Horsiesios

• Before St. Pachomius died he appointed Petronios to be his successor. The latter lived only two months. Under Horsiesios (ca. 380) who then assumed the leadership, the monastic corporation greatly increased.
• In 350, when difficulties arose within the organization he resigned and appointed St. Theodore in his place to reestablish peace and order.
• After St. Theodore’s death in April 368, St. Athanasius wrote to Horsiesios saying: Theodore is not dead but asleep in a good repose in the Lord. I am writing this to all of you in common, and especially to you, my dear and beloved Abba Horsiesios, so that now that he is asleep, you may accept the whole

care and take his place among the beloved [brothers]. For when Theodore was alive, you two were as one man.

• Horsiesios once again became the father of the Koinonia.
• W. E. Crum and A. Ehrhard published a letter of St. Theophilus of Alexandria to Horsiesios with very interesting details about the liturgy of Holy Week at Alexandria and a report about Horsiesios’ participation in the celebration of the Feast of the Christian Pasch at the Egyptian metropolis.
• W. Hengstenberg does not agree with A. Ehrhard in thinking the letter to Horsiesios is genuine.

• St. Jerome’s version of the Rule of Pachomius remains as an appendix to a treatise by Horsiesios entitled Doctrina de institutione monachorum, which testifies to his high religious and monastic ideals. In 56 chapters he instructs his monks on their duties so thoroughly, that this document gives more insight into the spirit the Pachomian creation than the Rule of the founder. The final section indicates that Horsiesios composed it shortly before his death. For this reason Gennadius (De vir. ill. 9) refers to it as his testament.
• Horsiesios said, “I think that if a man does not guard his heart well he will forget all those things

he heard. Then, because if his negligence, the enemy will overpower him and cast him down.”

• He also said to the brethren, “When you pray, accuse yourself frequently, saying, ‘Lord, blessed God, why have I lived all this time in ignorance of You? From childhood, I have not known that it is You who fashioned me in my mother’s womb, and that my life- breath was in Your hands without my knowing it. Then you will ask him straightway what his whole will is, that He may grant that you may fulfill it.”