Saint Narcissus
  October 29th  

    St. Narcissus was already very old when he was placed at the head of the church of Jerusalem. Eusebius says that the Christians there preserved in his time the remembrance of several miracles which God had wrought by this bishop, as when on one Easter-eve the deacons were unprovided with oil for the lamps in the church, Narcissus sent for water, offered prayer over it, and then bade them pour it into the lamps. They did so, and it was immediately converted into oil. The veneration of good men for this holy bishop could not shelter him from the malice of the wicked, and some, disliking his severity in the observance of discipline, laid to his charge a certain crime, which Eusebius does not specify. They confirmed their calumny by fearful omprecations on themselves, but their accusation did not find credit. However, St. Narcissus made it an excuse for leaving Jerusalem and spending some time alone, as had long been his wish. He spent several years undiscovered in his solitude and, that his church might not remain destitute of a pastor, the neighbouring bishops placed in it Dius, and after him Germanicus, who was succeeded by Gordius. Whilst this last held the see, Narcissus appeared again like one from the dead. The faithful, delighted at the recovery of their pastor, induced him to resume the administration of the diocese. He acquiesced, but, under the weight of extreme old age, made St. Alexander his coadjutor. In a letter St. Alexander wrote soon after the year 212 he refers to St. Narcissus as being then 116 years old.

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The Bollandists in the Acta Sanctorum, October, vol. xii, have brought together from Eusebius and other sources all that is known, or likely to be known, about St. Narcissus of Jerusalem.

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Butler's Lives of The Saints, Herbert J. Thurston, S.J. and Donald Attwater Nihil Obstat: PATRICIVS MORRIS, S.T.D., L.S.S., CENSOR DEPVTATVS. Imprimatur: E. MORROGH BERNARD, VICARIVS GENERALIS WESTMONASTERII: DIE XXIII FEBRVARII MCMLIII