Aaron of Serug
Anthony Alcock
The Syriac text and French translation of this text were published by François Nau in Patrologia Orientalis 5 (1910) pp.
701-749, one of a group of texts that he characterizes as 'legends', which would fit the text's depiction of Christianity in
Syria in the 3rd-4th cent.. This translation is mainly from the French but the Syriac text has been consulted regularly.
The numbers in brackets are the subdivisions of Nau's translation. There are no obvious subdivisions in the manuscript
texts.
In his introduction (p. 697ff.) Nau suggests that Aaron is one of the saints that were 'imagined' by the Jacobite Church
after the Chalcedonian schism of 451, and they remained purely Jacobite and were not adopted by the rest of the
Christian world. The monastery of Aaron on Berika is first mentioned in the 9th -10th cent. by Bar Hebraeus. 1 The
legend may have been written to provide a well-known 'ancestor' of two 6th cent. monasteries in Melitene both bearing
the name 'Aaron'. One may suppose that various later traditions have been incorporated in the text. However much
'truth' there is in the story of Aaron, its portrayal of well-organized Christianity in and around Edessa in the late 2ndearly 3rd cent. fits in nicely with the story of the adoption of the new religion by Abgar V (Ukkama) at the time of Jesus
himself.
There are striking points of resemblance between this text and the Life of Epiphanius in Patrologia Graeca 41 (1863)
cols. 24-112,2 such as:
the episode of the demon-possessed royal daughter and the almost personal relationship that develops between the saint
and demons in general;
the constant repetition that the saint is merely the channel used by God to perform miracles (starting in §8);
the insistence by various parties after the performance of a miracle that the saint remain with them;
the extensive travel in both texts;
the minimal use of scriptural quotations or allusions.
If the frequency of Greek words in a Syriac text is an indicator of the language of composition, one might suggest that
Aaron was written in Syriac.
1 Chronicon Ecclesiasticon ed. and tr. J. Abbeloos and T. Lamy (1827) p. 407
2 An English version of this text is available at https://www.academia.edu/45147199/Epiphanius.
1
The life of the saint and perfect ascete Mar Aaron,3 written by his disciple Paul. May his prayer be
with us.
(1) My brothers, all ages and all times shine with the righteous, the beloved of God. As one star
eclipses another with its brightness, so also one righteous man can eclipse another. It is now our
duty to publish an account of the illustrious Mar Aaron, and this is the beginning of his life.
(2) In the city of Serug there was a God-fearing man called John,4 whose wife was called Anastasia.
They were both devout Christians and very wealthy. God willed that they should have a son, and
this is his story. His parents had much property and many flocks of sheep at Kafra Raba5 in Serug,
and one day when he was five, one of their shepherds came looking for food, and Aaron attached
himself to the shepherd and said: "I am coming with you." His parents said to him: "No, my son,
you are not. Heat burns beauty and darkens the complexion of the skin because the place is dry and
dessicated." The boy continued to annoy his parents. His father, very upset but not wanting the boy
to suffer, put him on a mule and sent him off with the shepherd. He spent two days with the other
shepherds.
(3) In this region there was a holy monastery called The Monastery of Sîmotô.6 On the third day he
saw the monastery and asked the shepherds what it was. They told him it was the home of the
perfect7 and saintly. He said to one of the servants: "Receive me into this place. I wish to see it very
much." He was received and at the ninth hour he was blessed by the monks who lived there. He said
to his servant:8 "I wish to live here among the saints. Go back to the flocks and come for me
tomorrow." The servant started to laugh: "What are you going to to do here ? Pray ?" He obeyed and
went back to the flock. Aaron stayed there the whole night, listening to the chanting of the offices
3 Ahroun ܐܗܪܘܢ: since Gk does not have a letter 'h' (only a breathing), it doubles the vowel 'a' in an attempt to
reproduce the sound. Nothing further is known of Paul. Serug was about 30 km SW of Edessa.
4
' ܝܐܢܝYânî'
5 The words mean 'main village' and may be a designation rather than a name, cf. later §14
6 Nau tentatively connects the name with a word that means 'lay up treasure' cf. R. Payne-Smith Compendious Syriac
Dictionary (1903) p. 366a. I am not aware of any other reference to this monastery.
7 Same as the word used in the title to describe Aaron.
8 Not quite sure who the 'servants'. Perhaps someone employed by the shepherds.
2
throughout the night until the early morning.
(4) The head of the monastery was perfect, saintly and God-fearing. Aaron genuflected before him:
"I am asking to be your disciple and live here with you." The monks laughed at him and said:
"What! He wants to be a monk!" The abbot replied, inspired by Scripture: "Blessed are the parents
of this child. Let me tell you that many will enter the kingdom heaven because of this child."
(5) While they were speaking, the servant came and said to the boy : "Come, let us return to our
flock." The boy replied: "Tell your masters that I am not coming back to them with you." The
shepherd was profoundly dismayed: "What is the meaning of what you have just said ? Let us go to
your father, and then you can do as you please." The saint then said: "Stop complaining so much,
but go your masters and tell from me that I am not returning, now or ever." The servant cried
bitterly and returned to his masters, who demanded to know: "Where is Aaron ?" He told them what
the boy had said, and they wept bitterly.
(6) His parents set off with a large sum of money for the monastery, where they received the
blessing of the saints who lived there. His father said: "Son, if it is the hard work of tending the
sheep that has made you angry with us, leave the sheep and come and rest at home." The saint said:
"Do not be upset or cry. I do not want to come home with you." They became very sad because of
the boy, who said: "Give me my inheritance. I have seen the true light and wish to live in it. I have
found the true path that is set for those who love Christ." They divided the money and gave the boy
his inheritance, and he donated it to the monks. His parents went home full of grief. The boy stayed
with the monks for ten years, during which time he learned the Psalms and the pure monastic way
of life.
(7) He knelt before the whole community and said: "My fathers and brothers, I beg you to pray for
me." They all said in unison: "Go in peace, brother. The Lord will be with you and bless you as you
wish." The saint left them and went up a high mountain, where he found a cave with a lioness living
in it. He remained there for thirty years, living only on roots and the produce of the mountain. Later,
he went to see if the monks he had left were still alive or not. When he arrived there, he found that
they were all dead and the monastery was deserted.
(8) He returned to the mountain called Armenia,9 where he found a solitary named Gregory and
9 I take this to mean 'mountainous region'.
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stayed with him for three years. He ate once a week on Sunday. As they were both of the same
mind, they thought of going to pray in Jerusalem. As they were crossing the territory known as
Henzit,10 Gregory died in the village of Ramla and Aaron buried him with all due honour and
continued his journey to Jerusalem. He entered the village of Amid,11 from which he went down to
the Tigris, where he remained for several days. At this point God began to perform miracles through
the agency of Aaron.
(9) There was a village above it,12 where a very wealthy man lived. When he went to graze his
sheep, he went above the place where Aaron lived and was constantly at prayer. He had a son
paralysed from birth, who was unable to walk. When this man saw Aaron, he became frightened
because of Aaron's hair tunic and said to him: " If you are a man, speak to me." The saint said: "I am
a man. I am here for a short time and then I leave." The shepherd said: "I see that you are a
righteous man. Please, I have a son who has been paralysed from birth. If you will allow me, I can
bring him that you may pray over him. Perhaps through your prayers God will have mercy on him
and heal him." The saint said; "Promise not to tell anyone." He promised and brought his son. The
saint anointed him with oil in the name of Our Lord, and he was healed. He began to walk, joyfully
praising God. He went into the village and everyone looked at him in astonishment. They asked him
where he had been healed and who had done it. The boy replied: "God performed a miracle on
me."But they pressed him to tell them how he had been healed and who had healed him.
(10) Men and women together ran to where Aaron was. Finding him kneeling at prayer, they asked
him to follow them, but he refused. They told the local bishop about this, and he came down with a
large retinue, but they did not find the saint, for he had left the place. When they went back up, the
found him in a cave, just finishing the prayer of the ninth hour.13 They greeted him and he received
them as a priest receives beloved children and rejoiced with them. They said to him: "Master, will
you come to the town with your servants ? They will be blessed by your footprints." He agreed, and
they followed him into town.
(11) There was a man living in the town named Manasse, who had a son with an unapproachable
form of leprosy. Manasse begged him to put his hand on the boy, and the saint was much affected.
He anointed the boy with a blessing and cured him. When the father saw this, he believed in the true
10
11
12
13
I cannot identify Henzit or Ramla, but they seem to be N of Amid.
Mod. Diyarbakir. Approx. 200 km NE of Serug.
Presmably the Tigris
3 pm.
4
faith together with his entire household, for he was a Jew.
(12) The blessed one left this man and went into the Church of St Andrew.14 So many sick people
were healed by God that the mouth of man is unable to recount them. Aaron was approached by
Theodore, who wanted him to be ordained priest by the bishop. Aaron was finally compelled by
Theodore and the people and was ordained priest on the holy Sunday of Pentecost. Aaron prayed for
the bishop and the town and made his way to Edessa15 and the Monastery of the Orientals.
(13) There was a man called John, and John was an important man. Hi daughter was persecuted by
a demon. When he saw the saint, he asked him to lay his hands upon her in secret. He dared not do
it in public because he was afraid of the head of his congregation.16 He brought his daughter, and
Aaron anointed her with oil in the name of the Lord. The demon came out: "What have I done to
you, Aaron, that you chase me out of my home ?" The girl was converted, together with her father
and many unbelievers, when they witnessed this miracle. The townspeople began to seek him out,
and he fled to the Monastery of the Virgins, from where he went to the city of Batnan.17
(14) There was a village called Kafra Raba, in which a man named Gabriel had a demon18 in his
house. The demon looked a like a man: he came and went in the village, quickly and lightly. Those
who saw were frightened by him, especially the owners of this house. When the house owner heard
of the fame of Aaron, he went to Batnan and told the saint of the demon. The saint went back with
him, and they arrived at the house of prayer north of the village. The village notables followed
Aaron and asked him to go down to the dwelling19 of the demon, which was to the south of the
village, with a river to the east.20 The demon, when he saw the saint coming, hastened to set a trap
for him to stop him from coming. He took some mallows and put them on the stones where the saint
was to cross the river. The blessed one crossed over the stones, slipped and fell, injuring his foot. He
told those with him to carry him to the dwelling. When the demon saw the saint entering through
the gate, he stood on the gate and said: "Why are you chasing me from my house ? I have been here
for twenty-seven years, and you are the only person to perscute me." The saint said: "You do not
14 I cannot identify this church.
15 200 km south of Amid. According to A. von Harnack Expansion of Christianity (1908) p. 293, there was
Christianity at Edessa before 200. I can find no other reference to the monastery.
16 ܟܢܘܫܐ. Nau calls him a 'pagan priest' but I cannot find the term in the text. Whatever his 'congregation' was, it
seems to have been hostile to Christianity.
17 Approx. 100 km SE of Edessa.
18 Different from the word used earlier.
19 ' ܕܪܬܐenclosure, place surrounded by a fence'.
20 Topographical details seem to be fairly precise.
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have the right21 to stay in Syria." The demon replied: "Because you are driving me out of Syria, I
will gather all my fellow-demons you are expelling with me and go and live in Armenia." And this
is what happened: the cave in Armenia where they went to live is now the monastery of Aaron.22
(15) After having driven out the demons, Aaron returned to Batnan, where he wanted to spend the
rest of his life. He asked the local dignitaries and the people for permission to stay there and build a
monastery. They agreed, and he stayed there for four years. Other monks arrived, and Aaron prayed
for them and they prayed for him. Thereafter he resumed his journey to Jerusalem.
(16) On his way he passed through Antioch and came to a place called Akkoh.23 The dignitaries of
the town were pagan. There were five Christians in the town whom the pagans wanted to kill
because a pagan living near them died. The was no judge24 in the town, and the pagan masters of
this man came to arrest the Christians. They incarcerated the Christians on the grounds that they had
poisoned him. It was pagan custom to wash and eviscerate a body in order to embalm it and treat it
with sweet-smelling substances, so they left it unburied for two days until the judge arrived. Aaron
came into the town full of divine zeal and went to the theatre. The judge went to the theatre to
condemn the Christians to death. The saint asked the judge and the people why the Christians were
to be put to death and was told that they had treacherously murdered the man. Aaron told them that
the man had been struck by divine wrath. They asked him: "Does divine anger strike down
pagans ?" And he replied that it did strike down pagans and their gods. Now, there was a very large
statue of Zeus, and Aaron said the name of God aloud and it fell and broke into pieces. The pagans
threw themselves at the saint and started to beat him: "This man is a trickster." They took Aaron to
be with the other saints so that they could perish together. The Christians prostrated themselves
before the saint and said: "We know that you are a servant of God. Show us now the power of God,
for we are about to die for no crime." Aaron said: "As the God of us all wishes." He called one of
the pagans: "If I implore you by God, you will not hear me. I therefore adjure you by your god to
show me the dead man." They said; "What do you want with him ?" The saint replied: "Perhaps he
is not dead." The pagan started to laugh; "He has been dead for two days, and you think he is not
dead." While they were speaking, this pagan was brought to the middle of the theatre to be buried.
The pagan said: "Here is the man you claim is not dead. They want to bury him." The saint ran over
to him and said to those carrying him: "I implore you to put him down here." So they did. "What
21 ܫܘܠܛܢܐ
22 I cannot identify this place.
23 ܥܟܘܗNau suggests Akkon (Acre), a harbour town N of Galilee
24 The word 'hyparch' ( ) ܐܘܦܪܟܐrefers to a town official of some sort who might have functioned as a judge.
6
does he want to do with the dead man ?" Aaron knelt and said: "Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was
crucified in Jerusalem by the Jews and rose again on the third day, bring this pagan back to life so
that it might be known that you are the true God." The pagans started to laugh: "You want to bring
him back to life in the name of someone who was crucified ?" Aaron finished his prayer and
approached the body and said: "In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, rise and tell us who killed you
so that these innocent Christians do not die." At that moment the dead man rose.
(17) The pagans, when they saw this, were seized with fright and wonder. They threw themselves
at his feet in adoration: "We see that you are the servant of the living God. Reveal to us your God
that we may confess him." The dead man said to them: "Shame on you, pagans, who do not know
Jesus, son of the living God. I have been dead for two days, and God has been tormenting me in
Gehenna, for pagan deeds and especially for the sake of Christians who do not deserve to die, until
this saint arrived and rescued me from him. I promised him that I would confess and serve him, and
now before you I confess him and the Holy Spirit." They all cried out: "We believe in you, God,
who has sent us this man to bring us to true knowledge and faith." They rushed to release the
Christians and all came back praising and blessing God. There was a spring in the theatre, and
Aaron baptized the pagans, about 1550 of them. He stayed with them for several days and built
them an altar to administer the Eucharist to them, and they all confessed the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit.
(18) The saint then asked for permission to resume his journey to Jerusalem, but they refused. He
left the town secretly without anyone's knowledge. He went to Jerusalem, prayed in the holy places
and returned to his monastery at Batnan but he found it abandoned and the disciples scattered.
(19) Aaron was saddened by the abandonment of the monastery and the dispersal of the disciples.
While he was at prayer in the middle of the night, an angel came down from heaven and said to
him: "Hail, chosen one of God, arise and make your way to Armenia, where you will live the rest of
your days." At sunrise the saint rose, took his staff25 and set off. He walked for several days until he
reached the Euphrates. He crossed the river near the city of Melitene,26 where he climbed a high
mountain and devoted himself to ascetic practices. God performed miracles and cures through him
on all the sick and infirm who visited him.
25 Payne-Smith p. 555b 'especially pastoral staff'.
26 Mod. Malatya. In 392 Diocletian divided Cappadocia, creating Armenia Minor, of which Melitene was an important
city. It is approx. 200 kn north of Batnan, a short distance to the west of the Euphrates.
7
(20) It would not be proper to pass over a great miracle that happened on Aaron's mountain, Berika.
When he arrived at the summit, he felt tired and weak because of the difficult climb. In the evening
two big lions came and took their rest at the feet of the saint. He was afraid: he thought it was vision
and blessed himself, but they did not go away. So the saint knew that they had been sent by God. At
that moment he heard a voice from heaven: "Aaron, do not be afraid, rest yourself on them and go
to the top of the mountain." He sat down for a mile on each of them before reaching the summit. On
his arrival, the lions went away and left him.When the sun rose, he saw the mountain, concealed
and tranquil. He liked it and decided to stay there. He lived only on roots that grew on the
mountain. He ate once every ten days, sometimes twenty days. For three years he spent an annual
month there. His fame spread arounnd the area, and people brought the afflicted and those with all
manner of illnesses, and he healed them in the name of Our Lord.
(21) When many people came to visit, there was not enough water for them all. A man of Melitene,
who learned that there was a water shortage on Berika, brought a beast of burden from his house to
Aaron to help carry water to the people.27 Aaron said: "My son, you see how little space we have.
Do you think that there is enough room for a donkey ? What is it to eat ?" But the man finally
persuaded the saint to accept the donkey, and Aaron blessed him profusely before he returned to the
town. The saint put two pitchers on the beast and went down to the river. He showed the donkey the
way to the river for two days and thereafter did not accompany the beast. When the sick and the
afflicted came to see him, he put the pitchers on the donkey, and the God gave the animal enough
intelligence to make its way to the middle of the river so that the pitchers filled with water and
return to the saint. When people saw this, they praised God.
(22) One day, when the donkey was going down to the river, it encountered a bear, which ate him.
When the donkey did not return, the saint went down and looked towards the river and saw the bear,
with blood around its mouth. The saint realized that the bear had eaten his beast and said to it: "You
wicked creature, where is the donkey ?" The bear wanted to flee, but Aaron asked him again: "Did
you eat the donkey ?" The bear nodded to show that he had. Aaron said: "In the name of Our Lord
Jesus Christ, come here." He then put four pitchers on the bear and said: "You wretched animal, this
donkey was supposed to live another two and half years to bring water up this mountain, but since
you have eaten him prematurely, you will bring water for the sick and the afflicted."28 The bear
obeyed him, and all who saw this were full of wonder and praised God for making intelligent
27 A much abbreviated version.
28 No mention elsewhere of this arrangement.
8
animals submit to those who do God's will.
(23) After the bear had spent two and a half years there, the saint released him. The fame of the
saint spread because of the miracles he performed, but Aaron no longer wished to be there, because
he shunned the praises of people, preferring the glory of God to that of man. For this reason he
decided to leave in secret without telling anyone where he was going.
While he was thinking about this, an angel of God came down and said: "Hail, elect of God, your
thoughts about no longer living on this mountain are right. You will live in the place appointed to
you. You have lived here for some time, thanks to the miracles God has performed through you.
God has blessed this place because of you, and your holy footprints will draw people to this place
where they can find refuge in your prayers and care for the salvation of their souls. But now rise and
go where you will." Aaron said that he did not know where to go, and the angel led him to the
Euphrates, along which they walked for nine hours until they reached a cave that was empty but full
of noise. Aaron said: "What is that noise ?" The angel replied: "All the demons you have driven out
of Syria. The head of them was in the house of Gabriel. There are three thousand and thirty-nine, a
troop and a half, whom you drove out of Syria. God now grants you permission to drive them away
from here and disperse them. This is where you will live. And it will become a refuge for those who
come to you and walk in your footsteps. And the name of your master will be praised here forever.29
(24) The angel went back up to heaven and the saint remained at the entrance to the cave for three
days. He found a small grotto in the south part of the cave, where he stayed for five months and
built himself an altar. Every day the demons threw stones at him to make him leave the cave. He did
not leave, but God gave him power over them. He went outside the cave and put up a cross, where
he prayed on the first day for God to make him victorious. On the second, he went a little further by
building an oratory and putting up another cross, and the demons began to be frightened. On the
third day he went further still and put up a cross. He prayed and went into the cave where the
demons were. He pursued them and forced them out like so much straw in the wind. He drove them
up the mountain and erected three crosses in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. He
stopped them by virtue of the victorious cross and said to them: "You have no power to harm
anyone within the limits of my monastery, day or night." The head demon said to Aaron: "You
drove us out Syria. We came here. Now you are driving us from here. What business do you have in
this unpleasant waterless place ? We were told by God to live in unpleasant, arid, uninhabited
29 Lit. 'until the end'.
9
places." Aaron said: "You cannot stay in Armenia. I will drive you all into Bêt Rûmi."30 Thus the
saint expelled the demons from the country and its caves, and from that time they were never seen
again in the saint's monastery and never were to be seen. The saint loved his cave and stayed there,
developing from day to day. Fifty disciples came to live with him, and his fame spread. The sick
and afflicted were brought to him, and God performed countless miracles through him.
(25) The saint lived alone in his cave, with his disciples in the one above. When God wanted the
faith to shine by means of his saint, he gave power to this demon31 to take up residence in
Constantine's daughter.32 The demon cried out: "If Aaron of Serug does not come, I will not leave
her." The Emperor sent letters all over, including Syria, but Aaron could not be found and the
Emperor was much grieved. Merchants from Melitene arrived at Constantinople,33 and the Emperor
was told about them. He summoned the merchants and questioned them about the saint. They told
him about all the miracles God had performed through his servant. The Emperor rejoiced greatly at
this news and sent three envoys on fast horses. They left the imperial city and set off.
(26) Before the envoys arrived, Aaron was planning to build a stone staircase for the convenience of
those who came to visit him for them to go up and down. He found a large stone and tried to move
it but could not. An angel of the Lord came to help, and between them they were able to move the
stone to the base of the staircase. While they were doing this, the envoys arrived at the entrance to
the cave. They saw the saint with the angel. They thought that one of them was an angel because he
was wearing a garment of gleaming white, while Aaron was wearing a garment of matted hair. The
angel ascended to heaven. The envoys fell to the ground in fear. Aaron went over to them and
picked them up: "Where are you from and what do you want ?" They asked him if he was Aaron
and he said that he was. They told him that the Emperor wanted to see him, and he said: "What does
the victorious Emperor want with me ?" They told him everything, and Aaron said that they return
to the Emperor, for this had come from God. They told him to mount the beasts of burden so that
they could leave quickly. Aaron told them to leave: "I will be there before you." The envoys urged
him to go with them, but he declined. They returned to the Emperor full of joy because they had
found Aaron.
30 The area known as the Byzantine Empire varied over the centuries, and if this designation is to be believed, places
such as Melitene in the early 4th cent were not included in it. See later §33.
31 Presumably the head demon.
32 The Emperor must be Constantine the Great, who died in the same year as Aaron. He had two daughters, neither of
whom is known to have been demonically possessed.
33 Work on the re-foundation and enlargement of Byzantium began in 324 and lasted for six years.
10
(27) Aaron left for Constantinople on the Feast of the Holy Cross on Wednesday the 14th of Elul
(September) after Mass and the celebration of feast. He gathered his disciples, prayed before God
and made flow a little water from the cave. He asked them to pray for him, and they thought he was
leaving not to return. He said to them: "Fear not. My body will be buried by you in this cave." They
prayed for him, and he left.
(28) He arrived at a village. and thieves, who did not have God in their thoughts, saw him.When
they recognized his monastic clothing and how much he was loved by the faithful, they thought that
he received money from the faithful, which he had with him. They plotted to attack him and strip
him of the wealth. They were bold enough to assault him, but the sparks that issued from the saint's
eyes assaulted their eyes, and they were no longer able to see. They cried out weeping at the top of
their voice: "Have mercy on us, servant of the living God, and ask your master to restore our sight
to us. We promise to give up thieving and the works of Satan and to convert and follow the
commandments that are the life of men." When the saint saw their tears and genuine remorse, he
was saddened and said: "If your conversion is totally sincere, your eyes will be opened." The
thieves said: "Sir, we know that when you ask your Lord Christ for something, he listens. Show us
therefore the power of the God you serve, and Satan, whom we serve, will be covered in
confusion." The saint passed among them placing his hand on the eyes of each one. He the said: "In
the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the one who opened the eyes of the blind new-born baby34 will
open your eyes in body and spirit, and you will see the light." They immediately recovered their
sight and were full of admiration for what God done through Aaron. They fell at his feet and asked
to be allowed to accompany him as his disciples. He declined and sent them away: "See what God
has done for you today. Do not return to your old life so as not to perish in sin." They left, praising
the living God, full of admiration for what he had done for them and they did not return to thieving.
(29) The saint continued his journey until he reached the village of Lardîn,35 where a man Stephanos
lived with his son Lebânâ, who had a spirit of prophecy. People came to him from all over that he
might reveal the answers to their questions. When Satan, the demon in Lebânâ who was deceiving
people with his prophecy, became aware that the saint had come, he cried out: "What is your
business withme, Aaron the Syrian, who have come to drive me out of the place where I have lived
ffor twenty years. Everyone thought Lebânâ was a prophet and wanted to hear what he had to say,
and now you come to unmask me !" Stephanos was very upset when he heard this from the
34 Possibly a ref. to John 9, 1-12.
35 I cannot identify this place.
11
demon.He became violently angry with the saint: "You have the whole of Syria to do what you
want, and you come here to rob my son of his power. But this is not up to you, for his power is
greater than yours." Aaron then said quietly to Stephanos: "This power of your son to reveal hidden
things, where does it come ?" Stephanos replied: "From God." When the saint heard this blasphemy,
he became angry with Stephanos and cursed him. The demon then entered him and took up
residence in him, while the boy was hurled to the ground. The saint ordered the spirit of prophecy to
leave, and since then the boy has made no more prophecies. All those who saw and heard knew that
the gift of prophecy was diabolical and not divine and did not come from a prophet but a tempter.
They recognized that he was a lying prophet and apostle of falsehood and that he was unable to
withstand the power of God. His fraud was uncovered by Aaron, and Stephanos was afflicted by the
spirit. He became like a corpse.36 Aaron left, and everyone thought that Stephanos was dead. They
were full of wonder and admiration at what they had seen.
(30) The blessed one continued his journey to Naqrûs.37 The faithful of Lardîn rose up against
Stephanos, who was like a corpse, and carried him off. They followed Aaron with the body and
threw it Aaron's feet in Naqrûs, lamenting and begging the saint to expel the demon in him once and
for all.38 The saint, seeing their faith, took pity on them. He approached the man and anointed him
with oil in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The demon departed and the man was healed. His
senses were restored to him and he went to throw himself at the feet of the saint, embracing him and
begging forgiveness for his folly. The saint prayed for him and gave him back safe and sound to the
faithful who had brought him. They went back to their village, praising God for what they had seen
and the miracles that God had performed through Aaron, for the glory his name and the miracles not
recorded in this book.
(31) From there Aaron went to receive the blessing of Simeon the monk. Before he arrived there,
Simeon saw a flashing star coming towards him from where Aaron was and was astonished at its
brightness.
(32) Aaron came upon a monk who unwittingly used to eat pigeons. He cooked them and set them
before the saint, saying: "Lord, say the blessing." The blessed one said: "No, you say it." The monk
said: "Pardon me. But it is for you to say the blessing, my lord." Aaron extended his hand and
blessed the pigeons, which flew away and out of the window of the cell. The monk was afraid and
36 ܐܝܟ ܡܝܬܐ
37 I cannot identify this place.
38 ܡܫܡܠܝܐܝܬ
12
praised the Lord. Aaron said to him: "You will no longer eat pigeons or meat." Nor did he. Aaron
left him and continued his journey.
(33) One Friday Aaron arrived at the place of Simeon,39 who sent his disciples out to meet him.
Aaron went in to be blessed by the monk and told him what had happened to him. He was a wellknown monk, but not Simeon known as the Stylite, who was much later than Aaron. Simeon asked
Aaron if he would take a disciple with him, someone named Andrew, to serve him on the journey.
He entered the Bêt Rûmi and made his way to the imperial capital.40
(34) He entered the city of Caesarea and stayed for a day to recover from the fatigue of the journey.
From there he went to Iconium, at the gates of which he found a burial in progress. The notables of
the city were Christian and, when they saw the saint and the pure garment41 of venerable
monasticism, they asked Aaron to join them in the funeral of the seven-year old boy who had fallen
from the city wall while playing.42 When the service was finished, Aaron went with them to the
cemetery. They said to him: "Take some oil and anoint him", as was normal for the dead. The saint
refused, but the priests urged him, and he agreed. As he finished anointing, the boy rose and lived a
long life. When the multitude saw the miracle he had performed, they were unwilling to let Aaron
go.
(35) That evening the saint secretly left the town together with the brother following him, and
nobody knew where they were going. The saint followed a road that took them to a town on the
coast. The brother with him said: "Master, we have to eat and then we can set sail." The saint told
him to go into town and buy what he wanted. He went everywhere and returned to his master:
"Master, I found nothing but animal heads." Aaron told him to go and bring some back. The boy
went into town, in two minds about the saint.43 Aaron went into town with him and found a butcher
and bought a sheep's head from him. The tradesman said to him: "How is it that you look like a
monk and eat meat ? In this country monks do not eat meat !" Aaron said: "What do you mean ?
You have just sold us vegetables." The saint blessed the sheep's head, and it became cooked
39 I take it that this is not the same Simeon mentioned in §31, which has perhaps been inserted there by mistake.
Simeon Stylites the Elder was born about half a century after the death of Aaron.
40 The Bêt Rûmi presumably refers to the area of Roman-controlled Asia Minor. The itinerary seems to be Melitene →
Caesarea (Cappadocia) → Iconium → a coastal port (perhaps Attaleia) for a ship to Constantinople.
41 Nau translates 'habit'. ܛܟܣܐis probably Gk τάξις, but its usual meaning 'rank, status', and I have not been able to
find any examples in G. Lampe Patristic Greek Lexicon (1961) where it can mean anything like 'garment'. Possible
confusion with ' ܬܟܣܝgarment' ?
42 Condensed paraphrase.
43 ܐܬܦܠܓܒܪܥܝܢܘcf. Payne-Smith 446b
13
vegetables, viz. cabbage. The saint ate and told his disciple to eat but he declined. Bystanders were
astonished at this, and the saint made way his to the seashore. He knelt down and prayed to God to
guide him on his way. After the prayer he rose and threw his cloak on to the sea and stood on it.44
The disciple accompanied him and sank in the water. He said: "Master, what is to become of me ?"
The saint replied: "You cannot come because you have doubted."
(36) The brother returned to Simeon and told him all that God done through Aaron. Simeon praised
God and said: "In truth, it is because of Aaron that I had that luminous vision like a star." He then
sent the brother away: "If you cannot follow him, you can no longer be with him."
(37) When Aaron reached an island in the sea on which he was floating, he was seen by mariners
walking on the water, who told everybody in the town about the miracle. The demon in
Constantine's daughter began to speak: "Aaron the Syrian has arrived." The Emperor sent a ship
from the coast from which the three envoys had previously been sent to look for Aaron. The saint
entered the city on Sunday and he went to stay with a monk in the city.
(38) The demon continued to complain: "The saint has entered the city." The Emperor sent envoys
to find him, and when they did,45 he was at prayer. After the prayer, he asked them: "Who are you
looking for ?" They said: "Where are you from ?" He said: "I am a foreigner." They said: "The
Emperor has sent us to find you." They led the saint away and left. At the same moment the envoys
who had been sent to find him in Armenia came to the Emperor and told him what had happened.
When they saw the saint, they were astounded. They said to the Emperor: "We left this man behind
and here he is in your presence !" They told the Emperor about the angel they had seen with the
saint, and the Emperor was extremely pleased.46
(39) The Emperor ordered the demonically possessed girl to be brought, screaming and foaming at
the mouth. They threw her at the saint's feet. When he saw her, he wept and prayed to the Lord: "So
that people might see and believe that you are the true God. May you hear all who do your will and
invoke you in true faith and may you glorify those who glorify you. Order this wicked demon,
Lord, to leave the girl by her ear."47 The girl's ear opened and the demon left her. Aaron told the
demon never to enter another person again. Constantine, the Empress and all the notables prostrated
44 Nau cites similar story in a footnote
45 Not in the text.
46 The imperial envoys in §26, who left Melitene without Aaron, must surely have returned to the capital long before
the saint, who actually walked a substantial part of the way !
47 I am not aware of any research on which organs demons chose to leave the possessed.
14
themselves before Aaron and the Emperor begged him to stay with them, but he declined. Aaron
asked the Emperor to build a church on the site, and it was built to the east of the city near the sea.48
The saint remained there for several days, and the Emperor rewarded him unstintingly with gold
and silver for his monastery. Aaron wanted only a short tunic to serve at the altar, and the saint
asked to be sent back to his monastery. The Emperor asked Aaron why he did not accept any of his
gifts. Aaron replied: "If your Majesty wishes to give me something, please have a channel of
running water built to the place where I live. Build me a church at the staircase of stone in my cave
so that your name might endure for generations to come." The Emperor gladly donated gold and
silver to skilled workers and ordered the governors of Aaron's land to help the workers.A
remarkable church was built in Aaron's monastery, that is, the staircase. A channel was built to bring
water to the cave entrance, as the saint requested.
(40) Once again the saint prayed for the Emperor and the city and set off to return to his monastery.
Before he reached the city gate, the enemy of mankind tried to turn the saint away from his journey.
He appeared in the guise of a monk49 and said to Aaron: "If you are agreeable, I wish to become
your disciple." The blessed one recognized him instantly as an enemy of mankind and said: "How is
that you wish to be the disciple of one who is weak and whose monastery is so far way ?" The wily
Satan replied: "It is precisely because you are weak that I wish to accompany you and serve you."
The saint could not get rid of him, and began to wonder how he was to vanquish this enemy of
mankind. He said: "The Emperor has given me much wealth, but I did not want it because I could
not carry it. If you had been with me, I could have accepted it." The demon then said: "Let us go
back and collect what the Emperor wants to give you." So the saint returned to the city and the
demon thought that he would return with all the wealth and they could continue their journey and, a
little further on, the demon would set upon him, run away with the money and thus deceive the
saint.
(41) In the palace the saint had seen an adamantine stone, from which the Emperor's mules were
drinking. The saint was struck by the size and beauty of it. He conceived the idea of using it to
vanquish the power of his enemy. When the Emperor saw him, he thought that Aaron had come
back for a gift. Surrounded by his court, the Emperor said: "Ask of me what you will, even unto
half of my kingdom." The saint replied: "I want only this stone." The Emperor said: "Return to your
48 Hagia Irene (built under Constantine) or Hagia Sophia (probably built under Constantius, but perhaps earlier) would
fit this description, but since the episode is probably fictional, the church too may be fictional
49 Lit. 'man of a monastery' ܐܢܫܐ ܕܝܪܝܐThe term most commonly used is ܝܚܝܕܝܐ, which Nau translates as
'solitary'. I do not know if the two terms indicate different sorts of monasticism.
15
monastery in peace. I will harness bulls and beasts of burden and send you back to your monastery."
The saint said: "Give it to me, and I will carry it. I do not need bulls and beasts of burden." The
dignitaries said: "Is not this the man who drove out the demon from your daughter ?" He said:
"Yes". They said: "Give him what he wants and he will take the stone away." Aaron said that he
needed an iron chain, which he gave to the demon, saying: "We want to take this stone back to the
brothers." Satan laughed to himself when he heard this." He said: "Put it on my back, and I will
carry it to the brothers." The blessed one said: "In the name of Our Lord Jesus, who helps those who
invoke him in truth and righteousness, lift it with me." He took the stone and lifted it. Then he said
to the demon: "Take care that it does not fall." Those who saw this miracle praised God, saying:
"God has sent us this man whose like there is not nor will be on earth." As the saint made his way to
the gates of the city, those who saw the demon carrying the stone said: "We have never seen a
human being as strong as this." The Emperor and the multitude went out of the city with them. The
saint prayed for them, and they returned to the city full of wonder at what they had seen.
(42) After fifteen days, the demon said to the saint: "Is it not enough that I am carrying this stone ?
Do you have to walk behind me disturbing my thoughts ?" The saint replied: "Walk and carry the
stone as you have been told.50 Pay no attention to the Psalms I am reciting. Let me not add to your
troubles." They came to a mountain called Msarâ, and Satan said: "I want to rest a little." The saint
said: "How is that you call yourself strong if this stone is too much for you ?" The demon said that
after a short rest he would continue with the stone. He put it down and started to think: "If Aaron
leaves me, I will abandon the stone and leave." The saint knelt and prayed for six hours. After
prayer, he said to the demon: "Get up. Let us take the stone and go." Satan said: "Go on ahead of me
that I may rest a little. I will then carry the stone to the brothers." Aaron said that they should go
together. The demon said: "In truth, the stone is too heavy for me to carry any longer." The saint
said: "The Emperor valued this stone, and you promised to carry everything he gave me. So carry
it ! You wish to break your promise. The Emperor will find out that we have deceived him, for he
gave it to us to take to the monastery. If we leave it here, we will be disgraced and the Emperor and
his dignitaries will not be pleased." The demon said: "I swear by the living and hidden God that I
can no longer carry the stone." The saint: "Then let us dig a hole and bury it so that no-one can see
it and tell the Emperor and it brings shame on us." The demon said: "We do not have a spade, so
how are we to dig a hole to bury it." The saint said: "I will dig." And he blessed the ground and
touched it with his staff, and a hole in the earth large enough for the stone opened up. The saint
asked the demon to measure the stone. It was fifty-six cubits long and thirty-three cubits wide. He
50 In fact he volunteered !
16
then asked the demon to step down and measure the hole, and the saint rolled the stone over the
demon.51 He then said: "Do you still want to tell me of the hardship and fatigue to Aaron in
different countries, you wicked demon? And will you still say that if Aaron does not come, you will
not leave this place ? I make you swear by the living God that you will not leave this stone before I
come back to you." The saint left, and he is still there today. The demon still says to those who pass
by: "Is not Aaron coming back ?" And they tell him: "No." And he blames himself for having tried
to dupe the saint, and to this day he is still under the stone.
(43) The saint went from there to Tarendâ,52 where there was a man who had been bitten by a snake
and had not fully recovered. The saint took pity on him, anointed him and healed him. The saint
asked him: "Where does this snake live ?" The man showed him the place, and when Aaron saw the
snake, it attacked the saint, he spat at the snake and it burst open from the tail to the eyes.
(44) The saint left Tarendâ and arrived at Melitene, where he found a man whose wife53 had been
mute since birth. One evening, as he was entering the church, Aaron was seen by the man, who said:
"My Lord, I see that you are a servant of God. I have a sister who has not spoken since birth." Aaon
told him to bring her to him.54 When she came, the saint blessed her mouth and she was able to
speak. In the morning he left her. People kept asking her how she was able to speak, and she said
that a man in her house had made her speak. They started to run after the saint, begging him to stay
with them, but he declined.
(45) Many gathered around the saint, and he prayed for them and set off for the village of Ailoun,
where he encountered a man called Abraham. There were large works, as if they had been made by
demons. When the village heads came out on Sunday to pray, and Abraham was with them, they
saw Aaron and asked him to pray for them and to come to their village, where there were many
demons persecuting the people. In the village about thirty men with demons were brought to him,
and the villagers asked Aaron to drive them out. Aaron told them to come out to prayer, and when
they did as they were told, they were healed. The saint told them to make offerings and the saint
made an offering55 in the name of the Lord, and the demons fled from the place and the people.
51 The story sounds like a variant of the Osiris-Seth legend related in its entirety by Plutarch in de Iside et Osiride:
Seth, the wicked rival of his good brother Osiris, induces the latter to step into a coffin to see if it fits and then
immediately seals it and disposes of it.
52 I cannot identify this place
53 ' ܐܢܬܬܐwife', who is referred to later as ' ܚܬܐsister'.
54 The miracle took place in the woman's house, so Aaron presumably went to her.
55 The words used are often associated with the liturgy and Eucharist, but I do not understand what was actually done.
17
Those who saw the miracle praised God for giving such power to a man. The village notables asked
Aaron to stay, but he declined: "I have brothers waiting for me in the monastery and I cannot stay
with you. Pray for me that I arrive safely, for I have been separated from them for a long time."
They said: "We will go and look for them and bring them to you." But the saint declined, and they
built an oratory56 in the place where he had made the offering.
(46) The saint departed and returned to the brothers to find that the cave that provided their water
had dried up. It was this water that he had brought forth by prayer before leaving for the imperial
palace. He walked a distance of three miles from the cave and found water, which he guided back
with his staff to the mouth of the cave to the brothers. He went down among the brothers and saw
that water was flowing from this spot. They praised God and said: "The water dried up when you
left and now that you are back is flowing once again." There was more rejoicing over this than over
a pearl of great price. He said: "Children, you see how much God loves those who call upon him in
truth and justice."
(47) Skilled and unskilled workers came to build a magnificent and celebrated church with a stone
staircase. They also carved out a water channel to the monastery, as the saint had asked for and the
victorious Emperor had ordered. The saint remained in the cave for many years, increasing the
number of his angelic practices. He improved daily in his virtues and performed more miracles and
healings through God. People came to him from all over with the afflicted and sick, paralytics and
possessed. God healed them because of the prayers of Aaron, and they left praising God for being
gracious to those who do his bidding and observe his commandments
(48) When he was aged and satiated with days, the day of his death approached. He gathered all the
brothers: "My brothers, you see that I am about to leave this life to be with Christ. Conduct
yourselves as befits your habit. Thomas will be your head, prior and counsellor. There were
seventy-nine monks, and Thomas was divine and perfect, the confidant of the saint.
(49) Aaron wore an iron belt next to his body under a hair shirt. He knelt in prayer and prayed for
the whole country and its people: "Lord God, receive my spirit in purity and sanctity and keep your
promises to me. May the demons not be able to harm the one who invokes me in your holy name or
this country, where your name is as blessed as that of your servant, and may the produce of this
country not suffer from locusts, frost, crickets or mice in the fields, or drought or any other
56 'House of prayer'
ܨܠܘܬܐ
ܒܝܬ
18
calamity. Those who ask for children in my name, grant them from your rich treasure. Give the rich
bounties of your kingdom to all who faithfully honour my memory so that your holy name be
praised forever. Amen." After the prayer there was a voice from heaven like that of thunder, which
all the brothers heard: "Illustrious Aaron, my true servant, all that you have asked of God will be
given to you."
(50) He blessed his disciples and gave up his spirit: They wrapped his body and buried him with
honour, praising him and singing songs of the Holy Spirit. They placed his holy venerable body on
the north side of the church built by the victorious Emperor in the monastery. He lived on earth for
118 years. He left this world full of sadness and passed from the earth of curses and merrymaking
and entered the land of joy and the paradise full of delights in year 648 of Alexander,57 on 28 of
Ayar58 at the ninth hour, Pentecost Sunday, the day on which he was ordained by Theodore Bishop
of Amid. May the memory of the saint be blessed, his prayer and the prayers of all the saints his
companions be a wall for us and all the faithful who ever have recourse to his prayers.
End of the Life of St Aaron. May his prayer always help us. Amen.
57 337 AD . Also known as the Seleucid Era, which started with Seleucus I's reconquest of Babylon in 311 BC.
58 May
19
anthony alcock