SAINT SEVERUS THE PRESBYTER - Dr Augustine Sokolovski

On July 10, the Orthodox Church honors the memory of the holy priest Severus. Information about him has reached us exclusively thanks to the "Dialogues" of Pope Gregory the Great (590-604), whom the Orthodox Church venerates as the author of the Liturgy of the Presanctified Gifts under the name of Gregory the Dialogist. In the "Dialogues", which are essentially an Italian patericon, the Father of the Church talks about the life, works and sayings of the fathers of his time, many of whom he personally knew.

Saint Severus was a simple rural priest in central Italy, who lived in the 6th century. One day he was called to give communion to a dying father of a family. But at that moment he was just finishing work in the garden, and so he replied that he would come a little later. When he was finally free, the man waiting for communion was already dead. Upon learning of this, the priest wept bitterly. He considered himself a murderer and could not forgive himself for the fatal delay.

When he finally approached the deathbed and knelt before the deceased, the latter suddenly came to life. He said that three demons literally dragged his soul to dark places, when suddenly an angel appeared before them and commanded to return him to earth for the sake of the priest Severus.

The deceased lived for another seven days, during which he tearfully repented before God, and on the eighth day he departed for eternity. “Return him, for Presbyter Severus weeps for him, and the Lord has granted this soul to his tears,” – this is how the story ends.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted,” Jesus proclaimed in the Gospel. The life of Presbyter Severus is a truly amazing, biblically childish, and unusually realistic interpretation of this commandment.,

“By the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ, our God, have mercy on us,” cries the Orthodox prayer. “Save, Savior, those being saved, by the tears of the saints,” teaches the example of Saint Severus.