Not that the saints themselves get lost. They are always on course, and sometimes they travel so far into the Presence of God that we lose track of them.
However, these next few Posts will be about the saints we lose because their commemorations fall during Lent, when so much else is going on that nobody pays them much attention. *
- By the way, I hope that on Sundays our clergy take a few minutes to tell a little about a saint of the day. Thereby our people learn from their examples, and also learn Church history. If your priest does not do so, please suggest it to him, kindly.
Last Tuesday March 4, for example, did you notice that we honored:
Saint Gerasimos * of the Jordan
- Γεράσιμος (YerAHseemos).
I think he might also be titled Saint Gerasimos, the Lion Tamer. He’s one of my favorite saints.
Many saints, both East and West, have had power over wild beasts. Actually it might be better to say they have made friends with them. This has been true from ancient times up till the present. * It is a sort of restoration of Eden.
- You really should read about Saint Paisios of Athos (died in 1994) who had a multitude of wild friends, from a favorite woodpecker who would come when called, bringing other birds, and also jackals, hares, weasels, turtles, lizards and – to the discomfiture of some visitors – large snakes, who obeyed him. He said they were all drawn by love.
So it was with Saint Gerasimos and his lion.
The Story
Saint Gerasimus was born early in the Fifth Century in Lycia in southwest Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). Even when he was a boy he was noted for his piety. When he came of age he went to the Thebaid in Egypt, the land of the Desert Fathers.
Then in abou the year 450 he went to Palestine, settling down below Jerusalem near the Jordan River. Others gathered ‘round him and he founded a monastery, which exists to this day:
Are saints perfect from birth? Of course not. Gerasimos for a time appears to have accepted the Monophysite heresy – that Christ does not have full human nature. He was convinced of the Orthodox Faith by Saint Euthymios the Great who lived in a monastery nearby, to whom he was close ever after that.
.Saint Gerasimos established a monastic Rule that was strict, to put it mildly.* The monks spent five days a week in the desert in solitude, On Saturday and Sunday all gathered at the monastery for the Offices and Divine Liturgy. Before they left they gathered palm branches for weaving into baskets and also a supply of food for the week. There in the desert they ate no cooked food, only dry bread and roots, drinking only water, * till they returned to the monastery the next weekend.
- Compare this to what you’re giving up this Lent. But don’t you ever dare try anything like this kind of rule. The dangers are: 1 You’ll ruin your health, and 2 If you survived, you would likely fall into the sin of pride.
Saint Gerasimos always took with him his disciple Saint Cyriacos, whom Euthymios had sent to him. In the desert each monk possessed one old set of clothes and a palm mat, upon which he slept. They never locked the doors to their cells, so that anyone who needed to rest or to escape from the hot desert sun could enter or take whatever he needed.
During the weekdays of Great Lent Gerasimos ate nothing – subsisting only on food in the monastery on weekends.
When Euthymios died, Gerasimos in a vision saw the angels carrying his soul into Heaven. He and Cyriacos immediately set out for Saint Euthymios’ Monastery and arrivved in time for his funeral and burial, which took place the day he died.
Saint Gerasimos and the Lion
This is a lovely story, one any parents here present might tell to your children. There are also a number of children’s books available, as well as videos here on-line.
Once, walking alone near the Jordan River, Gerasimos heard a roaring and howling, which came from a lion * who was in agony because of a large thorn caught in one paw. Gerasimos bravely walked up to the lion, removed the thorn and cleaned and bandaged the wound as best he could. He expected the lion to retreat into its cave, as wounded animals usually do.
- Just for your information: Yes, there were lions in the Middle East in those days: “The young lions roar after their prey, and seek their meat from God.” Psalm 103 (104): 21. Also see: Judges 14:8, 1 Kings 13:24, Isaiah 30:6 and 65:25, Daniel 6:7, Ezekiel 1:10, 1 Peter 5:8, Revelation 4:7 and 13:2.
Instead the lion followed him back to the monastery. The story does not say how the other monks reacted at first, but we can guess. The creature became a pet, tame as a kitten, always devoted to Saint Gerasimos who had freed him, and who gave him the name “Jordanes”’ (“Jordan” in Enlish) because of where he had found him.
Jordanes fed on food and drink provided by the monks, and was given the task of guarding the monastery donkey, who was important to the life of the place. The Jordan River was a distance away, and each day one of the brothers would take the donkey there, load up the water buckets – probably four large earthen jars, which would be very heavy – and the donkey would carry them back to the monastery. Jordanes was a good and faithful guard – which must have been difficult for him. What lion would not like a good meal of donkey meat?
Now, one day a band of traders came along. Perhaps it was during the afternoon period when everything in the Mediterranean world comes to a halt for a few hours. Anyway, the traders saw their chance and stole the donkey. Jordanes also must have been sleeping, for it says he reported in “sheepishly” with no donkey.
The monks came to the obvious conclusion. Jordanes had fallen to temptation and had eaten the donkey. As punishment, they gave the lion the job of the donkey, to carry water jars from the river to the monastery. The innocent lion humbly accepted the task.
Then some while later, the traders happened past again – with the donkey. Jordanes ran towards them roaring – “my donkey” – and they scattered, terrified.
This would certainly scare me off!
The lion then led the donkey home to the monastery. The monks realized that they had misjudged their pet lion.
There are two accounts of what happened next: 1 As a reward Saint Gerasimos set Jordanes free – free to go back into the wilderness if he wished. So he left, but often came back to the monastery for a visit; it was his second home. Or 2 The other account says he remained at the monastery, guarding the donkey. No matter which, the end of the story is the same.
While the lion was away, Saint Gerasimos died – on March 4, 475 (or, by other accounts, 451). When Jordanes saw that his master was missing, he found his grave, lay there growling and wailing, until finally he rolled over and died with his master..
Do lions go to Heaven? Do our own pets go to Heaven? The Scriptures and Fathers don’t speak to this. Here’s what I think: I believe that by our love, animals can also be lifted up to respond in love, as this lion clearly did. (In fact, some animals are more loving than some people). I think Jordanes went to Heaven. I hope to see my little dog Vashti running towards me, tail wagging, if by the grace of God I get there. That’s only my opinion. Don’t take it for more than it’s worth.
There’s more to tell.
Recent Miracles of Saint Gerasimos
Father Chrysostomos, Abbot of Saint Gerasimos’ Monastery, has collected (in some cases, experienced) the following stories, which I’ve abbreviated here. You can find a full account of them at: https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2010/03/recent-miracles-of-st-gerasimos-of.html
1 One day thieves broke into the monastery, overturned everything in the church, stole ancient icons, the Gospel book and even sacred vessels. The police searched for a week, couldn’t find the thieves or the items and closed the investigation. The Abbot, in despair, turned to Saint Gerasimos, put a light before his icon and went to bed. In the morning an Arab policeman said he had had a dream of the Saint who told him to continue the investigation. Soon after, they found the thieves and the stolen holy items.
2 A few years ago, a deacon brought a boy to the monastery who had taken suddenly ill with a high fever, aches and unbearable pain, hoping the Abbot could take him to a doctor. The Abbot could not do so, because he had only a moped. So he gave the boy a place to lie down, and went and prayed diligently to Saint Gerasimos. About 11 pm there was a knock on the Abbot’s door. Nobody was there. So he went to the boy, who was soaking wet, and who said “Abouna, an old man poured a bucket of cold water on me”. The fever and ache and pain were gone. They had no doubt as to who had knocked, poured the water and healed the boy.
3 A strange story: Visitors from Greece, including a bishop, came to visit the monastery. The Abbot prepared his usual meal, apologizing because he had no fruit to give them. Then unexpectedly a soldier walked in, bringing a supply of oranges, then walked out. The Abbot immediately followed him, curious where he had come from. But there was no soldier to be seen. A laborer working by the entrance had seen no-one come or go. The soldier could have been only a minute or so away, but there was no vehicle to be seen in either direction.
4 Another apparent incident involved the time when the monastery well was running dry. They then dug very deep in a place where they hoped water would be. It was not. The Abbot turned to Saint Gerasimos. Suddenly the workers struck water and, as the Abbot said, Wells in their area near the Dead Sea are always bitter, tasting of sulphur and eggs, but this water was clear and fresh.
5 The abbot once visited a women’s monastery in Greece, their church dedicated to Saint Gerasimos. The nuns related that every evening they saw the door of the church open and close, but no one could be seen. Afterwards there was an indescribably lovely fragrance in the church. Who else could it be, but Saint Gerasimos guarding his church?
6 A father from Cyprus wrote to Abbot Chrysostomps that he his son, age fifteen, had for several years been fainting every day, and no doctor could find the problem. So they did a Supplication to Saint Gerasimos. Not only was the boy healed, but so was the father who had suffered heart problems since his childhood.
OK. If you insist, one more.
A couple was staying at the monastery for a few days. One evening they asked Abbot Chrysostomos if he could “confess” them. He told them he couldn’t do it then: he had much work to do and, besides, he was very tired. Later that evening the couple saw the Abbot walking past and thanked him for hearing their confessions. But, he said, I didn’t do it. They asked: Perhaps another priest did it? But, said the Abbot, I’m the only priest here now. There seemed to be no other possible explanation, except: Saint Gerasimos did it again.
Troparion/Apolytikion for Saint Gerasimos
You proved to be a citizen of the desert, an angel in the flesh, and a wonderworker, O Gerasimos, our God-bearing Father. By fasting, vigil, and prayer you obtained heavenly gifts, and you heal the sick and the souls of them that have recourse to you with faith. Glory to Him that has given you strength. Glory to him that has crowned you. Glory to Him that works healings for all through you.
Next Week: Another Lenten Saint: Benedict of Nursia
Sources used in writing this Post: Orthodox Church in America, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese, Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, OrthodoxWiki.com, OrthodoxChristianParenting.WordPress.com