Saint's Day: Remembering Zacharias and John Climacus

Today, Monday, March 30th, commemorates the memory of Hieromartyr Zacharias, the new Bishop of Corinth, and Saint John Climacus. Saint John was born in Syria in 523 AD and dedicated his life to prayer, study, and asceticism. He became a monk at Mount Sinai and later abbot of the monastery, but preferred to return to the eremitic life. He wrote two important works, 'The Ladder' and 'A Word to the Pastor,' concerning spiritual exercise and virtue. 'The Ladder' describes a gradual path to moral perfection, with 30 discourses on each virtue. His memory is celebrated on March 30th and the 4th Sunday of Lent.