7,271
edits
Changes
m
no edit summary
Saint John Climacus (ca. 579 - 649), also known as John of the Ladder, John Scholasticus and John Sinaites, was a seventh century monk at [[St. Catherine's Monastery (Sinai)|St. Catherine's monastery]] on [[Mount Sinai]].
He came to the monastery and became a novice when he was about 16 years old, and when he died in 649 he was the monastery's abbot. He wrote a number of instructive books, the most famous of which is [[The Ladder of Divine Ascent]]. (It is because of this book that John is known as "Climacus", which means "of the ladder".) It describes how to raise one's soul to God, as if on a ladder. This book is one of the most widely read among Eastern Orthodox Christians, especially during the season of [[Great Lent ]] which immediately precedes Pascha (Easter), and on the fourth Sunday of Great Lent he is especially commemorated.
