Sainted Gregory, Patriarch of Antioch
Commemorated on April 20
Sainted Gregory,
Patriarch of Antioch (573-593), was hegumen of the Pharan monastery,
located not far from Mount Sinai. The monk was distinguished for his fervent
faith, merciful and compassionate to the fallen, and humble and forgiving.
Once, when Saint
Gregory was still an hegumen, he visited a certain wilderness-dweller, who in a
cave sought salvation. The wilderness-dweller greeted him with honour and
washed his feet. When the saint asked why he was shown such honour, the elder
answered, that through Divine-revelation he saw before himself a future
Patriarch. In fact, after the banishment of Patriarch Anastasias the Sinaite
from the Antiochian throne, Saint Gregory was – against his own wishes –
raised up upon the Antiochian Patriarchal throne and, yielding to the will of
God, until his death (+ 593) he bore with dignity the burden of patriarchal
service.
© 1996-2001 by translator Fr. S. Janos.