Venerable John, Antiochus, Antoninus, Moses, Zebinus, Polychronius, Another Moses and Damian, Syrian Hermits (V)

The Venerable John, a disciple of Saint Limnaeus (commemorated 22 February), lived in the fifth century in Syria. He took on the labour of “life without shelter”. He settled under the open sky on the summit of a mountain and spent twenty-five years there. The venerable father fed only on bread and salt and subdued his body with heavy fetters. An ascetic who came to visit him planted an almond tree on the mountain so that he could take refuge in its shade during the scorching heat, but the saint ordered the tree to be cut down: he would not allow his body even the slightest rest.

The Venerable Moses, imitating Saint John, settled on the summit of a mountain near the village of Rhamis.

The Venerable Antiochus and Antoninus took on the same labour; they laboured valiantly until deep old age and gave an example of steadfastness of spirit.

The Venerable Zebinus also laboured on the same mountain. He lived to a deep old age; those who lived around the venerable father’s monastery paid the saint great honour and received help in their trials through his prayers.

Saint Polychronius, a disciple of Zebinus, imitated his teacher: he too took on the labour of fasting and vigil. Saint Polychronius did not wear fetters, but during prayer he would put on his shoulders a great oak root, which he had dug up from the ground himself. Once, during a drought, rain came through the holy father’s prayer, and he filled an empty stone vessel with oil to help the poor. With the Venerable Polychronius lived his disciple Moses, who tried to imitate his teacher in everything and was distinguished by a strict, ascetic life.

The saint’s second disciple, the Venerable Damian, settled in a monastery called Hiera and continued his labours there. In the holy father’s cell there was only one small box of lentils, which was his only food.

These holy fathers reposed in peace in the fifth century in Syria.