Saint Barsanuphius

Barsanuphius (Greek: Βαρσανούφιος, romanized: Barsanouphios; Arabic: برسانوف, romanized: Barsanūf; Italian: Barsonofio, Barsanofrio, Barsanorio; died after 543), also known as Barsanuphius of Palestine, Barsanuphius of Gaza or Barsanuphius the Great (in Eastern Orthodoxy), was a Christian hermit and writer of the sixth century. He is considered one of the Desert Fathers. Together with John the Prophet, they gave spiritual direction and advice to a variety of people in the region through letters, of which over 850 have been preserved and influenced especially Orthodox monasticism. Barsanuphius is venerated as a saint in both the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. Born in Egypt, Barsanuphius entered the hilly region of Thavata close to Gaza at some point in the early sixth century and begun to live as a recluse in a cell near the village. The reasons for his move are uncertain, but it is possible that he did so due to the pro-Chalcedonian stance of the region compared to his native Egypt. He was already an experienced ascetic before his arrival and experienced in the tradition of the Desert Fathers, but it remains uncertain whether he was ordained a priest. Barsanuphius was Chalcedonian, though not with the same militancy as other contemporaries of his time. In Thavata, Barsanuphius started to offer advice and spiritual direction to other ascetics who were living in the region, among other to the community of the nearby monastery which became increasingly responsible for the support of the various monks who gathered around the hermit. The abbot of the monastery, Seridus of Gaza, became the only person who communicated directly with Barsanuphius and acted as mediator for those who wished to be counselled by the hermit. As Seridus did not know Coptic, he recorded the answers in Greek.