Venerable Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet (VI)

The Venerable Barsanuphius the Great and John the Prophet lived in the sixth century, in the reign of the Emperor Justinian (483–565), and laboured in Palestine, near the city of Gaza, in the monastery of Abba Seridus.

The Venerable Barsanuphius was born in Egypt and from his youth lived a very abstinent life. On coming to the monastery of Abba Seridus, the father settled in a small cell near the church (in the East cells were often rock caves). Later his disciple, the Venerable John, shut himself up in this cell and lived there for eighteen years until his death, while Saint Barsanuphius settled in another narrow dwelling, also near the monastery. Withdrawn from people, the ascetic spent fifty years in complete silence and prayer. He fed only on bread and water. After many years spent in seclusion the holy father began to instruct those who asked for spiritual help. He gave answers to the questions of those who came through the Venerable John and Abba Seridus, and sometimes charged John with instructing them. Abba Seridus wrote down the saint’s answers. The Venerable Barsanuphius endured many grave illnesses and trials without murmuring, after which the Lord rewarded him with the grace of wonderworking and foreknowledge. He cast out demons and healed the hopelessly ill; what the saint foretold to Euthymius, a silent monk of the monastery of Abba Seridus, came true, as did much else. The sick and the afflicted found relief at the mention of the holy father’s name and by touching things he had blessed.

The Venerable John the Prophet was a disciple of Saint Barsanuphius. By obedience to his teacher he reached the summit of perfection, but out of humility and modesty he sent those who came to him for spiritual instruction to the Venerable Barsanuphius. The saint foresaw the approach of his end, but the young hegumen Aelianus, appointed after the recently deceased Abba Seridus, begged him to live at least two weeks longer, so as to teach him the rule of the monastery. The venerable father heard his plea, and indeed died two weeks later. Saint Barsanuphius outlived his disciple.