Paul the Simple
Saint Paul the Simple | |
---|---|
Miniature from the Menologion of Basil II | |
Hermit | |
Born | ad 225 Egypt |
Died | ad 339 Egypt |
Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Churches Oriental Orthodox Churches Anglican Communion |
Feast | March 7 |
St. Paul the Simple of Egypt (d. ad. 339) was a hermit and disciple of St. Anthony the Great.[1] St. John, the Abbot of Sinai wrote "Paul the Simple was a clear example for us, for he was the rule and type of blessed simplicity."[2] Though contemporaries, he is not to be confused with St. Paul of Thebes, regarded as the First Hermit. The account of his life is found in Palladius of Helenopolis De Vitis Patrum 8,28 and Tyrannius Rufinus Historia Eremitica 31.
Life
Paul was a farmer who, at the age of sixty, discovered that his beautiful wife was having an affair and so left her to become a hermit. Approaching St. Anthony, Paul indicated his desire to become a monk. Anthony responded by saying it would be quite impossible for a man of sixty years to adopt such a radical life style. He instead encouraged Paul to be content with the life of being a thankful and pious labourer. Paul was unsatisfied with this answer and responded by pleading his will to learn. Anthony said that if he wished to be a monk he should go to a cenobium. With this St. Anthony shut the door, and Paul remained outside. On the fourth day St. Anthony, fearing lest he should die, took him in. He set him to work weaving a rope out of palm leaves, made him undo what he had done, and do it again.[3]
That night at dinner, St. Anthony took a crust of bread and gave three to Paul. When each had eaten one crust, Anthony told Paul to eat another. "If you have another one, I will," said Paul, "but not if you won't." "I've had quite sufficient for one who is a monk," said Anthony. Paul replied, "Then one is enough for me, for I want to be a monk."[3]
St. Anthony continued to test Paul's endurance and humility through hard work, severe fasting, with nightly vigils, constant singing of Psalms and prostrations. Anthony, who was impressed by Paul's dedication, permitted Paul a separate cell some miles from his own.[3]
Eventually, it was said that, Paul the Simple was able to cast out demons. Anthony, it is recorded, had passed a possessed youth saying, "I cannot help the boy, for I have not received power over the Prince of the demons. Paul the Simple, however, does have this gift."[2]
See also
- Desert Fathers
- Christian monasticism
- Saint Paul the Simple, patron saint archive
References
- ^ "St. Paul the Simple - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online". Catholic Online. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ a b "Venerable Paul the Simple of Egypt". oca.org. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- ^ a b c "CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: St. Paul the Simple". www.newadvent.org. Retrieved 2018-03-17.
- v
- t
- e
- Apollos
- Barnabas
- Mary Magdalene
- Phoebe the Deaconess
- Philemon
- Priscilla and Aquila
- Silvanus
- Stephen
- Timothy
- Titus
- Seventy disciples
- 21 Martyrs of Libya
- Abāmūn
- Abāmūn
- Abanoub
- Abaskhiron
- Alexandrian Martyrs
- Arianus
- Apollonia
- Barbara
- Bashnouna
- Basilides and Potamiana
- Catherine
- Chrysanthus and Daria
- Chiaffredo
- Colluthus
- Cosmas and Damian
- Cyprian and Justina
- Cyrus and John
- Dasya
- Demiana
- Dorothea
- Elias and companions
- Epimachus
- Faustus, Abibus and Dionysius
- Felix and Regula
- Gabriel Abdel El-Metgaly
- Gallicanus
- George
- George Bishop of Assiut
- George El Mozahem
- Gereon
- Hor, Besoy, and Daydara
- Imbaba Martyrs
- Isaac of Dafra
- John of Senhout
- Kosheh martyrs
- Malati
- Marina the Martyr
- Maspero Martyrs
- Maurice
- Memnon
- Menas
- Mohrael
- Moura
- Nag Hammadi
- Otimus
- Philomena
- Philotheos
- Rais
- Sarah
- Sidhom Bishay
- Theban Legion
- Thecla
- Theoclia
- Theodora and Didymus
- Theodore Stratelates
- Varus
- Veronica
- Wadamoun
- Wanas
- Mark I
- Anianus
- Avilius
- Kedron
- Justus
- Eumenes
- Markianos
- Celadion
- Agrippinus
- Julian
- Demetrius I
- Heraclas
- Dionysius
- Theonas
- Felix of Rome
- Peter I
- Alexander I
- Athanasius I
- Peter II
- Timothy I
- Theophilus I
- Cyril I
- Dioscorus I
- Timothy II
- Peter III
- Dioscorus II
- Timothy III
- Theodosius I
- Peter IV
- Damian
- Anastasius
- Andronicus
- Benjamin I
- Agathon
- Simeon I
- Alexander II
- Theodore I
- Michael I
- John IV
- Mark II
- James
- Simeon II
- Joseph I
- Michael II
- Cosmas II
- Michael III
- Gabriel I
- Cosmas III
- Abraham
- Zacharias
- Cyril II
- Macarius II
- Matthew I
- Gabriel VII
- John XIV
- Cyril V
- Macarius III
- Cyril VI
- Abadiu of Antinoe
- Abraam of Faiyum
- Alexander of Jerusalem
- Amun of Scetis
- Basil of Caesarea
- Cyril of Jerusalem
- Epiphanius of Cyprus
- Eusebius of Caesarea
- Gregory of Nazianzus
- Gregory of Nyssa
- Gregory of Neocaesarea
- Ignatius of Antioch
- Jacob of Nisibis
- James of Jerusalem
- John of Nikiû
- John of Jerusalem
- Karas of California
- Mikhaeil of Asyut
- Narcissus of Jerusalem
- Nicholas of Myra
- Paphnutius of Scetis
- Paphnutius of Thebes
- Polycarp of Smyrna
- Porphyrius of Gaza
- Psote of Ebsay
- Serapion of Thmuis
- Severian of Gabala
- Yousab el-Abah of Girga
- Abdel Messih El-Makari
- Abib and Apollo
- Abraham of Farshut
- Abraham of Scetis
- Amun
- Anthony the Great
- Awgin
- Bashnouna
- Hilarion
- Hospitius
- Mother Irini
- Isaac of Nineveh
- Isidore of Pelusium
- John Climacus
- John the Dwarf
- Macarius of Alexandria
- Macarius of Egypt
- Marina the Monk
- Moses the Black
- Nilus of Sinai
- Pachomius the Great
- Pambo
- Parsoma
- Patapios
- Paul of Thebes
- Paul of Tammah
- Paul the Simple
- Pishoy
- Poemen
- Samuel the Confessor
- Sisoes the Great
- Tekle Haymanot
- Theodorus of Tabennese
- Theodora of Alexandria
- Christianity portal