John Climacus | |
|---|---|
 13th-century Russianicon of St. John Climacus; to either side areSaint George andSaint Blaise (Novgorod school) | |
| Born | c. 579 AD Syria |
| Died | March 649 (aged 69–70) Mount Sinai |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church Eastern Orthodox Church |
| Feast | 30 March, Fourth Sunday ofGreat Lent |
| Attributes | Clothed as amonk, sometimes with anAbbot'spaterissa (crozier), sometimes holding a copy of hisLadder |
| Major works | The Ladder of Divine Ascent |
John Climacus (Ancient Greek:Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος;Latin:Ioannes Climacus;Arabic:يوحنا السلمي,romanized: Yuḥana al-Sêlmi), also known asJohn of the Ladder,John Scholasticus andJohn Sinaites, was a 6th–7th centuryChristianmonk at the monastery onMount Sinai.[1] He is revered as asaint by theEastern Orthodox Church andCatholic Church.
Few details on his life are known. There exists an ancientvita (life) of the saint by a monk named Daniel of theRaithu monastery, which is the principal source about the life of John.[2] Daniel, though claiming to be a contemporary, admits to no knowledge of John's origins—any detail on John's birth is the result of much later speculation, and is confined to references in theMenologion.[2] Daniel also does not provide any chronology and his knowledge of the life of John is both scanty and vague.[2] If Daniel'sLife is trustworthy (there is nothing against which to judge its accuracy), then John came to theVatos Monastery atMount Sinai, nowSaint Catherine's Monastery, and became a novice when he was about 16 years old.[2] He was taught about the spiritual life by the more senior monk, Martyrius. After the death of Martyrius, John, wishing to practice greaterasceticism, withdrew to ahermitage at the foot of the mountain. In this isolation he lived for some twenty years, constantly studying the lives of the saints and thus becoming one of the most learnedChurch Fathers.[3]
In the meantime, the above tradition has been proven to be historically implausible.[4] The artful rhetorical figures in his writings, as well as philosophical forms of thought indicate a solid academic education, as was customary for a profession in administration and law during his epoch. Such training could not have been acquired in Sinai.[5]
Furthermore, biographical observations indicate that he probably lived by the sea, probably in Gaza, and apparently practiced Law there. It was only after his wife's death, in his early forties, that he entered the Sinai Monastery. These findings also explain the horizon and the literary quality of his writings, which have a clear philosophical background. The legend of his renunciation of the world at the age of 16, found also in other biographies of saints, is to suggest his having been untouched by secular education. Blurred deliberately would have been any roots in theological and philosophical educational traditions.
When he was about 65 years of age, the monks of Sinai persuaded him to become theirhegumen. He acquitted himself of his functions as abbot.[6]
Of John's literary output, we know only theΚλῖμαξ (Latin:Scala Paradisi) orThe Ladder of Divine Ascent. This was composed in the early 7th century at the request of John,[7] Abbot of Raithu, a monastery situated on the shores of theRed Sea. Also surviving to the present day is a shorter workTo the Pastor (Latin:Liber ad Pastorem), most likely a sort of appendix to theLadder. It is in theLadder that we hear of the ascetic practice of carrying a small notebook to record the monk's thoughts during contemplation.[8]
TheLadder describes how to raise one's soul and body toGod through the acquisition of ascetic virtues. Climacus uses the analogy ofJacob's Ladder as the framework for his spiritual teaching. Each chapter is referred to as a "step", and deals with a separate spiritual subject. There are thirty Steps of the ladder, which correspond to the age ofJesus athis baptism and the beginning of his earthly ministry. Within the general framework of a 'ladder', Climacus' book falls into three sections. The first seven Steps concern general virtues necessary for the ascetic life, while the next nineteen (Steps 8–26) give instruction on overcoming vices and building their corresponding virtues. The final four Steps concern the higher virtues toward which the ascetic life aims. The final rung of the ladder—beyond prayer (προσευχή), stillness (ἡσυχία), and even dispassion (ἀπάθεια)—is love (ἀγάπη).
Originally written simply for the monks of a neighbouring monastery, theLadder swiftly became one of the most widely read and much-beloved books ofByzantine spirituality. This book remains one of the most widely read amongOrthodox Christians, especially during the season ofGreat Lent which immediately precedesPascha (Easter). It is often read in thetrapeza (refectory) in Orthodoxmonasteries, and in some places it is read in church as part of theDaily Office on Lenten weekdays, being prescribed in theTriodion.
Anicon known by the same title,Ladder of Divine Ascent, depicts a ladder extending from earth to heaven.[9] Severalmonks are depicted climbing a ladder; at the top is Jesus, prepared to receive them intoHeaven. Also shown are angels helping the climbers, and demons attempting to drag down the climbers or shoot them with arrows, no matter how high up the ladder they may be. Most versions of the icon show at least one person falling. Often, in the lower right corner John Climacus himself is shown, gesturing towards the ladder, with rows of monks behind him.
Saint John'sfeast day is 30 March in both the East and West. The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Byzantine Catholic churches also commemorate him on the Fourth Sunday ofGreat Lent. Many churches are dedicated to him inRussia, includinga church and belltower in theMoscow Kremlin. John Climacus was also known as "Scholasticus", but he is not to be confused withJohn Scholasticus,Patriarch of Constantinople.
Several translations into English have been made, including one by Holy Transfiguration Monastery (Boston, 1978). This volume contains theLife of St. John by Daniel,The Ladder of Divine Ascent, andTo the Pastor, and provides footnotes explaining many of the concepts and terminology used from an Orthodox perspective, as well as a General Index.[10]
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GreekWikisource has original text related to this article:Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος
