St. Poemen

St. Poemen the Great was an Egyptian Desert Father who lived in the fourth and fifth centuries, dying around 450. Little is known of the outward events of his life beyond that he lived as a monk in the desert of Scetis with several of his brothers, and that when that settlement was devastated by barbarian raids he and his community withdrew to other solitary places to continue their life of prayer.

He is, however, among the most frequently quoted of all the Desert Fathers in the Apophthegmata, the 'Sayings of the Desert Fathers' — indeed, his very name means 'shepherd.' His sayings are marked by a deep gentleness, humility, and rare discernment of souls, counseling patience, the refusal to judge others, and mercy toward the weak; famously he taught that a monk should weep for his own sins rather than scrutinize his neighbor's. He is venerated as a saint and a master of monastic wisdom.