Venerable Mausimas as-Sûryâni, Priest in Kyrrhos

The ruins of a church at Kyrrhos, Syria

The twenty-third of January is the feast day of Saint Mausimas [also Gk. Μαϋσιμάς, Ar. Mawsim موسم], a fourth-century priest and hermit who lived a voluntary life of poverty and service to the poor in the town of Kyrrhos – now the archæological site of Nabî Hûrî نبي حوري in Syria. The best source I could find on this Syrian saint was actually from a German Catholic devotional text from the year 1640, Lustgarten der Heyligen. Here is the entry from that work:

S. Mausima aus Syria.

Es ist ein Mann zu Cyro gewesen mit Namen Mausima, ein Syrier, der Sprach nach, welcher under den groben Leuten erzogen durch laitung der Natur, zu grossen Tugendten kommen : Er hat nur einen Rock gebraucht, und als der selbig zerrissen, im keinen anderen gemacht, sonder denselben allzeit wider gefleckt, und also den Leib bedeckt. Er ist also kostfren gewesen, das allen Pilgern und Armen sein thür alzeit offe gestande. Er sol zwen Fäßer gehabt haben eins mit Korn, das ander mit Öl angefullt darauß er alle bedürfstige (weil die Fäßer nie an dem Öl abgenommen) gleich wie vorzeiten die Wittfraw zu Sarepta, mit notturfft versehen. Dann Gott kompt allen zu hülff, die ihn anrüffen, unnd gleich wie er jenen Ölkrug hat heißen fließen, unnd die Saftfrene reichlich vergolten, also hat er auch dises wunderbarlichen Manns willige Frengebigkeit mit dergleichen Gütigkeit erstattet. Als er nun sein Leben henliglich zugebracht, ist er zum HERRN geschiden.

And here is my translation based on meine drei Jahre Gymnasialdeutsch:

Saint Mausimas of Syria.

A man from Kyrrhos known by the name of Mausimas – a Syrian who, as was said, came unto great virtues from among the ordinary people brought up under the virtues of nature. He needed only one robe; this was always torn and spotted. He had no other, and only this covered his body. It is therefore remarkable that his door always stood open to all pilgrims and to the poor. He had two vessels – one with grain in it, and the other filled with oil – from which he met the needs of all (because the vessels never ran out of oil), in much the same way that in former times the widow of Zarephath was seen to in her own need. So God comes to help all who call unto Him; and much the same way as his jar of oil flowed freely out and poured out its plenty only to be refilled, so too He has rendered this wonderful man’s willing and frenzied generosity with the same measure of His goodness. After he had thus spent his life, he departed unto the LORD.

It is good to see noted among the ascetics, that here is a man who seems to have had some ascetic discipline – he wore only one ragged garment for his adult life, it seems – but whose claim to fame appears to be multiplying the stores of food he kept, for the sake of the travellers and the poor people who came to him, just as Elijah came to the widow of Zarephath, who cared for his wants out of her own poverty. The hagiography of Father Mausimas says much about the generosity of the poor, of those who have nothing of their own. It also says much about the greater generosity that is expected of those who have means. Worthy and holy priest Mausimas, icon of faith and love towards God’s beloved poor, pray unto Him who loves mankind that our souls may be saved!

EDIT: This saint actually appears to be the same person as Saint Maesymas, a Syriac-speaking fallâḥ and ascetic-turned-priest who was treated in the History of the Monks of Syria by Blessed Theodoret of Kyrrhos. He did indeed have some ascetic disciplines, but it is nowhere stated that he performed any austerities upon himself or that he lived in solitude; indeed, his claim to holiness stems entirely from his works of love toward his neighbours. Here is the entry which features in Blessed Theodoret’s text:

I know that many other luminaries of piety have been conspicuous near Antioch: Severus the Great, Peter the Ægyptian, Eutychios, Kyrillos, Moses and Malchos, and very many others who trod the same path; but if we were to try to record the life of them all, limitless time would not be enough for us. In any case, the reading of a long account is for most people tedious. Judging therefore the lives of those omitted from those recorded, let everyone praise and emulate them, and reap benefit. I myself shall pass over to the meadows of Kyrrhos, and display, as far as is possible, the bloom of fragrant and beautiful flowers therein.

In the times before our own there was a certain Maësymas, who was Syrian in his language, had had a rustic upbringing and manifested every form of virtue. Having been conspicuous in the solitary life, he was entrusted with the care of a village. Acting as priest and pasturing the divine flock, he spoke and performed those things which the divine law prescribes. It is said that for a very long time he did not change either his tunic or his goat’s hair cloak, but sewed other rags onto the tears that occurred in them and in this way looked after his old age. So zealously did he attend to the care of strangers and the poor that he threw open his doors to all who came. He is said to have had two jars, one of grain and the other of oil, out of which he always supplied those in need, and which he always had full, since the blessing given to the widow of Zarephath had been attached to these jars as well: ‘the same Lord is of all, rich for all who call upon him’, and just as he ordered her jar and cruse to pour forth, providing the sheaves of the seeds of her hospitality, so he gave to this wonderful man an abundance to equal his zeal.

He received from the God of the universe much grace also to perform miracles. I shall recall one or two miracles, but omit the rest, in my haste to proceed to other ascetics. A certain woman adorned both in birth and faith had a son, very young, who fell victim to illness, and whom she showed to numerous physicians. When their art was defeated and the physicians had written him off and said explicitly that the child would die, the woman did not abandon her better hopes, but emulating the Shunnamite woman had her carriage attached to mules. Placing in it herself and her child, she repaired to the godly man, and showing by tears her natural distress begged for his aid. Taking the child in his hands and placing it at the foot of the altar, he lay face downwards as he entreated the Physician of souls and bodies. Gaining his request, he restored the son in good health to his mother. I myself heard this from the very woman who witnessed the miracle and obtained the healing of her son.

The story is told that the master of this village once made a visit—he was Letoios, preeminent in the council of Antioch, but engulfed in the darkness of impiety. He demanded crops from the peasants with more severity than was needed. The man of God advised and exhorted him to show kindness, and expatiated on pity and mercy. But he remained implacable, until he learnt by experience the penalty for obstinacy. When he had to depart, and his carriage was ready and, taking his seat, he ordered the muleteer to urge on the mules, they pulled with all their strength, in eager haste to pull the carriage-pole, yet the wheels were as if fastened with iron and lead. When all the peasants together tried to move the wheels with bars and achieved nothing more, one of Letoios’s well-wishers, who was seated next to him, indicated the cause, telling how the holy old man was imprecating a curse and that it was right to conciliate him. Accordingly, leaping from the carriage, he entreated the one he had insulted, and falling prostrate at his feet and clasping his dirty rags begged him to relax his anger. The other, accepting the petition and transmitting it to the Master, freed the wheels from their invisible bonds and made the chariot move as usual.

Many other stories of this kind are told about this godly person. One can learn from them that those who choose to practise philosophy are harmed not at all by life in towns and villages; for the man and those like him responsible for the service of God have shown that it is possible even for those who go about among many to attain the very summit of the virtues. May I ascend a short way the foot-hills at least of this summit, aided by their prayers.