Saint Agathon of Scetis

Life story

Our knowledge of Agathon comes from the Sayings of the Desert Fathers and later Orthodox summaries, so it is tradition rather than biography. According to one Orthodox summary he was trained by Abba Poemen; Abba Joseph was surprised that Poemen called so young a disciple “abba”. He then went to Scetis, where he lived for a time with Alexander and Zoilus, later disciples of Arsenius. He left Scetis, perhaps after the first devastation, with his disciple Abraham and settled near the Nile, not far from Troe. He is commemorated on 8 January.

In the Sayings it is said that for three years he kept a stone in his mouth to learn silence. He also taught that one should never go to sleep with a grievance against anyone, that an uncontrolled tongue is “the mother of all the passions”, and that prayer is the hardest labour, “warfare to the last breath”. One anecdote tells of a pea picked up on the road: he asked the disciple whether he himself had put it there, and taught that one should not take what one did not set down. Another says that he found a sick traveller lying in a town square, rented a cell and worked to pay for his needs for four months until the man recovered.

His death is told in saying 29: he lay for three days with his eyes open, and when asked where he was, he replied that he was standing before the judgement seat of God. He asked the brothers not to speak to him further, since he had no time left. No reliable year of death is known; the date of about 435 found in some reference works is not supported by the sources.

Works and witness

• Trained under Abba Poemen according to tradition, then lived at Scetis
• Carried a stone in his mouth for three years to learn silence (Sayings)
• Worked for four months to support a sick traveller
• Taught never to sleep with a grievance against anyone
• Died after three days with eyes open, speaking of God's judgement seat

Saints from the same country

Saint Anthony of Egypt, Saint Athanasius, Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Saint Catherine of Alexandria

References

• Mystagogy Resource Center (John Sanidopoulos), “Saint Agathon of Egypt” (8 January) and “Life and Sayings of Holy Abba Agathon of Egypt” – teachers, Alexander and Zoilus, Troe, feast 8 January, sayings 11, 15, 27, 29; no death year given
• Wikipedia (English), “Agathon of Scetis” – cross-check; its death date c. 435 and 2 March feast are not used

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.