Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem

Life

Sophronius was born in Damascus of distinguished parents. Having gathered worldly wisdom, he was yet not satisfied, and set out to gather pure spiritual wisdom as well. At the Lavra of Saint Theodosius he found himself in the company of the monk John Moschus, whom he took as his teacher; together with him he set out to visit the monasteries and ascetics of Egypt. His motto was: to learn more spiritual wisdom every day. Everything they learned they wrote down, and afterward published in two books under the name Leimonarion, or the Spiritual Meadow. Later they went to Rome, where Moschus died, leaving Sophronius the charge of conveying his body either to Sinai or to the Lavra of Theodosius. Sophronius fulfilled his teacher's wish and brought his body to the Lavra of Theodosius, then remained in Jerusalem, which at that very time had been liberated from the Persians. He was present at the return of the Honorable Cross from Persia, which Emperor Heraclius carried upon his own shoulders into the Holy City. The elderly Patriarch Zacharias, also returned from captivity, did not live long; when he departed to the other world, Modestus succeeded him, and after Modestus the blessed Sophronius succeeded. With particular wisdom and zeal he governed the Church for ten years. He arose in defense of Orthodoxy against the Monothelite heresy, which he condemned at his own Council in Jerusalem before it was condemned at the Sixth Ecumenical Council. He wrote the life of Saint Mary of Egypt, composed the rite of the Great Blessing of Waters, and introduced into various services certain new hymns and songs. When the Arab caliph Omar conquered Jerusalem, Sophronius implored him to spare the Christians, which Omar deceitfully promised. When Omar shortly afterward began to plunder and abuse the Christians in Jerusalem, Sophronius prayed to God with great lamentation to take him from among the living on earth, that he might not witness the desecration of the holy places. And God heard his prayer and took him to His heavenly courts in the year 644.

From the Hymn of Praise

### HOLY MARTYR PIONIUS