12660 - Mar Saba; Deir Marsaba; Sabas; Great Laura - THEOCTISTUS

On another night, blessed Sabas came out of his cave and began to pace to and fro in the ravine, chanting psalms of David. And suddenly, on the western cliff of the ravine, where now his venerable remains rest, between the two churches of today, he saw a pillar of fire ‘set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven’ <Gen. 28:12>. Seeing this awesome sight, filled with terror and joy at the same time, he revolved in his mind the saying of the Scripture about the ladder that appeared to the patriarch Jacob: ‘How awesome is this place: this is none other than the house of God’ <Gen. 28:17>. He continued to pray in the same place until daybreak, then with awe and great joy he climbed up to examine the place where the column of fire had appeared. Having shaped and equipped this cave with God’s help, Sabas established that here the prayer would take place on Saturdays and Sundays. And so, little by little, with God’s help the community grew and reached the number of 150 fathers. As the community was growing and several cells were being built on both sides of the ravine, (Sabas) started to acquire beasts of burden for the organisation of the laura and the service of its inhabitants: for he took care of them, that they should have all they needed within (the monastery), in order that these men, who were determined to stay away from the tumult of outside life, would not be forced to go out into the world on account of the need (to see to their wants by themselves). The (brothers) for their part were willing to be led and guided by (Sabas), and so gave fruits in a way worthy of their calling and perfected their spiritual body, in view of the hoped-for immortality (of the physical body). As to the above-mentioned cave, i.e. the church built by God, (Sabas) put off its consecration, because of his refusal to be ordained priest or even promoted to the clerical state. Indeed he used to say that the desire for holy orders is the beginning and root of the thirst for power.

Above the church built by God there is a steep and lofty rock: on this rock our father Sabas built himself a tower, having found a hidden ascent inside the holy cavern, a kind of spiral stair going from the diakonikon to the tower; and he abode there in order to watch over the divine service and to manage all the administration (of the monastery). As his fame spread everywhere, many came to him, bringing him many offerings, but especially to see his angelic way of life and his unworldly behaviour: and the blessed one would expend most of these offerings in (new) buildings and in the organisation of the monastery. And he would do anything he thought would please God. And no one of his subjects dared to oppose him in any thing, as, at that time, Martyrius held the patriarchate, and he knew Sabas from the time of great Euthymius, and loved him very much.

(transl. Leah Di Segni)

<Monks of the laura dissatisfied with Sabas turn to the archbishop and ask for an abbot. When they point to the fact that Sabas is not an ordained priest, the archbishop dismisses them and later sends for Sabas and himself ordains him priest.>

And after these words, he took blessed Sabas and those men, descended to the Laura accompanied by the above-mentioned Warden of the Cross, Cyriacus, and, after having consecrated the church, he fixed a hallowed altar in the apse built by God, laying under the altar many relics of holy and victorious martyrs, on December 12 of the 14th indiction, in the 53rd year of blessed Sabas’ life, the same year of the Emperor Zenon’s death and Anastasius’ succession to the throne <AD 491>.

(transl. Leah Di Segni)