Saint Sérapion d'Arsinoé
Ermite près d'Arsinoé,
évêque de Thmuis (+ 362)
Evêque de Thmuis en Égypte, il est l'un des plus précieux témoins de la liturgie égyptienne au IVe s. grâce à "l'euchologe" ou sacramentaire transmis sous son nom et découvert en 1899. Il se distingua par son opposition à l'arianisme et fut un grand ami de saint Athanase.
Commémoraison de saint Sérapion, évêque de Thmuis, en basse Égypte, homme de
grande intelligence et de grandes vertus. Ami de saint Athanase, il composa de
belles prières liturgiques et, chassé par les ariens, mourut en exil après 362.
Martyrologe romain
SOURCE : https://nominis.cef.fr/contenus/saint/845/Saint-S%C3%A9rapion-d-Arsino%C3%A9.html
Saint Sérapion le
Scolastique
Anachorète et évêque
Fête le 21 mars
† apr. 362
Autre graphie :
Sérapion le Scolastique ou Sérapion de Thmuis
Surnommé « le
Scholastique » à cause de son grand savoir, il quitta Alexandrie pour se
retirer dans le désert, où saint Antoine le Grand le prit en amitié. Par la
suite il fut appelé au siège épiscopal de Tmuis ou Thmuis, en Basse-Égypte
(auj. Tell Timai, près d’El-Mansura), et il se distingua par sa ferme
opposition aux hérésies.
L’empereur Constance,
partisan des ariens, le bannit. Divers ouvrages de lui nous sont
parvenus ; le plus important, l’« Euchologe », est un traité de
liturgie. En Égypte, saint Sérapion, évêque de Thmuis, est l’un des plus
précieux témoins de la liturgie égyptienne au IVe siècle.
SOURCE : http://www.martyretsaint.com/serapion-le-scolastique/
Sérapion de Thmuis :
Lettre sur la mort d’Antoine
Voici une lettre de
l’évêque Sérapion de Thmuis, l’un des plus proches disciples de saint Antoine
du désert († 356), à propos de la mort de son maître en qui l’Église
reconnaître le père de la vie monastique. Nous donnons ici la version
arménienne de cette lettre. Il en existe une version syriaque publiée dans
l’ouvrage paru aux éditions de l’abbaye de Bellefontaine (voir ci-dessous).
[Lettre] du saint Père
Sérapion aux disciples de saint Antoine, Macaire et Amatas.
Le monde a perdu un
grand intercesseur, les cieux ont reçu un grand homme. Celui d’en haut a reçu
celui qu’il cherchait, celui d’en bas a perdu celui qu’il possédait. Son départ
en haut cause aujourd’hui une fête pour ceux d’en haut, mais son décès de nous
(cause) grande perte et affliction pour nous qui sommes restés en bas.
Saint Antoine (© :
Bnf. Ms éthiopien d’Abbadie 111, fol. 37v, Saint Antoine)
Voyez donc, frères,
aussitôt que le vieillard est parti d’auprès de nous, lui qui intercédait pour
l’univers, le bienheureux Antoine, voici que tout à la fois sont tombés et
affligés tous les éléments ensemble, et la colère de Dieu survenue dévaste
d’abord l’Égypte.
Voici, son départ
d’auprès de nous, nous a montré notre perte ; combien plus son élévation
montrera-t-elle la joie advenue aux cieux.
Tant que le saint était
sur terre, il parlait et causait, et étendait toujours ses mains saintes vers
Dieu et, parlant avec lui, il resplendissait dans le Seigneur, et il ne
permettait pas à la colère de descendre, et le saint, élevant ses pensées,
empêchait la colère de Dieu de venir contre nous. Quand donc cette main se
joignit et qu’il ne se trouva plus personne qui put empêcher la descente de la
colère sur nous, alors soudain se déversant, elle afflige toute la région et
veut tout détruire.
Aaron en effet, quand les
châtiments commencèrent à se produire dans le peuple, pris l’encensoir et
résista à la colère, la divisant entre les morts et les vivants ; il ne
laissa pas mourir certains, ni ne permit à la colère de descendre. Il en garda
certains vivants, quant à la mort, il la détourna. La colère de Dieu s’arrêta,
respectant le juste.
Le bienheureux vieillard
Antoine, tant qu’il était avec nous sur terre, élevait continuellement le saint
encensoir et, éteignant la colère, ne lui permettait pas de descendre vers
nous.
Donc, tant que ce saint
était avec nous, elle ne descendit plus ; tant que ce saint était avec
nous, la colère était loin de nous. Quand le saint eut trépassé, la colère
trouva de nouveau l’occasion de descendre vers nous, ne trouvant pas chez nous qui
l’empêcherait.
Quelles larmes
verserons-nous donc, quelles lamentations chanterons-nous, nous qui [nous
trouvons] privés du saint merveilleux et thaumaturge et sommes devenus
enveloppés de la colère, sans pouvoir y trouver remède ?
Maintenant donc, nous [avons
recours à] vous, qui [devez prendre] son exemple, saints disciples du
bienheureux qui devez imprimer en vous son enseignement. Or le disciple ne doit
nullement se laisser abattre ni retrancher de la conduite des anciens et se
laisser distancer par celui qui le dirige, mais il doit former en soi sans
cesse la ressemblance de son maître par une ascèse empressée.
Vous qui avez vécu
longtemps avec le saint, demeurant avec le témoin de Dieu, recevant ses paroles
et l’ascèse de sa vie, je ne vous ignore pas maintenant, c’est pourquoi,
[privés d’] un, nous en avons beaucoup avec nous ; [nous devons] donc
trouver la puissance d’un seul en beaucoup. Je vous prie donc d’[être] beaucoup
et, acqué[rant] une grande puissance, et puisque chacun de vous était un Antoine
que, devenant encore [plus nombreux] qu’il nous [en provienne plus] de
puissances, qu’elles fassent encore plus de profits.
Mais parce qu’il vous est
difficile en lui ressemblant d’acquérir [sa] puissance, vous, quoique vous
[soyez] beaucoup, montrez la puissance d’un seul, et ce qu’un seul faisait,
faisons-le, nous qui sommes beaucoup, ce qu’il accomplissait,
accomplissons-le ; car par ses saintes prières il rendait Dieu propice.
Accomplissons la même chose, nous qui sommes beaucoup : par de bonnes
œuvres et la pureté de nos âmes, rendons Dieu propice, et peut-être bien que
toute la colère s’éloignera de nous, pour que désormais l’Église [ait] un peu
de [répit].
Et maintenant, mes
bien-aimés, je vous écris que les églises ont été détruites et que les
blasphèmes [ont rempli] nos marchés, toute iniquité et malice se répandent dans
les villes, l’impiété s’empare de nos âmes, les égarements des Ariens
emplissent nos esprits ; impossible de se tourner ici ou là et
d’abandonner les larmes. Car le [temple] de Dieu n’a pas [son] desservant et
les Églises de Dieu sont privées d’un peuple nombreux, et maintenant les lieux
sont désertés du peuple qui y venait ; le peuple s’est fait une sainte
église des déserts, il a soigné sa douleur en changeant de lieu, il demeure au
désert, de là il offre à Dieu sa prière. Mais les églises sont en pleurs, leurs
murs émettent comme un cri, le lieu saint demeurant désert, comme s’il pleurait
sur soi. Et nous, nous souffrons de dire ce qui est écrit : « Les
chemins de Sion sont en deuil, car personne ne vient à sa fête » (Lm 1,
4).
Je vous écris donc cela,
pour qu’en l’entendant vous vous refugiiez auprès de Dieu [et priiez]. Et [nous
croyons] que Dieu se réconcilie, et il mettra vite un terme à ce qu’il a
déclenché à cause de nos péchés, les menaces contre nous, pécheurs, faisant
intercéder les prières des saints.
Sources : Lettres
des Pères du désert, « Spiritualité orientale » 42, Abbaye
de Bellefontaine, 1985, p. 153-157.
SOURCE : http://www.patristique.org/Serapion-de-Thmuis-Lettre-sur-la.html
Sérapion de Thmuis :
Une prière pour les malades
par Luc
Fritz
Cette prière pour les
malades fait partie d’un eucologe, c’est-à-dire d’un recueil liturgique, attribué
à Sérapion, un moine, disciple de saint Antoine, devenu évêque de Thmuis dans
le delta du Nil en 339. Il est certain cependant que Sérapion n’est pas
l’auteur de ce recueil. Les prières qui y sont rassemblées sont anciennes. Leur
rédaction est à situer, au plus tard, au premier tiers du quatrième siècle.
Une prière pour les
malades
Nous te prions toi
le Maître et le Seigneur,
Tu as a façonné le corps,
créé l’âme et composé notre humanité.
Tu diriges, tu conduis et
tu sauves tout le genre humain ;
Tu réconcilies et tu
apaises, parce que tu aimes les hommes.
Sois favorable,
Seigneur !
Secours et guéris tous
les malades,
Élimine les
maladies,
Relève les affligés.
Rends gloire à ton saint
nom
par ton Fils unique Jésus
Christ,
par qui te sont
rendues
la gloire et la puissance
dans l’Esprit Saint,
aujourd’hui et pour tous
les siècles des siècles.
Amen.
Source : F. X.
Funk, Didascalia et Const. Apost., II, Paderborn 1905. Trad. L. Fritz.
SOURCE : http://www.patristique.org/Serapion-de-Thmuis-Une-priere-pour.html
Prière de Sérapion de
Thmuis
Voici la Prière « Donne-nous
l’Esprit-Saint » de Sérapion de Thmuis, Évêque de la ville de Thmuis en
Egypte au IVème siècle en 339 et disciple de Saint Antoine (251-356).
La Prière de Sérapion de
Thmuis « Donne-nous l’Esprit-Saint » :
« Il est digne et
nécessaire de te louer, de te chanter, de te glorifier, Toi, Père incréé du
Fils unique Jésus-Christ. Nous te louons, Dieu incréé, inscrutable, ineffable,
incompréhensible à toute nature créée. Nous te louons, toi qui es connu par le
Fils unique, toi qui par lui es annoncé, interprété, et manifesté à la nature
créée. Nous te louons, toi qui connais le Fils, et révèles aux saints la gloire
qui le concerne, toi qui es connu par le Verbe que tu as engendré, toi qui es
révélé aux saints. Nous te louons, Père invisible, chorège de l’immortalité. Tu
es la source de la vie, la source de la lumière, la source de toute grâce et de
toute vérité. Ami des hommes, ami des pauvres, miséricordieux à tous, tu les
attires tous à toi par la venue de ton Fils bien-aimé. Nous te prions, fais de
nous des hommes vivants, donne-nous l’Esprit de lumière afin que nous te
connaissions, toi, le véritable, et celui que tu as envoyé, Jésus-Christ.
Donne-nous l’Esprit-Saint afin que nous puissions dire et raconter tes mystères
ineffables. Que parle en nous le Seigneur Jésus, avec l’Esprit-Saint, qu’il te
célèbre par nous. Car tu es au-dessus de toute principauté, puissance, force,
seigneurie, au-dessus de tout nom prononcé, non seulement dans le siècle
présent, mais dans le siècle à venir. Mille milliers et dix mille myriades d’anges,
d'archanges, de trônes, de seigneuries, de principautés, de puissances sont
près de toi, et surtout les deux séraphins très vénérables aux six ailes. Ils
chantent ta sainteté, reçois notre acclamation avec la leur : Saint,
Saint, Saint, le Seigneur Sabaoth ! Ciel et terre sont emplis de ta
merveilleuse gloire ! Amen. »
Sérapion de Thmuis -
Évêque de Thmuis en 339
SOURCE : http://site-catholique.fr/index.php?post/Priere-Trinitaire-de-Serapion-de-Thmuis
Prière de Sérapion de
Thmuis
Voici la Prière « Seigneur
Dieu, accorde à ton Église d’être vivante et pure » de Sérapion de Thmuis,
Évêque de la ville de Thmuis en Egypte au IVème siècle en 339 et disciple de
Saint Antoine (251-356).
La Prière de Sérapion de
Thmuis « Seigneur Dieu, accorde à ton Église d’être vivante et
pure » :
« Seigneur, Dieu des
siècles, Dieu des êtres doués de raison, Dieu des âmes pures et de ceux qui
t’invoquent dans la sincérité et la pureté ; au ciel Tu te manifestes et
Tu te fais connaître aux esprits purs ; sur la terre, Tu es célébré par
nos hymnes et Tu habites dans l’Église catholique ; les saints anges et
les âmes pures te louent ; Tu as fait du ciel lui-même un chœur vivant
pour glorifier et louer la vérité. Accorde à ton Église d’être vivante et pure,
d’avoir les Vertus célestes et les saints anges à son service, afin qu’elle
puisse te célébrer par ses chants dans la pureté. Nous te prions pour tous les
membres de cette Église ; accorde à tous la réconciliation, le pardon et
la rémission de tous les péchés ; donne-leur de ne plus pécher ; sois
leur rempart, écarte toute tentation. Aie pitié des hommes, des femmes et des
enfants ; manifeste-Toi à tous ; que ta connaissance soit écrite dans
leur cœur, nous te le demandons, par ton Unique, Jésus-Christ, par lui te
soient rendues gloire et puissance, maintenant et dans tous les siècles des
siècles. Amen. »
Sérapion de Thmuis -
Évêque de Thmuis en 339
SOURCE : http://site-catholique.fr/index.php?post/Priere-de-Serapion-de-Thmuis-pour-l-Eglise
Also
known as
Serapion of Arsinoe
Serapion of Thmuis
Serapion the Scholar
Profile
Egyptian monk.
Ran the famous catechetical school of Alexandria, Egypt.
Resigned to spend more time in prayer and
penitence. Spiritual student of Saint Anthony
the Abbot in the desert. Friend of Saint Athanasius
of Alexandria.
Bishop of Thmuis,
near Diospolis in the Nile delta of Egypt in 339.
Fought Arianism.
Supporter of Athanasius,
and spoke for him in the Council of Sardis in 347.
Banished by Emperor Constantius II for his opposition to Arianism.
Named a Confessor of
the Faith by Saint Jerome.
Fought Macedonianism,
which denies the divinity of the Holy
Spirit. Wrote against Manichaeism,
showing that our bodies can be instruments of good or evil, that it is our
choice, and that just and wicked men often change; it’s therefore a lie to
think our souls are of God,
our bodies of the devil.
Wrote several
learned letters, a treatise on the titles of the Psalms, and a sacramentary
called the Euchologium, a collection of liturgical prayers. Saint Athanasius wrote several
works against Arians at
Serapion’s request, but thought so much of Sarapion that he told him to revise
them as he saw fit.
c.365–370 of
natural causes while in exile in Egypt
Additional
Information
Book
of Saints, by the Monks of
Ramsgate
Lives
of the Saints, by Father Alban
Butler
Lives
of Illustrious Men, by Saint Jerome
Roman
Martyrology, 1914 edition
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
Saints
of the Day, by Katherine Rabenstein
books
Our Sunday Visitor’s Encyclopedia of Saints
other
sites in english
Wikipedia:
Saint Serapion of Thmuis
Wikipedia: Sacramentary of Serapion of Thmuis
sitios
en español
Martirologio Romano, 2001 edición
fonti
in italiano
nettsteder
i norsk
Readings
The mind is purified by
spiritual knowledge (or by holy meditation and prayer),
the spiritual passions of the soul by charity, and the irregular appetites by
abstinence and penance. – Serapion’s little rule
MLA
Citation
“Saint Serapion the
Scholastic“. CatholicSaints.Info. 21 March 2023. Web. 18 August 2024.
<https://catholicsaints.info/saint-serapion-the-scholastic/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saint-serapion-the-scholastic/
Lives
of Illustrious Men – Serapion the bishop
Article
Serapion, bishop of
Thmuis, who on account of his cultivated genius was found worthy of the surname
of Scholasticus, was the intimate friend of Anthony the monk, and published an
excellent book Against the Manichaeans, also another On the titles of the
Psalms, and valuable Epistles to different people. In the reign of the emperor
Constantius he was renowned as a confessor.
MLA
Citation
Saint Jerome.
“Serapion the bishop”. Lives of Illustrious Men,
translated by Ernest Cushing Richardson. CatholicSaints.Info. 24 November
2014. Web. 18 August 2024.
<https://catholicsaints.info/lives-of-illustrious-men-serapion-the-bishop-2/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/lives-of-illustrious-men-serapion-the-bishop-2/
Book of Saints –
Serapion – 21 March
Article
(Saint) Bishop (March
21) (4th
century) An Egyptian monk, later Bishop of
Thumuis, who took part (A.D. 347)
in the Council of Sardica, and in his time strenuously upheld the Catholic
Faith against the Arians.
He may have survived another twenty years after the Council. He was associated
both with Saint Athanasius
and Saint Antony. Saint Jerome also
makes mention of him. He was a learned man and wrote several
works, of which by far the most important is his “Liturgy,” discovered in our
own time, and first published A.D. 1899.
MLA
Citation
Monks of Ramsgate.
“Serapion”. Book of Saints, 1921. CatholicSaints.Info.
16 March 2017. Web. 18 August 2024.
<https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-serapion-21-march/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/book-of-saints-serapion-21-march/
Saints of
the Day – Serapion the Scholastic
Article
(also known as Serapion
or Sarapion of Thmuis)
Died in Egypt c.365-370.
Serapion was an Egyptian monk of great erudition and a penetrating intellect.
For a time, he ran the famous catechetical school of Alexandria, Egypt, but
resigned in order to spend more time in prayer and penitential exercises. Thus,
early in life he was a disciple of Saint Antony in the desert. He was also a
good friend and supporter of Saint Athanasius, who tells us in his Life of
Saint Antony that when Serapion visited Antony the latter often told the former
events that were occurring at a distance in Egypt. Upon his death, Antony left
Serapion one of his tunics of hair.
Following his
consecration as bishop of Thmuis (near Diospolis) in the Nile delta, Serapion
became a leading figure in ecclesiastical affairs. He was a vigorous opponent
of Arianism (the Son is not consubstantial with the Father) and an avid
supporter of Athanasius. For this stance, he was banished by Emperor
Constantius and called a confessor by Saint Jerome. As soon as the blasphemy of
Macedonianism arose, Serapion vigorously opposed this denial of the divinity of
the Holy Spirit and informed Athanasius, who wrote against it in four letters
addressed to Serapion, in 359, while Athanasius was hiding in the desert.
Serapion also wrote an
excellent book against Manicheism in which he shows that our bodies may be made
the instruments of good or evil depending upon the disposition of the heart,
and that both just and wicked men are often changed to the other type. It is,
therefore, a self-contradiction to pretend with the Manichees that our souls
are the work of God, but our bodies of the devil, or the evil principle. He
also wrote several learned letters, and a treatise on the titles of the Psalms,
quoted by Saint Jerome, but which are now lost.
Above all, Serapion has
become the best known of the saints with this name because a sacramentary
ascribed to him, called the Euchologion, was discovered and published in 1899.
This collection of liturgical prayers, which has been translated into English,
was intended primarily for the use of a bishop. It is valuable for the
knowledge of early public worship in Egypt
At Serapion’s request,
Athanasius composed several of his works against the Arians. A letter addressed
to him Concerning the death of Arius still exists. So great was Athanasius’s
opinion of Serapion that he desired him to correct or add to them anything that
he thought was wanting. Socrates relates that Serapion gave an abstract of his
own life – an abridged rule of Christian perfection – that he often repeated:
“The mind is purified by spiritual knowledge (or by holy meditation and
prayer), the spiritual passions of the soul by charity, and the irregular
appetites by abstinence and penance.” Serapion died in exile (Attwater,
Attwater2, Benedictines, Encyclopedia, Husenbeth).
MLA
Citation
Katherine I
Rabenstein. Saints of the Day, 1998. CatholicSaints.Info.
26 May 2020. Web. 18 August 2024. <https://catholicsaints.info/saints-of-the-day-serapion-the-scholastic/>
SOURCE : https://catholicsaints.info/saints-of-the-day-serapion-the-scholastic/
St. Serapion the
Scholastic
Feastday: March 21
Death: 370
Bishop and head of the famed Catechetical School of Alexandria, Egypt, also known as Serapion of Arsinoc. He was originally a monk in the Egyptian desert and a companion to St. Anthony who left in his will the gift of two sheepskin cloaks, one for Serapion and the other for St. Athanasius of Alexandria. A close friend of Athanasius, he gave support to the patriarch against the heretic Arians in Egypt especially after receiving appointment as bishop of Thmuis, in Lower Egypt, on the Nile delta. Because of his unequivocal backing of Athanasius and his opposition to Arianism, he was exiled for a time by the ardent Arian emperor Constantius II. A brilliant scholar and theologian, he was also the author of a series of writings on the doctrine of the divinity of the Holy Spirit (addressed to the emperor), the Euchologiurn (a sacramentary), and a treatise against Manichacism.
SOURCE : https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=2501
St. Serapion the
Scholastic
By uCatholic March 21, 2013
St. Serapion the
Scholastic (died c.365-370) was a Bishop and head of the famed Catechetical
School of Alexandria, Egypt, also known as Serapion of Arsinoc. He was
originally a monk in the Egyptian desert and a companion to St. Anthony who
left in his will the gift of two sheepskin cloaks, one for Serapion and the
other for St. Athanasius of Alexandria.
A close friend of
Athanasius, he gave support to the patriarch against the heretic Arians in
Egypt especially after receiving appointment as bishop of Thmuis, in Lower
Egypt, on the Nile delta. Saint Athanasius wrote several works against Arians
at Serapion’s request, but thought so much of Sarapion that he told him to
revise them as he saw fit.
Because of his
unequivocal backing of Athanasius and his opposition to Arianism, he was exiled
for a time by the ardent Arian emperor Constantius II.
A brilliant scholar and
theologian, he was also the author of a series of writings on the doctrine of
the divinity of the Holy Spirit (addressed to the emperor), the Euchologiurn (a
sacramentary), and a treatise against Manichaeism.
SOURCE : https://ucatholic.com/saints/saint-serapion/
March 21
St. Serapion, Bishop of
Thmuis, in Egypt, Confessor
THE SURNAME of the
Scholastic, which was given him, is a proof of the reputation which he
acquired, by his penetrating genius, and by his extensive learning, both sacred
and profane. He presided some time in the catechetical school of Alexandria,
but, to apply himself more perfectly to the science of the saints, to which he
had always consecrated himself, his studies, and his other actions, he retired
into the desert, and became a bright light in the monastic state. St.
Athanasius assures us in his life of St. Antony, that in the visits which
Serapion paid to that illustrious patriarch, St. Antony often told on his
mountain, things which passed in Egypt at a distance; and that at his death, he
left him one of his tunics of hair. St. Serapion was drawn out of his retreat,
to be placed in the episcopal see of Thmuis, a famous city of Lower Egypt, near
Diospolis, to which Stephanus and Ptolemy give the title of a metropolis. The
name in the Egyptian tongue signified a goat, which animal was anciently
worshipped there, as St. Jerom informs us. St. Serapion was closely linked with
St. Athanasius in the defence of the Catholic faith—for which he was banished
by the Emperor Constantius; whence St. Jerom styles himself a confessor.
Certain persons, who confessed God, the Son consubstantial to the Father,
denied the divinity of the Holy Ghost. This error was no sooner broached, but
our saint strenuously opposed it, and informed St. Athanasius of this new
inconsistent blasphemy; and that zealous defender of the adorable mystery of
the Trinity, the fundamental article of the Christian faith, wrote against this
rising monster. The four letters which St. Athanasius wrote to Serapion, in
359, out of the desert, in which at that time he lay concealed, were the first
express confutation of the Macedonian heresy that was published. St. Serapion
ceased not to employ his labours to great advantage, against both the Arians
and Macedonians. He also compiled an excellent book against the Manichees, in
which he shows that our bodies may be made the instruments of good, and that
our souls may be perverted by sin; that there is no creature of which a good
use may not be made; and that both just and wicked men are often changed, the
former by falling into sin, the latter by becoming virtuous. It is, therefore,
a self-contradiction to pretend with the Manichees that our souls are the work
of God, but our bodies of the devil, or the evil principle. 1 St.
Serapion wrote several learned letters, and a treatise on the Titles of the
Psalms, quoted by St. Jerom, which are now lost. At his request, St. Athanasius
composed several of his works against the Arians; and so great was his opinion
of our saint, that he desired him to correct, or add to them what he thought
wanting. Socrates relates 2 that
St. Serapion gave an abstract of his own life, and an abridged rule of
Christian perfection in very few words, which he would often repeat, saying:
“The mind is purified by spiritual knowledge, (or by holy meditation and
prayer,) the spiritual passions of the soul by charity, and the irregular
appetites by abstinence and penance.” This saint died in his banishment in the
fourth age, and is commemorated on this day in the Roman Martyrology. See his
works, those of St. Athanasius in several places, St. Jerom, Catal. c. 99.
Socrates, l. 4. c. 23. Sozom. l. 4. c. 9. Photius, Cod. 85. Tillem. t. 8.
Ceillier, t. 6. p. 36.
Note 1. A Latin
translation of St. Serapion’s book against the Manichees, given by F. Turrianus
the Jesuit, is published in the Bibliotheca Patrum, printed at Lyons, and in F.
Canisius’s Lectiones Antiquæ, t. 5. part 1. p. 35. The learned James Basnage,
who republished this work of Canisius, with curious additions and notes, has
added the Greek text, t. 1. p. 37. [back]
Note 2. Socrat.
Hist. l. 4. c. 23. [back]
Rev. Alban Butler
(1711–73). Volume III: March. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
Saint Serapion, Bishop of
Thmuis in Lower Egypt
Commemorated on March 21
Saint Serapion lived in
Egypt during the fourth century. He is known as “the Sindonite” because he wore
only rough linen clothing (sindona). From the time of his youth he lived like
the birds of the air (Matthew 6:26). He had no shelter, and for several days at
a time he would eat no food, because he did not have money to buy bread. When
he saw a beggar shivering from the cold, he gave him his sindon, and was left
half-naked. He proved to be a prime example of philanthropy and mercy,
distributing his own wealth, and whatever his faithful visitors gave him for
himself, to the poor. Then he became a monk and lived in the desert of Sketis.
He was dedicated to spreading the Word of God in many different ways.
Once he fell into the
hands of a bandit, and by his powers of persuasion he managed to turn the
tables on him, and made this robber a servant of God. He also managed to
convert the Manichean heretic Lakedaimon to Orthodoxy.
A certain Greek
philosopher, who wanted to test the monk’s honesty, gave him a gold coin and
began to watch him. The Saint went to a bread merchant, took one loaf and gave
the gold coin to the merchant, walking away with no idea of the coin’s value.
Saint Serapion led many
people to the path of salvation in special ways. Once he sold himself into
slavery to a Greek actor who wanted to convert to Christ. The actor was
astonished by the righteous one’s holy life, and so he believed and was
baptized with his family. He implored Saint Serapion to remain with him, not as
a slave, but as a mentor and friend. The monk left, however, without taking the
money that was offered to him.
Departing for Rome, Saint
Serapion boarded a ship, but did not pay the sailors anything for his passage.
At first, they began to reproach him for this, but when they saw that the Elder
did not eat anything for five days, they began to feed him for the sake of God,
and thereby fulfilled the commandment of the Lord. In Rome, the monk continued
to travel, going from house to house, having nothing, gathering only spiritual
riches for himself and for his neighbor.
Later he was made Bishop
of Thmuis in Lower Egypt. He had been a disciple of Saint Anthony the Great
(January 17), and later he wrote A Letter on the Death of Saint Anthony.
He was also a friend and supporter of Saint Athanasios of Alexandria (January
18 & May 2). At the end of the nineteenth century a collection of
liturgical texts, ascribed to Saint Serapion, was discovered.
In the end he returned to
his beloved desert, where he reposed peacefully in deep old age in the year
370, an example for all the monks.
SOURCE : https://www.oca.org/saints/lives/2001/03/21/205346-saint-serapion-bishop-of-thmuis-in-lower-egypt
San Serapione di
Thmuis Vescovo
Festa: 21 marzo
† 362
Dopo aver abbracciato la
vita monastica sotto la guida di Sant'Antonio Abate, divenne vescovo di Thmuis.
Pur assumendo il ministero episcopale, conservò sempre un vivo amore per la
vita monastica, come testimonia la sua "Lettera ai monaci". Si
schierò al fianco di Atanasio nella lotta contro l'arianesimo e compose un
"Libro contro i manichei". La sua fama di erudito gli valse il
soprannome di "Scolastico" da parte di San Girolamo. Fu cacciato
dalla sua sede dagli ariani e morì poco dopo il 362.
Emblema: Bastone
pastorale
Martirologio
Romano: In Egitto, san Serapione, anacoreta.
Thmuis, città del basso
Egitto il cui nome deriva dal termine copto "Tmuie", che significa
"capra", in antichità era un centro di culto per questo animale. Tra
il 340 e il 356 d.C., la diocesi di Thmuis fu guidata da San Serapione, un
vescovo di cui la storia ci ha tramandato solo frammenti di vita.
Le prime notizie
Serapione dapprima si dedicò alla scuola catechetica di Alessandria, per poi
abbracciare la vita monastica sotto la guida di Sant'Antonio Abate. Alla morte
del suo mentore, Serapione ricevette in eredità una delle sue tuniche di pelo,
come ci narra Sant'Atanasio, con il quale intrattenne una profonda amicizia
testimoniata da cinque lettere.
Vescovo e monaco
Serapione, pur assumendo il ministero episcopale, conservò sempre un vivo
rimpianto per la vita monastica. La sua "Lettera ai monaci" ne è una
viva testimonianza: in essa esalta la scelta monastica come rinuncia alle
effimere gioie del mondo e ai suoi dispiaceri, descritti con brio e un pizzico
di ingenuità retorica. Serapione sottolinea anche l'importanza del ruolo di
intercessione che i monaci svolgono nella Chiesa e nella società, ad imitazione
di Abramo e Mosè.
Difensore della fede
Come vescovo, Serapione si impegnò nella difesa della dottrina cristiana. La
sua partecipazione al concilio di Sardica del 347, dove fu sancita la
riabilitazione di Atanasio e l'autorità della sede romana, non è storicamente
accertata. Tuttavia, egli si schierò al fianco di Atanasio nella lotta contro
l'arianesimo e compose un "Libro contro i manichei", erroneamente
attribuito ad Atanasio da Facondo di Hermiane. In quest'opera, Serapione esorta
a non cedere al minimo errore e a erigere un baluardo nella propria anima per
evitare di cadere in traviamenti più gravi.
Opere e lettere
A Serapione è stata attribuita la stesura dell'Eucologio, una raccolta di 30
preghiere liturgiche di grande valore per la storia della liturgia egiziana del
IV secolo. La paternità dell'opera rimane incerta, così come la sua revisione
finale. San Girolamo, nel suo "De viris illustribus", lo definisce
"Scolastico" per la sua erudizione e menziona le sue "utili
lettere a diverse persone", purtroppo perdute.
Esilio e morte
Sozomeno narra che Serapione fece parte di una commissione di vescovi egiziani inviati da Costanzo II per intercedere in favore di Atanasio. La missione fallì e Serapione stesso fu cacciato dalla sua sede dagli ariani. Morì poco dopo il 362 e la sua memoria liturgica è fissata al 21 marzo dal Martirologio Romano.
Autore: Franco Dieghi
SOURCE : https://www.santiebeati.it/dettaglio/46350
Den hellige Serapion av
Thmuis ( -~370)
Minnedag: 21.
mars
Den hellige Serapion,
ofte kalt Serapion Scholasticus, var en egyptisk munk som ble vigslet til
biskop av Thmuis i Nedre Egypt (Nildeltaet) ca 339. Han spilte en stor rolle i
samtidens kirkelige affærer og utmerket seg ved sin faste motstand mot
arianismen. Tidlig i livet var han en disippel av den hellige Antonius, og han
var en venn og tilhenger av den hellige Athanasius. Han
var forfatter av mange verk, men hans skrifter er gått tapt. Men det
Sakramentarium, «Euchologion», som han redigerte, ble gjenfunnet og publisert i
1899. Det er bønner primært ment for en biskops bruk, og er verdifullt for
kunnskapen om tidlig offentlig gudstjeneste i Egypt.
Han døde ca år 370 (eller
ca 365). Hans minnedag er 21. mars.
Kilder:
Attwater/John, Attwater/Cumming, Benedictines, Schauber/Schindler -
Kompilasjon og oversettelse: p. Per Einar Odden -
Sist oppdatert: 1999-08-31 22:34
SOURCE : http://www.katolsk.no/biografier/historisk/sthmuis
Voir aussi : http://www.freewebs.com/twbe/sarseismic.pdf
http://www.ecclesia.gr/greek/press/theologia/material/1957_2_5_rodopoulos1.pdf
https://davidheithstade.wordpress.com/2012/06/22/serapion-of-thmuis/
