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| Acacius, Bishop of Berœa, Zeno, and Ajax, Men Distinguished and Renowned for Virtue.
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Chapter
XXVIII.—Acacius, Bishop of Berœa, Zeno, and Ajax,
Men Distinguished and Renowned for Virtue.
The following details are also
the results of inquiry.1571
Acacius1572
| 1572Acacius, Soc. vi. 18; and Theodoret, H. E. v.
4, 8.
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was conspicuous among the bishops; he had already previously
administered the episcopate of Berœa in Syria. There are of course
many actions of his, which are worthy of record. He was from his youth
brought up to the profession of ascetic monasticism, and was rigid in
observing all the regulations of this mode of life. When he was raised
to the bishopric, he gave this evidence of greatest virtue, in that he
kept the episcopal residence open at all hours of the day, so that the
citizens and strangers were always free to visit him, even when he was
at meals or at repose. This course of conduct is, in my opinion, very
admirable; for either he was living in such a way as to be always sure
of himself, or he devised this as a means of preparation against the
evil in one’s nature, so that in expecting to be caught by the
sudden entrance of persons, it would be necessary for him to be on
continuous guard, not to err in his duties, but rather to be engaged in
covenanted acts.
Zeno and Ajax,1573
two celebrated brothers, flourished about the same period. They devoted
themselves to a life of philosophy, but did not fix their abode as
hermits in the desert, but at Gaza, a maritime city, which was also
called Majuma. They both defended the truth of their religion with
greatest fidelity, and confessed God with courage, so that they were
frequently subjected to very cruel and harsh treatment by the pagans.
It is said that Ajax married a very lovely woman, and after he had
known her thrice in all that time, had three sons; and that
subsequently he held no further intercourse with her, but persevered in
the exercises of monasticism. He brought up two of his sons to the
divine life and celibacy, and the third he permitted to marry. He
governed the church of Botolium with propriety and distinction.
Zeno, who had from his youth renounced the world and
marriage, persevered in steadfast adherence to the service of God. It
is said, and I myself am witness of the truth of the assertion, that
when he was bishop of the church in Majuma, he was never absent at
morning or evening hymns, or any other worship of God, unless attacked
by some malady; and yet he was at this period an old man, being nearly
a hundred years of age. He continued his course of life in the monastic
philosophy, but, by pursuing his trade of weaving linen, continued to
earn the means of supplying his own wants and of providing for others.
He never deviated from this course of conduct till the close of his
life, although he exceeded all the other priests of that province in
age; and although he presided over
the people and property of the largest church.
I have mentioned these as examples of those who served
as priests at this period. It would be a task to enumerate all where
the main part of them were good, and God bore testimony to their lives
by readily hearing their prayers and by working many miracles. E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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