St. Arsenius, a member of a noble Roman family, was born in 354 in Rome. Arsenius was a Roman imperial teacher who became an anchorite in Egypt. He was one of the most revered Desert Fathers, and his teachings significantly impacted the development of asceticism and the contemplative life.
Arsenius was a student of St. John the Dwarf and eventually became a hermit in the Egyptian desert. In 434, St. Arsenius was forced to flee from his location because the Mazices, a tribe from Libya, were conducting raids on the monasteries and hermitages in the area. He moved to Troe, near Memphis, and he also briefly resided on the island of Canopus.
Towards the end of his life, he returned to Troe, where he passed away in the year 445 at about 95. Arsenius lived alone for fifty-five years and always wore minimal clothing, punishing himself for his previous apparent worldly arrogance. He maintained his devotion to prayer even while doing manual labor. He always shed large amounts of devoted tears. But his aversion to anything that would jeopardize his oneness with God set him apart most.
St. Arsenius, obtain for us the fortitude to wholeheartedly embrace the teachings of Jesus and attain the blessings of eternal life.
Jonathan Fabian Ginunggil,
Most High Servant,
Jesus, Mary, Joseph Ministry of Love
(Blessed and Saints and the Nine Choirs of Angels)
No comments:
Post a Comment