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| St. John of Old Lavra (Feast Day - April 20) |
Verses
The Old Lavraite has a new gain,
John rejoices having found intelligent beings.
It is unknown when our Holy Father John lived or where he came from, but from a young age he was consumed with love for Christ and lived a virtuous life, longing to dedicate his life to God. He withdrew from his homeland and family and took up the Cross of the Lord in a foreign land, in imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who was born in a foreign land and lived in exile.
Arriving in Jerusalem, John worshiped at the holy places, then went out into the Judean Desert to the Monastery of Saint Chariton, also known as Old Lavra, where he undertook spiritual struggles. After struggling well there for every virtue, he departed to the Lord.