Saint John the Silent (c. January 8, 454 – c. 558), also known as St John the

Hesychast Hesychasm (; Greek: Ησυχασμός) is a contemplative monastic tradition in the Eastern Orthodox Church in which stillness (''hēsychia'') is sought through uninterrupted Jesus prayer. While rooted in early Christian monasticism, it took it ...

(

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

: Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Ἡσυχαστής), was a Christian saint known for living alone for seventy-six years. He was given the surname because of his affinity for recollection and silence. St. John's

feast day The calendar of saints is the traditional Christian method of organizing a liturgical year by associating each day with one or more saints and referring to the day as the feast day or feast of said saint. The word "feast" in this context d ...

is May 13 in the

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of the

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, and December 3 in the

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and

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es.

Biography

John was born in 454 AD in Nicopolis, Armenia (modern-day Koyulhisar,

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

). He came from a family of mainly generals and governors. His parents died when he was 18 and he built a monastery where he stayed with 10 young monks. Under John's direction, they led a life of hard work and devotion. John built a reputation for leadership and sanctity, which led the archbishop of Sebaste to consecrate him bishop of

Colonia in Armenia Colonia or Koloneia, also called Colonia in Armenia ( hy, Կոլոնիա) to distinguish it from other towns of the same name, was a town of ancient Lesser Armenia, inhabited during Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine times. It became important enoug ...

. He was only 28 at the time and had no desire for such a role. Nevertheless, he held the post of bishop for nine years. In 490, however, John went to Constantinople to secure the emperor’s intervention to quell a local persecution. Having accomplished his mission, he did not return to Colonia, but seeking to return to a life of seclusion went to Jerusalem.Ghezzi, Bert. ''Voices of the Saints'', Loyola Press
/ref> His biographer says that while John was praying one night, he saw a bright cross form in the air and heard a voice say to him, “If thou desirest to be saved, follow this light.” He saw the light move and point to the monastery of St. Sabas. At 38 years old he joined the monastery, which held 150 monks. Around 494, St. Sabas let John have a separate hermitage for uninterrupted contemplation. For five days a week he fasted and never left his cell but on Saturdays and Sundays he went to public Mass. After three years of this he was made the steward of the monastery. John had never told anyone he had been bishop, so after four years St. Sabas thought John was worthy to become a priest and presented him to the patriarch

Elias of Jerusalem Elias of Jerusalem (or Elijah, Eliya, etc.) may refer to: *Elias I of Jerusalem, patriarch (494–516) * Elias II of Jerusalem, Greek Orthodox patriarch (770–797) *Elias III of Jerusalem Elias III was the Patriarch of Jerusalem from about 879 t ...

. They traveled to

Calvary Calvary ( la, Calvariae or ) or Golgotha ( grc-gre, Γολγοθᾶ, ''Golgothâ'') was a site immediately outside Jerusalem's walls where Jesus was said to have been crucified according to the canonical Gospels. Since at least the early mediev ...

for the ordination but upon their arrival John requested a private audience with the patriarch. John said, “Holy Father, I have something to impart to you in private; after which, if you judge me worthy, I will receive holy orders.” They spoke in private after a promise of secrecy. “Father, I have been ordained bishop; but on account of the multitude of my sins have fled, and am come into this desert to wait the visit of the Lord.” The patriarch was startled but told St. Sabas, “I desire to be excused from ordaining this man, on account of some particulars he has revealed to me.” St. Sabas was afraid John had committed a crime and after he prayed God revealed the truth to him. Sabas complained to John about keeping the secret from him and John wanted to leave the monastery. Sabas convinced him to stay by promising to keep his secret. John stayed in his cell for four years, speaking to no one except the person who brought him necessities. In 503 AD certain turbulent disciples forced St. Sabas to leave his monastery. St. John moved to a nearby wilderness where he spent six years in silence, conversing only with God and eating only wild roots and herbs. He remained in the desert six years. When St. Sabas returned to his community, he found John and convinced him to move back to the monastery. John had become used to speaking only with God and found only bitterness and emptiness in anything else. He treasured obscurity and humility so he wanted to live unknown to men but was unable to do so. He returned with St. Sabas and lived in his cell for forty years. During this time he did not turn people away who desired his instruction. One of these people was

Cyril of Scythopolis Cyril of Scythopolis ( gr, Κύριλλος ὁ Σκυθοπολίτης, Kyrillos ho Skythopolitēs; – ), also known as Cyrillus Scythopolitanus, was a Christian monk, priest and Greek-language hagiographer or historian of monastic life in Pal ...

who wrote about John's life. The two men first met when John was ninety and Cyril was sixteen. Cyril had asked him what to do with his life and John recommended he join the Laura of St. Euthymius but Cyril did not listen. Instead, he went to a small monastery on the bank of the River Jordan. He fell ill there and deeply regretted not listening to John. While there, John appeared to him in a dream and after scolding him for not obeying said that if he returned to St. Euthymius’ monastery, he would get well and find his salvation. The next day he did so and was well again. John died in 558 AD at the age of 104. He lived in solitude for 76 years, interrupted only for the 9 years he was bishop.

References

External links

John the Silent at Catholic Online

Saints.SQPN: John the Silent
{{DEFAULTSORT:John The Silent 6th-century Byzantine bishops 558 deaths Armenian bishops Armenian centenarians Armenian hermits Armenian saints Byzantine centenarians Byzantine hermits Byzantine saints 6th-century Christian saints Year of birth uncertain 5th-century Byzantine bishops Men centenarians People from Koyulhisar

Biography

See also

References

External links