Saint Nilammon
Recluse in Egypt
A recluse near the city of Geris in Egypt in the 5th century, Nilammon lived in a walled cell to dedicate himself to God. To escape his election as bishop by the people and Patriarch Theophilus of Alexandria, he obtained from God the grace to die in prayer before his ordination. A chapel was erected over his tomb where he was honored as a patron.
Guided reading
4 reading sections
SAINT NILAMMON, RECLUSE IN EGYPT (5th century).
Retreat and call to the episcopate
Nilammon lived as a recluse near Gheris to avoid holy orders, but upon the death of the local bishop, the population and Theophilus of Alexandria attempted to compel him to accept the vacant see.
There was, two and a half leagues from Pelusium, a city called Gheris, not far from which Nilammon Nilammon Egyptian hermit of the 5th century, famous for dying to avoid becoming a bishop. had built himself a small cell, the door of which he had subsequently walled up, and where he lived in great seclusion. His principal design in thus shutting himself away, says Sozomen, had been to avoid being raised to holy orders, as sometimes happened to other solitaries. But despite the silence he kept, his enclosure, so narrow, spoke enough in his favor and made him more respected than he would have wished by the inhabitants of the city. Their esteem appeared above all at the death of their bishop, for they immediately cast their eyes upon our solitary to make him his successor. They therefore came to his cell with this intention, but they could not obtain his consent. While they were occupied in overcoming his resistance , Theophilus of Alexan Théophile d'Alexandrie Patriarch of Alexandria and opponent of John Chrysostom. dria return ed from Consta Constantinople City where the saint exercised his ministry and patriarchate. ntinople, and bad weather forced him to put in at Gheris. He learned from the inhabitants of the merit of Nilammon, and the choice they had made of him to fill the vacant see; he joined them in order to persuade him to accept this charge.
A death to escape honors
Pressed by the patriarch, Nilammon asks for time to pray and dies miraculously during his orison, preferring to yield his soul rather than assume the episcopal dignity.
Nilammon Nilammon Egyptian hermit of the 5th century, famous for dying to avoid becoming a bishop. also opposed the reasons his humility inspired in him to his entreaties. Finally, seeing that the patriarch did not cease to press him, he said to him: "I beseech you, my Father, to give me time until tomorrow, so that I may arrange my affairs, and you shall then do with me what you will." Theophi lus did n Théophile Patriarch of Alexandria and opponent of John Chrysostom. ot fail to go to his cell the next day, followed by all the people, and wished to have his door opened, which was walled up; but Nilammon said to him: "If you please, my Father, we shall pray first." — "That is just," replied Theophilus, "I am willing." Nilammon therefore began to pray, and while praying, yielded his spirit to God. Meanwhile, Theophilus, who was waiting outside for him to finish praying, seeing that time was passing, called him several times; as he received no answer, he ordered the stones that blocked the opening of his door to be removed, and found that he was dead.
Recognition of his holiness
Struck by this event, the inhabitants buried Nilammon with honor and erected a chapel over his tomb, making him their heavenly patron.
His surprise and that of all the people was extreme; but if they could not have him as bishop, they wished to have him as a patron before God. They could only attribute to his profound humility the difficulty he had shown in taking upon himself the heavy burden of the episcopate, and his death, so unexpected, to the power of his prayer which had obtained for him from God the grace to die, rather than be exposed to the dangers of an eminent dignity. It was with this conviction of a holiness so clearly marked that they buried him with all the decency imaginable. They then built a chapel in his honor over his tomb, and celebrated there every year the day of his death with great solemnity.
Posterity and testimonies
The cult of Nilammon is attested by the historians Sozomen and Nicephorus, emphasizing that his passing is a spiritual elevation due to his modesty.
His feast was still celebrated in the East in the time of the historian Nicéphore Byzantine historian who cites the saints. Nicephorus, who speaks Saumône Author or commentator cited regarding the death of Nilammon. of it. Sozomen remarks that one should not call his passing a death, but rather a true life in heaven, since he only left the earth to be raised to an honor of which his extreme modesty made him believe he was not worthy.
Annexes & related entities
Structured data for exploration: events, miracles, quotes, places, attributes, patronages, and important entities cited in the text.
Key Events
- Retreat in a walled cell near Geris
- Forced election to the episcopal see of Gheris by the people and Theophilus of Alexandria
- Requested a one-day delay to settle his affairs
- Died in prayer to escape the episcopal dignity
Miracles
- Obtained his own death through the power of his prayer to preserve his humility
Quotes
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I beseech you, Father, to give me until tomorrow, so that I may settle my affairs, and then you shall do with me as you wish.
Words of Nilammon to Theophilus of Alexandria