Venerable John of the Ladder

Life

Author of the celebrated Ladder of Divine Ascent. He came from somewhere to Mount Sinai as a sixteen-year-old boy and remained there — first as a novice, then as a hermit, and finally as abbot of Sinai until his eightieth year, when he died around the year 563. His biographer, the monk Daniel, says of him: "He was borne in body to Mount Sinai and in spirit to the Heavenly Mountain." He spent nineteen years in obedience to his spiritual father Martyrios. Anastasius of Sinai, seeing the young John on one occasion, prophesied of him that he would become the abbot of Sinai. After the death of his spiritual father, John withdrew to a cave where he lived in severe asceticism for twenty years. His disciple Moses fell asleep one day in the shade of a great stone. John, at prayer in his cell, saw that his disciple was in danger, and began to pray to God for him. When Moses came to him later, he fell on his knees and gave thanks to his spiritual father for saving him from certain death. And he recounted how in a dream he heard John calling to him, and he leapt up, and at that moment the stone fell. Had he not leapt, the stone would have killed him. At the insistence of the brotherhood, John accepted the abbacy and guided the salvation of human souls with zeal and love. One time he heard a rebuke from some, as if he were too talkative. Not angered in the slightest, John fell silent and for a whole year spoke not a word, until the brethren besought him to speak and continue teaching them with his God-given wisdom.

One time six hundred pilgrims came to the Sinai monastery. At table they all saw a nimble young man in Jewish garb who was serving, commanding the other servants, and directing them. Suddenly the young man vanished. And when all looked about and inquired, John said: do not seek him — it was the prophet Moses who served in his own place.

During the time of his silence in the cave, John wrote many useful books, of which the most celebrated — and to this day widely read — is the Ladder, which describes the method of the soul's ascent to God as up a ladder. Before his death John appointed as abbot his brother by blood, George. But George was much grieved at parting from John. Then John told him that if he were found worthy of God's nearness in the other world, he would pray that George also might be taken to heaven that same year. And so it came to pass. After ten months George also fell asleep in the Lord and settled among the citizens of heaven, as had his great brother John.

From the Hymn of Praise

### VENERABLE JOHN OF THE LADDER