Icon of SS John Kalyvitis and Paul of Thebes (Dionysiou) – S274

Description

Both Saint John and Saint Paul were from wealthy families.  Saint John lived in the 5th century and Saint Paul in the 3rd century.  Both forsook all of their earthly riches for the Heavenly.  Saint John fled from Constantinople to a monastery in Asia Minor where he lived in strictness for six years.  He then returned to his parents’ house, but secretly, for fasting and poor clothing had made him unrecognizable.  He lived there in a hut in poverty for the rest of his life as a servant of the servants, only revealing his identity at the end.

Saint Paul and his sister inherited much wealth at their parents’ death, but his sister’s husband threatened to report him as a Christian if he did not hand over his share of the inheritance.  Saint Paul, inspired by the spirit of the Gospel’s self-sacrifice and to avoid persecution, gave up all his worldly goods and went into the desert to live a life of asceticism.   He was the first hermit of the Thebaid, living alone in a cave with a spring, and ate only dates and covered himself with palm leaves.  Later, a raven was sent by God to bring him bread each day.  Saint Anthony the Great met him at the end of his life and buried him.  Saint Paul died at the age of 113.