Abba John the Short

October 28, 2022

Abba John the Short was a holy man and a native of the city which is called Tansa and is in Upper Egypt. He had one brother and his parents were righteous people who feared God. They were not rich in the goods and possessions of this world, but rich in good works.

When this holy man was eighteen years of age, the grace of God called upon him to go to the desert of Scete, which’s name being interpreted means, “Balance of hearts.” He wished to put on the garb of the monk. He found a certain tried and strong old man, whose name was Abba Bamoy, of the city of Seha, dwelling in Scete. Saint John bowed low before him and entreated him that he might dwell with him in Scete. Saint Abba Bamoy wished to try him, and he said to him, “O my son, it is not right for thee to live here, for this is a very hard desert; those who dwell therein have to work with their hands and they can only feed themselves by hard toil. There are also over and above this, very many fasts to be kept, many prayers, both by day and by night, to be said. A man must sleep on the bare ground naked without a bed (or cushion), and there is very great hardship in this desert. No, my son, go back into the world and live a life of comfort and ease like to that of all other men.” Abba John said to him, “O my father, for God’s sake do not turn me back for I have come to be under thy authority and under the shadow of thy prayer. If you accept me, I believe that God will make thy heart will-disposed towards me.”

Now Saint Abba Bamoy desired never to do anything hastily. He entreated God concerning Abba John so that He might reveal to him His works. The angel of the Lord appeared and said to him, “God said to them; accept this brother, for he shall become a chosen vessel.” When Abba Bamoy heard these words from the angel of God, he brought Abba John into the church, and he shaved off the hair of his head. Then he laid out the garb of the monk. He stood and prayed over it for three days and three nights. Then the angel of the Lord appeared, and made the sign of the Cross over the raiment of monkhood. Abba Bamoy put it upon Abba John. Abba John devoted himself with the greatest zeal and diligence to the splendid works of the ascetic life.

One day Abba Bamoy wished to try him, and he sent Abba John away from him, saying, “I cannot live with you”; and Abba John stood for seven days outside the gates of the monastery. Every day Abba Bamoy went out to Abba John, smote him with a stick, and Abba John bowed down before him and said, “Forgive me, O my father.” On the seventh day the old man Abba Bamoy went forth to go to the church, and he saw seven angels. They had with them seven crowns which they were placing on the head of Abba John. Straightway Abba Bamoy took Abba John, brought him into his cell, and from that day onward he was held by him in honor and reverence.

One day Abba Bamoy found a piece of dry wood and he gave it to Abba John. He said to him, “Take this wood, plant it in the ground, and water it until it sprout and bring forth fruit.” Abba John obeyed Abba Bamoy, and he took that piece of wood. He planted it, and watered it each day twice; now the water was far off, a distance of twelve stadia. After three years that piece of wood sprouted, grew into a large tree and bore fruit. The old man Abba Bamoy took some of the fruit thereof, carried it to all the aged monks, and he said to them, “Take and eat of the fruit of obedience and humility.” When the monks saw this miracle they marveled exceedingly. They praised God Who gives this virtue unto those who make themselves subject to His teachers. Abba Bamoy fill sick of a very severe sickness, and continued to suffer from this sickness for eighteen years. Though Abba John ministered to him all this time he never once said to him, “you have done well,” for the old man Abba Bamoy had grown very old, and he used to try him exceedingly. God tried him with such a severe sickness until at length he became like a piece of dry wood, so that he might become a chosen offering to God.

When Abba Bamoy was about to die, he gathered together the aged monks, and he seized the hand of Abba John and gave it to them, saying, “Take him, and take care of this man, for he is an angel and not a man.” Then he said to Abba John, “After I am dead I will live in the place wherein you did plant the tree which sprouted and bore fruit, for you in that place did become a holy and acceptable sacrifice before God. Many men shall be saved by thy hand, and your memorial shall be there in that place before God forever.” When Abba Bamoy had said this to him, he opened his mouth and delivered up his soul into the hand of God.

After this Abba John departed to that place where the tree was according as the old man Abba Bamoy had told him. He strove boldly in the working of righteousness, for his name was exalted exceedingly. After this he was appointed abbot over his church. Whilst the archbishop was laying his hand upon him at the time of his appointment, a voice came from heaven, and all the people heard it, saying, “Axios, Axios, Axios,” that is to say, “He is worthy, He is worthy, He is worthy.” Every time when Saint John consecrated the Offering, he would watch for those who were worthy to partake and those who were not worthy.

Now Abba Theophilus, the archbishop, built a church to the Three Holy Children in the city of Alexandria, and he wished to bring thereto the bodies of the Three Children from the city of Babylon. He asked Saint Abba John to go to the city of Babylon, and to bring the bodies of the Three Children from the city of Babylon. After many requests Abba John went forth on behalf of the archbishop. A cloud straightway carried him away and brought him to the city of Babylon. He saw that city, the rivers, the palaces thereof, the bodies of the Saints, the Three Children, and the body of King Nebuchadnezzar lying in their tombs. Saint Abba John bowed low, and embraced the bodies of the saints with tears, and he cried out saying, “O my holy fathers, bless me!” Straightway he heard a voice from their bodies, saying, “The God of Israel has blessed you.” When Abba John had heard this voice he was filled with the Holy Spirit, and rejoiced in the spiritual blessing. He said to them (the bodies), “O my fathers, you are martyrs of Christ God, I tell you that our father the archbishop, Abba Theophilus, has built a church in your names in the city of Alexandria. He has sent me to you. He beseeches you and your holy bodies to come and dwell in your church so that there may be healing and salvation to all those who believe in Christ in all the country of Egypt.” The saints answered with one voice and said to him, “God shall give thee the reward of your labor in the life everlasting! But tell the archbishops that God hath commanded us not to remove our bodies from this place until the day of the Resurrection.

Nevertheless because of his contending, labor and his perfect faith, let them suspend lamps, on the night of the day of the consecration of the church, whilst all the people and the priests are assembled therein. We ourselves will come and we will make manifest the power of God and their blessing.” Saint Abba John bowed low, and went forth from their presence rejoicing in God.

When he had departed a short distance from them, a cloud took him up and brought him to the outskirts of the city of Alexandria. He came in to the archbishop and told him what the saints had said; and the archbishop did even as the saints had told him. When midnight had come on the night of the day of the consecration of the Church, the Three Holy Children appeared in the church surrounded by brilliant light. They lighted all the lamps, and they sent forth from themselves an exceedingly sweet odor. After this Abba John returned to Scete, and he contended in the working of righteousness by night and by day.

One day a certain monk came into the cave of Abba John, and found him lying down. The angels of God were waving their wings over him, and each of them was saying to the other, “Let me lay my wing upon him.” After this the pagan Barbarians came to the desert of Scete to plunder the houses of the monks, and to slay the monks. Then Saint Abba John went to the monastery of Saint Abba Anthony in the desert of Kuelzem [by the Red Sea], not that he was afraid of death, but he said, “I go that a pagan may not come and kill me, and go to Sheol because of me; I do not wish to be in a state of ease and for that pagan to suffer punishment on my account. For he might testify against me before the Lord God, though he is my brother in nature, and form, and likeness.” Abba John dwelt by the side of a village, and God brought him from it a certain man who was a believer. He ministered to him until the time of his death.

When God wished to give him rest from the labor of this world, He sent to him His righteous saints, Abba Anthony, Abba Macarius, and Abba Pachomius, to comfort him and to inform him concerning his departure. There was Abba Bamoy, his spiritual father with them. They comforted him and said to him, “Be strong in the Lord, and rejoice in the everlasting joy which God has prepared. Be ready, for we will come to you at dawn on the First Day of the week, and we will take thee with us into everlasting life, even as God hath commanded”; and they blessed him and disappeared.

On the day of the Eve of the Sabbath, Saint Abba John sent his attendant to the village, for he was sick with a little sickness. When it was the time of cock-crow on the night of the holy First Day of the week, behold there came to him many hosts of angels, and all the company of the saints. When he saw them he rejoiced, bowed low and delivered up his soul into the hand of God. The holy angels received the soul of the blessed Abba John, and they took it up with them into heaven. At that moment his attendant came, and he saw his soul as they were carrying it up into heaven. The holy angels were surrounding it, and were singing before it. Before all these, as it was shining brightly like the sun, one sang and praised the blessed man Abba John. He stood still for the space of an hour as he marveled at what he saw. Straightway the angel of the Lord came to him and told him the names of each one of the saints, and pointing with his finger at the saints he said unto [the attendant of] Abba John, “This is Abba Pachomius, this is Abba Macarius, this is Abba Bamoy, and this is Abba So-and-so.” The attendant said to the angel, “Who is this in front of them who is shining like the sun?” The angel said to him, “This is Abba Anthony, the father of all the monks.” When the attendant came to the cell he found Abba John on his knees, and he wept over him with a great weeping. He made haste and went to the village, and told the men how that the saint was dead.

Then the brethren came and made him ready for burial, and bore away his body with great honor. When they had brought him into the village, great wonders and miracles happened through his body. Then his sons, the monks, came and took up his body and they carried it to the desert of Scete and laid it in the Church thereof. It became a haven for everyone who took refuge therein.

May Abba John’s intercession and blessing be with us, Amen!

Source: The Ethiopian Synaxarium pages 98-101