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General Introduction
47
combat were fasting and prayer, while her helmet was an "alloy" of faith, hope and charity, faith being the predominating element. Her actions were characterised by discretion and perfection alone, she attracted other virgins who came and took counsel from her. Syncletica was reserved in speech, but was urged by her visitors not to conceal her treasure and thus, moved with compassion, she conversed with them on various subjects:
- On perfect charity and the demands thereof. - On the struggle against impure thoughts. - On the value of voluntary poverty. - On the nature of true riches, especially humility. - On sadness, both good (contrition) and bad (melancholy). - On the assaults of the devil. - On the necessity of constant vigilance. - On the struggle against pride and despair. - On anger and bitterness. - On the gravity of slander. - On love of enemies and sinners. - On marriage and virginity. - On the perfection required of virgins and monks. - On the necessity of stability in the monastic life. - On the diversity of callings. - On the trial of sickness. - On a proper moderation in the practice of asceticism.24
As the writer of the introduction to this Life points out, there are found in the concept of asceticism outlined by Syncletica traces of the influence of Evagrius of Pontus, as also of his disciple Cassian.25
24 It is not possible to give here the contents of each homily: cf Vie, pp. 1994.
25 Cf. Ibid., Introduction, pp. x-xiv. We may note that Evagrius has attracted the attention of scholars interested in inter-monastic encounter: "... a fourth century Greek who seems to have drunk deep from the non-hellenic springs of spirituality.. his decisive and lasting influence in shaping the entire spiritual tradition of both the Latin West and Eastern Christianity, Jespite the Church's ruthless effort to erase his writings and his name from Christian memory. His introspective analysis of the human consciousness in its deepest layers. . .and also the techniques of acquiring mental purity did
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| SR No. | 007014 |
| Book Title | Unknown Pilgrims |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | N Shanta |
| Publisher | Sri Satguru Publications Delhi |
| Publication Year | 1997 |
| Total Pages | 820 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 19 MB |