January 15: Saint Paul the Hermit

The feast day of Saint Paul the Hermit (229-342) is celebrated today. Saint Paul was born in lower Egypt, near Thebes. Orphaned at fifteen, and having survived the persecution of the Church by Emperor Decius, Paul gave up his possessions at age 22 and escaped to the desert. It is here that Paul, the First Hermit, lived for the remainder of his long life in solitude and heavenly contemplation. Despite isolating himself from the world to grow closer to God, Saint Paul continued to pray for the world, praying that it would grow more holy.

Upon arriving in the desert, Saint Paul settled in a cave, near a freshly flowing stream and a single palm tree. The stream provided his water and the tree his food for the first 21 years of his contemplative life. Neither having seen nor talked to anyone during that time, a raven began visiting Saint Paul each day, bringing him a half loaf of bread. Saint Paul subsisted on this meager ration his entire life.

Near the end of his life, Saint Paul’s solitude was interrupted by a visit from Saint Anthony, who in vain thought sought him out to prove that he had served God in the wilderness longer. Upon meeting Saint Paul, Saint Anthony attested to the fact that Paul was a more perfect man than he. The two conversed, with the raven delivering an entire loaf of bread that day.

Saint Anthony returned to bury Saint Paul upon his death, at the urging of then bishop (and now saint) Athanasius. Upon arrival to bury him, Saint Anthony reportedly found a grave freshly dug by a pair of lions. Saint Paul was buried, wrapped in the bishop’s cloak, at the advanced age of 113. The events of his life were later recorded by Saint Jerome.

Saint Paul the Hermit sought communion with the Lord through quiet thought, prayer, and contemplation. By shutting out the noise and distraction of society, he was able to discover the Lord’s blessings more fully in his life. While we may view Saint Paul’s lifestyle as “drastic,” we might also take a lesson from him regarding the importance of quiet space and contemplation. Are we too busy to stop, be still, and in the silence find our Lord? Even when we try, are we able to “turn off” our minds, forget about the annoyances and worries of the day, and focus on Jesus, our savior? Saint Paul inspires us to take time out of our busy lives to sit quietly in prayer and listen for the voice of God.



Day 15 of 365
Prayer Intentions: Stillness within us to commune with God; Those suffering in the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake
Prayer Requests: Friend undergoing kidney transplant and dialysis (L); Continued employment for those who are at risk of job loss (J)
Special Intentions: Those trying to conceive or adopt; Those who are pregnant or expecting children; New parents; Those who have experienced miscarriage or pregnancy complications