E06498: In 555/557, Cyril of Scythopolis composes the Life of *Ioannes/John the Hesychast (ascetic in Palestine, S02544), recounting his life as a miracle working ascetic, while the hero is still alive. Written in Greek in Palestine.

Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of John/Ioannes the Hesychast (CPG 7537 = BHG 897)

Summary:
(References to other saints, and their cults, are highlighted in bold.)


Origins, youth, and episcopate (AD 453-490)
1-2. Ioannes is born to a prominent family in Nicopolis of Armenia on 8 January 453. At the age of 18, he builds a church for *Mary (mother of Christ, S00033) at Nicopolis, where he creates a coenobium with ten monks.

3. At the age of 28, he is ordained bishop of Colonia, and continues practising his asceticism also as bishop.

4. Nine years later (490), his brother-in-law becomes governor of Armenia, and causes problems to the church of Colonia. With the blessing of Patriarch Euphemios of Constantinople, Ioannes steps down from his see, and goes to the Holy Land. He first stays at the gerokomeion of Eudokia in Jerusalem, where there is an oratory (εὐκτήριον) of the martyr *George (soldier and martyr, S00259). He prays for a quiet and appropriate place for his ascetic retirement.

At the laura of Sabas (AD 491-503)
5. In 491, guided by a cross-shaped star in heaven, Ioannes leaves the gerokomeion and reaches the Great Laura of Sabas who initially does not recognise his virtue and assigns him to the novices.

6. Ioannes assists in building works at the Laura.

7. He is allowed to have a cell and live as an ascetic. Sabas decides to have him ordained as priest, but Ioannes reveals his episcopate to Patriarch Elias. The patriarch orders that Ioannes be allowed to practice his asceticism without distractions, and Sabas allows him to live in absolute seclusion. For four years, he only leaves his cell once, in order to attend the dedication of the church of *Mary (the main church of the Great Laura) in 501.

Anchorite in the desert (AD 503)
8. In 503, during the unrest caused by the rebellious monks of the Great Laura, and the temporary departure of Sabas, Ioannes, then 50 years old, retires to the desert of Rouba, and lives as a recluse. At some point, he gets lost in the desert, but is miraculously brought back to his cell.

9. Miracle in the desert, concerning monastic disobedience. Ioannes is miraculously provided with a copious amount of food at Easter.

10. During the Saracen invasion of 503, Ioannes refuses to leave the desert and is miraculously guarded by a lion.

Back to the Great Laura, various miracles (AD 509)
11. Having returned to the Great Laura, and established the New Laura, Sabas convinces Ioannes to return and take up residence with the monks. He is now 56 years old (509/510). His episcopate and early life are miraculously revealed.

12. Sabas dies, on 5 December 532. Ioannes has a dream concerning the departure of the soul of a righteous man from his body.

13. Miraculous protection of two disciples of Ioannes from a lion.

14. The author, Cyril of Scythopolis, embraces monastic life (543). He initially ignores the advice offered to him by Ioannes, and is miraculously punished for his disobedience.

15-16. Miracles revealing Ioannes’ power over demons.

17. Miracle causing the conversion of a Monophysite to Orthodoxy.

18. At Ioannes’ exceedingly arid and rocky cell, a fig tree grows miraculously, confirming that Ioannes will be granted the kingdom of heaven.

19. As Cyril is writing, Ioannes is still alive, aged 104 (AD 557). Cyril mentions Ioannes’ struggles on account of Orthodoxy, against the Origenists and Theodore of Mopsuestia, but he refrains from giving details.

20. Additional paragraph by a different author: Ioannes died on 7 December.

Text: Schwartz 1939.
Summary: Efthymios Rizos.