Andrew of Oxyrhynchus

Venerable Andrew of Oxyrhynchus (Egypt) is commemorated together with the venerable ones John, Heracleamon and Theophilus of Oxyrhynchus, ascetics of the Egyptian desert in the fourth century. They are commemorated on 25 June and on 15 December.

All four were children of officials of the city of Oxyrhynchus in Middle Egypt. Already in school they became friends and, after learning the higher worldly sciences, were kindled with the desire to gain spiritual wisdom. Resolving to devote themselves to ascetic labour, they withdrew into the desert, where they met a very aged holy man, with whom they lived a year, benefiting from his teaching. When he died, the venerable ones stayed there but settled in separate places. They ate wild vegetables, eating only twice a week. Each spent his time alone in the surrounding mountains and caves, and on Saturdays and Sundays they gathered for common prayer and were found worthy to receive Holy Communion from an angel of God. So, after nearly sixty years, they reposed in peace.

In the desert Venerable Paphnutius met them, who listened to them and wrote down the story of their lives. Paphnutius, an ascetic in one of the hermit monasteries of Egypt, left an account of how he found in the desert Venerable Onuphrius the Great and other hermits. Wishing to see whether in the inner desert there was a monk who laboured for the Lord more than he, he set out with a little bread and water, four days without eating, and found a cave with a single small window. Among those he met were four young men, who received him with joy, ate vegetables with him and gave thanks to God. At parting he earnestly asked them their names: the first was called John, the second Andrew, the third Heracleamon, the fourth Theophilus, and they asked him to commemorate their names before the brethren, and he asked them to remember him in their prayers. Paphnutius returned with great joy and sorrow together: sorrow that he had lost the sight and sweet talk of such great servants of God, and joy that he had received their blessing, seen an angel and received Communion from angelic hands. His account was sent to all the fathers of the skete, who read it and glorified God.