Venerable Barlaam and Prince Joasaph, the Indian Ascetics

Life

Joasaph was a prince, the son of King Abenner. By God's Providence the elder Barlaam visited him, taught him the Christian Faith, and baptized him. After this the elder withdrew to the mountains for ascetic struggle while Joasaph remained to battle with many temptations in the world and to overcome them by God's grace. Finally Joasaph succeeded in bringing his father also to Christ. After King Abenner was baptized he lived four years in great repentance – for he had committed great sins in persecuting Christians – and then ended his earthly life and passed into the better one. The young Joasaph handed over the kingdom to his friend Barachias, while he went into the desert to struggle ascetically for Christ's sake. His only desire on earth was to see once more his spiritual father, the elder Barlaam. And merciful God fulfilled that desire, so that one day Joasaph stood before Barlaam's cave and cried out: Bless me, father! The elder Barlaam struggled ascetically in the desert for seventy years, and lived in all one hundred years. Saint Joasaph in his twenty-fifth year left the kingdom and went into the desert, where he lived thirty-five years. Both had great love for the Lord Jesus; they brought many to the true faith, and passed into the eternal joy of their Lord.