Saint John Climacus

Life story

Very little is certain about John's life. He is usually dated to about 579 to 649, but his birthplace is unknown; some sources say Syria, and others suggest he may have lived by the sea and studied law in Gaza before arriving at Sinai. He entered monastic life on Mount Sinai, where Saint Catherine's monastery now stands, and spent a long period as a hermit.

Late in life the Sinai monks asked him to become their abbot, a role he took on but not for long. At the request of the abbot of Raithu monastery he wrote the Ladder of Divine Ascent in the early seventh century. The work has 30 steps, matched to Jesus' age at his baptism, and describes the path from renouncing the world to love, with warnings about vices and advice on prayer.

He died around 649 at Sinai. The Ladder has been widely read in Eastern monasteries, and the Orthodox Church reads it in Lent; the fourth Sunday of Great Lent bears his name. In the Catholic Church his feast day is 30 March.

Works and witness

• Entered monastic life and lived as a hermit on Mount Sinai
• Chosen as abbot by the Sinai monks late in life
• Wrote the Ladder of Divine Ascent at the request of the abbot of Raithu
• The work has 30 steps on the monastic life
• The fourth Sunday of Great Lent is named after him in Eastern tradition

Saints from the same country

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

References

• John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, trans. Colm Luibheid and Norman Russell (Paulist Press, 1982)
• Martyrologium Romanum (30 March)
• Daniel of Raithu, Life of John Climacus (prefatory material to the Ladder)

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