calendar either of the Eastern or Western church. His successor John removed his community to a monastery which he built at Gomon, a mile from Constantinople. St Marcellus, who was chose third abbot of this house, raised the reputation of this order to the highest pitch. He was a native of Apamea in Syria, and, by the death of his parents, who were rich and of noble descent, he was left master of a plentiful fortune, when he was in the flower of his age. Considering seriously with what vanities the little interval between a man's birth and his death is usually filled in the world, he conceived a great distaste of its fooleries, and, repairing to Antioch, made sacred studies, and the exercises of devotion, his whole employment. By holy meditation, he saw daily more and more clearly the emptiness of all worldly occupations and enjoyments. An infant, with all its childish toys about it, thinks itself happy; and what are these, if compared to those fooleries which in manhood are called business or amusements? From this contempt of earthly things, his love of those which are heavenly, daily grew stronger and it was not long before he bestowed on the poor his whole personal estate, and settled his real estate upon a younger brother. Thus disincumbered, he repaired to Ephesus, and there put himself under the direction of certain eminent servants of God. The greatest part of the night he spent in prayer, and the day he employed in copying good books, by the sale of which he gained not only his own subsistence, but also wherewith to relieve the poor. The reputation of the austerity and solitude of the Acometes, drew him thither; and taking the habit, he ran in a.religious course with incredible ardour.

Upon the death of Alexander, the founder and first abbot, Marcellus, had been chosen to fill his place, had he not concealed himself by a timely flight. When he returned, John, who had been chosen abbot, compelled him to be his assistant in the discharge of his office; and, upon his demise, Marcellus was raised to that dignity. The Order flourished exceedingly under his prudent and saintly administration; and when he was at a loss how sufficiently to enlarge his buildings, he was abundantly

supplied with means for that purpose, by Pharetrius, a very opulent gentleman, who took the habit with all his sons, on the same day. About the year 465, Studius, a nobleman who had been consul in 463, founded for him and his monks a great monastery within the city, near the golden gate, in which there are said to have been one thousand monks at the same time. This house being called by the founder's name, the Acometes were from that time called Studites. St Marcellus assisted at the council of Constantinople, assembled by St Flavian against Eutyches, whose heresy our holy abbot condemned, with the prelates who composed that venerable assembly. St Marcellus spent sixty years in a monastic state, and his long life was all filled with good works. He died in 485 or 486, and is honoured both by the Latins and Greeks on this day. See his authentic life in Surius, Bulteau, Bonnani, Herman, Scoonbeck, and Helyot, T. 2.

St EVROUL, Abbot, C. Evroul, called in Latin Ebrulfus, was born at Bayeux in 517, and was of the most illustrious family of that country. But he learned from his cradle, to esteem nothing great but what is so in the eyes of God. The same sentiments he made the rule of his holy and disinterested conduct in the court of king Childebert I. who, being charmed with his accomplishments, both of mind and body, raised him to several posts of honour and authority, which he never sought; for all his ambition aimed at goods infinitely surpassing those of the earth, for which he testified a total indifference, even whilst they flowed in upon him unasked. He shewed, by his example, how possible it is for a Christian to live in the world without being of it in spirit, and to possess riches without being possessed by thein. But then he made continual use of the antidotes which heaven has afforded us to fence our hearts against that contagious air, which are, assiduous prayer, pious reading, meditation, and the mortification of the senses. His friends importuned him to marry, and he chose a virtuous wife, whose inclinations were perfectly suitable to his own. By reading the lives of the saints, they mu

tually inflamed each other with a desire of forsaking the world. In this view they agreed to a separation, and she took the veil in a holy nunnery, whilst he distributed his whole fortune among the poor. It was however a considerable time before he was able to obtain the leave of king Clothaire I. (who, after the death of his brother Childebert, was become master of all France) to retire from court. At length he procured it by reite rated importunities, and without delay took refuge in a monastery in the diocese of Bayeaux. By his profound humility, fervour, and all heroic virtues, he gained the esteem and veneration of his fellow-monks. But the respect which he met with was to him a true affliction; he regarded it as a snare, and a temptation to vanity. To shun it, he, with three others, privately withdrew, and hid himself in the most remote part of the forest of Ouche, in the diocese of Lisieux, which was only inhabited by wild beasts and robbers. These new hermits had taken no measures for provisions. They settled near a spring of clear water, made an inclosure with a hedge of boughs, and built themselves little huts of branches and mud. A country peasant discovered them in this place, to his great astonishment, and advertised them, that the wood was a retreat of cruel thieves: "We are come hither," said Evroul," to bewail our sins; we place our confidence in the mercy of God, who, by his providence, feeds the birds of the air, and we fear no one." The countryman brought them, the next morning, three loaves and some honey, and was so edified by their conversation, that he soon after joined them. One of the thieves happening to light upon them, saw there was no booty to be expected, and, out of humanity and compassion, endeavoured to persuade them that their lives would be in danger from others of his profession. Evroul represented to him, that having God for their protector, they stood in fear of no danger from men, who could have no inducement to murder those who sought to hurt no man, and had no other occupation than to lead penitential lives, and to please God He then powerfully exhorted him to change his life. The robber was converted upon the spot, and going to his

companions, brought many of them, in the same dispositions with himself, to the saint, by whose advice they betook themselves to till the land, and labour in the country for an honest maintenance. Several of them chose to remain with those anchorets, in the practice of penance. They cultivated the land, but it was too barren to yield them sufficient nourishment, even in their most abstemious way of living. But the inhabitants of the country brought them in a little provision. Evroul accepted their alms, but whatever remained he gave immediately to other poor, reserving nothing for the next day.

The advantages and sweets of holy solitude, in uninterrupted contemplation, made him desire to live always an anchoret, without being burdened with the care of others. But fraternal charity over-ruled this inclination. for he could not remain indifferent for the salvation of his neighbours. He therefore received those who desired to live in penance under his direction, for whom he was obliged to build a monastery at Ouche in Normandy, which to this day bears his name. His community daily increasing, and many offering him lands, he built fifteen other monasteries of men or women, of which his own always remained the chief, and this he always governed himself. His affability charmed every one; he seemed to know no pleasure equal to that of serving his neighbour. He used to exhort all to labour, telling them, that they would gain their bread by their work, and heaven by serving God in it. His example sufficed to encourage others; by his indefatigable constancy in labour, his patience in adversity, his perfect resignation to the will of God in all things, with equal joy, and his cheerfulness in the most severe practices of perpetual penance. He arrived at a great old age, though always sighing after the joys of eternity. His patience in his last sickness made him seem never sensible to pain. He lived forty-seven days without being able to take any thing, except a little water, and the sacred body of Jesus Christ. He never ceased to exhort his disciples, till he bid them adieu with joy, shutting his eyes to this world on the 29th of December, 596. His body was

buried in the church of St Peter, which he had built. His name occurs in Usuard, and in the Roman marSee his exact life in Mabillon, William of Gemblours, &c. also

tyrology on this day. Sec. 1. Ben. p. 354. Bulteau, 1. 2. c. 31.

ST SABINUS, BISHOP OF ASSISIUM, AND HIS COMPANIONS, MM.

Abridged from their Acts in Baluze and Baronius.

A. D. 304.

THE cruel edicts of Dioclesian and Maximian against the Christians, being published in the year 303, Sabinus, bishop of Assisium, and several of his clergy, were apprehended and kept in custody till Venustianus, the governor of Etruria and Umbria, came thither. Upon his arrival in that city, he caused the hands of Sabinus, who had made a glorious confession of his faith before him, to be cut off; and his two deacons, Marcellus and Exuperantius, to be scourged, beaten with clubs, and torn with iron nails or broad tenters, under which torments they both expired. Sabinus is said to have cured a blind boy; and a weakness in the eyes of Venustianus himself, who was thereupon converted, and afterwards beheaded for the faith. Lucius, his successor, commanded Sabinus to be beaten to death with clubs at Spoleto. The martyr was buried a mile from that city; but his relics have been since translated to Faënza. St Gregory the Great (1) speaks of a chapel built in his honour near Fermo, in which he placed some of his relicks which he had obtained from Chrysanthus, bishop of Spoleto. These martyrs are mentioned on this day in Ado, Usuard, and the Roman martyrology.

How powerfully do the martyrs cry out to us by their example, exhorting us to despise a false and wicked world! What have all the philosophers and princes found

(1) 1. 7. ep. 72, 73. 1. 11. ep. 23.