Venerable
Venerable Cyriacus the Anchorite, of Palestine
ок. 448 — †556
Venerable Cyriacus the Anchorite — a native of Corinth, son of a presbyter; he took monastic vows from St. Euthymius the Great; he labored in the Judean desert, was made presbyter and canonarch in 502; he spent his final years as a hermit in the Natuf desert; he died at the age of 109.
Venerable Cyriacus was born in Corinth to the presbyter John and Eudoxia; his relative was Peter, Bishop of Corinth, who made the young Cyriacus a reader in the church. Having once heard the Gospel words on self-denial during a service, the saint immediately upon its conclusion set sail for Jerusalem, where he took monastic vows from St. Euthymius the Great. He labored in the Judean desert, at the lavra of St. Chariton and other monastic communities. At age 37 he was ordained deacon, and in 502, at age 54, presbyter, after which he was appointed canonarch. Having reached the age of 70, Venerable Cyriacus withdrew with a disciple to the Natuf desert in search of even greater stillness. He died peacefully at the age of 109, in 556, after a final prayer for all. His memory is kept on September 29/October 12.