Alypius the Stylite

Infobox Saint
name=Saint Alypius the Stylite
birth_date=522
death_date=640
feast_day=November 26
venerated_in=Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Catholic Churches
Roman Catholic Church


imagesize=
caption=Icon of St. Alypius the Stylite
birth_place=Hadrianopolis, Paphlagonia
death_place=Hadrianopolis
titles=Venerable Father
beatified_date=
beatified_place=
beatified_by=
canonized_date=
canonized_place=
canonized_by=
attributes=Clothed in his monastic habit, standing atop a pillar
patronage=fertility in women, young children
major_shrine=
suppressed_date=
issues=

Saint Alypius the Stylite was a seventh century ascetic saint. He is revered as a monastic founder, an intercessor for the infertile, and a protector of children. During his lifetime he was a much sought after starets (guide in the Christian spiritual life).

Alypius was born in the city of Adrianopolis in Paphlagonia. His mother, who had been widowed early, was very pious. She sent her son to be educated by the bishop Theodore, gave all of her livelihood to the poor, and herself became a deaconess and lived an ascetic life. Alypius built a church in honour of the Great Martyr Saint Euphemia the All-Praised on the site of a dilapidated pagan temple. He erected a pillar beside the church and lived atop it for the majority of his adult life. Two monasteries were built beside his pillar, one for monks and one for nuns, and Saint Alypius served as spiritual director of both. According to his hagiography for the last fourteen years of his life he was unable to stand, and had to lie on his side. He died in 640, at the age of 118. He is recognised as one of the three great stylite ascetics along with Simeon Stylites the Elder and Daniel the Stylite.

Alypius is venerated in the Eastern Orthodox Church and those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite, as well as the Roman Catholic Church on November 26. [ [http://www.saintbarbara.org/about/icons/alipios.cfm Saint Alipios the Stylite] Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church] For those churches which follow the Julian Calendar November 26 currently falls on December 9 of the modern Gregorian Calendar. After his death his relics were interred in the Church of St. Euphemia which he had built. His head is preserved in the Monastery of Koutloumousiou on the Mount Athos.

See also

*Foolishness for Christ
*
*Hermit
*Poustinia

References

External links

* [http://www.westsrbdio.org/prolog/my.html?day=26&month=November The Venerable Alypius the Stylite] "Prologue from Ochrid" by St. Nikolaj Velimirović, Serbian Orthodox Church
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=103397 Venerable Alypius the Stylite of Adrianopolis] Orthodox icon and synaxarion