Author Topic: How did hermits receive the sacraments? (Read 2030 times)

Mercyandjustice · « **on:** February 02, 2016, 10:33:44 PM »

Long time no post....anyway, I was reading about the hermits of the early Church who lived in complete isolation, far from people. I was wondering how they fulfilled their Sunday Obligation and received the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist, etc? Was the early Church more lax about the sacraments amd Sunday obligation or did they have some sort of special permission? Thanks

LaramieHirsch · « **Reply #1 on:** February 02, 2016, 10:43:35 PM »

Excellent question. I wanna know, too.

poche · « **Reply #2 on:** February 02, 2016, 10:51:18 PM »

If you live too far away from the church and it is not possible to go to mass then you assistance is not required. The Church does not require of us what is not humanly possible.
For hermits who lived in sketes (a skete is a collection of hermitages around a church) They went to mass every Sunday. If someone was missing then they figured that such a person was ill and they all went to see what they could do for that person.

PG · « **Reply #3 on:** February 02, 2016, 11:08:42 PM »

I can recall one particular early church account(probably 500 ad) where the local catholic community/clergy convinced a hermit not to retreat so far off as he had planned because he would not be able to make the travel to mass on sundays. And, the saint hermit obeyed. Because, it was obviously the right thing. I don't think your getting any ideas to leave a parish communtiy to that degree. But, don't get any ideas. You should seek to be near enough for a sunday mass, whether a hermit or a celibate layman.

When I read butlers lives of the saints, the footnotes/commentary was just as important if not more important than the accounts. Because, there are plenty of dubious accounts, and repeated popular stories and names. You really need the extra comments at the bottom of the page from the expert who has studied it all. I found it so valuable. So, don't get any wild ideas. But, if you like the early church, you should read the 4 volume butlers lives. Because, there is so much variety in the early church.

PG · « **Reply #4 on:** February 02, 2016, 11:23:05 PM »

I sorta didn't answer your question. But, hermits who were saintly would surface on sunday for mass. We are sheep, not goats. This was the norm whether one was in a monastic hermit community or alone on the outskirts of town. They were within travelling distance of a mass. The difference between then and now was that mass was not everyday for hermits/monks. That can be read about in the early church. The hermits/monks did not celebrate mass everyday, whereas today they do.

poche · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2016, 01:44:32 AM »

sometimes there was a prior arrangement for the priest to bring communion to the hermits. For example in the life of Mary of Egypt, the priest went to her hermitage to bring her communion and she was dead. In the life of John the Subdeacon there was an arrangement for the priest to bring him communion at his hermitage.

clare · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2016, 02:04:41 AM »

What about the Stylites, who lived atop pillars for years?

poche · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2016, 03:02:29 AM »

Quote from: clare

What about the Stylites, who lived atop pillars for years?

sometimes there was a prior arrangement for the priest to bring communion to them also.

Nadir · « **Reply #8 on:** February 03, 2016, 04:08:22 AM »

Quote from: poche

sometimes there was a prior arrangement for the priest to bring communion to the hermits. For example in the life of Mary of Egypt, the priest went to her hermitage to bring her communion and she was dead.

Here is what St Mary of Egypt told Saint Zozimus of Palestine:

"I am called Mary and I was born in Egypt. I went to Alexandria at age 12 and lived there 17 years as a public woman, giving myself to whoever wanted me. But one day, I learned that some inhabitants of this city were going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to adore the True Cross, and I asked the sailors to let me go aboard. They asked for money to pay for the journey, and I answered that I had none, but I offered my body instead. So the voyage was made.

“In Jerusalem, when I went with the other pilgrims to the church on the holy day of the Exaltation of the Cross, I felt an irresistible force that prevented me from crossing the doorstep. Three or four times I approached the doors of the church, and each time that invisible power prevented me from entering. All the others went in freely without any obstacle.

“Retreating to a corner of the porch, I began to understand the reason why I was prevented from being admitted to see the life-giving Cross. The word of salvation gently touched the eyes of my heart and revealed to me that it was my impure life that barred the entrance to me. I began to weep and lament, and beat my breast and sigh from the depths of my heart. And so I stood weeping when I saw above me the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God.

“Turning to her my bodily and spiritual eyes, I begged her to obtain forgiveness for my sins and to order the entrance of the church to be opened to me so that I could adore the True Cross. In exchange, I promised to renounce the world and live in chastity.

“With this prayer, I acquired some hope and felt some confidence in the mercy of the Mother of God, and went again to enter the church. This time I was able to go in without any difficulty and found myself in the holy place. As I piously adored the Holy Cross, I heard a voice that said, “If you cross the Jordan, you will find glorious rest.”

“With these words, I left the church and set off on my journey. As I was leaving the church a stranger glanced at me and gave me three coins. Taking the money, I bought three loaves and took them with me on my journey.

“I crossed the River Jordan and came to the desert, where I have lived for 47 years, never seeing a single human face during this whole time, feeding myself from those three loaves of bread that I brought with me. My dresses were reduced to tatters long ago.

“During the first 17 years I was tormented by temptations. After that, by the grace of God, I completely conquered them. This is my history. I am telling it so that you might pray to the Lord for me who am such a sinner.”

Then the old man, prostrating himself on the ground, praised God in the person of His servant.

She told him: “Now I ask you this. On sunset of the holy day of the Last Supper, bring me the Body of Christ. Wait for me on the banks of the Jordan, so that I can come and partake of the life-giving Gift. For during all the time I have been here, I have not approached the Holy Mysteries.”

The old man returned to his monastery, and the next year he returned to the banks of the Jordan bringing a consecrated Host. After waiting a while, he saw the holy woman appear and stand on the other side of the river, and he wondered how he could approach her since there was no boat. Then he saw that she made the Sign of the Cross over the waters and she at once stepped onto them and began walking across the surface until she reached him.

In awe over the miracle, the religious man wanted to prostrate himself humbly at her feet, but she said: “My Father, do not prostrate yourself before me, for you are a priest carrying the Body of Christ.”

After receiving the Holy Eucharist, she asked him the favor to return one more time to the same place where she first met him.

The next year Zozimus crossed the river and went to the place where he first met her. He found her lying dead in the sand. He wept with sorrow but did not dare to touch her remains, fearing to offend her since she was wearing nothing.

As he was wondering whether to bury her, he read an inscription in the sand by her head: ‘Abbot Zosimus, bury the body of humble Mary on this spot. Return to dust that which is dust and pray the Lord for me, who departed on April 2, on the very night of Our Lord’s Passion, after having partaken of the Divine Mysteries.” [St. Mary died in the year 522].

Then Zosimus thought, “It is time to do as she wished. But I am old and weak, and how am I to dig a grave with nothing but my hands?”

Then he saw a lion, which drew near and with its front paws it dug a hole deep enough to bury the body. After the body was buried, the lion went off into the depth of the desert like a lamb, while Zosimus returned to the monastery glorifying and blessing Christ Our Lord.

And on reaching the monastery he told all the brothers about everything, and all marveled on hearing of God's miracles. And with fear and love they kept the memory of the Saint.

(From The Life St. Mary of Egypt by St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, 7th century).

It seems that St Mary received Holy Communion only once in her lifetime.

poche · « **Reply #9 on:** February 03, 2016, 05:16:43 AM »

Quote from: Nadir

Quote from: poche
sometimes there was a prior arrangement for the priest to bring communion to the hermits. For example in the life of Mary of Egypt, the priest went to her hermitage to bring her communion and she was dead.

Here is what St Mary of Egypt told Saint Zozimus of Palestine:

"I am called Mary and I was born in Egypt. I went to Alexandria at age 12 and lived there 17 years as a public woman, giving myself to whoever wanted me. But one day, I learned that some inhabitants of this city were going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem to adore the True Cross, and I asked the sailors to let me go aboard. They asked for money to pay for the journey, and I answered that I had none, but I offered my body instead. So the voyage was made.

“In Jerusalem, when I went with the other pilgrims to the church on the holy day of the Exaltation of the Cross, I felt an irresistible force that prevented me from crossing the doorstep. Three or four times I approached the doors of the church, and each time that invisible power prevented me from entering. All the others went in freely without any obstacle.

“Retreating to a corner of the porch, I began to understand the reason why I was prevented from being admitted to see the life-giving Cross. The word of salvation gently touched the eyes of my heart and revealed to me that it was my impure life that barred the entrance to me. I began to weep and lament, and beat my breast and sigh from the depths of my heart. And so I stood weeping when I saw above me the icon of the Most Holy Mother of God.

“Turning to her my bodily and spiritual eyes, I begged her to obtain forgiveness for my sins and to order the entrance of the church to be opened to me so that I could adore the True Cross. In exchange, I promised to renounce the world and live in chastity.

“With this prayer, I acquired some hope and felt some confidence in the mercy of the Mother of God, and went again to enter the church. This time I was able to go in without any difficulty and found myself in the holy place. As I piously adored the Holy Cross, I heard a voice that said, “If you cross the Jordan, you will find glorious rest.”

“With these words, I left the church and set off on my journey. As I was leaving the church a stranger glanced at me and gave me three coins. Taking the money, I bought three loaves and took them with me on my journey.

“I crossed the River Jordan and came to the desert, where I have lived for 47 years, never seeing a single human face during this whole time, feeding myself from those three loaves of bread that I brought with me. My dresses were reduced to tatters long ago.

“During the first 17 years I was tormented by temptations. After that, by the grace of God, I completely conquered them. This is my history. I am telling it so that you might pray to the Lord for me who am such a sinner.”

Then the old man, prostrating himself on the ground, praised God in the person of His servant.

She told him: “Now I ask you this. On sunset of the holy day of the Last Supper, bring me the Body of Christ. Wait for me on the banks of the Jordan, so that I can come and partake of the life-giving Gift. For during all the time I have been here, I have not approached the Holy Mysteries.”

The old man returned to his monastery, and the next year he returned to the banks of the Jordan bringing a consecrated Host. After waiting a while, he saw the holy woman appear and stand on the other side of the river, and he wondered how he could approach her since there was no boat. Then he saw that she made the Sign of the Cross over the waters and she at once stepped onto them and began walking across the surface until she reached him.

In awe over the miracle, the religious man wanted to prostrate himself humbly at her feet, but she said: “My Father, do not prostrate yourself before me, for you are a priest carrying the Body of Christ.”

After receiving the Holy Eucharist, she asked him the favor to return one more time to the same place where she first met him.

The next year Zozimus crossed the river and went to the place where he first met her. He found her lying dead in the sand. He wept with sorrow but did not dare to touch her remains, fearing to offend her since she was wearing nothing.

As he was wondering whether to bury her, he read an inscription in the sand by her head: ‘Abbot Zosimus, bury the body of humble Mary on this spot. Return to dust that which is dust and pray the Lord for me, who departed on April 2, on the very night of Our Lord’s Passion, after having partaken of the Divine Mysteries.” [St. Mary died in the year 522].

Then Zosimus thought, “It is time to do as she wished. But I am old and weak, and how am I to dig a grave with nothing but my hands?”

Then he saw a lion, which drew near and with its front paws it dug a hole deep enough to bury the body. After the body was buried, the lion went off into the depth of the desert like a lamb, while Zosimus returned to the monastery glorifying and blessing Christ Our Lord.

And on reaching the monastery he told all the brothers about everything, and all marveled on hearing of God's miracles. And with fear and love they kept the memory of the Saint.

(From The Life St. Mary of Egypt by St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, 7th century).

It seems that St Mary received Holy Communion only once in her lifetime.

I don't see where she was baptized either?

Nadir · « **Reply #10 on:** February 04, 2016, 12:43:14 AM »

She could have been baptised as a baby or before she left her home for Alexandria. She obviously had some religious knowledge already.

Mercyandjustice · « **Reply #11 on:** February 04, 2016, 10:19:18 PM »

Quote from: poche

If you live too far away from the church and it is not possible to go to mass then you assistance is not required. The Church does not require of us what is not humanly possible.
For hermits who lived in sketes (a skete is a collection of hermitages around a church) They went to mass every Sunday. If someone was missing then they figured that such a person was ill and they all went to see what they could do for that person.

Yeah, this answer makes the most sense. Maybe God Himself gave them (the ones who were completely alone) permission to miss Mass due to the HUGE sacrifice they made, renouncing absolutely everything, or because Mass wasnt as readily available then as now. Maybe it was their vocation..