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The Life of S. Hilarion

25.

Wishing to set the monks an example of humility and of zeal he was accustomed on fixed days before the vintage to visit their cells. When the brethren knew this they would all come together to meet him, and in company with their distinguished leader go the round of the monasteries, taking with them provisions, because sometimes as many as two thousand men were assembled. But, as time went on, all the settlements round gladly gave food to the neighbouring monks for the entertainment of the saints. Moreover, the care he took to prevent any brother however humble or poor being passed over is evidenced by the journey which he once took into the desert of Cades to visit one of his disciples. With a great company of monks he reached Elusa, as it happened on the day when the annual festival had brought all the people together to the temple of Venus. This, goddess is worshipped on account of Lucifer to whom the Saracen nation is devoted. The very town too is to a great extent semi-barbarous, owing to its situation. When therefore it was heard that Saint Hilarion was passing through (he had frequently healed many Saracens possessed by demons), they went to meet him in crowds with their wives and children, bending their heads and crying in the Syriac tongue Barech , that is, Bless . He received them with courtesy and humility, and prayed that they might worship God rather than stones; at the same time, weeping copiously, he looked up to heaven and promised that if they would believe in Christ he would visit them often. By the marvellous grace of God they did not suffer him to depart before he had drawn the outline of a church, and their priest with his garland upon his head had been signed with the sign of Christ.

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Vita S. Hilarionis

25.

Visitabat monasteria Hilarion. – Volens autem exemplum eis dare et humilitatis, et officii, statis diebus ante vindemiam lustrabat cellulas monachorum. Quod postquam cognitum est a fratribus, omnes ad eum confluebant: et comitati tali duce, circumibant monasteria, habentes viaticum suum: quia interdum usque ad duo millia hominum congregabantur. Sed et procedente tempore, unaquaeque villa vicinis monachis ad susceptionem sanctorum gaudens cibos offerebat. Quantum autem fuerit in [0041B] eo studii, ut nullum fratrem quamvis humilem, quamvis pauperem praeteriret, vel illud indicio est, quod vadens in desertum Cades ad unum de discipulis suis visendum, cum infinito agmine monachorum pervenit Elusam [al. Elusium et Eolesam], eo forte die, quo anniversaria solemnitas omnem oppidi populum in templum Veneris congregaverat. Colunt autem illam ob Luciferum, cuius cultui Saracenorum natio dedita est. Sed et ipsum oppidum ex magna parte semibarbarum est propter loci situm. Igitur audito quod Sanctus Hilarion praeteriret (multos enim Saracenorum arreptos a daemone frequenter curaverat), gregatim ei cum uxoribus et liberis obviam processere, submittentes colla, et voce Syra BARECH, id est, benedic, inclamantes. Quos ille blande [0041C] humiliterque suscipiens, obsecrabat ut Deum magis quam lapides colerent: simulque ubertim flebat, coelum spectans, et pollicens, si Christo crederent, ad eos se crebro esse venturum. Mira Domini gratia, non prius abire passi sunt, quam futurae Ecclesiae lineam mitteret; et sacerdos eorum, ut erat Coronatus, Christi signo denotaretur.