December 5 is the Feast of Saint Sabas.
Monks lived a life of solitude in the 16th century. Sabas was only 16 when he went to Saint Euthymius and asked if he could join as one of his disciples. St. Euthymius told him to come back when he’s 30 years old and sent him to a monastery run by Saint Theoctistus.
At the age of 30, he was given permission to live for 5 days a week in a cave and had to return to the monastery every weekend. Sabas had to make 10 wicker baskets a day taking all 50 back to the monastery every Saturday.
When Saint Euthymius died, Sabas spent 4 years completely alone in the desert, before founding a monastery of his own, where solitaries could occasionally worship together. Soon he was made superior of all the desert monks in the Palestine. His reputation for great wisdom became widespread. but always, Sabas returned to the desert founding other monasteries and building hospitals. His greatest monastery, Mar Saba, is still inhabited by Orthodox monks. The saint died at the age of 94 in year 532.
Source: Calendar of Saints by James Bently.
This book is always at my bedside. I find comfort with the thought that all the saints are guarding me and giving me strength and consolation when I am troubled.
