Saint Sabbas the Sanctified

Life story

Sabbas was born in 439 at Mutalaska in Cappadocia, now in Turkey. He entered a monastery as a boy, came to Palestine around 456 and became a disciple of the monk Euthymius. He then lived for a time as a hermit in a cave. His life was written by his disciple Cyril of Scythopolis, so the main source is fairly close to his time.

He gathered disciples and founded a lavra, a community in which monks live separately but meet for common prayer, in the Kidron valley, dated to 484 in many sources (some say 478). It later became known as Mar Saba. In the early 490s the patriarch of Jerusalem appointed him leader of the hermit monks of the area, and he founded other monasteries as well.

Sabbas supported the Council of Chalcedon and opposed both the Monophysites and the followers of Origen. According to Cyril, in 511 he went to see the emperor Anastasius, and in 531 he travelled to Constantinople to see Justinian to ask for help for Palestine after the Samaritan revolt. He died on 5 December 532 near Jerusalem, aged 93. Mar Saba is still an inhabited Orthodox monastery; his relics were returned there in 1965. His memorial is 5 December.

Works and witness

• Came to Palestine around 456 as a disciple of Euthymius
• Founded the Mar Saba lavra in the Kidron valley
• Appointed leader of the hermits around Jerusalem in the early 490s
• Travelled to emperors Anastasius (511) and Justinian (531)
• Died on 5 December 532

Saints from the same country

Saint Paul, Saint Luke, Saint George, Saint Nicholas

References

• Cyril of Scythopolis, Life of Sabas
• Martyrologium Romanum
• Mar Saba Monastery, historical account

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