How did the hermits survive?

[Alex Michael Rusanen]

I've always been wondering how the hermits and orthodox sages of old survived in the wilderness. Where did for example Herman who dwelled in Vaaga, the cave on the Island of Valaam, nourish himself with fresh water, what did he eat and how did he keep himself warm through the bitter northern winters? How did abba Anthony survive in the deserts?

[Nina]

:) This is a beautiful question and I would like to hear also more about it. However when I think of the Hermits (and especially St. Mary of Egypt) I often think of the passage in the Bible: Man does not live by bread alone.

[Herman Blaydoe]

I've always been wondering how the hermits and orthodox sages of old survived in the wilderness. Where did for example Herman who dwelled in Vaaga, the cave on the Island of Valaam, nourish himself with fresh water, what did he eat and how did he keep himself warm through the bitter northern winters? How did abba Anthony survive in the deserts?

Also St. Mary of Egypt. The answer is through God's Grace. What we do not hear about are those who do not survive and they are many. I remember a very interesting article on Ethiopia. A young man is explaining to the journalist about how many young men head out into the desert to be hermits and manner-of-factly discloses that most of them do not survive the year. God decides who survives and who doesn't that that is evidently just fine with them.

Something to think about anyway to this bear of little brain.

Herman the Pooh

[Paul Cowan]

how did he keep himself warm through the bitter northern winters? How did abba Anthony survive in the deserts?

Have you read St. Seraphim of Sarov's story? His experience with (?) in the forest they were both warm yet both covered in snow.

[Fr Raphael Vereshack]

Have you read St. Seraphim of Sarov's story? His experience with (?) in the forest they were both warm yet both covered in snow.

Nikolai Motovilov

[Paul Cowan]

Nikolai Motovilov

That's the guy. Thanks Fr

[Effie Ganatsios]

I believe this question depends on what kind of desert we visualize. I don't think "desert" means just sand although even there you would be able to find snakes, scorpions, etc.

In the land around Mt. Sinai there are various herbs, salad greens (which are even more healthy when you don't scald them before eating), insects including grasshoppers. Didn't St. John the Baptist eat only grasshoppers and wild honey?
Tea was very popular - not Indian tea but the wild mountain tea that can be found in most countries in the Mediterranean.

When Elder Paisios lived in the wild he lived on very little. He spent quite a lot of time each day carving wooden icons and artifacts, sold them, gave most of the money to the Arab Bedouins , and bought the bare necessities he needed to survive.

[Paul Cowan]

Didn't St. John the Baptist eat only grasshoppers and wild honey?


I have heard the "locust" he ate also referred to as a wild herb. I tend to lean towards this as his life was one of fasting and prayer and he was an angel in the flesh. So I don't think he ate "meat" with his honey.

[James Haddad]

Good question on practicality. I know a story, that can be found in a book called the Vark Srpots, only available in Armenian, where there are 2 brothers who are monks. The one brother decides that he is going out into the dessert to be a hermit and not eat anything and live like the angels. Three days later he returns in failure.

[Herman Blaydoe]

Good question on practicality. I know a story, that can be found in a book called the Vark Srpots, only available in Armenian, where there are 2 brothers who are monks. The one brother decides that he is going out into the dessert to be a hermit and not eat anything and live like the angels. Three days later he returns in failure.

This either the same story or very similar to the story of St. John the Dwarf, found in the book: The Sayings of the Desert Fathers. It is one of my favorites.

[Effie Ganatsios]

I have heard the "locust" he ate also referred to as a wild herb. I tend to lean towards this as his life was one of fasting and prayer and he was an angel in the flesh. So I don't think he ate "meat" with his honey.

I have never heard of this, Paul, but it does make sense.

Effie

[Anthony]

I have heard the "locust" he ate also referred to as a wild herb. I tend to lean towards this as his life was one of fasting and prayer and he was an angel in the flesh. So I don't think he ate "meat" with his honey.

I have also heard this, and have the idea somewhere in my rusty memory that akrides is still used in Greek for the shoots of some plants. (Or something.)

[Olga]

Paul and Anthony

I suspect a case of linguistic similarity has led to St John the Baptist's locusts being confused with wild herbs or greens. Akrides is the word used in both Matthew's and Mark's gospel passages which describe what the Baptist ate. The same word is used in Exodus, and clearly describes a plague of locusts.

There is another word, pikrides (from the word pikros, bitter). This word is used in Exodus when describing the passover meal of the slaughtered lamb, unleavened bread and "bitter herbs". Pikrides to this day in modern Greek refers to sharp-tasting greens, such as endive or chicory.

[Paul Cowan]

I suspect a case of linguistic similarity

Or linguistic mayhem? I did not know there was a specific word which specifically states what he ate. No wonder no one understands the Bible anymore. We have changed all the words from their original. Thank God we have not lost the Original Church or all truly would be lost to modern day interpretations

Paul.

[Olga]

Blessed Theophylact in his commentaries on Matthew's and Mark's gospels also makes direct reference to the symbolism and meaning of what the Baptist wore and ate. Definitely locusts, not greens. His explanations are quite interesting.

[Father David Moser]

what the Baptist wore and ate. Definitely locusts, not greens. His explanations are quite interesting.

I think that one could make the argument that locusts, because they insects are not "animals" in the classification of the fathers. "Animals" have blood - locusts do not.

Fr David Moser

[Anthony]

I suspect a case of linguistic similarity has led to St John the Baptist's locusts being confused with wild herbs or greens. Akrides is the word used in both Matthew's and Mark's gospel passages which describe what the Baptist ate. The same word is used in Exodus, and clearly describes a plague of locusts.

OK, so they were locusts.


There is another word, pikrides (from the word pikros, bitter). This word is used in Exodus when describing the passover meal of the slaughtered lamb, unleavened bread and "bitter herbs". Pikrides to this day in modern Greek refers to sharp-tasting greens, such as endive or chicory.

That is as may be, but I was not thinking of pikrides, I was thinking of akrides, rightly or wrongly. It seems that I am not alone, even in the history of Monachos (see this post (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showpost.php?p=19811&postcount=47) and this reply (http://www.monachos.net/forum/showpost.php?p=19812&postcount=48)).

[Mary James]

I remember asking a Priest about how could a particular Saint could survive in the harsh winters while living outside.. and he replied back to me, "The Holy Spirit warmed them".

Simply said, and so true. :)

[Victor Mihailoff]

I've always been wondering how the hermits and orthodox sages of old survived in the wilderness. Where did for example Herman who dwelled in Vaaga, the cave on the Island of Valaam, nourish himself with fresh water, what did he eat and how did he keep himself warm through the bitter northern winters? How did abba Anthony survive in the deserts?

Dear servant of Christ, Alex:

As many know the life of St Mary of Egypt and how the Lord caused a couple loaves of bread to miraculously feed her for many years, just as He fed thousands with a few loaves twice as told to us in the N.T., God also fed other anchorites (monastic hermits) who were not attached to a nearby monastery, and therefore did not have a novice making regular deliveries of bread to them as was done for example in the life of St Seraphim of Sarov.

God's powers are limitless and He has use of various miraculous means to feed His most adoring servants but one method seems to me to have been employed a number of times. The Lord sends an angel to the hermit's cave and leads him to a nearby clump of grass which is from heaven or paradise. The angel explains that this grass has all the nutrition needed to sustain life and the hermit is to eat it when hungered. It usually does not taste like grass and sometimes it can change flavours to taste like whatever the hermit wants it to taste like.

I also read of hermits who were visited by a bird sent by God. The bird guided the hermit to some form of grass or other vegetation that never diminished when picked and eaten.

There have been accounts of monasteries that had insufficient funds to buy food with, but every time food was taken from the basement storage chest or money taken to purchase food, the next time it was taken, the same small amount was replenished miraculously.

I believe I read this in the "Catacomb Saints of Russia" by I.M. Andreyev?? Some nomadic catacomb Christians knocked on the door of a peasant family. They asked if they could stay a few days and eat some food. The peasants were very poor but also very devout servants of the Lord. They invited them in and informed them that all they had to offer were a few small boiled potaoes which were not enough to feed the dozen or so hungry travellers. The catacomb Christians said that the five small potatoes would suffice and that they would be most grateful and pray for the peasants.

To the astonishment of the peasant family, who sat with the travellers but were hesitant to eat the food meant for their very hungry guests, every time a potatoe was taken from the bowl of five, there were always five hot potatoes remaininmg in the bowl! The peasant family and their dozen guests ate those five potatoes for a few days at every mealtime and what's more, after the travellers departed, the five hot potatoes remained in the bowl and fed the kindly peasants and their other guests for an entire year! The peasant family never went without food while the shortage gripped the region.

For the servants of God who remain faithful to the end of time, God will provide the food they need. These will be the Christians who do not accept the mark of the beast and therefore will not be permitted to purchase food or even receive wages for work. God may feed them manna from heaven as He did the Children of Israel in the desert, but that's not certain. He can feed them in any way He chooses.

May we always be in Christ! Victor

[Effie Ganatsios]

Victor, Father Paisios was once asked about the end of times and the difficulty Christians who refuse to use credit cards (or whatever will be in use) stamped with the mark of satan, will encounter concerning food.

He replied that for Christians used to a little bread and and a couple of olives there will be no problem. There will be a problem though for those Christians who are used to having 5 different types of cheeses on their table when they dine.

[Herman Blaydoe]

is that many who go out into the desert never come back. We don't hear so much about them.

I think it worth noting that, generally speaking, these people are not simply "getting away from the world", but their love of God exceeds their love of life in this world and their fear of death. They literally abandon everything in their pursuit of God, even unto death if necessary. Some of these He calls to His Bosom quickly and are not heard from or about again, others He calls back into the world so that we might know of their example and be edified.

How does our devotion to Him compare?

Just a simple thought from a simple mind.
Herman

[Father David Moser]

Dear servant of Christ, Alex:

As many know the life of St Mary of Egypt and how the Lord caused a couple loaves of bread to miraculously feed her for many years, ...

God's powers are limitless and He has use of various miraculous means to feed His most adoring servants

This brings to mind also the life of the Martyric sufferer Maria/Golindhuka of Persia who, during her sufferings, was given the grace by God to live like the angels and never need to eat or drink. Even after her trials, she did not eat except to take a few small bites of food so as not cause scandal.

Fr David Moser

[Olga]

He replied that for Christians used to a little bread and and a couple of olives there will be no problem. There will be a problem though for those Christians who are used to having 5 different types of cheeses on their table when they dine.

How very true, Effie, how very true. The aphorism Live simply, so that others may simply live comes to mind.

[Victor Mihailoff]

Victor, Father Paisios was once asked about the end of times and the difficulty Christians who refuse to use credit cards (or whatever will be in use) stamped with the mark of satan, will encounter concerning food.

He replied that for Christians used to a little bread and and a couple of olives there will be no problem. There will be a problem though for those Christians who are used to having 5 different types of cheeses on their table when they dine.

Thanks Effie, I never knew that before. My mother told me years ago that she heard from a priest during one of his Orthodox chat evenings, that in the last days of the world, believers will survive on very small amounts of simple food without great difficulty because God's grace will help those who fasted in His name when food was abundantly available. But the non believers, even those of small stature and thin build, will eat three times normal quantities and never feel satiated.

Sorry, I was never given the original source of that info. Maybe someone can help with that and correct any wrong details.

In Christ. victor

[Effie Ganatsios]

Trying to find something I wanted for another thread I found something else that I remembered vaguely when this thread started but never found.

This was written by one of the nuns who were with Mother Gavrilia until she fell asleep in the Lord :

"As for us, we had never met a person who was at the same time an Ascetic, an (h)esychast, and a Missionary... I shall never forget how she was going about, in the dead of winter, wearing her worn-out discoloured cotton Zostikon (Monastic habit) without anything woollen and her blessed widely-traveled and much-mended sandals whilst I, being less than half her age, was warmly dressed; or how frugal she was with food and how strictly she observed fast-days;
or, again, how she kept all-night Vigils (how many times have we seen her bed untouched all these years). She could control physical reactions, stand pain and endure hardships to an amazing degree. Her Cell (in the house in Athens) was freezing in winter, with the heating permanently out of order. In summer, the stifling heat and the smog which made us feel exhausted, left her unaffected and, you could even say, refreshed! When asked how she fared with the smog or heat, she would laugh and say that "the wings of the Angels are the most effective air-conditioning"! Once she said that "for a person of God it is utterly unbecoming even to mention thoughts about the body or the weather". "



Perhaps this is how hermits survived in the desert.

[Misha]

Father Seraphim, smiling pleasantly, said: “I know it myself just as well as you do, my son, but I am asking you on purpose to see whether you feel it in the same way. It is absolutely true, your Godliness! The sweetest earthly fragrance cannot be compared with the fragrance which we now feel, for we are now enveloped in the fragrance of the Holy Spirit of God. What on earth can be like it? Mark, your Godliness, you have told me that around us it is warm as in a bath-house; but look, neither on you nor on me does the snow melt, nor does it underfoot; therefore, this warmth is not in the air but in us. It is that very warmth about which the Holy Spirit in the words of prayer makes us cry to the Lord: ‘Warm me with the warmth of Thy Holy Spirit!’ By it the hermits of both sexes were kept warm and did not fear the winter frost, being clad, as in fur coats, in the grace-given clothing woven by the Holy Spirit. And so it must be in actual fact, for the grace of God must dwell within us, in our heart, because the Lord said: The Kingdom of God is within you (Lk. 17:21). By the Kingdom of God the Lord meant the grace of the Holy Spirit. This Kingdom of God is now within us, and the grace of the Holy Spirit shines upon us and warms us from without as well. It fills the surrounding air with many fragrant odours, sweetens our senses with heavenly delight and floods our hearts with unutterable joy. Our present state is that of which the Apostle says; The Kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). Our faith consists not in the plausible words of earthly wisdom, but in the demonstration of the Spirit and power (cp. I Cor.2:4). That is just the state that we are in now. Of this state the Lord said: There are some of those standing here who shall not taste of death till they see the Kingdom of God come in power (Mk. 9:1). See, my son, what unspeakable joy the Lord God has now granted us! This is what it means to be in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, about which St. Macarius of Egypt writes: ‘I myself was in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.’ With this fullness of His Holy Spirit the Lord has now filled us poor creatures to overflowing. So there is no need now, your Godliness, to ask how people come to be in the grace of the Holy Spirit.

from the conversation of st Seraphim with Nikolai Motovilov