THE VENERABLE SILVANUS

May 15

From the Prologue

At first, Silvanus was a comedian; impersonating all and everyone. After that,inflamed with the love of Christ, he became a disciple of St. Pachomius. "I am ready to give my life," St. Silvanus would say "only to receive forgiveness of my sins."

HYMN OF PRAISE

VENERABLE PACHOMIUS THE GREAT

With the Spirit of God, Pachomius burns,

With the angels, Pachomius speaks.

Around him, the monks swarm

All like candles, they stand before God.

One day, the knocker sounded,

The sister of the Abba, the Abba to see

Many years she saw him not,

Let him appear; why does he from her, hide himself?

The doorman to Abba, the message brings.

Abba, to him: greetings, take to her

I, my sister, every good fortune wish you

But to come to see you, I will not,

I, to the world, did bid farewell once

And, in the world, everything I renounced.

My sister, you renounce also,

Hurry sister, yourself, dedicate to God,

Except the grave, what can the world to you give?

With life, Christ will wed you.

Illusionary dreams, worldly pleasures are

Asleep with these dreams, one becomes obese.

But awakened, hungry he feels

And by a long dream, adversarily stolen,

As a hungry lion, he then roars for food,

For true bread, cry out and shout.

Christ hears all who call upon Him

And living bread, to the hungry, He gives.

That is real - the others are daydreams,

Outside Christ, there is no hoping.

The sister heard and began to weep,

The brother's counsel, she quickly obeyed.