AND thirty-eight other holy solitaries on mount Sinai, martyred by a
troop of Arabians in 273; likewise Paul, the abbot; Moses, who by his
preaching and miracles had converted to the faith the Ishmaelites of
Pharan; Psaes, a prodigy of austerity, and many other hermits in the
desert of Raithe, two days' journey from Sinai, near the Red Sea, were
massacred the same year by the Blemmyans, a savage infidel nation of
Ethiopia. All these anchorets lived on dates, or other fruits, never
tasted bread, worked at making baskets in cells at a considerable
distance from each other, and met on Saturdays, in the evening, in one
common church, where they watched and said the night office, and on the
Sunday received together the holy eucharist. They were remarkable for
their assiduity in praying and fasting. See their acts by Ammonius, an
eye-witness, published by F. Combefis; also Bulteau, Hist. Mon.
d'Orient, l. 2, c. 1, p. 209.
Also, many holy anchorets on mount Sinai, whose lives were faithful
copies of Christian perfection, and who met on Sundays to receive the
holy eucharist, were martyred by a band of Saracens in the fifth
century. A boy of fourteen years of age led among them an ascetic life
of great perfection. The Saracens threatened to kill him, if he did not
discover where the ancient monks had concealed themselves. He answered,
that death did not terrify him, and that he could not ransom his life by
a sin in betraying his fathers. They bade him put off his clothes:
"After you have killed me," said the modest youth, "take my clothes and
welcome: but as I never saw my body naked, have so much compassion and
regard for my shamefacedness, as to let me die covered." The barbarians,
enraged at this answer, fell on him with all their weapons at once, and
the pious youth died by as many martyrdoms as he had executioners. St.
Nilus, who had been formerly governor {150} of Constantinople, has left
us an account of this massacre in seven narratives: at that time he led
an eremitical life in those deserts, and had placed his son Theodulus in
this holy company. He was carried away captive, but redeemed after many
dangers. See S. Nili, Septem Narrationes; also, Bulteau, Hist. Mon.
d'Orient, l. 2, c. 2, p. 220.