Venerable
Venerable Paul of Latros
ок. 880 — 955
Also known as: Павел Латрский, Павел Новый, Латрский
A tenth-century Byzantine ascetic, a stylite on Mount Latros near Miletus and founder of the Lavra of Stylos; Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus wrote to him asking for his prayers. He died in 955.
Venerable Paul of Latros was born around 880 in Elaia, the port of Pergamon in western Asia Minor. After his father fell in a sea battle with the Arabs, he and his brother Basil were brought up at the monastery of St Stephen in Phrygia. After his mother's death he went to Mount Latros (Latmos) near Miletus, a major monastic centre, and became a novice at the monastery of Karya under its founder, Abbot Peter.
Later he lived alone in a cave and then, at the suggestion of Abbot Athanasius of the Saviour monastery, as a stylite on a rock. A community gathered around him, which became known as the Lavra of Stylos ("at the pillar"), with churches of the Archangel Michael and of the Mother of God. Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus often wrote to him for prayers and advice. Twice he withdrew to the island of Samos, where he founded a lavra and restored three monasteries ravaged by the Arabs, but he returned to Latros. Foreseeing his death, he gave the brethren a rule of monastic life in the form of a testament and died in 955. He is commemorated on 15 (28) December.