Saint Daniel the Stylite
Saint Daniel the Stylite (born c. 409 AD in Samosata, Syria; died December 11, 493 AD on the Bosphorus, near Constantinople) was a Syrian ascetic who, following the example of Saint Simeon Stylites, spent 33 years of his life living on top of a column (a stylus) near Constantinople. He was a prophet and spiritual counselor to emperors, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and thousands of pilgrims. He is the most famous of the Stylite saints after Simeon himself. His feast day is December 11.
Stored in Cargo: Saint Daniel the Stylite
| Saint Daniel the Stylite | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | December 11 |
| Profession | Stylite (pillar-dweller); monk; prophet; spiritual director |
| Rel. Affiliation | Eastern Church; Orthodox tradition |
| Patronage | Constantinople; those persecuted; monks; pillar ascetics |
| Attributes | Column (stylus); bishop's vestments (he was ordained priest and later bishop while on his column); long beard; wind and storm (he endured all weather on his platform) |
| Birthplace | Samosata, Adıyaman Province, Southeastern Turkey (ancient Syria) |
| Death Place | Bosphorus shore near Constantinople (modern Istanbul), Turkey |
| Cause of Death | Natural causes; died on his pillar at age 84 after 33 years of living on it |
| Liturgical Class | Not included in universal Roman Calendar; feast in Eastern Catholic and Orthodox churches (December 11) |
| Historic Class | Not included |
Biography
Daniel was born around 409 AD at Samosata in Syria. He entered a monastery as a child. Around 412 AD, he met Saint Simeon Stylites — the first of the great pillar-saints — and Simeon blessed him and gave him his cloak. This meeting fixed Daniel's vocation. After years of monastic life, in 451 AD Daniel went to Constantinople and took up the ascetic life near the Bosphorus.
From 460 AD he mounted a series of columns (the platforms were made taller over time) and spent the next 33 years of his life on them. He was ordained as a priest, and eventually consecrated bishop, while standing on his platform. A series of disciples and monks gathered around the columns and formed the Monastery of Saint Daniel; Daniel directed them and received visitors from atop the pillar.
His spiritual authority was immense. Emperors came to consult him: Leo I made multiple visits; Zeno came to him. When the usurper Basiliscus tried to restore the Eutychian heresy after the Council of Chalcedon (451), Daniel descended from his column for the only time in 33 years to preach against him in the streets of Constantinople — a dramatic public act that contributed to Basiliscus's fall.
He is said to have endured winter blizzards, summer heat, and violent storms on his platform. His fame drew pilgrims from across the empire. He died on December 11, 493, at the age of approximately 84.
His Life — a detailed biography written by a disciple — is one of the major hagiographic documents of early Byzantine Christianity.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Samosata, Adıyaman Province, Southeastern Turkey (ancient Syria)
Death location: Bosphorus shore near Constantinople (modern Istanbul), Turkey
Notable location: The site of his columns near Constantinople; pilgrims came here from throughout the empire; emperors visited him; his monastic church (the Monastery of Saint Daniel) was built around the columns (Anaplus, Bosphorus shore, near Constantinople (Istanbul), Turkey)
Notable location: His birthplace; an ancient Syrian city now submerged by the Atatürk Dam reservoir (Samosata, Turkey)
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Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Saint Daniel the Stylite have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Dec.11 — The Untold Story of Saint Daniel the Stylite Who Lived on a Pillar for Heaven’s Sake | 5–15 minutes | Biographies of the Saints |
Shrines
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Feast day
December 11
Veneration
Saint Daniel the Stylite is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches with a feast day on December 11.
Prayers
Authored
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Intercessory
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