Religion:Or (monk)

Or
Icon of Abba Or of Nitria
Abba Or, Abba Or of Nitria, How, Horus
Born	Early 4th century The Thebaid, Egypt
Residence	Nitria
Died	c. 390 Egypt
Venerated in	Eastern Orthodox Church & Roman Catholic Church
Feast	August 7
Attributes	Love, Generosity, Kindness, Abstinence, Wisdom
Influenced	St. Sisoes the Great, Theodore of Enaton, Abba Pistos.

File:"Abba Or" Thomas de Leu (1560-1612).jpg

Abba Or was known for his hospitality.

Or wore simple garments. Image from The Prologue of Ohrid.

Map of the main Desert Father sites in Egypt, including Nitria.

Abba Or, or Hor (died c. 390), was an Egyptian Eastern Orthodox Christian monk who lived around the 4th century AD in Dalga, Egypt, then Nitria, Lower Egypt, and later in the deserts around Shaina. He is one of the lesser-known Desert Fathers, but is nevertheless regarded as one of the greater in spiritual stature, "...chief among monks...". He is associated with Abba Theodore and St. Sisoes the Great. According to St. Jerome, at one point Abba Or was the father of "one thousand [cenobitic] monks" in the Egyptian Desert.

Life

Abba (Elder) Or's early life remains unknown. He was likely born in the late 3rd or early 4th century. The name "Or" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "my light, brilliance".

Most of his recorded life comes from St. Jerome's account of him in the History of the Monks of Egypt. He was known for his extreme love for mankind, hospitality, and humility. He lived for the majority of his life in austere asceticism as a solitary hermit in the deserts of Dalga. "When formerly the blessed man lived in the desert of Dalga he used to eat roots and herbs, and to drink water when he was able, and he passed the whole time of his life in prayer and praise... he ate only once a week." St. Nikolaj Velimirović writes, "He especially endeavored never to speak an untruth. He had great temptations from the demons, but overpowered them all, soberly and courageously." Abba Or received a vision from an angel in a dream who told him to leave his desert seclusion in old age and to become a teacher of other monks in Nitria. The angel said to him,

"You will be a great nation, and a numerous people will be entrusted to you. Those who will be saved through you will be ten myriads. And you shall be a governor in the new world, and above every one else in the world you shalt have life. For however many people you win in this world, that is the number you will lead in the age to come. Do not hesitate at all. You will never lack anything you need to the end of your life."

He did as the angel commanded him and became the father of many saints in the Egyptian Desert. St. Jerome said, "And this blessed man had for a very long time lived a life of the utmost austerity at a remote place in the desert, but subsequently he took certain monasteries in the desert which was near Shaina, and gathered together a brotherhood." Abba Or was unlettered and yet, by a divine miracle, he was able to read and memorize Holy Scripture. His spiritual children attest to his virtue, saying that Abba Or never lied, nor swore, nor hurt anyone, nor spoke without necessity. "And in his prayer to God he took the same pains and strove that all the needs of the brethren might be supplied..."

According to St. Jerome, the brotherhood's numbers were so many that the resident monks had to devote much of their time to making huts to accommodate all of the incoming monks. The brotherhood tamed the arid and wild region of Nitria, "...he planted so many wild trees at that spot that they formed a dense wood in the wilderness." Abba Or taught his disciples to be always ready for Christ to take their souls. It was said of Abba Or and Abba Theodore that as they were building a cell out of clay, they said to one another, "If God should visit us now, what should we do?" Then, weeping, they left the clay there and each of them went back into his cell.

St. Jerome also notes that Abba Or was an exorcist, saying, "And there was added unto him also the gracious gift of being able to cast out devils, and many of them came to him by the constraint [of this gift], against their wills, and would shriek out through his acts." St. Jerome ends his writing on Abba Or in the History of the Monks of Egypt by saying,

"Now the beauty of his life and deeds made him so glorious that he was able to gather together very many monks to him, and one saw the congregation of the monks with him in the church like a band of righteous men who were splendid in their garb, and they glorified God with praises continually."

Abba Or received the Eucharist daily during his life. He reposed circa 390 in deep old age.

Veneration

Or's Troparion is: "'From the earth Or departed to me,' said grace, 'On behalf of Or begotten by you O law.' " He is recognized as a saint in the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church. Abba Or's feast day is August 7 in the Orthodox Church.

Stories

One day, a charitable nobleman by the name Longinos desired to visit Abba Or. Longinos sought out one of Abba Or's spiritual children and asked him to take him to the elder. The monk immediately went to Abba Or, saying that Longinos indeed was a very charitable man. The monk then asked Abba Or to permit the nobleman to come see him. However, Abba Or discerned the true reason why the monk praised Longinos. If Longinos came to their dwelling, he would surely give money to them, and in doing so incite them to avarice. With this discernment, Abba Or refused the nobleman and would not compromise his God-given grace for financial gain. He said, "Truly, there is no need for him to cross this valley in order to see me."

St. Jerome relates another story about Abba Or. One time, Paul, Abba Or's disciple, departed to buy some reeds in the market. He knew that others had been before him and had paid for their goods in deposits. But Abba Or never paid deposits for anything, but paid the full price at one time. So his disciple went in search of palm-branches somewhere else. Then a farmer said to the monk, "Someone has given me a deposit, but he has not come. So why don't you take these palm-branches." He took them and he went back to Abba Or and told him what had happened. The old man clapped his hands together and said, "Or is not going to work this year." He did not allow the palm-branches to come inside his cell, but waited for them to be returned.

Abba Or himself once told the story,

Image depicting the important Desert Fathers and their interrelationships. Or at top center.

“I know a certain man in this desert who for three years past has not eaten anything which is of this earth, but an angel comes to him once in three days, and brings him heavenly food and places it in his mouth, and this suffices him instead of meat and drink. And I know that there came to this man in a lying vision devils who were in the forms of horses and chariots of fire and numerous horsemen, as if they had come from a king, and they said unto him, ‘You have become perfect in everything, O man, but now, bow down and worship me, and I will take you up like Elijah.’ Then the monk said in his mind, ‘I worship the King and Redeemer every day, and if this creature were a king he would not ask me to worship him now.’ And when he had said unto him that which was in his mind, ‘I have a King, and I worship Him always, and you are not a king,’ immediately the devil removed himself and was no more found.”

Because of his many ascetic struggles which ailed his body, Abba Or was constantly sickly. As St. Sisoes said, "Abba Or was ill for eighteen years."

Once, Abba Or's disciples reminded him that it was the feast of the Resurrection and that he should celebrate. He immediately raised his hands to heaven and prayed for three days without ceasing.

Sayings

Abba Or is known for the spiritual guidance that he gave to his disciples. His teachings are quoted in the Sayings of the Desert Fathers.

On Humility

• "The crown of the monk is humility."
• He gave this counsel, "Whenever you want to subdue your high and proud thoughts, examine your conscience carefully: Have you kept all the commandments? Have you loved your enemies and been kind to them in their misfortunes? Have you counted yourself to be an unprofitable servant and the worst of all sinners? If you find you have done all this, do not therefore think well of yourself as if you had done everything well but realize that even the thought of such things is totally destructive."
• "He who is honoured and praised beyond his merits, will suffer much condemnation, but he who is held as of no account among men will receive glory in heaven."
• When Sisoes asked Abba Or for some guidance on the spiritual life, the old man said, "In my own opinion, I put myself below all men."
• He would often say, "Do not speak in your heart against your brother like this: 'I am a man of more sober and austere life than he is,' but put yourself in subjection to the grace of Christ, in the spirit of poverty and genuine charity, or you will be overcome by the spirit of vainglory and lose all you have gained. For it is written in the Scriptures: 'Let him who stands take heed lest he fall.' (1 Corinthians 10:12) Let your salvation be founded in the Lord."
• Abba Or taught that if you slander your brother, you must say to him, "I have spoken badly of you; let this be my surety that I will not spread this slander any further."

Other Quotes

• "In all temptation, do not complain about anyone else, but say about yourself, ‘These things happen to me because of my sins.’"
• "If you see that I am thinking adversely about someone, know that he is thinking in the same way about me."
• "What shall I say to you? Go, and do what you see is right; God comes to him who reproaches himself and does violence to himself in everything."
• Abba Or said to his disciple Paul, "Be careful never to let an irrelevant word come into this cell."
• He often recited this proverb, "If you are fleeing, flee from men; or the world and the men in it will make you do many foolish things."
• "For the monk, this is the celebration of the Resurrection of Christ: to elevate his mind and unite it with God."
• "Speak the truth, never tell a lie. I know a man who never swore, never lied, never wished evil to another."
• Abba Sisoes asked Or, "Give me, Father, come instruction" to which Abba Or replied, "Live as you see me live!" Then Abba Sisoes said again, "Tell me more clearly, how should I see you? Does every man hide a secret in himself?" to which Abba Or said, "Behold, I speak to you: Of all God's creations, I consider myself the worst."
• Or taught his disciple Paul thus, "From every sin you will easily flee, if only you flee from evil conversation. For every other sin sprouts from this evil. Evil conversation is death to the soul of man; it smothers every good deed in his heart. I will say one more thing, and let it be enough: Repel all vain thoughts; repel iniquitous desires; distance yourself from material cares, and you will attain the immaterial, my son."

From Others About Or

By Palladius (bishop of Helenopolis),

"Now in Mount Nitria there was a certain man whose name was Or, concerning whom men, especially all the brotherhood, testify to many of his triumphs, and also that marvelous and excellent woman Melania, the handmaid of Christ, who went into this mountain before I did. As for me, I never became acquainted with this man. And in his history they say this one thing: "He never told a lie in his life, and he never used oaths; he never uttered a curse, and beyond what was absolutely necessary he never spoke at all."

"History of the Monks of Egypt"

Chapter 3 of the History of the Monks of Egypt by St. Jerome speaks of a visit to Abba Or. Some excerpts are as follows:

"And this blessed man had for a very long time lived a life of the utmost austerity at a remote place in the desert, but subsequently he took certain monasteries in the desert which was near Shaina, and gathered together a brotherhood, and he planted so many wild trees at that spot that they formed a dense wood in the wilderness."

"And when the man of God saw us, he rejoiced in us, and saluted us, and straightway he offered up a prayer; and he washed our feet with his own hands, and began to teach us, for he was exceedingly well acquainted with the Scriptures, even as a man who had received the gift from God, and he expounded to us many chapters of the Scriptures, and delivered to us the orthodox faith; moreover, he urged us to prayer, and to partake of the Mysteries."

"Now this man was more glorious in his life than very many of the fathers."

Abba Pistos related that which follows:

"We were seven anchorities who went to see Abba Sisoes who lived at Clysma, begging him to give us word. He said to us, "Forgive me, for I am a very simple man. But I have been to Abba Or and to Abba Athre. Abba Or was ill for eighteen years. I made a prostration before him and asked him to give me a word. Abba Or said to me, 'What shall I say to you? Go, and do what you see is right; God comes to him who reproaches himself and does violence to himself in everything.' Abba Or and Abba Athre did not come from the same part of the country, yet until they left their bodies, there was great peace between them. Abba Athre's obedience was great, and great was Abba Or's humility. I spent several days with them, without leaving them for a moment, and I saw a great wonder that Abba Athre did. Someone brought them a little fish and Abba Athre wanted to cook it for the old man. He was holding the knife in the act of cutting up the fish and Abba Or called him. He left the knife in the middle of the fish and did not cut up the rest of it. I admired his great obedience, for he did not say, 'Wait till I have cut up the fish.' I said to Abba Athre, 'Where did you find such obedience?' He said to me, 'It is not mine, but the old man's.' He took me with him, saying, 'Come and see his obedience.' He took the fish, intentionally cooked some of it badly, and offered it to the old man who ate it without saying anything. Then he said to him, 'Is it good, old man?' He replied, 'It is very good.' Afterwards he brought him a little that was well cooked and said, 'Old man, I have spoiled it,' and he replied, 'Yes, you have spoiled it a little.' Then Abba Athre said to me, 'Do you see how obedience is intrinsic to the old man?' I came away from there and what I have told you, I have tried to practice as far as I could."

The Prologue of Ohrid

The Prologue of Ohrid by St. Nikolaj Velimirović commemorates Abba Or on August 7 and included a 26-line "Hymn of Praise".

Physical Appearance

Rufinus who visited him said of him, "...he had an angelic form and was about ninety years of age; his beard flowed down over his breast, and it was white and beautiful, and his countenance was so glorious that those that saw him were reproved by the sight thereof only."

See also

• Desert Fathers
• Nitrian Desert
• Anoub
• Anchorite
• Lot (monk)
• Eastern Christian monasticism
• Sisoes the Great
• Eastern Orthodox Church