Maesymas the Syrian

Venerable Maesymas (Mavsima) was a Syrian ascetic and priest of the fourth century, Syrian by birth, who died around the end of that century. Theodoret of Cyrrhus writes of him in chapter fourteen of the History of the Lovers of God. Our sources give his commemoration on 5 February (the Serbian source), and our calendar on 23 January and 13 February; the days do not agree.

He was born in a village near the city of Cyrrhus and was brought up there. Theodoret writes that Maesymas advanced in all kinds of virtue. For this he was ordained priest of a village, where he was spiritual guide of the people. For a very long time he had the same tunic and cloak, which he did not change, but put patches on the torn places and so wore them till old age. He cared diligently for strangers, and for this reason his door was always open to them.

Theodoret tells of miracles worked by Maesymas: he had two vessels, one with grain and one with oil, and gave from them to all who were in need, but the vessels always remained full. He healed the child of a rich and noble woman, condemned to death by the physicians. Theodoret also tells of the punishment for disobedience that came upon Lithoius, who held first place in the council of Antioch, and of how, after his repentance and earnest entreaties, Maesymas delivered him from the punishment. Maesymas died in old age, toward the end of the fourth century.