Bishop
Saint John the Silent was born around 454 in Nicopolis of Armenia to the military leader Enkratius and his wife Euphemia. From a young age, he loved solitude and prayer, studying the Holy Scriptures.
After the death of his parents, he built a church in honor of the Most Holy Theotokos and lived with ten monks in fasting and prayer from the age of 18. At 28, he was ordained as the bishop of the Church of Colonia, but he did not change his strict ascetic way of life.
In the tenth year of his episcopate, when the power in Armenia was taken by Pazinik, John went to Constantinople to seek protection for the Armenian Church from the interference of secular authorities. Weighed down by worldly strife, he secretly left his episcopate and went to Jerusalem, where, by God’s instruction, he came to the Lavra of Saint Savva.
Hiding his episcopal dignity, John was accepted into the brotherhood as a simple novice and worked hard for more than four years on the construction of the monastery. Saint Savva, seeing his humility and diligence, ordained him a presbyter, after which John took a vow of silence.
Having overcome many trials, he spent four years in his cell, not receiving anyone and not going to church. Then, desiring greater solitude, he withdrew into the desert, where he lived for more than nine years, feeding on herbs and experiencing many miracles.
When the holy igumen Savva returned, he urged John to return to the monastery. John spent 66 years in the Lavra, tirelessly praying and performing miracles, healing the sick and saving those who called upon his name from destruction.
At the age of 104, Saint John the Silent peacefully departed to the Lord.
