Page:Aelfric's Lives of Saints Vol 2.djvu/15

 recognised amongst  them;  but  this  alone  was  most  earnestly  striven for by  them  all,  that  each  of  them  should  be  dead  in  body  and living in  spirit.

At the  same  time  they  had  verily  an  unfailing  [custom],  that  is to  say,  divine  conversations. Their bodies  indeed  they  fed  with mere necessaries  alone,  viz. with bread  and  water,  to  the  end  that they might  show  themselves  the  keener  in  the  true  love  of  God. Zosimus beholding  these  works  applied  himself  zealously  to  perfection among  his  fellow-workers,  who  renewed  without  ceasing  the divine Paradise.

Then after  this  approached  the  time   of  the  holy  Lenten  fast which is  appointed  for  all  Christian  men   to   celebrate,  and  for cleansing themselves  for  the  worship  of  the  divine  Passion,  and  His resurrection. Now the  gate  of  the  minster  was  never  opened,  but it was  always  locked,  and  they  thus  fulfilled  their  course  without any distraction;  neither  was  it  ever  to  be  opened,  unless  by  chance any monk  went  out  for  any  necessity. The place  was  so  desert (lonely) and   so   secret,  that  it  was  not  only  that    it  was  unfrequented, but  even  unknown   to   the  people  of  the  country  themselves;    in  this  wise  the  rule  was  kept  from  old  times,  and  on account  of  these works  it  is  to  be  believed  that  God  led  Zosimus  to the  minster. Now after  this,  I  will  relate  how  the  ordinance  of the  minster  was  being  kept. On the  Lord's  day  of  the  first  fasting-week,  which  we  name  Holy  Day,  the  Divine  Mysteries  were  customarily celebrated  there,  and  then  they  received  the  communion of the  living  and  undefiled  body  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and then after  that,  after  breaking  their  fast  together  in  some  degree, they were  all  gathered  in  the  house  of  prayer  with  bended  knees and humble  prayer,  and  greeted  each  other,  and  humbly  besought their abbot's  blessing,  that  they  might  be  the  more  surely  strengthened for  the  divine  conflict. These things  being  thus  fulfilled,  the  gates  of  the  minster  were  opened,  and  they  then  sung  together  this canticle, [Ps. 27],   Dominus  illuminatio  mea  et  solus mea;   quem timebo.    And  thus  they  went  out  together;  one  or  two  they  left  in the  minster,  [but]  it  was  not  to  the  end  that  they  should  keep  safe the acquired  treasures — there  was  no  such  thing  there — but  that