onuphrius

Onuphrius (Greek: Ονούφριος), venerated as Saint Onuphrius in the Catholic Church and Venerable Onuphrius in Eastern Orthodoxy, traditionally lived as a hermit in the desert of Upper Egypt in the late 4th century. The account of his disciple, Paphnutius, who encountered him in the Egyptian desert, forms the sole source for our knowledge of the life of Saint Onuphrius, who became a monk at a cenobitic monastery near Thebes, which he left to lead an eremitic life. For 60 to 70 years, Onuphrius lived alone in the desert and wore only his hair and a loincloth of leaves. In Eastern Orthodoxy, Onuphrius is supposed to had been a virtuous young girl who, in order not to lose her virginity to a persistent suitor, had her wish to become a man granted by divine intervention. Then he went on to become a hermit. Onuphrius became a popular subject in Medival art: the period traditions of the "wild man" may partially account for this. His name appears very variously as Onuphrius, Onouphrius, Onofrius; and in different languages as Humphrey (English), Onofre (Spanish) etc. Both the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches traditionally marked his feast day on 12 June.

Onuphrius

See also