Venerable John the Hut-Dweller

Life

John was born in Constantinople in the time of Emperor Leo I. Of wealthy and distinguished parents. He was the only child of his parents. Drawn by an inclination for the spiritual life, the young John secretly fled with a certain monk to a monastery in Asia Minor. In that monastery he spent six years in the greatest abstinence, prayer and obedience to the abbot. Then the devil attacked him with a temptation, that he should leave the monastery and return to his parents, and live with them as a nobleman. He indeed returned to the home of his parents, dressed as a beggar, saw his parents but did not wish to reveal himself to them as their son, but as a beggar settled in their courtyard, living so to speak from the crumbs which the servants tossed to him, and enduring much mockery from everyone. He lived three years thus, all the while praying to God that God would save the souls of his father and mother. When he fell ill and felt the approach of death, he revealed himself to his parents, who recognized him by a precious Gospel book, which they had given him in childhood and which he kept with him as his only possession. And thus this young man, although very wealthy, saved his own soul, saved the souls of his parents, conquered the devil and reposed in the Lord, around the year 450.