ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN APRIL
Saints celebrated on the 4th of April
SAINT THEON, HERMIT
Saint Theon (Theonas), a hermit near the town of Oxirinchus, now Benesh, in the Thebaid, lived for entire thirty years in constant silence.
Because of his profound humility, St Theon concealed his most extensive knowledge of the Egyptian, Greek and Roman sciences and refused all conversation with men in order to occupy himself with God alone.
He never ate anything cooked, just raw food; when he left his cell it was usually at nighttime. His companions in the desert were wild animals, for whom he drew water from his well, which is why his cell was often surrounded by buffalo oxen, goslings, and forest donkeys.
The saint performed many miracles and was considered a prophet in the whole area. When the sick came, he just stretched out his hand through his little window. gave them the blessing and they were healed. Nothing of his penitential severity could be seen in his appearance; for his face always shone with heavenly contentment.
Two robbers, who once had come with the intention of killing him, hoping to find large sums of money on him, could not touch his threshold, and had to stand petrified until morning. The crowd that came running was so upset about these robbers that they wanted to burn them alive. This caused the saint to finally speak, but he only let the following words be heard: "Let them go and do them no harm, otherwise the Lord would take away my healing power." The robbers were converted.
The saint died towards the end of the 4th century. The Greeks venerate him together with Saints Simeon and Phorbinus, who may have been his disciples.
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, Volume 5, Augsburg, 1882)
Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints - Sources and Abbreviations
PRAYER:
Grant, we beseech you, almighty God, that the venerable feast of Saint Theon may increase our devotion and promote our salvation. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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