Saint Zosimus | |
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Confessor of the Faith, Hermit | |
Venerated in | |
Canonized | Pre-Congregation |
Feast |
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Zosimus the Hermit was an ascetic who resided in the wilds of Cilicia and Palestine [1] in the 3rd century AD.
Zosimus was tortured during the Diocletianic Persecution of the Church under Roman emperor Diocletian but persevered in his Christian faith. After being tortured, he was left miraculously unharmed, which led to the conversion of Zosimus' guard Athanasius, who accepted the Christianity and baptism. Eventually, both Zosimus and Athanasius were released.
Legendary accounts relate Zosimus traveled by camel, and later by wind, to a place called the "Abode of the Blessed". The Abode was either a "paradisiacal realm" or a mountain hermitage far from human society. When he arrived, he saw a wall of clouds which he was lifted across by two trees. At the abode, he found a group of Rechabites. Zosimus lived there for forty years. While there, he abstained from wine, bread, and social interactions. Afterwards, he left to spread the Rechabite teachings. In order to stop him, the Devil and several demons tortured him for forty days. However, Zosimus banished the demons and lived on. [2] During Zosimus's life, he would meet a penitent at the Jordan River. [3] It is commonly accepted that much of the story surrounding Zosimus is fantasy. [4] [2]
Saint Zosimus the Hermit and Saint Athanasius his disciple are commemorated on 4 January by the Eastern Orthodox and Byzantine Catholic Churches, while the Catholic Church commemorates them a day earlier on 3 January. [5]
September 27 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - September 29
March 24 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - March 26
March 29 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - March 31
April 1 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - April 3
April 19 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - April 21
April 29 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - May 1
June 18 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - June 20
June 30 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - July 2
July 2 - Eastern Orthodox Church calendar - July 4
February 1 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - February 3
February 4 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - February 6
February 12 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - February 14
February 14 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - February 16
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February 21 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - February 23
The Story of Zosimus is a Greek text of the 5th century AD. It has sometimes been classified as among the Old Testament pseudepigrapha. In the Middle Ages, it was translated into Syriac, Arabic, Ge'ez, Armenian, Georgian and Slavonic.
October 15 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - October 17
October 23 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - October 25
March 15 - Eastern Orthodox liturgical calendar - March 17
Saint Ulphianus was a Christian martyr in Palestine. His feast day is 3 April.
[John Colombino] read how the hermit Zosimus lived in Palestine, and how in Lent he went forth into the wide desert to be alone with God ...