January 11–St. Theodosius the Great, Abbot

St. Theodosius the Cenobiarch at Church of St. Thomas-Goudi, licensed under CC by-SA 4.0.

In many respects monks saved Western Christianity. St. Benedict of Nursia was the pivotal figure in the West, whereas St. Basil the Great was the pivotal figure in the East. But they were not alone in helping to spread the monastic lifestyle, Today’s saint, St. Theodosius the Great, lived from about A.D. 423-529, and developed the communal monastic way of life in the Judaean desert near Bethlehem.

There are many different kinds of monasticism, including hermits, who lived by themselves, anchorites, who lived by themselves, but physically connected to a church, and cenobites, what we think of today as being monks in community. This style was not as common in Theodosius’s day. He originally started out as a hermit, living in a cave on a mountain. But he eventually founded the Monastery of St. Theodosius near Bethlehem, which stressed the common life rather than the solitary life. It “grew rapidly, with monks of several cultures and languages, and became very well known for its work with the sick, elderly, and mentally impaired.”

What is notable about St. Theodosius was his desire to do God’s will wherever it led him. As a developer of the communal monastic movement he was able to help others find their way to God as well. We are all called by God to live according to our calling to holiness. For many it is the married life, living in the world, evangelizing and sharing faith with family, friends, and colleagues. For others it may be the priestly life, and for still others it may be the cloistered life in a monastery or the missionary life as a sister or brother of a religious order. We are all called to discern our place in God’s plan of salvation for the world. St. Theodosius, pray for us!