Venerable
Venerable, Confessor Chariton the Confessor
†ок. 350
Venerable Chariton the Confessor — one of the founders of Palestinian monasticism; he was arrested twice by Roman authorities during persecutions and, having endured cruel torture, did not renounce the faith, for which he is called a confessor; he founded the Faran and other lavras in the Judean desert, composing the first monastic rule for his disciples. He died around 350.
Venerable Chariton is called a confessor because, during the era of persecutions against Christians, he was twice arrested by Roman authorities and, having endured terrible torments that crippled his health, did not renounce the Christian faith. According to tradition, in the robbers' cave where he was held captive, the venerable one set up a church, around which a monastery eventually formed — the Faran Lavra, famous in Palestine. Chariton was one of the first to settle in the Judean desert, where he founded two large lavras (Faran and Jericho/Douka) and one monastery (Souka), composing the first monastic rule in history for his spiritual children. He died around 350 at the Faran Lavra. His memory is kept on September 28/October 11.