ymous life in Surius, and
Bollandus; also Cedrenus, Sozomen, and Theodorus Lector, l. 1. Codinus
Orig. Constant. p. 60. See Tillemont, t. 16, p. 161.

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JANUARY XI.

ST. THEODOSIUS, THE CENOBIARCH.

From his life by Theodorus, bishop of Petra, some time his disciple, in
Surius and Bollandus, and commended by Fleury, Baillet, &c.

A.D. 529.

ST. THEODOSIUS was born at Mogariassus, called in latter ages Marissa,
in Cappadocia, in 423. He imbibed the first tincture of virtue from the
fervent example and pious instructions of his virtuous parents. He was
ordained reader, but some time after being moved by Abraham's example to
quit his country and friends, he resolved to put this motion in
execution. He accordingly set out for Jerusalem, but went purposely out
of his road, to visit the famous St. Simeon Stylites on his pillar, who
foretold him several circumstances of his life, and gave him proper
instructions for his behavior in each. Having satisfied his devotion in
visiting the holy places in Jerusalem, he began to consider in what
manner he should dedicate himself to God in a religious state. The
dangers of living without a guide, made him prefer a monastery to a
hermitage; and he therefore put himself under the direction of a holy
man named Longinus, to whom his virtue soon endeared him in a very
particular manner. A pious lady having built a church under the
invocation of the Blessed Virgin, on the high road to Bethlehem,
Longinus could not well refuse her request, that his pupil should
undertake the charge of it; but Theodosius, who loved only to obey,
could not be induced by any entreaties to consent to this proposal:
absolute commands were necessary to force him to a compliance. Nor did
he govern long; for dreading the poison of vanity from the esteem of
men, he retired into a cave at the top of a neighboring desert mountain,
and employed his time in fasting, watching, prayers, and tears, which
almost continually flowed from his eyes. His food was coarse pulse and
wild herbs: for thirty years he never tasted so much as a morsel of
bread. Many desired to serve God under his direction: he at first
determined only to admit six or seven, but was soon obliged to receive a
greater number, and at length came to a resolution, which charity
extorted from him, never to reject any that presented themselves with
dispositions that seemed sincere. The first lesson which he taught his
monks was, that the continual r