Commemorated on August 27
Poeman was an Egyptian by birth and a great ascetic of Egypt. As a boy he visited the most renowned spiritual men. He gathered tangible knowledge from them as a bee father’s honey from flowers. Poemen once begged the elder Paul to take him to Saint Paisios. Seein Poemen, Paisios said to Pual :”This child will save many; the hand of God is on him.”
In time Poemen was tonsured a monk and attracted two of his brothers to the monastic life as well. Once his mother came to see her sons. Poemen did not allow her to enter but asked her through the door. ‘Do you desire to see us here or there, in eternity?” The mother withdrew with joy saying “Since I will surely see you there, then I will not desire to see you here!”
In the monastery where these three brothers dwelled (which was governed by Abba Anoub, Poemen’s eldest brother), their rule was as follows: At night they spent four hours doing manual work, four hours sleeping and four hours reading the Psalter. During the day, they alternated work and prayers from morning to noon, did their reading from noon until Vespers, and made supper for themselves after Vespers. This was the only meal in twenty-four hours and it usually consisted of some kind of cabbage.
Poemen is said to have commented; “We ate that which was given to us. No one ever said, “Give me something else, ‘ or ‘I do not want that.’ In this way, we spent out entire life in silence and peace.” Poemen lived a life of asceticism in the fifth century and reposed peacefully in old age.
Troparion & Kontakion
Troparion — Tone 8
By a flood of tears you made the desert fertile, / and your longing for God brought forth fruits in abundance. / By the radiance of miracles you illumined the whole universe! / Our Father Poemen, pray to Christ God to save our souls!
Kontakion — Tone 4
The memorial of your illustrious struggles / delights the souls of the devout today, / Poemen, our venerable father, wise in God.