- John Climacus
) Several
monk s are depicted climbing a ladder; at the top is Jesus, prepared to receive them intoHeaven . Also shown are angels helping the climbers, and demons attempting to shoot with arrows or drag the climbers down, no matter how high up the ladder they may be. Most versions of the icon show at least one person falling. Often, in the lower right corner St. John Climacus himself is depicted, gesturing towards the ladder, with rows of monastics behind him.St. John's
feast day isMarch 30 in both the East and West. The Eastern Orthodox Church additionally commemorates him on the Fourth Sunday ofGreat Lent . Many churches are dedicated to him inRussia , including a church and belltower in theMoscow Kremlin . John Climacus was also known as "Scholasticus," but he is not to be confused with St.John Scholasticus ,Patriarch of Constantinople .There is in existence an ancient life of the saint by a monk named Daniel of
Raithu monastery. The translation of the "Ladder" by Arnauld d'Andilly (Paris, 1688) is preceded by a life of the saint by Le Maistre de Sacy.Several translations into English have been made, including one by Holy Transfiguration Monastery (Boston, 1979). This volume contains the "Life of St. John" by Daniel, "The Ladder of Divine Ascent", and "To the Pastor", and provides footnotes explaining many of the concepts and terminology used from an Orthodox perspective, as well as a General Index. [Citation
last =John Climacus
first =
author-link =
last2=
first2=
author2-link=
contribution =
year =
publication-date=1991, Second Printing
title =The Ladder of Divine Ascent
editor-last =
editor-first =
editor-link=
edition=
volume =
series =
pages =
place =Boston MA
publisher =Holy Transfiguration Monastery
id =
isbn =0-943405-03-3
url =
accessdate = ]See also
*The
Uncondemning Monk ; also commemorated 30 MarchReferences
External links
* [http://www.geocities.com/hashanayobel/christwrit/climacus.htm Excerpts from John Climacus]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08457a.htm "St. John Climacus"] article from "The Catholic Encyclopedia "
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=16 St John Climacus (of the Ladder)] Orthodoxicon andsynaxarion for Fourth Sunday of Great Lent
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp?SID=4&ID=1&FSID=100943 Venerable John Climacus of Sinai, Author of "the Ladder"] March 30 feast
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