25 June 2023 (MIA)

Macedonian Orthodox Church Calendar

Our Holy Father Onuphrius the Great

This holy ascetic had been living a whole sixty years in the desert when the monk Paphnutius visited him. His hair and beard reached down to the ground, and long hair, as white as snow, had grown all over his body during his years of nakedness. His appearance was cadaverous, unearthly and awe-inspiring. Seeing Paphnutius, he called him by name and then recounted to him his life in the desert. His guardian angel had appeared to him and taken him to that place. He had for a long time only eaten earth, which it was hard to find in the desert, and, after that, when he had survived an intensive struggle with diabolical temptations and when his heart had become utterly established in love for God, an angel had brought him bread to eat. And besides that, through God’s gracious providence, a palm tree grew up at one side of his cell, that gave good dates, and a spring of water began to flow there. ‘But especially,’ said Onuphrius, ‘my food and drink are the sweet words of God.’ To Paphnutius’s question about his receiving of Communion, the hermit answered that the angel of God brought him Communion every Saturday. On the next day, the old man told Paphnutius that it was the day of his departure from this world; then he knelt down, prayed to God and gave his spirit into God’s hands. Then Paphnutius saw a heavenly light that illumined the body of the departed saint, and heard a choir of the angelic hosts. He buried Onuphrius’s body with honour and returned to his own monastery, there as a living witness to narrate to the brethren, for their edification, the wonderful life of the man of God and the greatness of God’s providence towards those who give themselves wholly to His service. Onuphrius died in the year 400.

Catholic Calendar

William of Vercelli

Nobility. Orphaned as an infant, and raised by relatives. Pilgrim to Saintiago de Compostela, Spain at age 14. There he decided on a life devoted to God. Hermit for two years at Monte Solicoli where he healed a blind man. Friend of Saint John of Pulsano. Started a pilgrimage to the Holy Lands, but discerned that he would be of more use to in Italy. Hermit at Monte Vergiliano (Monte Verging). There his reputation for holiness attracted many disciples. In 1119 he formed them into the Hermits of Monte Vergine (Williamites) with a Rule based on the Benedictines; its members during William’s life formed five other houses, but only the original survives today. When some of the hermits began to grumble that William’s austerities were too hard to match, he, Saint John, and a small handful of brothers left in order not to be a cause of dissension. When their hermitage burned, they moved to Monte Cognato, and into the area of Naples. Advisor to King Roger I of Naples who built him a hermitage at Salerno. Founded monasteries in the Naples region. Died on 25 June 1142 at Guglietto, Italy of natural causes.