Saints for the month of July 2004

Simeon Salus

After twenty--nine years of self--discipline in the Sinai Desert Simeon decided to go home to Emesa in Syria, to look after those generally considered outcasts. If we are really to learn humility, he argued, we must love humiliations. On this reasoning Simeon deliberately began to behave as a fool--hence his nickname, 'Salus' which in Syriac means 'crazy'.

No--one could respect someone who cavorted so stupidly. But the pathetic creatures whom he desired to love welcomed him as one despised like themselves. And it is recorded that God blessed him with extraordinary happiness. Simeon Salus died when nearly seventy in about 590.

Shenute

All the hermit monks looked in awe on Shenute, whom the Coptic Christians describe as 'the father of the church of Egypt'. Saint Cyril of Alexandria greatly admired and trusted Shenute, and he appointed him superior of all the abbots of the desert monks.

Saint Shenute was extraordinarily stern but his very sternness attracted over four thousand disciples. He died aged a hundred and eighteen years in the mid--fifth century.

'But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;

and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

1Corinthians 1; 27

Richard F Sibley, July 2004

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