This charming story for tax day, from a
friend.
“St.Mamas [of Cypress], a devout Byzantine hermit who refused to pay tax since he
had no income other than alms and lived in a cave, was ordered to be arrested
by the local Governor. As he was escorted into custody the group encountered a
lion about to devour a lamb along the roadside. The saint commanded the lion to
stop, picked up the lamb, mounted the lion’s back and rode on the back of the
lion into town. Upon seeing this, the Governor exempted the saint from taxes
thereafter; hence he became the patron saint of tax-evaders and animals.”
images: St. Mamas, Vanouka
St. Mammes, Lucas Cleophas
Haha, that's really an example of justice.
ReplyDeleteI think the hermit should not have paid taxes because he had no income and used no public services. But the government should not have exempted him because he rode a lion, but because he was not supposed to pay taxes!
Well, that's my take :)
But it was a cute story!
I guess we should take whatever mercy is offered! (Especially when it comes to taxes.)
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