St Nilus of Sinai

(Q), Sept. 19, an Egyptian bishop who suffered by fire in Palestine with another Egyptian bishop, Peleus, in the Diocletian. persecution. (Buseb. H. LZ. viii. 13, Mart. Paiest. cap. xiii.) [G. T. S.J

(8), Nov. 12, famous ascetic of Sinai, who flourished at the end of the 4th century. He was probably born in 'Galatia, as he speaks of St. Plato, martyr of Ancyra as his countryman. He rose to high position at Constantinople, where he held the office of prefect. He married, and had two children, when he determined about A.D. 390 to retire to Sinai, taking with him his son Theodulus. His epistles are very curious, and interesting reading, detailing the assaults made on him by demons, and replying to the various queries: of every kind, doctrinal, disciplinary, and even political, with which he was assailed by his admirers. Gainas, the Gothic general, consulted liim on the Arian controversy, but without changing his opinions (pp. lib. i. 70, 79, 114). \ Nilus boldly took the side of St. Chrysostom when banished from CG. P. in 404, and wrote in his defence to the emperor Arcadius (Zpp. iii. 279), who in reply solicited the prayers of Nilus to protect Constantinople from impending ruin. The story of his ordination isa curious one. The Saracens invaded the desert of Sinai, and took captive a number of the solitaries, among whom were Nilus and his son Theodulus. They dismissed Nilus and the older men, but retained the young men, intending to offer them as sacrifices to the Morning Star on the next day. They overslept themselves, however, and then, as the propitious time was past, they sold Theodulus, who fell into the hands of a neighbouring bishop. There he was found by his father. The piety of them both so struck the bishop that he compelled them to accept ordination at his hands. They then returned to Sinai, and distinguished themselves by a severer piety than they had practised previously. Nilus died about.the year 430. Theodulus is commemorated on January 14, 'Fabricius, in'vol. x. 1-12 of his Bibliotheca. Gracca," bestows 'a lengthened notice on Nilus; and gives a list of his works, which were: first 'published in a complete shape in Migne's Putrologia Graeca, ti lxxix., where his letters will! be' found after the text of Leo Allatius, |The bibliography 'of his' works is detailed at 'length in Fabricius, 1. ¢., and in Ceillier, viii. 229. The study of his writings

| throws much light on the state of monasticism,