James of Scetis, Saint

              (CE:1321b-1322a)
JAMES OF SCETIS, SAINT (feast day: 5 al-Nasi’). The notice that the SYNAXARION devotes to this saint is very deceptive through its banality. We do not know at what age he died, and hence we cannot fix the date of his birth. We do not know the place of his origin. He lived in the eleventh century.

He dedicated himself very young to the monastic life, having reached the Monastery of Saint Macarius (DAYR ANBA MAQAR) in Scetis. He withdrew into one of the cells of JOHN COLOBOS. He was named archdeacon of the church of the monastery of Saint John. His renown reached the town of Misr, and he was chosen to be its bishop. His promotion only caused his humility and his zeal to become even greater. He reprimanded the negligent priests at the moment of sacrifice of the divine mysteries. He knew two patriarchs, Anba CHRISTODOULUS (1047-1077) and CYRIL II (1078-1092).

We know from the HISTORY OF THE PATRIARCHS that James died in 1088 after occupying his episcopal seat for twenty-four years.
RENÉ-GEORGES COQUIN