Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology, inserted by Baronius. By the Greeks on Jan. 18, and on Nov. 2. Authority: — Theodoret, Philotheus, c. 2.] The desert of Chalds was in the borders of Syria, and extended to the Euphrates. In the fourth century it was inhabited by anchorites, of whom the most famous are S. Avitus and S. Marcian. “ Avitus,” says Theodoret, “ was a holy man endowed with great wisdom. He was older than S. Marcian, and had entered before him into the exercises of the monastic life. His desert, which formed part of that of Chalds, was more northerly than that of this saint, bending towards the east, and much exposed to the north-east winds. He had built there a little cabin, where he lived a very austere life, to which he had inured himself by long habit of mortification. Having heard of the virtues of S. Marcian, he thought it would greatly profit his soul to visit him.* Such was Avitus, who has not found a place in any sacred kalendar. Marcian has been more fortunate. “ This latter,” says Theodoret, “ had three countries, the town of Cyrus, the desert, and Heaven. Cyrus saw his birth, the desert nourished him in piety, and Heaven clothed him with virtues. He was of patrician race, and consequently of a noble and wealthy family. His form was comely, his face handsome, and he was regarded, before he quitted the world, as one of the most engaging and finest looking men of his city and time. He figured at Court with distinction, and a career in the profession of arms or in politics seemed to open before him, when he cast aside all the advantages of his birth, station, and education, and flying to the desert of Chalcis, built himself a little cell in which he could scarce lie at length or stand up, surrounded it with a little yard, and gave himself up to heavenly meditation, reading, and prayer.” " The chanting of psalms,” says Theodoret, “ succeeded prayer; and prayer followed psalm-chanting, and the reading of the Divine Scriptures succeeded both.” The consolation he drew from reading took the place of human consolation. He seemed to hear the voice of God speaking to him from the inspired page, and when he prayed, he was answering and appealing to the God who had addressed his soul. He ate only in the evening, and then but a quarter of a pound of bread daily. He thought it better to eat a little daily than to fast for several days. “ For,” said he, “ when one eats nothing for some days, the body is so exhausted, that the soul participates in its exhaustion, and is not able to acquit its duty before God; and when one eats, it is with avidity and to excess, so that the stomach is overcharged, and the spirit is weighed down by slumber.”
He had two disciples, Eusebius [Eusebius of Caesarea (d. c. 339), the first historian of the Church] and Agapetus; the saint did not lodge them in his cell, where indeed there was not room for them, but made them build cells for themselves near it, and they performed together their service of prayer and praise.
One night Eusebius, curious to know what Marcian was doing in his hovel, peeped through the little window and saw him praying, and a light, mysterious and unearthly, playing round his head. Marcian was very humble, and indignantly refused to be regarded as a miracle-worker. This was so well known that few dared to importune him to attempt to heal the sick. He never would speak with lay persons except at Easter; and even then, should they assail him with requests to exert miraculous powers to relieve the sick, he withdrew in annoyance and shame. CNot. s.
There was a person of distinction at Bercea, five days* journey from where Marcian lived, who had a daughter deranged. He came all the way to the desert of Chalcis to entreat the hermit to bless a vial of oil with which he might anoint and heal his daughter. But he was speedily informed that Marcian saw laymen only at Easter, and as this was not the favoured season, the father went to an aged solitary whom Marcian greatly respected, and told him his desire. After much hesitation the solitary engaged to take the bottle to Marcian and get him to give his benediction to the oil. The old man accordingly went to the saint, was admitted into his cell, and conversed with him. But his heart failed him, knowing how much Marcian objected to the request he had it in his mind to make, and he went away without obtaining the desired blessing. A few days after he visited the saint again, taking with him the bottle as before. Marcian suspected that there was something which made the old solitary pay him two visits with so small an interval of time between them, and asked him what the real object of his visit was. Then the old man produced the vial and told the tale. Marcian indignantly dismissed him, and peremptorily refused to bless the oil So the officer was obliged to return disappointed to Bercea. But on his arriving there, he learned to his great joy, that his daughter had recovered the use of her reason on the very day that Marcian had refused his benediction to the vial. One day Flacius, bishop of Antioch; Acacius, bishop of Beroea; Isidore of Cyrus, and Theodore of Hierapolis, came to visit him. He received the bishops with the respect due to their rank, and all sat down and waited in silence, till he should open his mouth and give them some spiritual instruction. But he said nothing. Then one of the company said, “ My father, these illustrious prelates have come to receive a word of edification from thy lips.” Marcian rose, looked round and said, as he swept the horizon with his outstretched hand, “ God speaks to us from all Creation, through every creature. And look here,” he pointed to his copy of the Sacred Scriptures, “ He speaks to us also from the holy books. What more can you want from a poor learner like Marcian ?”
Not long after this visit, Avitus, the aged hermit, came to see him. Marcian opened the gate to him, and received him with tokens of profound regard. Seeing that the old man was faint with his journey, he bade Agapetus at once cook herbs and vegetables, and prepare their meal. Whilst the two hermits were conversing together, after saying nones, Agapetus entered with the table, laid on it bread and the cooked herbs, and Marcian said to his guest, “ My father, let us eat together.” It was then three o’clock in the afternoon, and the solitaries did not usually break their fast till sunset. Avitus hesitated, and said that he never ate till evening.
“ We have the same custom,” said Marcian, " and keep the same rales. We prefer work to ease, and fasting to plenty; and if you only take nourishment after sunset I do the same. But,” he added, “charity is dearer to God than fasting. Charity He commands us, and fasting is what we impose on ourselves. Sit down and eat with me.” So they sat down together and partook of the humble repast with thankful hearts. Avitus remained three days with Marcian, and then they separated, never again to meet in the flesh. The sister of Marcian came from Cyras with her son to see him. He received the young man, but refused to hold converse with his sister, as he would not hold any communication with women. The young man told him that he had brought a convoy of provisions, and begged his uncle to accept it.
“ Did you give any of the food to the solitaries, and to the [Not. a. monasteries on your way hither ?" asked Marcian. The young man said he had not done so.
“ Then,” said the hermit, “ I will have none of your gift, for you have followed the instincts of flesh and blood, and not the dictates of tender charity.”
S. Marcian was a staunch upholder of the Catholic faith against the Arianism [followers of Arius, who taught that the Son is a created being, not fully God] which flourished under the favour of the Emperors Constantius and Valens. He equally opposed Sabellianism and Apollinarism. There was a hermit in his neighbourhood named Abrames, who followed the Quartodeciman schism, that is, notwithstanding the decision of the Council of Nicaea, persisted in celebrating Easter on the fourteenth day of the moon, after the Jewish mode of reckoning the Passover. S. Marcian sought him out, and succeeded, though with difficulty, in bringing him round to the Nicene usage.
When he was very old, many were impatient to appropriate his relics [the bodily remains of a saint, or objects they used, kept with honor]. The proprietor of the land where his cell was, reared a tomb to receive the body, some time before he died. His nephew Alipius, thinking that he had a right to his uncle's body as nearest of kin, erected a chapel to contain it. A rich lady named Zenobiana built another chapel in Chalciris, and several other persons erected similar chapels. The poor old man, becoming nervous and distressed lest he should be pulled to pieces after death by these eager relic worshippers, made his disciple Eusebius swear solemnly to bury him secretly as soon as he died, and not to confide the situation of his grave to any save two of his disciples in whom he had confidence. Eusebius did as he was required, and for many years it was not known what had become of the body of the hermit Marcian. Fifty years after his death, the only surviving disciple of the three who had known the place where he was buried, finding that the chapels had all been supplied with relics of other saints, revealed the spot; Not. a.] S. Erc.
and the body was solemnly translated. This took place only two years before Theodoret wrote his “ Philotheus," which was in 440. Consequently the translation took place in 438, and the death of Mardan fifty years before, in 388.
