St. Xenophon, his wife Mary and their sons Arkadios and John Symeon the Old

St. Xenophon, his wife Mary and their sons Arkadios and John

Xenophon, his wife Mary and their sons Arkadios and John lived during the reign of Justinian in 520. Xenophon came from Constantinople and was very rich both externally (in possessions) and internally (in piety and in his life in God). He sent his two sons, Arkadios and John, to the city of Beirut in order to learn and study the laws there. But, while they were going there, they were shipwrecked. So, their father together with his wife Mary left Constantinople in search of their sons. They found them in Jerusalem where they had become monks. So, they also received the tonsure and the blessed family grew in virtue so much that they were made worthy by God to perform miracles.

Symeon the Old

Symeon loved the solitary life since childhood. So, he lived in a cave on Mount Amanon and tasted no human food, not even bread or anything else, but he only used to eat whichever greens could be eaten. When he desired to go to Mount Sinai, he asceded it and entered a cave where Moses had hidden when he was made worthy to see God (as much as it is possible to human nature to see God). There he fell prone and remained attentive and fasting for seven days with tears and prayers. He did not rise, until he heard a divine voice, which ordered him to rise and eat three apples which were in front of him. When he returned from Mount Sinai, he built two monasteries.