Egyptian Synaxarium Babah 13
THE SECOND MONTH
Departure of St. Zacharias, the Monk
Babah (Paopi, Baba) 13 Martyr – Coptic Calendar – Martyr Calendar
23 October
Day 13 of the Blessed Coptic Month of Babah, may God make it always received, year after year, with reassurance and tranquility, while our sins after forgiven by the tender mercies of our God my fathers and brothers.
Amen.
Departure of St. Zacharias, the Monk
The Departure of Saint Zacharias, the Monk On this day, St. Zacharias the monk, departed. His father's name was Karyos. He was married, but he longed for the monastic life. He told his wife about what was on his mind and she agreed to it. Karyos had a son, called Zacharias and a daughter. He left them with their mother and went to the desert of Scete and became a monk at the hands of a holy old man. Shortly after, there was a great famine in the country and the wife took the two children and came to the desert where their father Karyos was. She complained to him about the tribulation which had come upon her through the famine and handed him the children. But Karyos told her, God has divided the two children between us. You take the girl and leave the boy with me. She took her daughter and departed. Karyos took his son Zacharias and brought him to the elders who prayed over him and they prophesied that he would become a perfect monk. Zacharias was brought up well in the desert, and advanced in every virtue. Because he was exceedingly handsome and his fair look, there were many murmurs in the desert because of him and they said, How is it, a boy like that dwells in the desert among the monks? When St. Zacharias heard that, he went to lake El-Natroun (which was very salty) without telling anyone. He took off his apparel, plunged his body into the lake, and remained in it for many hours. The color of his body became black and he looked like a leper. Then he went forth from the water, put on his apparel and came to his father who did not recognize him until he had stared at him closely. When he asked him about what had changed his appearance, he told him what he had done. When it was Sunday, he went with his father to the church to partake of the Holy Mysteries. The Lord revealed to St. Isidore, the priest of Scete, what St. Zacharias had done. He marvelled and said to the monks, Zacharias received the offering last Sunday as a man, but now he has become an angel. This saint possessed many virtues, especially the virtue of humility in which he had reached such a degree of perfection that his father said about him, I have labored greatly in the fight, but I have never attained the extent of my son Zacharias. St. Zacharias lived a strenuous life and strove exceedingly hard for 45 years. When he came to the desert, he was seven years old and all the days of his life numbered 52 years, then he departed in peace.May his prayers and blessings be with us all, and Glory be to God forever. Amen
Ethiopian Synaxarium TEKEMT 13
THE SECOND MONTH
TEKEMT (Teqemt, Tikemet, Thikimt, Tekemet, Tekemr) 13 - Geez (Ge'ez) Calendar – Ethiopian Calendar
(October 23)
IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND THE SON AND THE HOLY SPIRIT,
ONE GOD. AMEN.
On this day Saint Ptolemachus and his brethren became martyrs.
Salutation to Ptolemachus and his brethren.
Salutation to Paul, the new Tawrasi.
And on this day also died the holy father Abba Zachariah the monk. The name of the father of this holy man was ‘Akaryos. And ‘Akaryos wished for the garb of the monk, and when he told his wife this thought, she agreed with what he said unto her. And he had two children, one boy and one little girl. And ‘Akaryos left the children with their mother, and he went to the desert of Scete, and he became a monk there under the direction of a certain holy old man who was a monk. After a few days there was a great famine in the city, and his wife took the two children and came to the desert of Scete to their father ‘Akaryos, and she told him of the tribulation which had come upon her through the famine. And she said unto her two children, “Go to your father,” and the two children wandered about for a little, and the girl returned to her mother. And ‘Akaryos said unto her, “Behold, God hath done what is right, and hath divided the two children between us; take thou the girl and I will take the boy.” And the woman took her daughter and departed, and ‘Akaryos took his son, who was this father Zachariah, and brought him to the holy old men, and they prayed over him, and they prophesied that he would become a perfect monk. And Zachariah was brought up with every kind of good work in the desert of Scete, and with every kind of virtue and righteous work. And his form was exceedingly handsome, and there were many murmurings in the desert because of him, and the monks said among themselves, “How is it possible for such an exceedingly handsome young man to dwell in the desert of Scete among monks?” And when Zachariah heard that the monks were murmuring because of him, he departed to the lake of Dabra Natrun, which is like unto salt. And none of the people knew him, and he stripped off his apparel, and plunged his body into the lake, and he remained under the salt water for many hours. And his body swelled and became discolored, and his flesh became full of sores like unto that of a man who is sick. Then he went forth from the lake and put on his apparel and came to his father ‘Akaryos; and when his father saw him he did not know him, but after a few days he recognized him and knew that he was his son. And he asked him and said unto him, “What is it that hath changed thine appearance?” And he told him everything that had happened and how he had submerged himself in the lake of Natrun, which is hambo (salt). And when the First Day of the week came, he went to the church to receive the Holy Mysteries with the brethren. And God shewed to Abba Isidore, priest of Scete, what Abba Zachariah had done, and when Abba Zachariah came to Abba Isidore to receive the Offering he looked at him and marveled at him, and he said unto the monks, “Zachariah received the Offering on the last First Day of the week like every other man, and now he hath become an angel of God.” And when the other monks knew what Zachariah had done they marveled exceedingly, and they ascribed blessing and praise to him. And this Father Zachariah possessed together with other excellences the virtue of humility, and his humility was so perfect that his father spake of it to the monks, and said unto them, “I have labored greatly, but I have never attained to the rule of this my son Zachariah.” This Zachariah lived a strenuous life and strove exceedingly for five and forty years; now when he came to the desert of Scete he was seven years of age. And all the days of his life were two and fifty years, and he was well pleasing unto God and he died in peace. Salutation to Zachariah.
And on this day also are commemorated ‘Eulana, and Eulacius (Eulochius?), and Theodore, and ‘Ablas and his brethren, and Nitolaus, and ‘Abela.
Glory be to God Who is glorified in His Saints. Amen.
TEKEMT (Teqemt, Tikemet, Thikimt, Tekemet, Tekemr) 13 - Geez (Ge'ez) Calendar – Ethiopian Calendar = Babah (Paopi, Baba) 13 Martyr – Coptic Calendar – Martyr Calendar
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