Today the Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates the Feast of Abba Pambo:An Egyptian ascetic on the Nitrian mountain, Abba Pambo was a contemporary of St. Anthony the Great and himself great in monastic asceticism. Born about A.D. 303, he was one of the first to join Amoun in Nitria. He was illiterate until he was taught the Scriptures as a monk and ordained priest in 340. He had two characteristics by which he was especially known; by long training, he sealed his lips, so that no unnecessary word passed them, and he never ate any bread other than that which he gained by his own labour, plaiting rushes. He was like an angel of God and, in old age, his face shone as did the face of Moses in ancient times, so that the monks could not look on it. He did not give a quick answer even to a simple question, without prayer and pondering in his heart. At one time, Theophilus, Patriarch of Alexandria, was visiting the Nitrian monks. The monks begged Pambo to “give a word” to the Patriarch. The silent Pambo replied, “If my silence is of no help to him, neither will my words be.” Abba Pambo was once traveling around Egypt with some monks. When they came to a group of people who remained seated as the monks passed them, St. Pambo said to them: “Get up and greet the monks, and ask their blessing, for they converse unceasingly with God and their lips are holy.” This wonderful saint had clear discernment into the destiny of the living and the dead. He entered into rest in the Lord in the year 374. (from "omhskea.org")
Posted on: Thu, 18 Jul 2013 16:03:37 +0000