Saint John the Dwarf
Saint John the Dwarf (born c. 339 AD in Basta (Bubastis), Egypt; died c. 405 AD in Skete, Egypt) was an Egyptian Desert Father renowned for his extraordinary humility, obedience, and asceticism. He was one of the most celebrated monks of the Scetis desert (Wadi Natrun), and his sayings are preserved in the Apophthegmata Patrum (Sayings of the Desert Fathers). His most famous act of obedience was planting a dry stick in the ground at his elder's command and watering it daily for three years until it leafed — after which it became a tree. His feast day is October 17 in the Roman Rite; November 9 in the Coptic Church.
Stored in Cargo: Saint John the Dwarf
| Saint John the Dwarf | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | October 17 (Roman Rite); November 9 (Coptic) |
| Profession | Desert monk; hermit; abba (father/spiritual director) |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; Egyptian Coptic tradition; Eastern Orthodox; Oriental Orthodox; one of the greatest Desert Fathers of Skete; Apophthegmata Patrum |
| Patronage | Monks and religious; those seeking humility and obedience; Egyptian Christians; Coptic Church; spiritual directors; those doing seemingly pointless tasks in faith |
| Attributes | Dry stick in desert sand (his famous act of obedience); monk's habit; desert setting; angels (his aspiration); the Apophthegmata Patrum |
| Birthplace | Basta (Bubastis), Egypt |
| Death Place | Skete (Scetis / Wadi Natrun), Egypt |
| Cause of Death | Natural death after a life of intense asceticism in the Egyptian desert; died as an old man in Skete (Scetis) |
| Primary Shrine | Wadi Natrun (Scetis), Egypt — the four surviving Coptic monasteries of the Natrun valley (Deir Anba Bishoi, Deir Al-Suryan, Deir Abu Maqar, Deir Al-Baramus) stand in the same desert where he lived and are among the oldest continuously inhabited monasteries in the world |
| Liturgical Class | Optional Memorial (Roman Rite, October 17); venerated in Coptic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox traditions |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
John was born around 339 AD in Bubastis (Basta) in the Egyptian delta. As a young man he placed himself under the direction of an elder named Abba Ammoes at Skete (Scetis) in the Wadi Natrun. He remained in the desert for the rest of his life, becoming one of its most celebrated monks.
His physical stature was small — hence the epithet "the Dwarf" (Kolobos in Greek) — but his spiritual stature was enormous. His sayings in the Apophthegmata Patrum (Sayings of the Desert Fathers) are among the most frequently cited of any Desert Father.
His most famous act of obedience occurred when Abba Ammoes planted a dry stick in the sand and commanded John to water it daily until it bore fruit. The walk to water was over a mile. John obeyed without complaint for three years. The stick eventually leafed and bore fruit, which Ammoes brought to the church as a living parable of perfect obedience.
Around 407–408 AD Bedouin raiders sacked Skete and drove the monks out. John fled with the others. He was an old man and died shortly after, likely around 405–410 AD.
He is venerated in the Roman Rite (feast October 17), the Coptic Church, and the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Basta (Bubastis), Egypt
Death location: Skete (Scetis / Wadi Natrun), Egypt
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Shrines
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Known shrines
- Wadi Natrun (Scetis), Egypt — the four Coptic monasteries of the Natrun valley stand in the same desert; the area is the principal sacred site associated with all the Desert Fathers of Skete.
Feast day
October 17 (Roman Rite); November 9 (Coptic Church)
Veneration
Saint John the Dwarf is venerated in the Roman Rite, the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Oriental Orthodox traditions. He is one of the most celebrated Desert Fathers of Scetis.
Prayers
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