Abba Poemen was from Egypt and lived in Scete in until the end of the fourth century, where he settled in Terenuthis and died in around 449. Abba Poemen was particularly renowned for his discretion.His sayings and stories make up one seventh of the entire ‘Sayings of the Desert Fathers’ and embrace the entire range of monastic values and virtues. Many of his sayings and deeds are also preserved in the Paradise of the Fathers. Abba Poemen’s personal connection were with such monks as John the Dwarf, Abba Agathon and Abba Moses. Saint Poemen’s feast day is August 27.
A brother from Abba Poemen’s neighborhood left to go to another country one day. There he met an anchorite. The latter was very charitable and many came to see him. The brother told him about Abba Poemen. When he heard of his virtue, the anchorite wanted to see him. Sometime afterwards when the brother had returned to Egypt the anchorite went there to see the brother who had formerly paid him a visit. He had told him where he lived.
When he saw him, the brother was astonished and very pleased. The anchorite said to him, “Please, will you be so kind as to take me to Abba Poemen?” So he brought him to the elder and presented him, saying, “This is a great man, full of charity, who is held in high estimation in his district. I have spoken to him about you, and he has come because he wants to see you.” So Abba Poemen received him with joy. They greeted one another and sat down.
The visitor began to speak of the Scriptures, of spiritual and of heavenly things. But Abba Poemen turned his face away and answered nothing. Seeing that he did not speak to him, the other went away deeply grieved and said to the brother who had brought him, “I have made this long journey in vain. For I have come to see the elder, and he does not wish to speak to me.”
Then the brother went inside to Abba Poemen and said to him, “Abba, this great man who has so great a reputation in his own country has come here because of you. Why did you not speak to him?” The elder said, “He is great and speaks of heavenly things and I am lowly and speak of earthly things. If he had spoken of the passions of the soul, I should have replied, but he speaks to me of spiritual things and I know nothing about that.”
Then the brother came outside and said to the visitor, “The elder does not readily speak of the Scriptures, but if anyone consults him about the passions of the soul, he replies.” Filled with compunction, the visitor returned to the elder and said to him, “What should I do, Abba, for the passions of the soul master me?” The elder turned towards him and replied joyfully, “This time, you come as you should. Now open your mouth concerning this and I will fill it with good things.”
Greatly edified, the other said to him, “Truly, this is the right way!” He returned to his own country giving thanks to God that he had been counted worthy to meet so great a saint.
“The Desert Christian,” by Benedicta Ward, (New York: MacMillan, 1975), p. 167
