Feast Day: December 5th
The Life of Saint Sabas: After several years, disciples began to gather around Saint Sabas, seeking the Monastic life. As the number of Monks increased, a Lavra sprang up…
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Prayers
Apolytikion: Sanctified from youth, O Venerable Sabas, thou wast a summit of righteousness equal to the Angels. Thou didst lead a Heavenly life, and guide thy flock to godliness by word and deed. And they cry to thee with faith: Glory to Him Who has strengthened thee; Glory to Him Who has Crowned thee; Glory to Him Who through thee works healings for all.
Kontakion: Thou wast offered to God from childhood as a blameless sacrifice, as one dedicated to Him before birth, O blessed Sabas, thou adornment of the venerables and blessed dweller in the desert. Wherefore I cry to thee: Rejoice.
Hymn of Praise: Venerable Saba, chief of Monks, Spiritual commander of Christ’s heroes, was glorified by fasting, vigils and meekness, by Prayer and faith and blessed mercy. You taught the Monks to not be concerned with bread; You entrusted yourself to Heaven, with labour and Prayer. You sought neither precedence nor rank of any kind. Most rarely did you taste of oil and wine. You kept all the Services at the appointed time. “Let the service be a joy and not a heavy burden,” Saint Saba told the monks, and he showed this to all by his example. Like a wise gardener, he enclosed the garden, and carefully planted many young men. The young men grew and brought forth fruit: A regiment of Monks, to the glory of Saba. Fifteen hundred years have passed, yet Saba’s Spiritual garden still blooms: One thousand monks, a hundred thousand, have been raised up by Saba’s community up to now. Saint Saba, glorious recluse, O God-pleaser, Pray for us also.
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Saint Sabas loved Christ and lived a life of asceticism from a young age, placing all his hope in God. When he was a baby, he would not take his mother’s milk on Wednesdays and Fridays. Below is an Icon of Saint Sabas with his Blessed parents John and Sophia. They left Saint Sabas in the care of his uncle when he was five years old. However his aunty treated him very badly so he fled to his other uncle to live. The two uncles began to quarrel over the care of Saint Sabas and his family’s property, so Saint Sabas, at the age of eight, entered a nearby Monastery to live there. Later on, when he had established many Monasteries, his mother came to him upon the repose of her husband, and Saint Sabas tonsured her a Nun.
When Saint Sabas was a young boy, he was in a garden and took an apple from a tree, wanting to eat it. However, he refrained and said “Beautiful in sight and good for food, but this killed us.” Saint Sabas then stepped on the apple, and decided to never eat an apple for the rest of his life. To this day, the Monks at the Monasteries of Saint Sabas continue his tradition in honour of the Saint.
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When Saint Sabas was seventeen years old his two uncles overcame their differences and asked for him to return to his home and be married, however he went to Jerusalem to continue to dedicate his life to God and was ordained a Monk.
“Having once enlisted in the service of God the King of all, I cannot cancel this service, and those who try to draw me from it I cannot bear to call my parents. For I shall abide by my commitment to God till my last breath, hoping to die in the Holy life of Asceticism.”
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“He that loveth God disdaineth things corruptible and prefereth the Knowledge of Him.”
After the Repose of his Elder, Saint Sabas became a recluse and lived in a cave. He would only return to the Monastery on Saturdays where he would participate in the Divine Liturgy and have lunch with the brethren. Saint Sabas received a Blessing to remain in his cave for five years. A large lion was known to visit this cave. One night the lion came to the cave and saw the Saint there, so he began to pull him out of the cave by his Monastic habit. However, Saint Sabas began his night Psalmody and the lion waitied outside the cave. When Saint Sabas finished, the lion returned to the cave attempting to pull Saint Sabas out again. Saint Sabas said to the lion “The cave is spacious enough to provide plentiful lodging for both of us, for we both have the one Creator. As for you, if you want, stay here; if not, withdraw. I myself was fashioned by the hand of God and privileged to receive His Image.” The lion then humbly withdrew to the desert, leaving Saint Sabas.
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After several years many disciples began to gather around Saint Sabas, wishing to live with him the Monastic life of fasting, humility, poverty, obedience and Prayer. One day a Holy Angel of God appeared in front of Saint Sabas as a pillar of fire, and it was here that he found a large cave and founded a Church. Over the years Saint Saba founded seven Monasteries.
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“I shall not cancel the Divine Liturgy because of the lack of flour; faithful is He Who Commanded us not to be concerned about bodily things, and Mighty is He to feed us in time of hunger.”
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The Theotokos Communing the Fathers of Saint Sabas Monastery
Read the beautiful story of Our Most Holy Mother of God Communing the Monks: “She told him ‘This Food is the Body of my Son and it is taken by those who fast until this hour and are cleansed, yet you do not fast. How, therefore, can you Commune from this Bread?'”
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By the Prayers of Saint Sabas and Our Panagia, a spring of water welled up at the Monastery.
The Staff of Saint Sabas
Read about the Staff of Saint Sabas: “They would know it was the right man when at the moment of his paying Veneration at his tomb the tied up staff would fall to the ground”…
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Saint Sabas’ Palm Tree
Read about the Miraculous Palm Tree planted by Saint Sabas: “This tree of the Saint had dried up decades ago, but in a Miraculous way sprouted anew at the same spot and continues to work numerous Miracles, especially for sterile and pious couples”…
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Saint Sabas reposed in peace at the age of 94 years old.
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Icons
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Below is an Icon of Saint Sabas and Saint Stylianos.
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Below is an Icon of Saint Sabas and Saint Barbara.
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