ALYPIUS THE STYLITE

Alypius the Stylite (c.515–after 610) was a great ascetic, witness to a difficult apocalyptic time when the unity of the Orthodox Church was first destroyed as a result of Christological disputes, and then, as a consequence of the mutual division of Christians, the rapid spread of Islam began in the world. The entire unusually long life of Alypius was connected with Adrianople, a city located in the historical region of Paphlagonia on the Black Sea coast in the north of Asia Minor in the vicinity of modern Turkish Eskipazar.

According to his life, Alypius was orphaned early and was raised in the church under the supervision of the local bishop Theodore. Upon reaching the canonical age required for ordination according to ancient rules, Alypius at the age of 30 was ordained deacon and appointed treasurer of the diocese. Since in the Ancient Church the diaconate was a special and highly honorable ministry, and it was from among the deacons that bishops were often elected, such a beginning in the church path meant a great future. Apparently, having guessed what awaited him in the near future, he abandoned ministry and began to live in complete solitude.

Not giving in to persuasion and calls to return, in the image of the three-day Resurrection of the Lord (Luke 18:33), in the third year after his departure he ascended the pillar. Having thus chosen one of the most difficult types of asceticism practiced in ancient times by Syrian ascetics, Alypius became a stylite. Over time, pilgrims and students began to gather around him, of whom, without leaving the place of his feat, Alypius formed a monastery and a monastery at the foot of the pillar.

The life says that the stylite cast out demons and had the gift of prophecy. Half a century later, the saint was paralyzed, but continued to live on the pillar, lying on his side and, like the Apostle Paul in the prison of his farewell suffering, blessed “all who came to him” (Acts 28:30) for fourteen years until his exodus.