The Life of Saint Syncletica

THE LIFE AND CONDUCT OF THE HOLY AND BLESSED TEACHER SYNCLETICA.

It were necessary for all people not to be uninitiated in good things. For if they were thus well-exercised in these matters, they would be without loss in life; and indeed, many of the good things have escaped the notice of the more simple-minded. This they have suffered because their minds have become duller from neglect. For often even priceless pearls have come into the hands of poor men. But they, having no tested skill concerning these things, despised them as things small and of no account. We, at least, having a childish and unexercised soul, encountering the present pearl, consider it nothing great, gazing only at its form, but being far from the knowledge of its nature. But as we were taught its beauty little by little by those near us, a divine love was also engendered in us for what was seen; for the things themselves kindled our minds to longing. But why do I speak of those present, or even count myself among them, as if we knew or said anything about the ever-memorable and blessed Syncletica? For I think that all human nature falls short of narrating her good deeds. And if anyone should attempt to say something about her, much and infinite of what is sought will be left out, even if he happens to be wise or knowledgeable. For just as those who wish to gaze at the sun injure their sight, so also those who try to reflect on her life, becoming dizzy from the greatness of her achievements, yielding or even growing faint, suffer confusion in their minds. But we, tracking her affairs according to our own ability, and having heard cursorily of her early life from her contemporaries, and having been faintly illuminated by the deeds themselves, have come to write, storing up for ourselves saving nourishment. For to speak of her worthily is not only impossible for us, but also difficult for the many. She who is named for the heavenly senate, happens to be from the country of Macedonia. For when her ancestors had heard of the love of God and love of Christ of the Alexandrians, they came down from Macedonia to the city of the Macedonian 28.1489. And when they had set foot in the country, and found the reality to be greater than the report, they inhabited it amicably. They did not rejoice in the multitude of people, nor did they marvel at the size of the dwellings; but having found a single-minded faith with sincere love, they made their new residence a second home. The blessed Syncletica was also distinguished by her family, and was adorned with the other things considered delightful in the world. She also had a like-minded sister, and two brothers, they too having been brought up in a most reverent life; of whom the one died while he was in his childhood; but the other, having reached his twenty-fifth year, was urged by his parents into marriage; and when everything was prepared for what was sought, and the customary symbols were being performed, the young man flew away like a bird from snares, having exchanged the earthly bride for the blameless and free company of the saints. But she, while still in her father's arms, first exercised her soul in the love of God; and she did not so much take care of her body as she watched over the impulses of her nature. For she was also most beautiful in body, so that many suitors approached her according to the

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Vita sanctae Syncleticae

ΒΙΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΙΑ ΤΗΣ ΑΓΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΚΑ ΡΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ∆Ι∆ΑΣΚΑΛΟΥ ΣΥΓΚΛΗΤΙΚΗΣ.

Ἔδει πάντας ἀνθρώπους τῶν καλῶν μὴ ἀμυήτους ὑπάρχειν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἐγγεγυμνασμένοι τοῖς πράγμα σιν εἰ εἶεν, τὸ ἀζήμιον εἶχον ἐν βίῳ· καὶ γοῦν τοὺς ἀκε ραιοτέρους τὰ πολλὰ τῶν χρηστῶν διέλαθεν. Τοῦτο δὲ πεπόνθασιν ἐκ τοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτοῖς ἀμβλυωτέραν καθεστάναι ὑπὸ τῆς ἀμελείας. Πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ μαρ γαρῖται πολύτιμοι εἰς πένητας παρῆλθον ἄνδρας. Οἱ δὲ ἀδοκίμαστον τὴν περὶ τούτων τέχνην ἔχοντες, ὡς μικρῶν τινων καὶ οὐδαμινῶν κατεφρόνησαν. Ἡμεῖς γοῦν, νηπίαν καὶ ἀνάσκητον ψυχὴν ἔχοντες, τῷ παρ όντι ἐντυγχάνοντες μαργαρίτῃ, οὐδὲν μέγα τοῦτον θεωροῦμεν, τῷ σχήματι μόνῳ ἐνατενίζοντες, τῆς δὲ φύσεως αὐτοῦ, ὅσον πρὸς γνῶσιν, μακρὰν τυγχάνον τες. Ὡς δὲ κατ' ὀλίγον ἐκ τῶν πέλας ἐδιδασκόμεθα τὸ κάλλος αὐτοῦ, θεῖος ἔρως καὶ ἡμῖν ἐνεγεννᾶτο πρὸς τὸ ὀφθέν· καὶ γὰρ αὐτὰ τὰ πράγματα ἐζωπύρει ἡμῶν πρὸς τὸν πόθον τὴν διάνοιαν. Τί δὲ λέγω τοὺς παρόντας, ἢ καὶ ἑαυτὸν συγκα ταριθμῶ τούτοις, ὥς τι εἰδότων ἡμῶν καὶ λεγόντων περὶ τῆς ἀοιδίμου καὶ μακαρίας Συγκλητικῆς; Οἶμαι γὰρ πᾶσαν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν λείπεσθαι πρὸς διήγησιν τῶν ἀγαθῶν αὐτῆς πράξεων. Εἰ δὲ καί τις ἐπιχειρήσειε λέγειν τι περὶ αὐτῆς, πολὺ μὲν καὶ ἄπειρον ἀπολει φθήσεται τῶν ζητουμένων, κἂν σοφὸς, κἂν ἐπιστή μων τυγχάνῃ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ τῷ ἡλίῳ ἀτενίσαι βου λόμενοι τὰς ὄψεις βλάπτονται, οὕτω καὶ οἱ κατοπτρί ζεσθαι τῷ βίῳ ταύτης πειρώμενοι, ὑπὸ τοῦ μεγέθους τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἰλιγγιάσαντες, ὑπενδόντες ἢ καὶ ἀτονήσαντες, σύγχυσιν ὑφίστανται τῇ διανοίᾳ. Ἡμεῖς δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἰδίαν δύναμιν ἰχνηλατοῦντες τὰ κατ' αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐκ τῶν συνηλίκων δὲ αὐτῆς τὰ κατὰ τὸν πρῶτον βίον ἀκροθιγῶς ἀκούσαντες, καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀμυδρῶς καταυγασθέντες, ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν ἥκομεν, ἑαυτοῖς τροφὰς σωτηριώδεις ἀποθησαυρίζοντες. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ κατ' ἀξίαν αὐτῆς λέ γειν οὐ μόνον ἡμῖν ἀδύνατον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς δυσχερές. Ἡ τῆς οὐρανίου συγκλήτου ἐπώνυμος, χώρας τῆς Μακεδονίας τυγχάνει. Ἀκηκοότων γὰρ τῶν προγόνων αὐτῆς τὸ φιλόθεον καὶ φιλόχριστον τῶν Ἀλεξανδρέων, κατελάμβανον ἐκ Μακεδονίας τὴν τοῦ Μακεδόνος πό 28.1489 λιν. Ἐπιβαντῶν δὲ αὐτῶν τῇ χώρᾳ, καὶ μείζω εὑρόν τες τῆς φήμης τὰ πράγματα, φιλοφρόνως ᾤκουν αὐ τήν. Οὐ πλήθει δὲ δήμων συνέχαιρον, οὔτε μὴν οἰκη μάτων ἐθαύμαζον μέγεθος· πίστιν δὲ μονότροπον εὑρόντες σὺν εἰλικρινεῖ ἀγάπῃ, δευτέραν ἔθεντο τὴν οἰκείαν τῆς μετοικίας. Ἦν δὲ καὶ τῷ γένει περίβλεπτος ἡ μακαρία Συγκλητικὴ, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις δὲ τοῖς κατὰ τὸν κόσμον τερπνοῖς νομιζομένοις ἐκεκόσμητο. Παρῆν δὲ αὐτῇ καὶ ἀδελφὴ ὁμόφρων ἅμα, καὶ ἀδελφοὶ δύο, σεμνο τάτῳ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀναχθέντες βίῳ· ὧν ὁ μὲν εἷς, ἐν τῇ παιδικῇ ἡλικίᾳ τυγχάνων, ἀπεγένετο· ὁ δὲ ἕτερος, ἐπιβὰς πέμπτῳ καὶ εἰκοστῷ ἔτει, παρὰ τῶν γονέων εἰς γάμον παρεκαλεῖτο· καὶ πάντων πρὸς τὸ ζητού μενον εὐτρεπισθέντων, καὶ τῶν ἐξ ἔθνους συμβολι κῶν ἐκτελουμένων, ἀπέπτη ὁ νέος ὥσπερ ὄρνεον ἐκ βρόχων, ἀνταλλαγὴν ποιησάμενος τῆς ἐπιγείου νύμ φης, τὴν ἄμωμον καὶ ἐλευθέραν τῶν ἁγίων σύνοδον. Αὕτη δὲ ἔτι ἐν ταῖς πατρῴαις ἀγκάλαις τυγχά νουσα, φιλοθεΐᾳ μὲν τὸ πρῶτον τὴν ψυχὴν ἠσκεῖτο· καὶ οὐχ οὕτω τὰς τοῦ σώματος ἐπιμελείας ἐποιεῖτο, ὡς τὰς τῆς φύσεως ὁρμὰς ἐπετήρει. Ἦν γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τὸ σῶμα περικαλλεστάτη, ὡς καὶ πολλοὺς αὐτῇ μνηστῆρας προσιέναι κατὰ τὴν

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