Epiphanius rebukes his monks and exchanges ascetic boasts with Hilarion

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Epiphanius, bishop of Cyprus, has just received a report from his monastery in Palestine that the monks keep only the third, sixth, and ninth hours of prayer.

But he condemned them and made it clear to them, saying: "It is obvious that you are neglecting the other hours of the day, being idle from prayer. For the true monk must have prayer and psalmody unceasingly in his heart."

Once holy Epiphanius sent to Abba Hilarion, urging him and saying: "Come, let us see each other before we depart from the body." And when he arrived, they rejoiced with one another. While they were eating, a bird was brought in. The bishop took it and gave it to Abba Hilarion. The old man says to him: "Forgive me, for since I received the habit I have not eaten sacrificial meat." The bishop says to him: "But I, since I received the habit, have not let anyone go to sleep holding anything against me, nor have I gone to sleep holding anything against anyone." The old man says to him: "Forgive me, for your way of life is greater than mine."

The same one said that Melchizedek is an image of Christ: he blessed Abraham, the root of the Jews. How much more does the truth itself, Christ, bless and sanctify all who believe in him.

Greek

Ὁ δὲ

καταγνοὺς αὐτῶν, ἐδήλωσεν αὐτοῖς λέγων, ὅτι Φανεροί ἐστε ἀμελοῦντες τὰς ἄλλας

ὥρας τῆς ἡμέρας ἀργοῦντες ἀπὸ τῆς εὐχῆς. ∆εῖ γὰρ τὸν ἀληθινὸν μοναχὸν

ἀδιαλείπτως ἔχειν τὴν εὐχὴν καὶ τὴν ψαλμῳδίαν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ.

δʹ. Ἔπεμψέ ποτε ὁ ἅγιος Ἐπιφάνιος πρὸς τὸν ἀββᾶν Ἱλαρίωνα, παρακαλῶν

αὐτὸν, καὶ λέγων· ∆εῦρο, ἴδωμεν ἑαυτοὺς πρὸ τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος·

καὶ παραγενομένου αὐτοῦ, ἐχάρησαν μετ' ἀλλήλων. Ἐσθιόντων δὲ αὐτῶν, ἠνέχθη

πετεινόν. Καὶ λαβὼν ὁ ἐπίσκοπος ἔδωκε τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἱλαρίωνι. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων·

Συγχώρησόν μοι, ὅτι ἐξ οὗ ἔλαβον τὸ σχῆμα, οὐκ ἔφαγον θῦμα. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ

ἐπίσκοπος· Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐξ οὗ ἔλαβον τὸ σχῆμα, οὐκ ἀφῆκά τινα κοιμηθῆναι ἔχοντα κατ'

ἐμοῦ, οὐδὲ ἐγὼ ἐκοιμήθην ἔχων κατὰ τινός. Καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ γέρων· Συγχώρησόν

μοι, ὅτι ἡ σὴ πολιτεία μείζων ἐστὶ τῆς ἐμῆς.

εʹ. Ὁ αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν, ὅτι ἡ εἰκὼν τοῦ Χριστοῦ Μελχισεδὲκ, τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν

Ἰουδαίων εὐλόγησε τὸν Ἀβραάμ· πολλῷ πλέον αὐτὴ ἡ ἀλήθεια ὁ Χριστὸς, εὐλογεῖ

καὶ ἁγιάζει πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας εἰς αὐτόν.

ς ʹ.

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About this text

A collection of wise and mysterious sayings from a 4th-century bishop, offering insight into early Christian life and beliefs.

Epiphanius of Salamis (c. 310/320–403) was bishop of Salamis, the chief city of Cyprus, for nearly forty years. Before becoming bishop he had lived as a monk in Egypt and founded a monastery in Palestine.

The sayings open with stories of divine judgment on paganism, including the destruction of the Serapeum idol by Theophilus of Alexandria and the death of the emperor Julian foretold by crows. Epiphanius then rebukes his monks for keeping only the third, sixth, and ninth hours while neglecting prayer during the other hours of the day. He exchanges mutual respect with Abba Hilarion, who acknowledges Epiphanius's greater way of life.

Epiphanius contrasts humble faith with proud religiosity. The closing sayings emphasize Scripture reading as protection against sin, the small cost at which God sells righteousness, God's readiness to forgive repentant sinners while demanding more from the righteous, and the beatitudes and Ten Commandments as the substance of the Christian way.

Printed text used

Translated from PG 41 – 43 (Greek)

This work has passed our source check. We made this study translation with AI help. No scholar has yet certified it as faithful and complete. Open Greek on any section to see the source text. It is not a critical edition.

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