutta e gli eremiti si erano rifugiati nel vicino monastero di
Qalamon.
Autore: Joseph-Marie Sauget
SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/92494
Den hellige Gerasimus
( -475)
Minnedag:
5. mars
Den hellige Gerasimus var
en disippel av noen av de fremstående munkene i Egypt og Palestina under det
femte århundre. Han opprettet et stort munkefellesskap for eremitter nær
Jeriko. Bare den hellige Sabas regnes som viktigere for munkevesenet i
oldtidens Palestina. Minnedag 5. mars.
Kilder:
Attwater/Cumming - Sist oppdatert: 1999-07-23 22:29
Linken er kopiert til
utklippstavlen!
SOURCE : https://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/gerasimu
St.
Gersimus Monastery
עברית: מנזר
סנט גרסימוס
Original
Image Name: Piciwiki_israel_64784_DS1C06190.JPG Notes:
מנזר סנט גרסימוס הוא מנזר יווני אורתודוקסי השוכן צפונית לים המלח.מוקדש לגרסימוס
הקדוש שעל פי המסורת הנוצרית הקים במקום לאורהמרכז לנזירים
מתבודדים.צמוד
למנזר ישנה אכסניה המשמשת צליינים יווניים המבקרים במקום.-ויקיפדיה.
Piciwiki_israel_64784_DS1C06190.JPG
Notes : Le monastère Saint-Gérasime est un monastère grec orthodoxe situé au
nord de la mer Morte, dédié à Saint-Gérasime qui, selon la tradition
chrétienne, a établi un centre pour les moines ermites à Laura. À côté du
monastère se trouve une auberge utilisée par les pèlerins grecs qui visitent le
lieu.
Gerasimus van Palestina;
abt; † 475.
Feest 4 (oosterse
kerken) & 5 maart
Gerasimus was tegen 451 een kloostervestiging begonnen aan de rivier de Jordaan in Palestina, niet ver van de stad Jericho. Hij stond aan het hoofd van zo’n honderd kluizenaars. Van hen leefde een kwart in groepsverband; de rest woonde verspreid als woestijnmonnik.
Bij hem hoort het beroemde verhaal van de leeuw Jordanus. Gerasimus had hem in de woestijn aangetroffen met een doorn in zijn poot. Het dier brulde van de pijn. Gerasimus nam het mee naar zijn kloostertje om het daar te verzorgen. Eenmaal genezen weigerde Jordanus om nog weg te gaan. Hij kreeg de taak de kloosterezel te bewaken. Maar toen hij ’s nachts eens in een diepe slaap verzonken lag, werd de ezel vlak naast hem gestolen. De volgende morgen zei Gerasimus: “Omdat jij je zo hebt laten beetnemen, zul jij zelf voortaan ons water, ons hout en al onze levensbehoeften moeten dragen.” De leeuw deed het allemaal uit liefde voor zijn vriend. Maar op een dag zag Jordanus zijn ezel, afgetekend tegen de horizon, achter een karavaan voort stappen. Hij stortte zich op het beest en sleepte hem aan zijn oor terug. Waarop ze allebei weer hun oude taak op zich namen.
Na Gerasimus’ dood was Jordanus zo wanhopig dat hij zich op diens graf
neerlegde en niet meer opstond, tot hij van honger was omgekomen.
[Dries van den Akker s.j./2009.12.22]
© A. van den Akker
s.j. / A.W. Gerritsen
SOURCE : https://heiligen-3s.nl/heiligen/03/05/03-05-0475-gerasimus.php
S. Vailhé, « Les laures de
saint Gérasime et de Calamon », Revue
des études byzantines Année 1898 2-3 pp.
106-119 : http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/rebyz_1146-9447_1898_num_2_3_3199
Vailhé Siméon, « ΚΛ.
ΚΟΙΚΥΛΙΔΗΣ. Αἱ παρὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην λαῦραι Καλαμῶνος καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Γερασίμου, καὶ
οἱ βίοι τοῦ ἁγίου Γερασίμου καὶ Κυριακοῦ τοῦ ἀναχωρητοῦ [compte-rendu] »
Revue des études byzantines Année
1903 41 p.
282 :
https://www.persee.fr/doc/rebyz_1146-9447_1903_num_6_41_3480_t1_0282_0000_2
Vailhé Siméon, « H. Grégoire
: La vie anonyme de saint Gérasime, dans la Byzantinische Zeitschrift,
t. XIII, 1904
[compte-rendu] »,
Revue des études byzantines Année
1904 47 p.
239
: https://www.persee.fr/doc/rebyz_1146-9447_1904_num_7_47_3549_t1_0239_0000_2
Voir aussi : http://orthodoxwiki.org/Gerasimos_of_the_Jordan
