Holy Shepherd
Date of celebration: 27/08
The Holy Shepherd together with his other brothers formed a small monastic brotherhood in a small hermitage in Egypt. The abbot of this brotherhood was the Pastor, who had all the qualities of a true shepherd of souls. His fame had reached far and wide and many people came to see him and consult him. He, however, accepted only the small and humble. Those who came out of curiosity, he did not receive them, even if they were lords.
Once a visitor was angry that Osios did not receive him and because he was a judge, he arrested the only son of the saint’s sister, with the idea that this way the Shepherd himself would come to him. The Holy One, however, wrote to him: “Examine my brother according to the laws. Is he guilty? Punish him. However, if it is not, do as you wish.”
The judge admired the saint’s writings and immediately dismissed his nephew. Of course, the Shepherd managed all this, because he cultivated the foundation of the virtues, humility. He often even said: “Man needs humility as much as the air he breathes. Humility of spirit is the life of the soul.”
The Holy Shepherd died peacefully, practicing all the Christian virtues in the year 450 AD. at the age of 110 years.