Baring-Gould’s sources: Greek Menaea on Nov. 29th, June 17th, Feb. 20th, and June 6th. Roman Martyrology on June 17th. Authority Palladius in hi* “ Historia L&usiaca," and the Lives of the Fathers of the Desert.] Bessarion was a monk from his youth. He early sought the deserty but instead of dwelling in a hut or a cave like other anchorites, he rambled from place to place without a fixed dwelling. All his possessions consisted in a tunic, a cloak, and a book of the Gospels. One day he found a dead beggar, and he clothed the body in his tunic and buried it. Not long after he lighted on a naked man, he gave him his cloak, and then he had nothing save his book of the Gospels. The Irenarch, happening to see him in the desert naked, said, “ Bessarion, who has despoiled you of your clothes ?” 11 This Book,” answered the hermit, showing him the Gospels. Then the Irenarch clothed him and sent him away. A few days after he sold the book to redeem a poor man who had fallen into difficulties, and was about to be sold as a slave.

After a while many assembled under his direction, and he became their abbot. One Sunday the priest at the altar bade one of the brethren go out of the church, because he was a sinner. “ I also am a sinner,” said the abbot, and he rose and went forth.