The Leimonarion
(Chapter 36)
By St. John Moschos
The Life of Ephraimios the Patriarch of Antioch and How He Converted a Stylite Monk from the Impiety of the Severian Heresy
(Chapter 36)
By St. John Moschos
The Life of Ephraimios the Patriarch of Antioch and How He Converted a Stylite Monk from the Impiety of the Severian Heresy
One of the Fathers recounted to us concerning the blessed Ephraimios, the Patriarch of Antioch, that he was exceedingly zealous and fervent regarding the orthodox faith. Having heard, therefore, about a Stylite in a certain place near Hierapolis, who was excommunicated with Severus and the Acephali,* he went to him, wishing to persuade him.
When he arrived there, the divine Ephraimios began to admonish and entreat the Stylite to approach the apostolic throne and to partake in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Stylite, replying to him, said that he would not participate in the synod as it had occurred.
The divine Ephraimios said to him: “And how do you wish that I should heal you, since by the grace of Christ Jesus, our Lord God, the Holy Church has been freed from every defilement of heretical teaching?”
The Stylite said to him: “Let us light a fire, lord Patriarch, and let us enter, both you and I, and if anyone emerges unharmed, he is orthodox, and we must follow him.” He said this to frighten the patriarch.
The divine Ephraimios replied to the Stylite: “It was necessary for you, child, as one of my spiritual sons, to listen to me, and to demand nothing more of us. Since, however, you have undertaken a matter beyond my wretchedness, I am resolved to do it, relying on the mercies of the Son of God, for the salvation of your soul, so I will do this.”
Then the divine Ephraimios said to those present: “Blessed be the Lord; bring the wood here.” And when the wood was brought, the Patriarch, touching it before the column, said to the Stylite: “Come down, and according to your judgment, let us both enter.”
The Stylite, astonished at the patriarch’s trust in God, was unwilling to descend, so the patriarch said to him: “Did you not propose that this happen? And now, how is it that you do not wish to do it?” Then the Archbishop, removing his omophorion and coming near the fire, prayed, saying:
“Lord Jesus Christ our God, who deigned for us to be incarnate from our Lady, the Holy Theotokos and ever-virgin Mary, truly, show us the truth.”
And having completed the prayer, he threw his omophorion into the midst of the fire. The fire remained for about three hours, and of the eighteen pieces of wood that had been consumed, the omophorion was taken out of the fire safe, unharmed, and intact, no cause of injury being found.
Then the Stylite, seeing the event, was fully convinced, and anathematized Severus and his heresy, and approached the Holy Church, and received communion from the hands of the blessed Ephraimios, and glorified God.
- From P.G. 87. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
Notes:
* Severus
of Antioch (c. 465–538) advocated for Miaphysitism, which taught that
after the Incarnation, Christ's human and divine natures formed a
single, unified nature. Under Emperor Anastasios, followers were sometimes called Acephalites ("the headless ones") because they lacked a formal patriarch after breaking from the Orthodox Church.
Greek text:
Διηγήσατο ἡμῖν τις τῶν Πατέρων περὶ τοῦ μακαρίου Ἐφραιμίου το τοῦ πατριάρχου Αντιοχείας 1, ὅτι πάνυ ἦν ζηλωτὴς καὶ θερμὸς περὶ ὀρθόδοξον πίστιν.
Ακούσας οὖν περὶ ἑνὸς στυλίτου ἐν μιᾷ εἰς τὰ μέρη Ἱεραπόλεως, ὅτι τῶν Σευήρου ἀκοινωνή καὶ ̓Ακεφάλων τε ἐστὶν, ἀπῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν θέλων πεῖσαι αὐτόν.
Ὡς δὲ γέγονεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἤρξατού θεῖος Ἐφραίμιος νουθετεῖν καὶ παρακαλεῖν τὸν στυλίτην, εἰς τὸ προσδραμεῖν τῷ ἀποστολικῷ θρόνῳ, καὶ κοινωνῆσαι τῇ ἁγίᾳ καθολικῇ καὶ ἀποστολικῇ Ἐκκλησία.
̓Αποκριθεὶς δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ στυλίτης εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἐγὼ τῇ συνόδῳ οὐ κοινωνήσω ὡς ἔτυχεν.
Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ θεῖος Ἐφραίμιος· Καὶ πῶς θέλεις ἵνα ἀποθεραπεύσω σε, ὅτι χάριτι Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ Κυρίου Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἠλευθέρωται ἡ ἁγία Ἐκκλησία ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥύπου αἱρετικῆς διδασκαλίας ;
Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ στυλίτης· "Αψωμεν πῦρ, κῦρι ὁ πατριάρχης, καὶ εἰσέλθωμεν ἐγώ τε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ καὶ εἴ τις ἐξέλθῃ ἀβλαβής, οὗτος ὀρθόδοξός ἐστιν, καὶ αὐτῷ ὀφείλομεν ἐξακολουθῆσαι." Τοῦτο δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸ ἐκφοβῆσαι τὸν πατριάρχην.
Αποκρίνεται αὐτῷ ὁ θεῖος Εφραίμιος τῷ στυλίτῃ· Ἔδει σε, τέκνον, ὡς Πατρί σου ἀκοῦσαί μου, καὶ μηδὲν πλέον ἀπαιτῆσαι ἡμᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἥτησας πρᾶγμα ὑπερβαῖνον τὴν ἐμὴν ἀθλιότητα το, τεθαῤῥηκώς εἰμι εἰς τοὺς οἱκτιρμοὺς τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι διὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῆς ψυχῆς σου,· καὶ τοῦτο ποιῶ.
Τότε λέγει ὁ θεῖος Ἐφραίμιος τοῖς παρεστῶσιν• Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος, φέρετε ὧδε ξύλα. Ἐλθόντα δὲ τὰ ξύλα, ἅψας αὐτὰ ὁ πατριάρχης ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ κίονος, λέγει τῷ στυλίτῃ· Κάτελθε, καὶ κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν σου εἰσερχώμεθα ἀμφότεροι.
Τοῦ δὲ στυλίτου ἐκπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν πεποιθήσει τοῦ πατριάρχου, καὶ κατελθεῖν μὴ βουληθέντος, λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ πατριάρχης· Οὐχὶ σὺ τοῦτο προεβάλου γενέσθαι; Καὶ πῶς ἄρτι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι οὐ βούλῃ;
Τότε ἀποδυσάμενος ὁ ἐφόρει ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος τὸ ὠμοφόριον καὶ ἐλθὼν πλησίον τοῦ πυρὸς, ηὔξατο λέγων• Κύριε, Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ δι’ ἡμᾶς καταξιώσας ἐκτῆς Δεσποίνης ἡμῶν τῆς ἁγίας Θεοτόκου καὶ ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας κατὰ ἀλήθειαν σαρκωθῆναι, δεῖξον ἡμῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
Καὶ πληρώσας τὴν εὐχὴν, ἠκόντησεν τὸ ὠμοφόριον αὐτοῦ εἰς μέσον τοῦ πυρός. Τοῦ δὲ πυρὸς περὶ ὥρας τρεῖς διαμείναντος, καὶ τῶν ξύλων 18 δαπανηθέντων, ἔλαβον τὸ ὠμοφόριον ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς σῶον, ἀβλαβὲς καὶ ἀκέραιον, μηδεμιᾶς εὐρεθείσης ὑτῷ ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς αἰτίας.
Τότε ὁ στυλίτης ἰδὼν τὸ γεγονὸς, ἐπληροφορήθη, καὶ ἀνεθεμάτισεν Σευῆρον καὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ προῆλθεν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ μακαρίου Ἐφραιμίου ἐκοινώνησεν, καὶ ἐδόξασεν τὸν Θεόν.
Διηγήσατο ἡμῖν τις τῶν Πατέρων περὶ τοῦ μακαρίου Ἐφραιμίου το τοῦ πατριάρχου Αντιοχείας 1, ὅτι πάνυ ἦν ζηλωτὴς καὶ θερμὸς περὶ ὀρθόδοξον πίστιν.
Ακούσας οὖν περὶ ἑνὸς στυλίτου ἐν μιᾷ εἰς τὰ μέρη Ἱεραπόλεως, ὅτι τῶν Σευήρου ἀκοινωνή καὶ ̓Ακεφάλων τε ἐστὶν, ἀπῆλθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν θέλων πεῖσαι αὐτόν.
Ὡς δὲ γέγονεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἤρξατού θεῖος Ἐφραίμιος νουθετεῖν καὶ παρακαλεῖν τὸν στυλίτην, εἰς τὸ προσδραμεῖν τῷ ἀποστολικῷ θρόνῳ, καὶ κοινωνῆσαι τῇ ἁγίᾳ καθολικῇ καὶ ἀποστολικῇ Ἐκκλησία.
̓Αποκριθεὶς δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ στυλίτης εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἐγὼ τῇ συνόδῳ οὐ κοινωνήσω ὡς ἔτυχεν.
Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ θεῖος Ἐφραίμιος· Καὶ πῶς θέλεις ἵνα ἀποθεραπεύσω σε, ὅτι χάριτι Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ Κυρίου Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἠλευθέρωται ἡ ἁγία Ἐκκλησία ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥύπου αἱρετικῆς διδασκαλίας ;
Λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ στυλίτης· "Αψωμεν πῦρ, κῦρι ὁ πατριάρχης, καὶ εἰσέλθωμεν ἐγώ τε καὶ ὑμεῖς τὰ καὶ εἴ τις ἐξέλθῃ ἀβλαβής, οὗτος ὀρθόδοξός ἐστιν, καὶ αὐτῷ ὀφείλομεν ἐξακολουθῆσαι." Τοῦτο δὲ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸ ἐκφοβῆσαι τὸν πατριάρχην.
Αποκρίνεται αὐτῷ ὁ θεῖος Εφραίμιος τῷ στυλίτῃ· Ἔδει σε, τέκνον, ὡς Πατρί σου ἀκοῦσαί μου, καὶ μηδὲν πλέον ἀπαιτῆσαι ἡμᾶς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἥτησας πρᾶγμα ὑπερβαῖνον τὴν ἐμὴν ἀθλιότητα το, τεθαῤῥηκώς εἰμι εἰς τοὺς οἱκτιρμοὺς τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι διὰ τὴν σωτηρίαν τῆς ψυχῆς σου,· καὶ τοῦτο ποιῶ.
Τότε λέγει ὁ θεῖος Ἐφραίμιος τοῖς παρεστῶσιν• Εὐλογητὸς Κύριος, φέρετε ὧδε ξύλα. Ἐλθόντα δὲ τὰ ξύλα, ἅψας αὐτὰ ὁ πατριάρχης ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ κίονος, λέγει τῷ στυλίτῃ· Κάτελθε, καὶ κατὰ τὴν κρίσιν σου εἰσερχώμεθα ἀμφότεροι.
Τοῦ δὲ στυλίτου ἐκπλαγέντος ἐπὶ τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν πεποιθήσει τοῦ πατριάρχου, καὶ κατελθεῖν μὴ βουληθέντος, λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ πατριάρχης· Οὐχὶ σὺ τοῦτο προεβάλου γενέσθαι; Καὶ πῶς ἄρτι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι οὐ βούλῃ;
Τότε ἀποδυσάμενος ὁ ἐφόρει ὁ ἀρχιεπίσκοπος τὸ ὠμοφόριον καὶ ἐλθὼν πλησίον τοῦ πυρὸς, ηὔξατο λέγων• Κύριε, Ἰησοῦ Χριστὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ὁ δι’ ἡμᾶς καταξιώσας ἐκτῆς Δεσποίνης ἡμῶν τῆς ἁγίας Θεοτόκου καὶ ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας κατὰ ἀλήθειαν σαρκωθῆναι, δεῖξον ἡμῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
Καὶ πληρώσας τὴν εὐχὴν, ἠκόντησεν τὸ ὠμοφόριον αὐτοῦ εἰς μέσον τοῦ πυρός. Τοῦ δὲ πυρὸς περὶ ὥρας τρεῖς διαμείναντος, καὶ τῶν ξύλων 18 δαπανηθέντων, ἔλαβον τὸ ὠμοφόριον ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς σῶον, ἀβλαβὲς καὶ ἀκέραιον, μηδεμιᾶς εὐρεθείσης ὑτῷ ἐκ τοῦ πυρὸς αἰτίας.
Τότε ὁ στυλίτης ἰδὼν τὸ γεγονὸς, ἐπληροφορήθη, καὶ ἀνεθεμάτισεν Σευῆρον καὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ προῆλθεν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ μακαρίου Ἐφραιμίου ἐκοινώνησεν, καὶ ἐδόξασεν τὸν Θεόν.
