E05336: John Moschus, in his Spiritual Meadow, recounts a story about Abba John the Anchorite who lived in a cave 20 miles from Jerusalem. John had an icon of *Mary (Mother of Christ; S00033) in his cave. He used to travel to visit martyr shrines, even very distant ones, including those of *John (the Apostle and Evangelist, S00042) at Ephesus (western Asia Minor), *Theodore (soldier and martyr of Amaseia and Euchaita, S00480) at Euchaita (northern Asia Minor), *Thekla (follower of the Apostle Paul, S00092) at Seleucia (southern Asia Minor), and *Sergios (soldier and martyr of Rusafa, S00023) at Rusafa/Sergiopolis (north-east Syria). Whenever Abba John was about to set off on a journey, he lit a lamp and prayed to Mary asking her to keep it from going out. When he returned from a journey, he always found the lamp alight. Written in Greek, probably in Rome, in the 620s or 630s.

John Moschus, The Spiritual Meadow, 180

In this chapter Moschus retells what he heard from Dionysios, priest and sacristan of the church of Askalon, about Abba John the Anchorite. Abba John lived in a cave in the district of the Socho estate, twenty miles from Jerusalem.

εἰκόνα δὲ εἶχεν ὁ γέρων ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ αὐτοῦ τῆς παναγίας ἀχράντου Δεσποίνης ἡμῶν Θεοτόκου καὶ Ἀειπαρθένου Μαρίας, ἐν ἀγκάλαις φέρουσαν τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν.

'In the cave he had an icon of our all-holy and spotless Lady, the Mother of God and ever-virgin Mary, holding our God in her arms.'

Sometimes he decided to set off on a journey, either into the wilderness, or to Jerusalem, or to pray at Mount Sinai. He especially liked visiting martyr shrines, which were often located a great distance from Jerusalem, such as the shrine of John at Ephesus, or that of Theodore at Euchaita, or of Thekla the Isaurian at Seleucia, or Sergios at Saphas [corruption of Rusafa]. Whenever he was about to set out, he used to light a lamp and pray to Mary Mother of God and ask her to keep the light from going out. When he returned from a journey, even from one as long as six months, he found the lamp alight.

Text: Migne 1865 (PG 87.3). Translation: Wortley 1992. Summary: J. Doroszewska.