Venerable Acacius of Sinai

Life

In his glorious book "The Ladder," Saint John Climacus relates the life of this saint. Young Acacius was a novice under a certain evil elder in the Sinai monastery. The wrathful elder daily scolded and reviled Acacius, and often beat him, and in every way tormented and abused him. But Acacius did not complain but endured all this patiently with the conviction that it was beneficial for his salvation. Whenever anyone asked him how he lived, he answered: "Well, as before the Lord God!" After nine years of obedience and torment, Acacius died. The elder buried him, then went and complained to another certain holy elder, saying: "Acacius, my disciple, has died." "I do not believe it," answered the holy elder, "Acacius has not died." Then both of them went to the grave of the deceased, and that holy elder called out: "Brother Acacius, have you died?" And obedient Acacius, obedient even after death, answered: "I have not died, father; it is impossible for the obedient one to die." Then that evil elder repented and shut himself in a cell near Acacius's grave, where in repentance and prayer he spent the remainder of his life.