Saint Paphnutius of Egypt (of Thebes)
There are several saints and martyrs of this name, and at least two of them were hermits, but only one was martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, known as the St. Holy Martyr Paphnutius of Egypt.
According to his hagiographic legend, during the anti-Christian persecutions of Diocletian's reign, the Roman governor of Egypt ordered the arrest of Paphnutius the Hermit. But the hermit presented himself in front of the governor wishing to proclaim his faith and thus to receive the crown of martyrdom. Tortured, he is left unscathed as God's will protected him. The miracle convinced the soldiers who tortured him to convert. They were killed on the spot but a large number of prisoners also embraced Christianity. After a series of miracles and a great number of converts martyred for their faith, St. Paphnytius is brought in front of Diocletian who ordered him to be crucified on a fig tree, a last torture which caused the Saint's death.
Iconographically, there are no canonic indications regarding St. Paphnutius, neither about his age nor about his physical traits. Only the leafy fig tree, as instrument of martyrdom, differentiated him among other saints and holy persons bearing the same name. However, there are images representing him as a hermit - undressed, only a towel covering his loins, as a tortured hermit - bound to a pillar, or as a devout - clad in a monastic cassock. At least the last variant may prove to be a contamination or confusion with other saint of the same name.
There are several saints and martyrs of this name, and at least two of them were hermits, but only one was martyred during the reign of Emperor Diocletian, known as the St. Holy Martyr Paphnutius of Egypt.
According to his hagiographic legend, during the anti-Christian persecutions of Diocletian's reign, the Roman governor of Egypt ordered the arrest of Paphnutius the Hermit. But the hermit presented himself in front of the governor wishing to proclaim his faith and thus to receive the crown of martyrdom. Tortured, he is left unscathed as God's will protected him. The miracle convinced the soldiers who tortured him to convert. They were killed on the spot but a large number of prisoners also embraced Christianity. After a series of miracles and a great number of converts martyred for their faith, St. Paphnytius is brought in front of Diocletian who ordered him to be crucified on a fig tree, a last torture which caused the Saint's death.
Iconographically, there are no canonic indications regarding St. Paphnutius, neither about his age nor about his physical traits. Only the leafy fig tree, as instrument of martyrdom, differentiated him among other saints and holy persons bearing the same name. However, there are images representing him as a hermit - undressed, only a towel covering his loins, as a tortured hermit - bound to a pillar, or as a devout - clad in a monastic cassock. At least the last variant may prove to be a contamination or confusion with other saint of the same name.
