Synaxarium

On this day, a great sign appeared by the hand of our father, the saintly Pope Sanouthius, the fifty-fifth of the Popes of Alexandria, who assumed the throne from 13 Tubah 575 AM to 24 Parmouti 596 AM (880 AD). This sign was that this pope had ascended to the desert of Sheheet to fast the Holy Forty Days with the monastic fathers. During Palm Sunday week, many Arabs came to the desert to plunder the monasteries and settled on the rock located east of the church, their swords drawn, ready for killing and looting. The bishops and monks gathered and decided to leave the desert before the glorious Resurrection Feast, and they conveyed this order to Pope Sanouthius. He said to them: "As for me, I will not leave the desert until I complete the Passover." On Great Thursday, the danger increased and anxiety grew. This pope took his staff bearing the sign of the cross and intended to go out to meet the Arabs, saying, "It is better for me to die with the people of God." They prevented him from going out, but he comforted and strengthened them, then he went out to the Arabs holding that staff. When they saw him, they retreated and fled as if a great army had repelled them from that place, and they did not return there from that day with any evil intent. May the prayers of this father be with us (his date is mentioned under the twenty-fourth of Parmouti). And to our Lord be glory forever. Amen.

On this day, in the middle of the fifth century AD, the father, the ascetic and striving monk, Priest Zosima, departed. This saint was born in the middle of the fourth century AD to two saintly Christian parents from Palestine. At the age of five, they entrusted him to a holy elder monk who raised him with Christian upbringing and taught him religious sciences. Shortly after, they ordained him a deacon. He became a devout monk and grew greatly in virtue.

He was devoted to praise and reading day and night, and also during work. When he completed thirty-five years in the monastery, they ordained him a priest. He increased in asceticism, renunciation, and struggle. After spending thirteen years thus, the enemy planted in his mind the thought that he had become superior to all the people of his time in piety and virtue. But the Lord willed to correct this thought and sent an angel to command him to move to the monastery near the Jordan. He rose and went there, finding among them elders more perfect than himself in their conduct. Then it became clear to him that he had been far from what he thought of himself, so he stayed with them.

It was the custom of these elders that during the Great Lent, after fasting the first week, they would approach the Holy Mysteries, then leave the monastery while reciting Psalm 26 (Psalm 27 in the Beirut edition). At its end, they would pray, and after the abbot blessed them, they would bid each other farewell and disperse into the wilderness of the Jordan, each struggling alone. Saint Zosima would go out with them every year and wander in the wilderness, asking God to show him who was more perfect than himself. In some of his wanderings, he found Saint Mary the Copt. He inquired about her conduct and the reason for her wandering. She asked him to approach the Holy Mysteries, which he brought to her the following year and communed her. He visited her the next year and found that she had departed. He buried her and recounted her story to the monks of the monastery. After living ninety-nine years, he departed in peace. May his prayers be with us. Amen.