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Venerable (Monastic)4th century

Venerable Salamanes the Silent

fl. late 4th century

Also known as Salamanes of the Euphrates

A hermit of the Euphrates who kept perfect silence and stillness, immovable in his enclosure.

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Commemorated as

Our Venerable Father Salamanes the Silent, Hermit of the Euphrates

Life

Salamanes the Silent was a Syrian hermit of the late fourth century who is remembered for an extreme practice of solitary enclosure and unbroken silence. He came from the town of Kapersana, on the west bank of the Euphrates River, and built his cell beside the river, where he lived as a recluse.

His life is preserved among the thirty ascetics described by Theodoret of Cyrrhus in his Religious History (also titled A History of the Monks of Syria), a work that records the distinct monastic tradition of northern Syria. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on January 23.

Kontakion & Troparion2 hymnsReadHide
KontakionTone 2

(Podoben: “You sought the heights...”) Having divinely armed yourself with purity of soul and firmly grasping unceasing prayer as a spear,
you have slain the armies of the demons.
Therefore, we beseech you, O Father Salamanēs:
"Always intercede for those who honor you."

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

TroparionTone 8

The image of God was truly preserved in you, O Father,
for you took up the Cross and followed after Christ.
By so doing you taught us to disregard the flesh for it passes away
but to care instead for the soul, since it is immortal.
Therefore, O venerable Salamanēs, your spirit rejoices with the angels.

Text used with permission of the Orthodox Church in America (oca.org).

Timeline3 momentsReadHide
  1. Late 4th centuryOrigins at KapersanaSalamanes came from the town of Kapersana in Syria, located on the west bank of the Euphrates River.
  2. Late 4th centuryLife as an enclosed hermitHe embraced the monastic life and built a cell near the Euphrates, living in solitude and keeping a practice of perfect silence and stillness within his enclosure.
  3. c. 444Recorded by TheodoretHis ascetic life was set down by Theodoret of Cyrrhus in the Religious History, completed around 444, which numbers him among thirty monks and anchorites of Syria held up as models of the ascetic life.

Contributions & Legacy

3 contributionsReadHide

A hermit of the Euphrates

Salamanes belonged to the world of Syrian ascetics who settled along the Euphrates in the fourth century. His native town, Kapersana, lay on the western bank of the river, and it was there, near the water, that he built the cell in which he withdrew from ordinary society.

Theodoret of Cyrrhus, who recorded his life, distinguished the ascetics of the region by geography and dialect, grouping the Syrians west of the Euphrates apart from the Osroenians of the Edessa region to the east. Salamanes is counted among the Syrians of this western bank.

Silence and stillness

The defining mark of Salamanes was his silence. Tradition remembers him as immovable within his enclosure, keeping a stillness so complete that he became a byword for the silent recluse. The local bishop was informed of his manner of life, but Salamanes maintained his withdrawal.

This severe enclosure placed him within a recognizable Syrian ascetic type, in which solitaries sealed themselves away and renounced speech and movement as disciplines of the spiritual life.

His memory

What is known of Salamanes survives chiefly through Theodoret's Religious History, where his account stands among those of other hermits of Syria. The Orthodox Church keeps his memory on January 23.

Works & Further ReadingReadHide

Further Reading

Primary source
  • A History of the Monks of Syria (Religious History) — Theodoret of Cyrrhus
Related Saints9 saintsShowHide

Saints connected to his life, mission, and place in Orthodox tradition.

Fellow Syrian solitary, numbered with Salamanes among the ascetics whose lives Theodoret of Cyrrhus recorded in his History of the Monks of Syria.
Venerable Macedoniusthe Hermit of Syria
Fellow Syrian solitary of the same northern-Syrian ascetic tradition described by Theodoret of Cyrrhus.
Venerable Marcianof Cyrrhus
Fellow Syrian hermit recorded among the monks of Syria in Theodoret of Cyrrhus's Religious History.
Venerable Mausimasthe Syrian
Fellow Syrian ascetic counted among the solitaries of Theodoret of Cyrrhus's History of the Monks of Syria.
Publiusthe Ascetic of Syria
Fellow Syrian solitary of the same ascetic tradition chronicled by Theodoret of Cyrrhus.
Maresthe Singer of Syria
Fellow Syrian solitary numbered among the ascetics of Theodoret of Cyrrhus's Religious History.
Venerable Palladiusthe Hermit of Antioch
Fellow ascetic of the Antiochene region recorded among the monks of Syria by Theodoret of Cyrrhus.
Venerable Aphraatesthe Persian
Fellow Syrian solitary of the same tradition described in Theodoret of Cyrrhus's History of the Monks of Syria.
Venerable Zenothe Hermit of Antioch
Fellow solitary of the Antiochene ascetic tradition recorded by Theodoret of Cyrrhus.
Venerable Peterthe Hermit of Galatia

Browse similar saints by calling and place.

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Sources: OCA Synaxarion (oca.org), Jan 23