Saint Zosime de Syracuse
Évêque de Syracuse (✝ 662)
Consacré à Dieu par
ses parents comme le fut jadis le jeune Samuel, il entra dans le monastère de Sainte-Lucie à Syracuse à l'âge de sept ans. Quand il voulut
revoir les siens, ses parents le ramenèrent de force au monastère. Dès lors, il
accepta humblement cette condition monastique, l'assuma comme une volonté de
Dieu et devint un exemple pour chacun des moines dans l'observance de la
profession monastique. L'évêque le choisit plus tard comme higoumène. Quand
l'évêque de Syracuse vint à mourir, les chrétiens de la ville demandèrent au
Pape de le leur désigner comme pasteur. Il fut sacré évêque à Rome en 647, et
plus pauvre que les pauvres, assidu à la prière et à la méditation, il remplit
cette charge pendant treize ans.
À Syracuse en Sicile, l’an 662, saint Zosime, évêque, qui fut
d’abord l’humble gardien de la tombe de sainte Lucie, puis abbé du monastère de
ce lieu, enfin évêque vigilant et charitable.
Martyrologe
romain
Zozimus of Syracuse B
(RM)
(also known as Zosimus)
Died c. 660. At the tender age of seven, Saint Zosimus was offered to the
monastery of Santa Lucia, near Syracuse, Sicily, by his wealthy parents. As a
child, he was deputed to watch over the relics of the virgin martyr--anathema
to a boisterous country boy. He ran away from the monastery, back to his home.
In disgrace, he was returned to Santa Lucia's, where he experienced a vision of
the saint who seemed angry with him. She was appeased by Our Lady and accepted
the boy's promise to diligently undertake his responsibility.
After that, he
settled down and was a good and simple monk for thirty years, then quickly
succeeded to the positions of abbot and bishop of Syracuse. The scene of his
selection of abbot is reminiscent of the selection of the Old Testament King
David: The uncertain monks sought the help of their bishop. After scrutinizing
all the monks gathered, he asked if there was no other monk belonging to their
number. Then they remembered Zosimus, whom they had left to guard the shrine
and answer the door. The bishop sent for the missing monk. Immediately upon
seeing him the bishop exclaimed: "Behold him whom the Lord has
chosen." He appointed him abbot and ordained him priest.
His reputation as a
wise and charitable abbot led him to be elected bishop by the people at the
death of Peter in 649. He did not want the position and the clergy had elected
another, Vanerius, a vain and ambitious man. Pope Theodore settled the question
by appointing and consecrating Zosimus. He faithfully discharged all the duties
of a worthy pastor and showed great liberality to the poor until his death at
the age of 90. These details are drawn from a reputedly contemporary vita
(Attwater2, Benedictines, Farmer, Husenbeth, Walsh).
Saint Zosimus of Syracuse
Also known as
- Zozimus of Syracuse
Profile
Son of wealthy land
owners. Dedicated to Saint
Lucy of Syracuse. Entered the monastery
of Saint Lucy near Syracuse, Sicily at age seven. At one point as a child, he was unable to bear the quiet of the monastery
and the tedium of his chores, and he ran away. His family sent him back to the monastery.
There he had a vision of Saint
Lucy who seemed angry. In the vision, Our Lady
appeared, calmed Lucy, and welcomed the boy back to the monastery.
Zosimus studied under Saint
Faustus of Syracuse. Monk for thirty years. During one meeting to choose an abbot,
Zozimus was left behind to watch the door and guard the church’s relics;
the bishop decided this was a man humble enough to be trusted with the
task, and made Zozimus abbot.
Priest. Chosen the unwilling bishop of Syracuse in 649. Noted for his charity
to the poor and his work to educate his parishioners.
Born
- 660 of natural causes
March 30
St. Zozimus, Bishop of
Syracuse
HE was successor to the
holy bishop Peter; and faithfully discharged all the duties of a worthy pastor
until his death, which happened in 660. His name is mentioned in the Roman and
Sicilian Martyrologies. See the Bollandists and Baillet.
Rev. Alban Butler (1711–73). Volume
III: March. The Lives of the Saints. 1866.
St. Zosimus the Bishop of Syracuse
Commemorated
on March 30
Saint Zosimus, Bishop of
Syracuse, was born in answer to the fervent prayers of his parents, who were
childless for a long time. When their son reached the age of seven, his parents
sent him to a monastery to be educated. When the holy ascetic became an adult,
he received monastic tonsure, and governed the monastery for forty years. Pope
Theodore (641-649) consecrated him Bishop of Syracuse.
Saint Zosimus was
distinguished by his charity and lack of avarice, and led his flock by word and
by example. Toward the end of his life Saint Zosimus fell grievously ill, but
endured his suffering with magnanimity and humility. He died in the year 662,
after he had led his flock for thirteen years. Later, many of the sick received
healing by merely touching his tomb.
San Zosimo di Siracusa Vescovo
m. 600
Esercitava
un'umile funzione nel monastero di Santa Lucia, a Siracusa, perchè considerato
incapace di qualsiasi incombenza importante. Quando morì l'abate, il Vescovo,
sorprendentemente, lo designò per la carica. Governò
con tanta saggezza e virtù che finì per essere eletto Vescovo della città.
Emblema: Bastone pastorale
Martirologio Romano: A Siracusa, san Zosimo, vescovo, che fu dapprima
umile custode della tomba di santa Lucia, poi abate del monastero del luogo.
Zosimo,
vescovo (VII secolo) era un giovane monaco cui era stata affidata per la sua
inettitudine la custodia della tomba di Santa Lucia a Siracusa. Un giorno,
desideroso di rivedere i genitori, lasciò il monastero senza avvertire i
superiori. I genitori, vedendolo arrivare con aria di fuggitivo, lo
rimproverarono e lo riaccompagnarono al monastero. Venne perdonato dall'abate e
riconsegnato al suo compito di "guardiano della tomba", che tenne a
lungo perché considerato incapace di altre e più impegnative mansioni.
Alla morte dell'abate, i monaci si recarono dal vescovo per conoscere il nome del successore. Fra loro non c'era Zosimo, rimasto a casa come "inutile". Quando il vescovo ebbe davanti i monaci, chiese: "Ci siete tutti?". "No, - risposero - a casa c'è il guardiano della tomba di santa Lucia, ma è di poco conto". "Fatelo venire" ingiunse il vescovo. E quando Zosimo arrivò: "Ecco il vostro abate" affermò solennemente il vescovo.
Così Zosimo, tra la sorpresa di tutti, divenne abate del monastero dimostrando presto di quanta saggezza e virtù fosse ricco, a tal punto che il popolo lo volle quale proprio vescovo. Confermato da papa Teodoro, egli rimase sulla cattedra episcopale siracusana dal 647 al 662 guidando la diocesi con bontà e saggezza.
